Why do Bartolini's wear like this??

[mmbongo]

I'm borrowing this pic from the Emporium, this pickup is for sale there.

I've always wondered why it is that Bartolini pickups get those 'wear lines' on them like the 3 lines clearly visible. It's not from the string touching the pickup, or it would look like the 4th line. Sup with that?

 

[CTC564]

I have had that happen to my Barts in my original Lakland 55-94 as well as my EMG P/J equipped Spector NS-2

Never knew why though

Good question...subscribed

 

[PlungerModerno]

If that's a 5 string pickup... it could be fingers wearing after they strike the strings.

On my telebass, which has a chrome bridge humbucker, I've got some wear / marking between the strings where my fingers go when I make her bark...

Could be this, could be where strings strike the plastic but I'm not conviced. the marks towards the left side of the bart are more like those heavily striated marks left by roundwounds (esp. SS).

 

[alembicguy]

I don't have pics of mine but my Bart's in my Jazzes get these from cleaning the strings and the fact that the rubber covering wears easier than plastic.

 

[coyote1]

I'm borrowing this pic from the Emporium, this pickup is for sale there.

I've always wondered why it is that Bartolini pickups get those 'wear lines' on them like the 3 lines clearly visible. It's not from the string touching the pickup, or it would look like the 4th line. Sup with that?

Ummm... it could be that the E string is typically thumbed much more frequently while slapping than the other strings, and it moves much more than the others. So its wear lines will be larger and more diffuse. Notice that the wear lines get progressively narrower as you move from thick to thin strings.

 

[Kwesi]

I'm borrowing this pic from the Emporium, this pickup is for sale there.

I've always wondered why it is that Bartolini pickups get those 'wear lines' on them like the 3 lines clearly visible. It's not from the string touching the pickup, or it would look like the 4th line. Sup with that?

I'd actually guess that those wear lines are actually wear at all. Bartolinis come new in a matte black but as you play and your finger touches the area between the strings, your body's natural oils rub off onto the pickup and make it all shiny and stuff. So the wear lines are just places your finger hasn't touched regularly. The same thing happens to fingerboards except the wear lines are actually worn down from string contact.

 

[DarkStar90]

uh yea, its definitely simple wear from your fingers hitting the cover after plucking. The one thing i dont like about barts is how awesome they look brand new, but look like crap when worn. i have a set on my jazz bass. i usually play over the bridge pickup, so the neck pickups still looks new and matte, but the old looks worn and shiny.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Barts are cast from black epoxy, so it's probably a little softer than the plastic cases used on other pickups. Then since a lot of Barts are a little lower in output, people probably crank them up very close the the strings.

Some of the pickups on my basses with plastic covers have similar wear lines on them.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

I'd actually guess that those wear lines aren't actually wear at all. Bartolinis come new in a matte black but as you play and your finger touches the area between the strings, your body's natural oils rub off onto the pickup and make it all shiny and stuff. So the wear lines are just places your finger hasn't touched regularly. The same thing happens to fingerboards except the wear lines are actually worn down from string contact.

This.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

It's not just from finger oils. Here's an old cover of mine that had been on one of my basses for the past six years or so.

The shiny areas have had the matt texture that's molded into the pickup polished off. This is a combination of your finger touching the cover and the strings hitting it. In the Bart above you can clearly see where the strings have gouged out the cover.

It's hard to photograph and looks a lot more apparent in person.

 

[mmbongo]

It's not just from finger oils. Here's an old cover of mine that had been on one of my basses for the past six years or so.

The shiny areas have had the matt texture that's molded into the pickup polished off. This is a combination of your finger touching the cover and the strings hitting it. In the Bart above you can clearly see where the strings have gouged out the cover.

It's hard to photograph and looks a lot more apparent in person.

If you un-focus your eyes you can see it pretty clearly on the SGD pickup

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

It is most definitely from fingers touching them. I have barts in my BTB 676 and it has significant wear marks over the bridge pickup, the neck isn't so bad.... I obviously play over the bridge pickup

/Thread

 

[Brad Johnson]

I'd actually guess that those wear lines are actually wear at all. Bartolinis come new in a matte black but as you play and your finger touches the area between the strings, your body's natural oils rub off onto the pickup and make it all shiny and stuff. So the wear lines are just places your finger hasn't touched regularly. The same thing happens to fingerboards except the wear lines are actually worn down from string contact.

Yep, the pickups got "polished" by the fingers between the strings.

 

[socialleper]

The bart MM on my Lakland has the same thing going on. The pickup cover feels a little softer than my EMGs, so I think something is hitting it. I would think it either from your hands touching it, or skin flakes (sexy) from your hands brushing off while playing and sticking to the cover.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

The pickup cover feels a little softer than my EMGs..

Barts are cast out of epoxy. The cover on the EMGs is ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) plastic, as is the cover I posted in the photo above. Some epoxies are quite hard, but I suspect the kind they use is softer.

Any plastic is softer than metal strings.

 

[Munjibunga]

You can restore their look with a little 000 synthetic steel wool (non-metallic). Courtesy George at BSD.

 

[Freaklight]

Barts are cast out of epoxy. The cover on the EMGs is ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) plastic, as is the cover I posted in the photo above. Some epoxies are quite hard, but I suspect the kind they use is softer.

Any plastic is softer than metal strings.

Barts are made of ABS plastic.
I had this as an official answer from bartolini some years ago.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Barts are made of ABS plastic.
I had this as an official answer from bartolini some years ago.

I really like how the plastic that they use feels. I also like the rounded edges.

I’ve owned this bass for almost 15 years. As you can see, the bridge position Bartolini is showing quite a bit of wear. It’s been played a LOT.

Both pickups still sound excellent. I do wonder if I’ll ever wear through the pickup’s outer shell.

I can’t remember where I heard this, or if it’s true, but I guess when you wear through a Bartolini’s outer shell, it’s time to replace it.

 

[swink]

 

[eastcoasteddie]

This video is about 15+ years old (at the time of this posting), so quality really sucks by today’s standards.
But at around 1:30 there are some close-ups of Doug Johns’ Pedulla. If he hasn’t worn through the covers yet (and I’ve seen newer photos of the bass), you’ll be OK for quite some time…