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Bartolini 6-String Guitar Pickup users share your joy


alanfc

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I've narrowed my search down to Bartolini, Bill Lawrence, and the DiMarzio Eric Johnson Custom.

 

I'm most interested in Bartolini, specifically the ZBS-50. Because I want a more neutral un-hyped pickup. Bartolini has been suggested for this. They have other hyped up models too.

I've read only a couple reviews but they said the ZBS-50 was a gift from the gods.

 

here's all their models:

http://www.starspickups.com/ZBSelectric.shtml

 

I originally was looking for a humbucker to split/tap into a single coil, but after really tweaking the Channel 2 on my Rivera, I've found that that channel gave me a sort of Strat sound (!) that satisfies me enough.

 

So, any Bartolini users out there ? Are you happy?

 

thanks

Rivera + Fender Strat
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I've got a Fender Precision bass with a Bartolini. I don't know what model it is (I bought the bass used from an old friend), but the sound is pretty good. It is very clean, but it's not very loud (especially compared to the stock pickup, which is also still in this bass).

 

I have no idea if this has any relevance to their guitar PUPs (or even other bass models), but, FWIW, that's my experience with Bartolini.

May all your thoughts be random!

- Neil

www.McFaddenArts.com

www.MikesGarageRocks.com

 

 

 

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I've used Bartolini pickups and electronics in my electric guitars (LP and Howard Roberts) for many years. I love 'em.

 

The LP has a triple coil 1E (dummy in the middle) and an LC60 at the bridge. The HR has a humbucking neck-attached pickup, and makes the guitar sound way better than you'd expect hearing it unamplified. Also using their old EZQ unit in th LP.

 

Steve Sklar

http://www.bigskyrocks.com

http:khoomei.com

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got a guitar on ebay that had two bartolini humbuckers -- listed as triple coil humbuckers, and on their undersides they're engraved with V88-E. They sounded beautiful. BUT, then I opened the guitar up, and noticed that whomever put them in completely mis-wired them -- I'm pretty sure one of them is wired as a single coil...they each have 6 leads (and a ground, I"m pretty sure). Unfortunately, I can't find ANY references to v88-e, any 6 lead wiring diagrams (even on the Barto site), etc. So they sound great so far, but I know they have so much more potential! I use barto j-pickups in my bass (love 'em!!), and want to get these guys working too.

 

so I'm a big fan of Bartolini, 6 string or bass, no doubt!

 

But do ANY of you have any suggestions for where I might find info about these pickups? I'll gladly post about their sound once I get htme wired, but I'm running out of ideas (and I really don't want to have to go at this with a trial-and-error approach!). I've called the Bartolini folks and haven't gotten a reply, I've searched everywhere...I'm desperate!

 

Cheers all!

 

Jeff

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey Steve -- any new info? I've got a few more messages out there, but I'm getting pretty close to having to just go at it trial-and-error style...

 

I've seen so many comments about triple coil pickups having a dummy coil in the middle -- is that just to give the humbucking silence with a single-coil sound? So that might be the secret to these pickups. But if the middle coil is a dummy, would you still have leads out for it? What I think I1m going to do is gut one of my guitars, and wire a 5-way switch with short leads with alligator clips on the ends, and use that to just keep swapping the order, position, combinations, etc. of the leads, and hopefully get a good working understanding of the pickups...does that sound sensible?

 

But since these things are such high-end, and I'm such a low-end guitarist, I'm probably going to sell them when I get everything figured out -- alan -- might you be interested?

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Originally posted by lethargytartare:

Hey Steve -- any new info? I've got a few more messages out there, but I'm getting pretty close to having to just go at it trial-and-error style...

 

I've seen so many comments about triple coil pickups having a dummy coil in the middle -- is that just to give the humbucking silence with a single-coil sound? So that might be the secret to these pickups. But if the middle coil is a dummy, would you still have leads out for it? What I think I1m going to do is gut one of my guitars, and wire a 5-way switch with short leads with alligator clips on the ends, and use that to just keep swapping the order, position, combinations, etc. of the leads, and hopefully get a good working understanding of the pickups...does that sound sensible?

 

But since these things are such high-end, and I'm such a low-end guitarist, I'm probably going to sell them when I get everything figured out -- alan -- might you be interested?

Hey-

well, I have been off the trail for a while now because I just joined a band and I've been consumed with everything BUT my pickups...I will revisit the issue eventually. I actually now find myself wanting a humbucker/single coil splitter again... I've sorta been looing at these handmade pickups from this guy

 

http://www.skguitar.com/

 

he has a model called the Dualtone. I'm thinking alot about those. Not in the very near future though

Rivera + Fender Strat
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