Bartolini sevens

The Dark Wolf · 10-24-2005, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frank falbo

For Chunkosaurus' original query, each person will have different preferences, but a loose generalization would be that the active E494-D bridge, powering the V92C-B neck would "blow away" an EMG 81/85 combo

What do you mean by "powering" the neck pickup?

dpm · 10-25-2005, 04:59 AM

My experience with Bart's is very hit and miss. I've come across good sets, average sets, and awful sets. They seem to be inconsistent. I've noticed that a lot of high end bass builders (traditionally Bartolini users) are no longer using them.
I honestly haven't tried their 7-string guitar pickups so couldn't give you any tonal clues.

frank falbo · 10-25-2005, 08:57 PM

"Powering the neck pickup" means you have the same preamp for the whole guitar. It just happens to be located inside the bridge pickup. So you run both pickup hots to the switch like passive pickups, and then essentially loop the hot through the preamp in the bridge pickup. See, active Bartolinis start life as a totally usable passive pickup, rather than an EMG for example which would be extremely low output if it didn't have the preamp. The EMG relies on the preamp to attain usable gain levels. The Bartolinis only require the preamp for tone shaping and a more subtle gain increase, for a more efficient output level. But then they have the headroom for a HUGE output/mid boost, that you can set by how you design the preamp circuit. It sounds hard to do, but most of the time the standard Bartolini recommended preamp components are perfect. And since the Bartolini is a good passive pickup, it can get a more traditional passive tone/dynamic vs. an EMG. That's why if you design it right, you can have a guitar that goes from solid passive tones to EMG (with increased dynamics) with the flick of a switch.

The street price should be around $100 each. Well worth it. I haven't noticed any decrease in usage, contrarily I've seen companies like Ibanez start using Bartolinis in their high end basses, and the mk1 is a Korean licensed product (with little or no real connection to a USA Bartolini) that's getting lots of usage. I've also never noticed an inconsisitency. BUT remember even the same pickup can sound very different if the preamp is set differently. So my best advice for a potential Bartolini client is to forget everything you've heard so far, and just tell me what you like. Then I design the system. With that, I literally have a 100% success rate over a period of 10+years. (that includes 6's and basses too) If someone says "I liked some and hated some" it's because he truly makes pickups for everyone. It's not like Duncan or Dimarzio where the bulk of their pups fit within a general vibe. He's got lots of pickups I don't like, too, because they were made for some jazz cat to use with a clean tube amp and the tone rolled off. On the other side, I don't like his ultra high gain, screaming "Evo" type pups either. But they are still awesome.

And when I say "blows away" a "brand x" pickup it's all still subjective. I don't mean it as a "Romanism" or in arrogance or anything. I just literally have had no client disagree after installation. But maybe that's just because those who would try the Bartolinis were more open minded, or had already decided they wanted something different or better than a typical "brand x." I don't know.

dpm · 10-25-2005, 09:05 PM

My major issue regarding inconsistency is noise. I've seen a few noisy systems over the years. Tonally, yeah they have a huge range. Sounds like frank knows his Bartolini's and is the one to advise on their range

JJ Rodriguez · 10-25-2005, 09:47 PM

How big are bartolini's? Are they like EMG's and require routing? All the pictures I see look that way. I'd be interested in trying a set some day, I'm just not sure which guitar I'd want to stick them in. Are there any specific models for 7 strings or are they all custom jobs for 7's?

frank falbo · 10-25-2005, 10:52 PM

They should fit a stock Duncan or Dimarzio slot. If anything, the mounting holes are a little narrower. But I think the Duncans are narrower than the Dimarzios anyway. So maybe they match Duncans. I've always been able to do a direct replacement. They're not like a 707 where the whole route needs to be enlarged. If anything the corners are sharp, so you might have a rounded corner for a Dimarzio, but I've never had them NOT fit. The models are listed on their site, there are basically 6 main ones. I've gotten custom ones back when he offered fewer models, but a couple of them became models he offers now, while one remains a custom.

jim777 · 10-26-2005, 02:08 PM

Bartolini 7's will drop right into an RG-7 guitar with no problem at all. Here's a (big) pic: http://jim777.com/images/face.JPG

eaeolian · 10-26-2005, 02:14 PM

Just out of curiosity, where on their site do the mention seven string pickups? It's possible I'm blind (wouldn't be the first time)...

JJ Rodriguez · 10-26-2005, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eaeolian

Just out of curiosity, where on their site do the mention seven string pickups? It's possible I'm blind (wouldn't be the first time)...

I don't see anything there either, unless there's another site for them besides www.bartolini.net.

jim777 · 10-26-2005, 03:48 PM

I think the catalog is pretty much it. Great pickups, terrible site

http://www.bartolini.net/pdf/Catalog_May_2005.pdf

	sevenstring guitars		sevenstring registry		photo gallery		merch

10-26-2005, 02:08 PM	#17 (permalink)
jim777 Seen all good people Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,179 Real Name: Jim? lol Main Seven: 727 Rig: '87 X-100B Thanked: 2	Bartolini 7's will drop right into an RG-7 guitar with no problem at all. Here's a (big) pic: http://jim777.com/images/face.JPG ...diagonally parked in a parallel universe... Please visit freerice.com if you get bored online

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10-25-2005, 04:59 AM	#12 (permalink)
dpm RnB causes cancer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,690 Real Name: Dan Main Seven: Old UV Main ERG: Oni 8 string Rig: modded Laney VC50 Thanked: 15	My experience with Bart's is very hit and miss. I've come across good sets, average sets, and awful sets. They seem to be inconsistent. I've noticed that a lot of high end bass builders (traditionally Bartolini users) are no longer using them. I honestly haven't tried their 7-string guitar pickups so couldn't give you any tonal clues.

10-25-2005, 08:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
frank falbo ss.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 215 Main Seven: Custom Thanked: 9 / 1	"Powering the neck pickup" means you have the same preamp for the whole guitar. It just happens to be located inside the bridge pickup. So you run both pickup hots to the switch like passive pickups, and then essentially loop the hot through the preamp in the bridge pickup. See, active Bartolinis start life as a totally usable passive pickup, rather than an EMG for example which would be extremely low output if it didn't have the preamp. The EMG relies on the preamp to attain usable gain levels. The Bartolinis only require the preamp for tone shaping and a more subtle gain increase, for a more efficient output level. But then they have the headroom for a HUGE output/mid boost, that you can set by how you design the preamp circuit. It sounds hard to do, but most of the time the standard Bartolini recommended preamp components are perfect. And since the Bartolini is a good passive pickup, it can get a more traditional passive tone/dynamic vs. an EMG. That's why if you design it right, you can have a guitar that goes from solid passive tones to EMG (with increased dynamics) with the flick of a switch. The street price should be around $100 each. Well worth it. I haven't noticed any decrease in usage, contrarily I've seen companies like Ibanez start using Bartolinis in their high end basses, and the mk1 is a Korean licensed product (with little or no real connection to a USA Bartolini) that's getting lots of usage. I've also never noticed an inconsisitency. BUT remember even the same pickup can sound very different if the preamp is set differently. So my best advice for a potential Bartolini client is to forget everything you've heard so far, and just tell me what you like. Then I design the system. With that, I literally have a 100% success rate over a period of 10+years. (that includes 6's and basses too) If someone says "I liked some and hated some" it's because he truly makes pickups for everyone. It's not like Duncan or Dimarzio where the bulk of their pups fit within a general vibe. He's got lots of pickups I don't like, too, because they were made for some jazz cat to use with a clean tube amp and the tone rolled off. On the other side, I don't like his ultra high gain, screaming "Evo" type pups either. But they are still awesome. And when I say "blows away" a "brand x" pickup it's all still subjective. I don't mean it as a "Romanism" or in arrogance or anything. I just literally have had no client disagree after installation. But maybe that's just because those who would try the Bartolinis were more open minded, or had already decided they wanted something different or better than a typical "brand x." I don't know.

10-25-2005, 09:05 PM	#14 (permalink)
dpm RnB causes cancer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,690 Real Name: Dan Main Seven: Old UV Main ERG: Oni 8 string Rig: modded Laney VC50 Thanked: 15	My major issue regarding inconsistency is noise. I've seen a few noisy systems over the years. Tonally, yeah they have a huge range. Sounds like frank knows his Bartolini's and is the one to advise on their range

10-25-2005, 09:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
JJ Rodriguez Pantysniffing zombie Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 5,753 Main Seven: Ibanez RG7CT Rig: FramusDragon-Norbert Thanked: 37	How big are bartolini's? Are they like EMG's and require routing? All the pictures I see look that way. I'd be interested in trying a set some day, I'm just not sure which guitar I'd want to stick them in. Are there any specific models for 7 strings or are they all custom jobs for 7's?

10-25-2005, 10:52 PM	#16 (permalink)
frank falbo ss.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 215 Main Seven: Custom Thanked: 9 / 1	They should fit a stock Duncan or Dimarzio slot. If anything, the mounting holes are a little narrower. But I think the Duncans are narrower than the Dimarzios anyway. So maybe they match Duncans. I've always been able to do a direct replacement. They're not like a 707 where the whole route needs to be enlarged. If anything the corners are sharp, so you might have a rounded corner for a Dimarzio, but I've never had them NOT fit. The models are listed on their site, there are basically 6 main ones. I've gotten custom ones back when he offered fewer models, but a couple of them became models he offers now, while one remains a custom.

10-26-2005, 02:14 PM	#18 (permalink)
eaeolian The Church of SEVEN • Super Moderator • Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 10,391 Real Name: Mike Main Seven: Jackson CS Soloist 7 Rig: Mesa Triple Recto Thanked: 51	Just out of curiosity, where on their site do the mention seven string pickups? It's possible I'm blind (wouldn't be the first time)...

10-26-2005, 03:48 PM	#20 (permalink)
jim777 Seen all good people Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,179 Real Name: Jim? lol Main Seven: 727 Rig: '87 X-100B Thanked: 2	I think the catalog is pretty much it. Great pickups, terrible site http://www.bartolini.net/pdf/Catalog_May_2005.pdf


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Bartolini sevens