Bartolini or Bare Knuckle for bass

[Zibob]

I am in the process of building a Jazz Bass and the next/last really large important decision has yet to be made. I pretty set on it being one of the two and currently leaning more towards the Bare Knuckle ('60 PE J Bass) slightly higher output pickup. I favor them because of the high praise they have been receiving and the research gone into making them what they are. They are also hand wound and made to very high standards. On contrast the Bartolini website is not very helpful or informative and despite there being a lot of talk about them there are very few readily available/clear cut reviews of the J Bass pickups.

I have a strange feeling I will go with the Bare Knuckle set but any arguments for/against will be read and considered. Thanks.

 

[Nando Vallart]

I know few guys who used the bass pickups from BKP, as they're kinda new on site... But a guy that has lots of vintage guitars compared one his '60s P Bass with one made by Bravewoods (UK) with BKP pickups and said he cannot listen difference... They're made to sound like the real vintage, but you can still ask for it a little hotter or lighter wound...

Know nothing about Bartollini

 

[OzziePete]

I have Bartolinis in a Fender MIJ P Bass (passive) that sound brilliant, plenty of that P-Bass punch. Dunno what the J Bass pickups would be like, but they do have active and passive versions, and plenty of variety in tone shape. I barely know anything about BKP.

 

[Zibob]

So now I have both sides of the coin, well at least a quick glance. Thanks.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Yea ... too bad about the Bartolini site. It's been like that forever.
It's as if they don't want to sell product.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Bartolini hands down.  :icon_thumright:

 

[OzziePete]

Yea ... too bad about the Bartolini site. It's been like that forever.
It's as if they don't want to sell product.

Word of mouth and pro recommendations tends to sell more Bartolinis than any website they could put up... If you persist with the crappy website tho, there is some info about the types of pickups within each model. I think, from memory here, that they have a Deep sounding tone range for each standard type of bass pickup (J-Bass, P-Bass) that tends to shake the bowels a bit. I find their model numbering system difficult to follow too.  :dontknow: