Bartolini Pickups..

[JuliusGroove]

A lot of people I know swear by Bartolini Pickups.. A friend of mine put some in his Ibanez and they sound amazing..

I have a Mexican Jazz Bass, a Stingray and a P-Bass (Squier) and a Fretless Tanglewood Rebel 4K..

I'm pretty sure I want to try putting some Bartolinis into one of these but I'm not sure which?

I love the sound of my Jazz Bass because the fingerstyle is great as is the slap tone.. Do the Bartolinis sound good for slap styles?

The Stingray again has it's own particular tone which I'm not sure I want to Jeopradise..

The P-Bass is tempting as it is only a squier, are these pick-ups good enough to make it sound as good/better than a standard P Bass? (I'm thinking put flat wounds on it and use it for a Pino Vibe?)

The fretless really is just a piece of garbage.. But Could the Bartolinis give it that boost to become a fairly decent giggable piece of wood?

Feel free to answer any questions, any advice is welcome and I'm not expecting one person to be able to help me with advice on all instruments.. Anyone who has used Bartolinis is greatly welcomed..

Cheers!

[Conan]

Sound is very subjective. You may well hear a difference, but whether you think it is an improvement depends on your own personal taste!

I have a Mex J bass, and I must admit that I love its tone - one of the best-sounding Js I've heard. I did originally think about taking a set of Wizard Hammers out of my fretless J copy and popping them into the MIM J, but I honestly can't see how the tone would get much better than it currently is. Maybe I was just lucky with this particular bass...

As you say, a Stingray has very much it's own sound. That's not to say that a similar pickup from another manufacturer couldn't change/improve that.

You'd probably notice the biggest difference in the Squier, as the standard Squier pickups are known for being a bit nondescript. But, being a Squier (depending on which model) you may well find that, having upgraded the pickup, you discover the next weakest link in the chain (bridge, tuners, pots, etc) and start on a never-ending modfest. Cool, if you like that sort of thing!

To my ears, I tend to find Bartolinis a bit "polite" although they are "warm" too. Others love them for that very characteristic! They can probably calm and tame a very aggressive-sounding bass though.

Barts are certainly not the cheapest replacement pickups, although you can get more expensive ones too. There are lots of threads on here about changing/upgrading pickups. Opinions vary massively, as you might expect!

So there really is no easy answer!

[electriccheese]

Hi!

First, if you like one bass how sounds now, don't change anything... And the modifications generally go well when you know what are you trying to achieve.

Personally I like Bartolini, but I think they tend to work better with heavier basses, with hard woods or a bass that sounds harsh in the highs. In a bass that already sounds round and warm, maybe it's not the best option. I'm talking about the original series, I didn't tried CB series

[Dazed]

My warwick has barts and it sounds great but I've never changed them do can't compare. I owned a Larrivee 6 string bass with bartolini humbuckers that had a very different tone, warm but growls when required.
My main negative is purely aesthetic in that I don't like how the name gets worn away from the pickup cover over time!

I wouldn't mind trying a set of j types In one of my jazzes as that has a very 'known' sound and I'd be interested to hear if there is much difference.

[chris_b]

Isn't the point of owning several different basses that they all have their own sound and doesn't that make them better?

[bh2]

Hmmm... I have a set of Barts in my fretless P... gets it's first outing this weekend, sounds great at home practicing though.

[JuliusGroove]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1385569106' post='2289768']
Isn't the point of owning several different basses that they all have their own sound and doesn't that make them better?
[/quote]

Indeed.. And I'm not trying to make them sound alike, just better.. I think the P-Bass option is looking inviting but I can't afford to get involved in building a whole new bass! A Fear and Loathing quote springs to mind..

"Not that we needed all that for the job, but once you get locked into a serious bass modification, the tendency is to push it as far as you can."

[Gust0o]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1385562323' post='2289658']
Sound is very subjective. You may well hear a difference, but whether you think it is an improvement depends on your own personal taste!
[/quote]

A very good call, Conan - and, of course, as more knowledgeable posters than me have commented, there are lot of other factors involved in producing your sound. The woods involved; the playing; the amp; the room; etc!

So, maybe it's best for me just to confess that this is just my subjective opinion - but I quite like them. When I did my Shuker course I elected to go with Barts - and I think (totally subjective, and you'll have to bear with my choice of words) that they sound quite, well, [i]dark[/i]

[JuliusGroove]

My lecturer has recommended me the Lindy Fralin Jazz Pick-ups for my Jazz.. Thoughts?

[White Cloud]

I love Barts and have used them on every custom build that I have commissioned a custom build...but you need to be careful when replacing stock pups ime.

I had a Bart fitted to a vintage Fender P bass back in the late 80's and it didn't really improve the sound...it just changed it if that makes sense? I would absolutely not swap out the Musicman pup EVER. If you really feel the need to experiment then consider modding the squier....otherwise leave well alone if you are happy.

Edited December 1, 2013 by White Cloud

[White Cloud]

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1385893000' post='2293154']
My lecturer has recommended me the Lindy Fralin Jazz Pick-ups for my Jazz.. Thoughts?
[/quote]
Lindy Fralin jazz pups are great if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, but if you like the sound of your jazz already where exactly do you want to take the sound of your instrument?

[Rumple]

I put Barts in a passive 70's Jazz years ago and for what they cost I didn't think they made a huge difference to the sound so I took them out and sold them, recently I had a Roscoe for a while that had Bartolini soup bars and pre amp and that was the best sounding bass I've ever owned, so I have had mixed experiences with them, I'm going to give a 5 string Jazz set a try and some point.

If you can pick up second hand J or P pups to try then you can always sell them on if you don't like them and not loose too much if any money.

They are your basses so you can do as you wish with them but I'd leave the MM stock.

[bh2]

Very pleased with the sound of the Barts in the P... very nice indood.

[Dingus]

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1385893000' post='2293154']
My lecturer has recommended me the Lindy Fralin Jazz Pick-ups for my Jazz.. Thoughts?
[/quote]

Lindy Fralins are great -sounding pickups , especially if you want a nice vintage-style sound for your Jazz Bass. They have got a warm , balanced sound with plenty of everything , and maybe a touch more bottom end than an authentic vintage Jazz Bass pickup.

However , is there a particular reason for changing the existing pickups in your Fender ? Which model is it ( USA? Mexico? ect ) and you know which pickups it has already ( presumably the stock ones ) ? If you are just changing the pickups out of idle curiosity rather than a real perceived need to change them then it could lead to some rather expensive and needless dissappointment. A lot of stock Fender pickups sound perfectly fine in their own right, and many expensive boutique pickups don't actually sound that much better or even different , in my experience.

You would be crazy to swap the Music Man pickup for a Bartolini , too, unless you don;t want the bass to sound like a Stingray any more. The Bartolini is a fine pickup in its' own right but it has a markedly different tone to an authentic Stingray pickup, even if it does have a lot of that characteristic sound in it. The Seymour Duncan MM- style pickup is much more faithful , as is the Nordstrand, but there is no real reason to change the excellent EBMM design you already have.

My experience of Bartolini pickups as a whole is that , generally speaking, they are primarily designed to work at their best with a preamp. Bartolinis would never be my automatic first choice for a passive Fender-style bass, that is for sure.

Edited December 1, 2013 by Dingus

[bh2]

Absolutely... I would never swap out the pups on a Ray.

The stock pups on my fretted P sound great. The newly acquired fretless P came with the Barts and they're fine, wasn't a factor. I'm sure I would have been happy with the stock ones.

My Jazz was recently converted to active and sports DiMarzio model Js.

If you really want to try some Barts I would prob put them in the Squier.

[JuliusGroove]

I was more leaning towards barts in the Squier.. I'm techtarded so really have no idea about pups.

I'm happy with my Stingray and to be honest was more outlining the basses I have so the options were open..

I'm happy with my Jazz, but always looking to improve and as I'd heard so much about barts and then fraley's wanted to try something..

I think it's definitely going to be a mod odyssey for the Squier.. But now poses the question Fraley vs Bartolinis?

[Dingus]

If you are just going to use it as a regular P Bass , I would go with the Fralins.

That said, why throw an indeterminate amount money into modding the Squier when you could sell it and use that money and the mod money towards an altogether better bass?

[Conan]

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1385982179' post='2294222']
I think it's definitely going to be a mod odyssey for the Squier.. But now poses the question Fraley vs Bartolinis?
[/quote]

I think the law of diminishing returns applies here. Sticking a set of Wilkinson or GFS pickups might well improve the sound of your Squier for very little cash, but putting Fralins or Barts into a cheap bass (made to a budget rather than a standard) seems like a bit of a waste of money to me. Even spending that amount on a MIM jazz seems a bit much IMO.

It's your cash of course, and I'd be happy to hear what you think when you've made your mods!

[gafbass02]

I found them to have a soft, indistinct character and have always ended up taking them out after a few days to regain note definition, especially in the attack of the note.
That said
Ymmv IMHO IMHO etc etc etc etc everyone's ears and tone goals are different. They look so damn cool too.

[bh2]

Well after playing the new P on fri with the Barts, my feedback is they sound nice and rich, well defined with a touch of growl (fretless), quite loud and punchy ... was impressed overall.

[JuliusGroove]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1385983568' post='2294241']
That said, why throw an indeterminate amount money into modding the Squier when you could sell it and use that money and the mod money towards an altogether better bass?
[/quote]

I just really love the feel of that bass, Ive had it since I started playing (sentimental value ha). Such a nice quick neck and I love playing it.. I was thinking of making it my Flatwounds bass, going for a Pino kinda vibe..

[Conan]

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1386006607' post='2294551']
I just really love the feel of that bass, Ive had it since I started playing (sentimental value ha). Such a nice quick neck and I love playing it..
[/quote]

Ah. Well that's different!

Get the Barts/Fralins in and see how they sound! Just don't buy them new though. That way, if you don't like the result, you can probably sell them on for what you paid.

[JuliusGroove]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1386015473' post='2294684']
Ah. Well that's different!

Get the Barts/Fralins in and see how they sound! Just don't buy them new though. That way, if you don't like the result, you can probably sell them on for what you paid.
[/quote]

EXCELLENT. Thanks guys... Post-mod Pictures will be posted. (Also swapping out hardware n shizen)

[4000]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1385562323' post='2289658']


To my ears, I tend to find Bartolinis a bit "polite" although they are "warm" too.

[/quote]

I've found the same. All my Seis had them until the last one, which had Kent Armstrongs. The Barts were, it transpires, the only thing I didn't really get on too well with about the basses. The KA's were much more what I wanted and if (when!) I get another Sei built it'll have the KA's.

I also agree that they're maybe not the best choice for all-passive. IME they tend to have a very low passive output, but it's possible that may be what you want.

[4000]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1385983568' post='2294241']


That said, why throw an indeterminate amount money into modding the Squier when you could sell it and use that money and the mod money towards an altogether better bass?
[/quote]

A while back I bought a Korean Squier P off ebay for more risky gigs (festivals etc). The build quality isn't that great and the frets need some work but I actually prefer it to several of the boutiques I've had. As soon as I plugged it in it just sounded right and the neck is lovely. It cost me £130; I've spent 10 or 15 times that on basses I've liked a lot less and I prefer it to any Fodera I've ever played.