Has anyone tried the Bartolini T4CBC pickups?

[Johnbob]

Have any of you guys tried the Bartolini T4CBC Thunderbird pickups? Anyone like them? They are supposed to be replacements for the original 60's Tbird pickups and I was wondering how they compared. I was also wondering if they are the same size and if the Greatdealz chrome covers fit over them. Any thoughts?

[exiledarchangel]

I've heard that they don't have anything common with the mid-oriented sound of the tbird pickups, they sound more "modern" and scooped. But I haven't heard myself, so I dont know for sure.

[TBird1958]

It's hard to tell in this pic but there's a Bart in the bridge position of my Greenie here, this is shortly after I had it refinned and was still looking for parts to finish up the restoration. The Bart was there when I bought it from BassNW and of course the rest of the bass was a wreck, it was very much like a Gibson as I recall (and I've heard but can't confirm that Bart *may* have produced one of the four variations of black pups that Gibson used) but it obviously didn't look good on the bass - and at that point I was a fledgling member of The Dudepit and was heavily influenced by George's ( '69 Vette, Old man C)collection of chrome beauties and the many debates we had concerning chrome vs. black hardware. So the Bart was removed as soon as I could find a proper '76 pup - No regrets! And just to keep it fun I know I sold the Bart to our very own Baz Cooper! Who knows where it's gone to    

At BassNW, photo by Evan Sheely, the owner of many T-Birds, he loved it.



And me and my honey, fully restored  

[the mojo hobo]

So the Bart was removed as soon as I could find a proper '76 pup - No regrets! And just to keep it fun I know I sold the Bart to our very own Baz Cooper! Who knows where it's gone to    

I think I know where it is:



This is a Bart I bought from Baz in about 2006. It isn't the same as the current ones as it has only 2 holes instead of 3. The Model number is engraved on the bottom T4CBC-7, I don't know what the -7 means.



For the short time I was able to play it before the headstock fell off I thought it sounded real good.

[uwe]

I've heard good things about these Barts, obviously clearer than a TB Plus, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

[TBird1958]

I think I know where it is:



This is a Bart I bought from Baz in about 2006. It isn't the same as the current ones as it has only 2 holes instead of 3. The Model number is engraved on the bottom T4CBC-7, I don't know what the -7 means.



For the short time I was able to play it before the headstock fell off I thought it sounded real good.

Nice!

and sorry about the headstock 

[Bionic-Joe]

Wow....Wouldn't mind trying out a set of 2. Man...If I were to keep a photo albumn of all the Thunderbirds and basses I've owned.....

[Johnbob]

Well it looks like it fits in nicely in an original Tbird which is nice. I wonder how hard it would be to pry off the plastic covers so I could use the Greatdealz chrome covers.

"the mojo hobo"- Is that a purple Non-Reverse? It almost looks like Fender's Burgundy Mist Metallic. Kind of cool. What ended up happening with the bass after the headstock fell off? Did you dave it or is it gone?

[Bionic-Joe]

Ay...I want first dibs, man......Ha! ha! No seriously, That looks like Heather Poly.

[the mojo hobo]

It is Heather Poly that I sprayed myself on a wreck of a bass I still own. It just needs a new head.

I took the pictures today when I was home for lunch.

[Johnbob]

Ah yes, Heather Poly. I wonder if that was the original finish on that. Imagine what that bass would have been worth right now if the finish was original and if it didn't have the broken headstock. I can't imagine they made a lot of Heather Poly Non-reverse birds. Well, I guess compared to other guitars, they didn't make that many NR bird's period.

[Johnbob]

Well, I guess you just answered my question. It's a refin but it still looks great in that color. Fix it.

I am intrigued by the Barts now though. I really want new pickups for the Bachbird but affordable options are tough to come by. I can get a pair of these for around $200, that's not too bad but if I can't fit the chrome covers over them then I have to look somewhere else I guess. Man, I want the Lull's but I just cannot afford those right now. 

[Nocturnal]

If the Barts are the same size as current TB Plus pickups you should be able to peel the plastic and fit them in the covers. Joe (Chromium) has done this with the black TB Plus, as well as a few others here I think. There is a thread in the projects section where it is detailed I think. AFAIK the Barts fit in the pickup cavitiy with no routing of the body so it seems like the chrome covers should fit them.

Here:
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=2773.90

[TBird1958]

If the Barts are the same size as current TB Plus pickups you should be able to peel the plastic and fit them in the covers. Joe (Chromium) has done this with the black TB Plus, as well as a few others here I think. There is a thread in the projects section where it is detailed I think. AFAIK the Barts fit in the pickup cavitiy with no routing of the body so it seems like the chrome covers should fit them.

They would likely fit into an N.O.S. '76 cover after a "peeling" however you'd be drilling mounting holes at new locations - with possible tragic results unless you can tell where the coils are. I wrecked one Gibson pup trying this.

[godofthunder]

 I have one of these in my '76 Ibanez Destroyer, great sounding pickup lots of mids and treble bite, doesn't have the warmth and inherent overdrive of a 60's pup, great sounding unit none the less.