GWB35 Pickup & preamp upgrade.

[Count Bassy]

Well, I've been in self imposed exile from you lot since March 4th. I have been lurking though and while occassionally tempted I have managed not to post and thus saved myself an awful lot of time. However, I now have a decision to make and these pages seem the obvious place to pick brains, so I've allowed myself back in for a while.

Anyway: I have a GWB35 and am on the point of upgrading the pick up and preamp (I've talked about this before, but now it's going to happen).

Probably going for a Bartolini NTBTG 918 preamp, or even the prewired loom for this (HR2.2AP).
The logic for this choice, which is not nessecarily sound, is that it's one that Ibanez use in the GWB1005, and if it's good anough for Gary Willis....
Also it's a preamp that allows adjustable overall gain (many don't it seems), so I can match the output to some of my other basses.

Probably also going for a Bartolini BC5BC pickup. Again the logic for this is not particularly sound (but I've got to start somewhere), but is basically that Bartolini they make the pickups for the GWB1005 (I know that it's not this pickup), and it's the only one of theirs that will fit my existing route.

And so to my specific question. The BC5BC comes in neck and bridge variants. The route on the GWB is pretty well in the classic Jazz bridge pickup, which might suggest using the bridge variant, but I'm guessing that the neck pickup, even in this position would give a bit of a rounder/richer tone. So which do I go for? Anyone got any experience of this particular upgrade?, or any comments in general on my plans?


Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Clive

[niceguyhomer]

No suggestions I'm afraid Clive but I'll be watching this with interest as I want to do more or less the same thing with my GWB35.

[Doddy]

I'd be inclined to go for the Bartolini aswell,although I quite like the Ibanez pickup in the GWB35. I like and use
Bartolini's anyway,so I would always check them out. The fact that Ibanez use a Bartolini NTBT preamp and a custom
Bartolini pickup in the upper range Willis basses makes it a good choice.

[Count Bassy]

Thanks for all your thoughts chaps. I'm awaiting some info from the supplier, who is actually talking to Bartolini's about it, and will let you all know the outcome. Hopefully I should be sorted in a few weeks.

Re the Ibanez Pickup in the GWB35, I can't really judge if it's any good or not, as I have nothing to compare it with - I've always stuck with the stock pickups (and electrics) on my basses until now. Is this the start of a new GAS avenue?

In an ideal world I guess I'd upgrade the electrics first and then decide if I want to change the pickup as well, but as I'll be ordering from the States I might as well get it all in one go and save postage. This will also give me the chance to do an A/B comparison on the two pickups and see what the difference is (and report back here).

Any have any specific thoughts on putting a 'Neck wound' pickup in the bridge position?


Thanks again,

Clive

[ikay]

[quote name='Count Bassy' post='914911' date='Aug 4 2010, 01:38 PM']Any have any specific thoughts on putting a 'Neck wound' pickup in the bridge position?[/quote]

This post might be worth a read [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-519134.html"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/inde...p/t-519134.html[/url]

It's about putting a Jazz neck pup in the bridge position on a PJ but the point about bridge pups being wound slightly hotter than neck pups might also apply to Barts. If that's the case then putting the Bart neck pup on the GW35 will most likely just result in a lower output. The main reason a neck pup sounds rounder and fuller than the bridge pup is simply its position (the strings produce stronger vibrations here). If you put it in the bridge position it won't take that sound with it.