Favorite 6 string soapbar for chording

BunchyMutt

BunchyMutt

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Jul 3, 2014
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#1
I'm overhauling my pickups and electronics - going all passive, replacing both soapbars, etc.

I'm looking for a soapbar in the neck position that's good for chording, meaning (at least to me) a pickup that doesn't have a lot of lower midrange that's commonly called "boxy" or "muddy". Ime and with my bass/setup I commonly cut the 250~300Hz range.

I'm currently looking at Bartolini MK6 (classic bass) and Delano SBC6 HE/S.

I like the sweetness of Bartolini's sound, almost like an acoustic-electric jazz guitar in some sense, but I'm worried that it's still not clear enough without a preamp with a mid control to take some lower mid mud out. The Delanos sound more clear from youtube clips, but something in the treble isn't super jiving with me. I'm not hearing the airiness that I want. Does this match or contradict anyone's experience?

I've also been looking at Aguilar DCBs (but they're only available as a set) and Nordstrand BigRigs

Lastly, I'll be installing a single/parallel/series switch for the bridge humbucker so I can definitely do that for the neck pup also.

Specs:
- 16.5mm spacing
- 6 string
- the bridge pickup will be pretty trebly, and I'm wiring pickups up with both a three way pup selector and a blend
- bass is mahogany, for what it's worth

Clips that capture the tone I'm looking for:
Gerald Veasley's "Alegria"


Ben Shepherd


Fodera
 
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#5
emjazz said:
As you know I love the BigRigs from Nordstrand. :)

Delano pickups are somewhere between Bartolini and EMG. Warm but clear. A very nice choice.

I personally like the BigRigs because they are very dynamic, are clear and warm, and seem to have more going on sonically than almost every pickup I've ever tried.
Click to expand...

And you know I love the clips you make with BigRigs :)

Here are a couple more comparison clips:

Bartolini (unknown model), neck:


Delano SBC 6 HE/S, neck:


I'm leaning slightly toward the Bartolini in the first clip. It's more sweet. I prefer the more airy, delicate sound and feel. On the other hand it's lows are definitely not as tight in the low end. Seems like it would get muddy when the tone rolled off while Delanos could stay clear. Purely conjecture though just going off the above clips that are not in a mix setting :cautious:

From BigRigs I guess I've never heard the airy delicacy I'm hearing from the Barts or the snap I'm hearing from the Delanos. Seems more thumpish.
 
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#7
I wrote Bartolini about the Barts in the clip above and they wrote back that they were "108P4734C-B/T Original Quad Coil pickups. It's the only 7 string pickup we make in the P4 shell." So, essentially original series.

Tbh I'm I'm shocked that it's Original Series - I was absolutely expecting Classic Bass since I'm hearing balance and airy top end rather than the overriding warmth or bassiness I was expecting from the original series.
 
#8
I have Delano SBC-7 HE/S duo coil soaps in my Wolfie.
Snapshot_2015918 (3).jpg


AND my Tune TWB fretless.
Snapshot_2015309 (2).jpg
 
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#10
GentProvocateur said:
Nice. How would you describe them, especially passive and with chords?

Aggressive? Hot output? Snappy?
Click to expand...
You said it!!Aggressive is the word!
With a clear top end.Lots of growl for the low B.

I used the exact same seven string SBC for my six string fretless because it was the same size as the old pickups.
And because they are duo coil bars.
Not individual pole pieces.

I got them from BestbassGear for $218.00!
 
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#11
GentProvocateur said:
I wrote Bartolini about the Barts in the clip above and they wrote back that they were "108P4734C-B/T Original Quad Coil pickups. It's the only 7 string pickup we make in the P4 shell." So, essentially original series.

Tbh I'm I'm shocked that it's Original Series - I was absolutely expecting Classic Bass since I'm hearing balance and airy top end rather than the overriding warmth or bassiness I was expecting from the original series.
Click to expand...
The quad coils are a bit less compressed and more open than the dual coils.
 
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#15
So as an update I've had the P26C-B quad coil installed for about a year now and it's good but now I'm wondering if for my purposes I'd prefer getting a quad coil in the classic instead of original since I've heard that classic barts have more high range.
 
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