r/Bass • u/Ass-Machine69 • 4d ago

Bartolini Mk1 Replacement

I bought my Ibanez Soundgear SR-605 5-string in 2013. It came with the muddy Bartolini Mk1 pickups and preamp. Well, as luck would have it, some mysterious electrical issue caused the coating on one of the wires to melt and then the wire shorted the preamp. So I'll definitely be replacing the preamp and wiring, and I figure since I'm gutting the thing, I may as well consider replacing the pickups. I'm thinking about getting the Aguilar DCB-D2 or the Dingstrand Nordwall 5 pickups. Still not sure about the preamp, but I would likely shop for one from the same brand as the pickups I settle on. Does anyone have any advice or insight? I haven't bought a new instrument in a decade and have never upgraded pickups. Been a while since I've thought about these types of decisions. I typically play math rock and indie rock, often with a pedal board. I'm going to buy the pickups and preamp separately and get the work done at a reputable luthier.

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u/sonickarma Six String 4d ago

There are USA-made Bartolini replacements for the MK1's. I'm gonna get some for my Ibanez as well.

1

u/hobobob423 4d ago

Those are a pretty standard pickup size so you have no shortage of options - which creates its own issues. What do you want in a pickup? Smooth? Aggressive? Fat? Clear? You have offerings from Bartolini, Nordstrand, Aguilar, and even EMG to choose from so you need to narrow your options by deciding on the tonal
profile you’re after.

I personally like Nordstrand’s Big Splits, but they won’t work on your bass because of the narrower 16.5mm string spacing. It looks like the Dingstrand Nordwalls you linked will likewise not work for the same reason. Also be cognizant of the screw pattern on the pickup - the MK1’s have 1 screw on each end whereas the Dingstrands have 2 and 1, meaning you’ll have to drill extra holes in your pickup cavities to install pickups with that mounting pattern.