tafkathundernotes Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 Hi Gang; I know some have suggested Bartolini's for my B12L, but I wondered if there were other options. The pictures I've seen of the Bartolinis show 3 mounting holes instead of the ususal 2. I guess that's not a problem as long as the rest of the pickup fits. Have any of you tried the Duncan SSB-4 passive soapbar? I think the dimensions are the same. The problem is that nobody seems to stock them. Are they special orders only? Any information would be helpful. Thanks. Brian
cmatthes Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 I haven't tried the Duncan passives, but I did suggest to bro Serial that he try the Rio Pitbulls in his B-8M - they seemed to be the perfect solution to the EMG dilemma. Sure enough, the ONE time he listens to me and I'm actually right for a change! He said that those pickups completely changed that bass for the better. Now, I've gotta walk the walk and get the same thing done to my B-12M...(!!!!) Never mind that they LOOK BADASS!!!
Tres Aardvarks Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 do those work with the EMG active electronics already in there or do you need to yank them too?
tafkathundernotes Posted March 22, 2005 Author Posted March 22, 2005 Those Pitbulls do look nice! I assume I'd have to install a pickup mounting ring - would that fit inside one of those chrome PhatCat rings? I wonder if that would look badass - or just bad....Hey Greg; are you saying that a Dremel will be necessary to get one of those Pitbulls into the EMG hole? It's an interesting prospect anyway.
AdmiralB Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 The Duncans are brand new, I don't know if they're even in full production yet.Regular sized humbuckers will fit in the EMG routs but there will be extra space at the ends.
Dry Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 The pictures I've seen of the Bartolinis show 3 mounting holes instead of the ususal 2. I guess that's not a problem as long as the rest of the pickup fits. Howard Johnson is wrong! The pictures show 3 holes and there is really only 2. See... They sound amazing and no Dremel Tools needed. Take the actives out and throw them in the trash. Back away from the trash.
AdmiralB Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 I'd also add that an easy step in that direction is replacing the stock 35DC pickups with 35CS Ceramic and Steels. I did this, it's simply plug and play, and they sound a lot more like a passive. Not totally, but in the ballpark.
serial Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 On my B08M, the Rios are a deeper pickup than the stock EMGs, so some slight cavity deepening was necessary. That bothers me not in the slightest and the sound is improved considerably. I was going to go passive and was scouring the parts bins at home for another OBL XL900 (since I have had a bunch of those around from time to time) or thought about going the X2N route, but I hadn't heard enough to sell me. The Rios were a great idea and they work exactly as I'd hoped.
tafkathundernotes Posted March 22, 2005 Author Posted March 22, 2005 This is what I'm seeing available for the Bartolinis now:Bartolini PicClearly a 3-holerHey Serial Steve - How much deeper did you have to rout the bass? I'm not completely opposed to the idea of doing that if all I have to do is dig deeper then slap in a mounting ring.
AdmiralB Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 Hey Serial Steve - How much deeper did you have to rout the bass? I'm not completely opposed to the idea of doing that if all I have to do is dig deeper then slap in a mounting ring. It isn't. Steve's is routed for standard humbuckers, B12Ls are not. All Greg had to do with Steve's was deepen the routs, something that is tough to do with a B12L because the body is thinner - remove one of your pickups and see just how much thickness is left underneath it.A humbucker ring will span the width of the routs in a B12L but not the length. You will have to direct-mount the humbucker a la Diablos, and even then there's not much depth for installing the threaded bushings. And there will be gaps at the ends.
Dry Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 This is what I'm seeing available for the Bartolinis now:Bartolini PicClearly a 3-holerThey are showing the M34C's What I have is the M34CBC's (Classic Bass) which may be the difference. Call (386) 517-6823 "TJ Wagner" ask for Tom. He'll splain.This number is published at:Bartolini.net
tafkathundernotes Posted March 22, 2005 Author Posted March 22, 2005 This is what I'm seeing available for the Bartolinis now:Bartolini PicClearly a 3-holerThey are showing the M34C's What I have is the M34CBC's (Classic Bass) which may be the difference. Call (386) 517-6823 "TJ Wagner" ask for Tom. He'll splain.This number is published at:Bartolini.net Jim;Is that what you used on the "What's Yours?" recordings? That bass sounds incredible.
Stevieconlon Posted March 22, 2005 Posted March 22, 2005 I agree with Dry. The Bartolini classic bass pickups rock!Mine were two-hole, not three also.I mounted them in my 76 Ibanez "lawsuit" T-bird conversion.I use the Aguilar 3 band preamp.I find them to be much more "transparent" sounding compared to the EMGs in my B12L.Check it out:http://www.12stringbass.net/Conversion2.htm
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