The Pedulla Club!

[rhs1856]

He sure did, and his website photography was great too. He knew how to present a premium product in a very flattering way. I've always been a bit surprised to see some top luthiers with dodgy photos or low resolution hosting on their websites. I love Alembic but their website photography is rubbish and seems to still be done with the same colourless digital camera they were using in 2005.


On the subject of the Bartolini electronics I suspected the whole thing would be proprietary. Indeed, I recall reading something from Mike from years ago where he said basses with electrical issues would have to be shipped back to him and any fault would likely necessitate complete replacement of the electronics. I know Mike liked to do a thorough job with his repairs and always seemed to go for the nuclear option of 'replace at any cost' over attempting a fix. That method does have it's benefits for customer satisfaction if not frugality. But it also led me to conclude that he either couldn't or wouldn't work on the electronics and to that end, I suspected they were entirely proprietary.

Now I gather in recent years that it has been harder and harder to speak directly to the pickup and preamp builders at Bartolini USA and that they do not have the capacity to do one-off custom jobs. I concluded then that it was likely that Mike probably bought sets of electronics in batches, ordered to his design, and that holding that stock was probably one of the drivers behind his insistence on complete replacement when a bass was sent in with an issue.

Mike's also been a 1-man show for a long time; diagnosing finicky electronics can be awfully time-consuming. 3 likely approaches:
1 visual / physical inspection for obvious damage like broken wires or solder joints
2 spray some tuner cleaner in the pots
3 rip it all out & install fresh
You can't really get into the preamp modules...

 

[12bass]

On the subject of the Bartolini electronics I suspected the whole thing would be proprietary. Indeed, I recall reading something from Mike from years ago where he said basses with electrical issues would have to be shipped back to him and any fault would likely necessitate complete replacement of the electronics. I know Mike liked to do a thorough job with his repairs and always seemed to go for the nuclear option of 'replace at any cost' over attempting a fix. That method does have it's benefits for customer satisfaction if not frugality. But it also led me to conclude that he either couldn't or wouldn't work on the electronics and to that end, I suspected they were entirely proprietary.

Now I gather in recent years that it has been harder and harder to speak directly to the pickup and preamp builders at Bartolini USA and that they do not have the capacity to do one-off custom jobs. I concluded then that it was likely that Mike probably bought sets of electronics in batches, ordered to his design, and that holding that stock was probably one of the drivers behind his insistence on complete replacement when a bass was sent in with an issue.

The Bartolini NTBT preamp in my Rapture 5 appears to be very similar to a standard Bartolini preamp, if not the same. The Rapture's original Bartolini C pickup looks like it is a standard coil type with a custom coil length to match the string spacing on the Rapture; I had no problems replacing it with a Q-tuner. From what I recall, the Thunderbasses use custom active Bartolini pickups which may also have a non-standard coil length. I'm not sure how far Mike went in terms of ordering custom pickup winding/voicing, but see no reason why other pickups/preamps/electronics could not be used in any Pedulla bass, especially the models that use normal passive pickups.

 

[India_Sierra]

You both raise good points. In terms of a viable future electronics package now that the Pedulla-spec stuff is NLA, I see no reason why an off-the-shelf Bartolini set wouldn't be entirely satisfactory.

I refer back to my Bogart Blackstone which has Bartolini soapbars and a Noll three band preamp - easily the best sounding Bart setup I've played and makes a considerably better tone than my old Zon Sonus Special with it's proprietary Bartolini set. I'd be more than happy to swap a similar set into my Pentabuzz - with the 'three knob' setup on the Pentabuzz I always add more upper mids at my amp.

 

[12bass]

Frankly, I'm not that familiar with the pickups/electronics in other Pedulla models. I do know, however, that I don't prefer the rather dark sound of the original Bartolini C humbucker used in the Rapture; with that pickup, I used to add a lot of treble boost just to get a clear tone. Swapping a Lane Poor in there instantly made the bass sound like it had new strings... that's how rolled-off the Bart C is... though its low-mid presence is quite musical.

 

[Pedullist]

What you're looking for is called "tapered" strings. (Sorry, I can't help with non-Pedulla brands). Tapered strings require less force to get the string vibrating (and they likely have more sustain). Great for Low B and C strings. I suppose the intonation on tapered strings is more precise too.

I just bought a F Bass and discovered they sell a tapered set as well. I was using DR HiBeams, but I think I'm gonna try those F Bass strings on the Pedulla's. Interesting gauges (G is 43 for instance). B and E are fully tapered (bare string).

 

[Pedullist]

You both raise good points. In terms of a viable future electronics package now that the Pedulla-spec stuff is NLA, I see no reason why an off-the-shelf Bartolini set wouldn't be entirely satisfactory.
.

Doug Johns' old Pedulla had a 'regular' Bartolini set. Sounded fine. It's just subtle differences between EQ frequency starting points and their Q's. I like active tone, but I set them up to my liking and leave them where they are for eh...forever. Perhaps I add a tiny bit of treble for slapping. I usually control everything by blending the pickups a different way, or by plucking at different spots.

 

[12bass]

You both raise good points. In terms of a viable future electronics package now that the Pedulla-spec stuff is NLA, I see no reason why an off-the-shelf Bartolini set wouldn't be entirely satisfactory.

What I found, when swapping in different pickups, was that the original Rapture Bartolini humbucker had a custom coil length/radius, which gave a nice volume balance across the strings. Installing a Bartolini CX and Lane Poor both resulted in a brighter/clearer tone, but at the expense of evenness from string-to-string. The adjustable pole pieces on the Q-tuner remedied that problem. Not sure how this would affect other models, those with 19mm spacing, etc....

 

[socialleper]

I've been thinking about swapping out the pickups in my Rapture J2 5 for a while. The Bart Jazz pickups in there are so dark and quiet. I had to replace the pre with an Aguilar and I have to crank the highs all the way up to get clarity out of it.
I'm just bothered by the whole 4 string sized pickup for 5 strings thing.
Are another set of Barts my only option?

 

[bgartist]

The Bartolini NTBT preamp in my Rapture 5 appears to be very similar to a standard Bartolini preamp, if not the same. The Rapture's original Bartolini C pickup looks like it is a standard coil type with a custom coil length to match the string spacing on the Rapture; I had no problems replacing it with a Q-tuner. From what I recall, the Thunderbasses use custom active Bartolini pickups which may also have a non-standard coil length. I'm not sure how far Mike went in terms of ordering custom pickup winding/voicing, but see no reason why other pickups/preamps/electronics could not be used in any Pedulla bass, especially the models that use normal passive pickups.

The older Pedulla soapbar pickups and preamp are what are proprietary, and must be used together. The soapbars were active, as opposed to stock passive Barts. My tech could not really figure out what to do with the preamp when I wanted a modification. It had lots of wires and 4 modules. The pickups and pre used in later basses were different. My Nuance has passive pickups and sounds very different from my Thunderbolts. The pickups and pre in my Rapture were still proprietary, but could be used seperately. The preamp was similar to stock Bartolinis but had custom frequencies. I think all of the electronics used are modified to Mike's specifications. If you notice Doug Johns basses, he keeps the PJ pickups but swaps out the preamp for an off-the-shelf Bartolini pre.

 

[derekfrank]

I'm selling my Pedulla Thunderbolt w/ Nordstrand pickups and preamp.... Amazing bass, but I don't see me playing it much in the future. Check it out! Reverb link:
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Green Knight]

I need to join this club, having recently purchased--and fallen in love with--a 1983 Buzz from most excellent TB'er xnewyorka:

 

[BargeOn]

Truss rod question for the experts:
A local tech has a 1982, 4-string MVP with, you guessed it, a snapped off truss rod cap. Since he had not seen one before I took my '17 'buzz in to compare. He said it was completely different, though he didn't say what the difference was and I didn't see the old bass.

Does anyone know what Mike used on the 'buzz basses of this vintage? Was it a "standard" single action rod?

Thanks

BTW Green Knight: nice score!! I'm emerald green with envy, and I'm not alone. Keep your doors locked

 

[Pedullist]

I only have a '78 Pedulla guitar and a '76 Wurlitzer/Orsini bass to compare, and these have a different system. The bass has two rods (Rickenbacker style), the guitar has only one. They work like 99% of the trussrods in the world, not reversed like later Pedulla systems. No idea when he switched to his reversed system.

 

[rhs1856]

I've an '88 Buzz, single truss rod, but double-acting, & adjusting it takes a standard hex driver, not the Pedulla tool...

 

[Pedullist]

Yeah, that's what I forgot to say. Hex driver based.

Off topic: just noticed [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Curious.

 

[mbluto]

nice clock... not $495 nice, but still nice

 

[Element Zero]

Yeah, that's what I forgot to say. Hex driver based.

Off topic: just noticed [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Curious.

Interesting. Retirement hobby?

 

[Green Knight]

[/QUOTE]

I've an '88 Buzz, single truss rod, but double-acting, & adjusting it takes a standard hex driver, not the Pedulla tool...

Same with mine!

 

[Green Knight]

nice clock... not $495 nice, but still nice

While I'd put one above the mantel, my wife would most certainly veto.

 

[WayneP]

I bought an older Thunderbass here with a stripped truss rod tip. I was told the truss rod works, but the tip had been stripped by the previous owner(s).

I picked it up for a few reasons: One, it had just recently come back from Mike with a beautiful refinish; two, it is the 17.5mm spacing which I prefer and finally, I thought I might be able to McGyver a fix.

I first thought about sanding a slot into the tip and using a flathead screw driver. But ultimately decided I wanted more mass at the tip rather than less and figured a small stainless steel nut might do the job.

I tried tried to epoxy a steel nut over it but the epoxy alone didn't hold (or I didn't wait long enough for it to harden properly).

So then I decided to drill a small hole through the nut and truss rod tip and putting a steel rod (in this case I used the end of the drill bit cut and sanded into proper length) into place using steel epoxy to hold it into place.

I epoxied the nut into place last weekend and drilled the hole and put the steel rod into it today.

Luckily, it turned out as I had imagined. I now have to wait a day or two to make sure the epoxy is solid.

So hopefully late tomorrow or sometime Monday I'll find out if the truss rod, in fact, is functional.

Wish me luck.

How’s it coming with that TB, Mamoru?

Just realized that I never gave you a number! Sorry! Still trying to fill in the numbers I accidentally skipped, so we’re giving you #249. Welcome to the club, and be sure to add us to your signature!


Updated list:
1. p0k
2. kobass
3. michael case
4. Tom7
5. Lonnybass
6. westrock
7. bgartist
8. robwren
9. kojak
10. mikekim
11. Rick Auricchio
12. hiderebirth
13. nalapit13
14. jmorbita (retired from club)
15. jmcgliss
16. Munjibunga
17. coreyfyfe
18. lamonica78
19. krrt
20. BlacksHole
21. rockdoc11
22. Chebass88
23. BigRedX
24. Thunderchief
25. steve4765630
26. BadJazz
27. cetera
28. kaputsport
29. swpyne
30. Kawai-chang
31. kdog
32. Russell Bergum
33. mburd
34. Soulfishing13
35. zoomduck
36. Fawkes007
37. pondscum29
38. NL5
39. Mike - NJ
40. eshears
41. Eminor3rd
42. wallybill
43. chrisp2u
44. Chunk-O-Funk
45. WayneP
46. rhs1856
47. rb1
48. robisbass
49. ZachB
50. baconeater
51. Pedulla?
52. JensWest
53. Bushwood
54. p5string
55. timmbass
56. pbass6811
57. pjmuck
58. pedulla-2007
59. Pedulla-Player
60. Envincibal
61. genocide roach
62. JEDI BASS
63. mightog
64. Jamie Bishop
65. trujo777
66. MoBeach
67. Asomodai
68. dangorange
69. blueacid4l
70. Maclu
71. jmjam -
72. daahoud
73. hensonbass
74. JazzyLambert
75. Flaked Beans
76. jelpo
77. comno
78. Fishheadjoe
79. mc2ny
80. churchplayer
81. seungkoo
82. Vakmere
83. chimaera1982
84. mindwell
85. anthomp
86. melodicly
87. ClassicJazz
88. LarkinLondon
89. ZiggyDude
90. rusackas
91. rodneyat
92. silvertripper
93. 88Sound
94. MasterMonkeyMan
95. jacobw82
96. tombowlus
97. bassthunder100
98. ghiadub
99. bass4worship
100. surfdog
101. chepo06
102. Dan Knowlton
103. TylerE
104. Tony CC
105. CelinderMotoMan
106. NYCBass
107. Pedullabill
108. foundation
109. Mi5a
110. Musicmaster75
111. MVPBASS
112. c-ba55
113. BassGreaser
114. 4to5to6
115. GBassNorth
116. Khui
117. francios
118. seamus bass
119. RandyMolson
120. Sir CussFreq
121. lpjiang
122. thibo62
123. nickmcknnn
124. newamsterdam
125. apener
126. fretless guy
127. mtb777
128. MisterWraith
129. BostonJazz72
130. BrandonA119
131. JeX
132. PazzoBasso
133. pert-urb
134. Randall
135. evilgus
136. INTP
137. scubaduba
138. Freddels
139. Oubabass
140. Where July
141. rolorockbass
142. esa372 (retired from club)
143. selassie1
144. joebar
145. BenTitusMusic
146. Dwight
147. Sid Fang
148. Thumpy Fenda 5
149. deitzel
150. Dougazbass
151. amerbs38
152. emurga
153. rockiezz
154. fabinosto
155. Modulus1906
156. rocoop53
157. socialleper
158. 7777777
159. g-bro
160. dayer2bme
161. fabinosta
162. gegznes
163. tkhNote
164. BottomThumper
165. Folmeister
166. CTC564
167. TheShape101
168. Marial (retired from club)
169. Hot Pocket
170. Suatie
171. LatimerFripp
172. NightDonkey
173. Baird6869
174. Mexibass
175. Crowella
176. Dan Horboychuk
177. Sgroh87
178. LexD
179. stefandisgust
180. LeonD
181. EddieJackson
182. ric426
183. inthebasscleff
184. dataxguy
185. Addison
186. markcv
187. RLK
188. N03L
189. Templar
190. pmad bass
191. Caustic Crunch
192. hyperdoc
193. robthebassplaye
194. DampSneaker
195. AGH
196. WilsonMusic
197. hyoshim
198. AudioDwebe
199. Worldeeeter
200. punchdrunk
201. bmallory
202. drumsnbass
203. Aquarianfuture
204. Boba Fretless
205. mildewman
206. mhartman29
207. OldSchool50
208. thopper
209. Folmeister
210. Kim Jong Funk
211. Merlino
212. Fresh Eddie
213. Twarpie
214. Lovep
215. FlyingFinn
216. japhy4529
217. IronLung1986
218. olnost
219. Jeff Sarsippius
220. roccobasstorius
221. climber
222. mking
223. brookes
224. DanielleMeyer
225. RobLindberg
226. guszkl
227. srbbass
228. laslen
229. Pedullist
230. guitarflinger
231. gegznes
232. naetog
233. Selta
234. Element Zero
235. ThunderR
236. SpcMnk
237. Beatfarm615
238. Jefenator
239. India_Sierra
240. CTBassGuy
241. Marcus Holbrook
242. Gusdfunk
243. 600 Ohms
244. Inara
245. kpsta
246. Mastodon2
247. flamfork
248. mbluto
249. Mamoru
251. Philly Watts
252. blmartin2215
253. Daniel Immel
254. Artman
255. TheHoneyBear
256. 59jazz
257. Dr. Cheese
258. MHT75


Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Pedulla Club #45
Tobias Club #133