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Opinion of Bartolini?

B

bucket222

Oct 25, 2009
6
0
#1
Just bought a used bass with Bartolini pickups. What is the general consensus on Bartolini? Good? If so, why exactly?

(PS- I have no idea whether or not this is an obvious question. I'm new here!)

Thanks in advance.
 
#2
I have 2 basses with Barts. (Warrior J + MM and Fender Jazz J + J) Both also have the NTMB active preamp. Personally I like them. They have a modern HiFi kind of sound, with lots of tonal range. The important question is how do YOU like them? Do they fit your sound?
 
#4
Exalt- I like them a lot! Part of the reason I ask is this: I've been playing bass for years and, while I can talk to you all day about basslines, bass players, who influenced who, playing styles, etc., where I come up short is knowing ANYTHING about gear, manufacturers, parts, what woods sound best, pickups, etc. So I'm really trying to learn a lot about the technical side of being a bass player.

So I asked the question because I'm trying to learn. Imagine the woefully uncivilized guy at really fancy restaurant trying caviar and nervously saying to the person next to him "This is really good!....right?". That's me!
 
#6
Bucket, I'm glad you like them. They're a well respected brand. If you spend some serious time exploring past posts you should be able to get all the gear related info your brain can handle. I have been a gear head and still find out about brands I'd never heard of on a regular basis. There are also a LOT of reviews too. Have fun! :bassist:
 
#7
My general impression of Bartolinis is that they focus on the low midrange and tend to sound polite and somewhat rolled off in the highs. However, keep in mind that Bartolini makes a wide variety of pickups with a number of different coil types.
 
#8
12bass said:
My general impression of Bartolinis is that they focus on the low midrange and tend to sound polite and somewhat rolled off in the highs. However, keep in mind that Bartolini makes a wide variety of pickups with a number of different coil types.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with the polite leaning on my Fretless Jazz (mid 90s Bart setup), but not on my '97 Warrior (with recent Bart setup). It can run the whole tonal spectrum. I'd guess that opinion leans towards the wide variety angle. :)
 
#9
bucket222 said:
So I asked the question because I'm trying to learn. Imagine the woefully uncivilized guy at really fancy restaurant trying caviar and nervously saying to the person next to him "This is really good!....right?". That's me!
Click to expand...

Count me in as one of the people who'd say "If you like the caviar, then it's good. Doesn't matter what the guy next to you thinks."

Of course... with basses, in a recording situation or when you're a hired player.. it matters what the producer or bandleader thinks of your tone. So I can understand the importance of developing a good "palate" for tone.
 
#10
I've got Bart pickups and pre's in two of my basses, and I'm contemplating replacing the EMGs in my Steinberger with Barts and an NMTB preamp.

I love them. The ones I've had experience with, in my basses and others, have a wide tonal range, depending on the preamp (or lack thereof) that you use, and they seem to be extremely sensitive to the differences in the woods in your bass, i.e. in an agathis body they sound somewhat lacking, but the same pups set in an alder body sound like magic.

I have yet to hear someone say they absolutely hate Bartolini, and can't abide them. The closest I hear (in person; TB is another matter) is that it's just not what they like.
 
#11
True, I've never found Bartolinis to sound awful.... just not to my taste in certain basses. Although I found the original Bartolini C humbucker in my Pedulla Rapture 5 somewhat lacking in upper midrange and treble extension, it did have an appealing "voice" in the lower midrange which I sometimes miss (that bass now has a Q-Tuner BL-5, a pickup which reproduces a much broader tonal spectrum). On the other hand, the single coil 9CBJS set in my SJB-75 are surprisingly clear sounding. Have yet to find any Bartolini pickups which sounded harsh....
 
#14
I own two basses and both have Barts and the NTMB-L (exclusive to Lakland) preamp. I've tried the same models with Seymor Duncan Basslines (too harsh to my tastes) and the newer made-in-house Lakland pickups and LH-3 preamp (a good overall sounding setup to my ears), and I LOVE the Barts. That setup set flat with new strings and with a little treble boost with old strings sound exactly the way I want to sound.

However, I know guys who like the Bassliness better, or the Lakland electronics, and the big super-hyped Nordstrands are also getting rave reviews (I personally have not heard the Nordstrands). It all depends on your personal preference and what you go for tone-wise. For me Bartolini is all that and a bag of chips.:D
 
#17
12bass said:
My general impression of Bartolinis is that they focus on the low midrange and tend to sound polite and somewhat rolled off in the highs. However, keep in mind that Bartolini makes a wide variety of pickups with a number of different coil types.
Click to expand...

This has been my experience with the Barts in my two Lakland 55-94s. I need to favor the bridge pickup and boost the mids around 700 hz to get the kind of bark I like. However, it's a different story on my Pedulla ThunderBolt and Roscoe LG3005. Those pickups are much more aggressive in the mids. So yes, it depends on which Barts you have.

The bottom line is that Bartolinis are high-quality pickups favored by many boutique and high-end builders. Ultimately, it's your own ear that will decide for you.
 
#18
They have a reputation for being warm - I would describe them as chocolatey (which is of course good). I like the 2-band preamp, too - intuitive and friendly - can't really make it sound sterile.

I've occasionally thought about trying to update the Barts in my 5-string J-bass with some hot newer brand, but I always step back & decide not to mess with a good thing.
 

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