Bartolini EZQ?

[tmoney61092]

so Bartolini now makes a filter preamp with a q-control called the Bartolini EZQ, has anyone tried this? if so, how does it sound? is it worth it, or would Alembic stuff be better for the money?
 
~Taylor Watterson
 
(heres a link to the page on bestbassgear.com http://bestbassgear.com/bartolini-ezq.htm )

[bsee]

Just some general thoughts, as I have no direct experience with that Bartolini circuit.  
 
Alembic stuff is almost universally better.  The for the money part is where things might get a bit hazy, and certainly very subjective.  Purpose would have to factor in, where anything can work live, but I want Alembic if I'm going to record.  
 
The Bartolini sounds like an attempt to approximate one channel of an SF-2.  That's more tonal variety than what you get in a Series II tone circuit.  We know the Alembic sounds very pure with tremendous headroom and range.  The Bartolini could sound great, I do like their stuff in my non-Alembic basses, but you'll have to hear it yourself to decide which is better for the money.
 
Another question is if you really want that much versatility on your bass.  An SF-2 in the rack is super powerful, has two channels, can be had for about $500 on the used market, and can be used with multiple instruments.  I'd also be concerned about repeatability with that much control in the instrument.  
 
Good luck, and I hope you hear from someone with direct experience.  I'm heading out for a bit, but might look into this circuit a little later.
 
-bob

[blackelan]

IMO Bartolini pickups and electroincs seam to be the type of stuff bass players buy since they could not find the original OEM stuff they need on the market and they have to settle for Bartolini. They dont sound great but they are not bad either.
 
(Message edited by BlackElan on May 30, 2009)

[crgaston]

Ahem... well, the Barts in my Modulus sound superb, and they're OEM.  I don't know nuthin' 'bout their EZQ, but I have to second Bob's remarks about the SF-2.  Of course, there are valid reasons why one would want to have that sort of control on the instrument rather than in a rack, so getting opinions from folks who actually have the circuit would seem advisable, unless you want to be a beta tester and fill us all in.
 
I seriously doubt it'll suck, at least.

[heike]

The EZQ had been on the market already long before, but, alas, by the time I only realized it might be something of interest, I was told it had been discontinued. I really wouldn't say that Bartolini stuff wasn't well built, but sound is a matter of taste (and budget a matter of one's credit card).
 
Relatively new still, and also a filter-based design, is the ACG EQ-02, which you also can get from Beastbassgear. From the sound samples I've heard so far and from what I've read about it, it seems to be a decent piece of equipment. Of course, again this is a different kind of sound. Alas, I for one don't have a bass right now with which I'm really wanting to swap the circuitry.
 
Both, btw, have been mentioned before in this Club, so maybe you might venture a search.
 
Comes the question to Alembic Activators. Guess no one expects me to not recommend them anyway
 
It also somehow is clear, that even an Alembic w/ a 2-band EQ sounds like one, while e.g. a Wal despite its filter-based circuitry sounds like a Wal. Actually, someone at Wal quite some time ago already had stated, if there was something like a key ingredient to their signature sound, it actually was their PUs. That gave me to think...
 
As in all, it depends on the sound you want to achieve, and the instrument you want to modify in order to achieve that sound.

[ajdover]

I have a Bart setup in my Lakland 4-94, and I wouldn't change it for the world.  It's freaking awesome tonally.  Of course, my bass has a serial number of 245 - I'm guessing it is a mid to late '90s Lakie - so maybe that has something to do with it.  That and coil tapping of the bridge pickup.
 
I use that Lakie a bunch - it is in my top five favorite basses in my collection, bar none.  That it has Barts says a lot.  
 
Alan

[blackelan]

Dont get me wrong I am not saying they are bad pickups in the few instances I knew of people buying them to replace electronics in their Arias or Wals since they could not get the OEM stuff they needed.
By no means did they sound bad just different. I think there are more options today then there was about 10 years ago so it seams like the Bartolinis are not as common as they used to be.
 
(Message edited by BlackElan on May 31, 2009)

[georgie_boy]

What's   OEM???

[georgie_boy]

I've got Barts on 2 of my basses, both with Bart active circuitry.....and I think they are superb!!
 
(Message edited by georgie_boy on May 31, 2009)

[white_cloud]

I agree George - for me Bartolini is always my number one choice for replacement pickups! They are high quality, great sounding pickups. As for the EZQ I havent tried it at all....try to find feedback elsewhere on the web, Harmony central etc!
 
John.

[crgaston]

Georgie, it's Original Equipment Manufacturer

[georgie_boy]

Thanks Charles!!
I'll get the hang of all that stuff one day.
 
Take care
 
George
 
(Message edited by georgie_boy on May 31, 2009)

[georgie_boy]

Love your bass by the way!!

[tmoney61092]

thanks for all the info guys, i personally have never tried Bartolini stuff, but i'm glad to hear good reviews about their pickups, i will search the web for reviews and hopefully be able to tell everyone what i find
 
~Taylor Watterson

[musashi]

The EZQ was the heart of the Pedulla Buzz fretless bass back in the day.  It sounded great, providing a cool, punchy slap tone AND a singing, sustaining fretless tone.  It had two drawbacks-- it was noisy when switching from a slap tone setting to a fretless mwah tone setting; and the output was really low.
 
That being said, it was a helluva tool to have in the toolbox.  My understanding, from Mike Pedulla, back in the day, was that at one point they had been experimenting and getting good results by using two EZQ's (one for each pickup).  I think, but don't' quote me, that this setup was installed in the bass that Don Henley's road bassist used on the tunes that Pino Palladino had recorded with him.  (My understanding is that Pino himself used a Pedulla on the tracks, rather than his Musicman Stingray.)