Pickups FAQ

General information about pickups types, tone, and selection.

When choosing new pickups, where do I start?
Your pickup choice begins with selecting the right shape. Bartolini has more available pickup shapes than anyone. For replacement pickups, it is important t...
Tue, May 26, 2015 at 2:06 PM
The pickups wiring diagram is confusing. Do you have a simplified version?
Here are a couple of simplified wiring diagrams for 4 conductor and 1 conductor pickups.  Please let us know if they are helpful. Most Bartolini pic...
Wed, Jun 3, 2015 at 7:05 PM
Which pickup goes at the neck and which one goes at the bridge?
Most of our bass pickups are available individually with matched "Bass" and "Treble" voicing. Usually, the Bass pickup (-B) is ins...
Mon, Mar 23, 2015 at 5:31 PM
Classic Bass vs. Original Bass Series?
Both Classic Bass and Original Bass are passive bass pickups that are cast in epoxy to eliminate microphonics.  Classic Bass (CB) series bass pickups a...
Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 10:14 AM
Pickups Coil Types
Our pickups are available in many types of coil types. Here is the list of types: Single Stacked Dual In-Line Dual Coil Split Quad Single Coil  Our ...
Sat, Aug 3, 2019 at 6:05 PM
What information do you have about my older model guitar pickups?
Guitar Pickups Other Humbuckers These earlier humbuckers are well known for their high clarity and definition. They can bring out every nuanc...
Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Are you experiencing any problems with installation?
If you are experiencing problems with any of our products please read the following descriptions to see what category fits your particular situation and the...
Tue, May 26, 2015 at 2:09 PM
What are the tone options in pickups?
The tone of the instrument is the combination of instrument response + pickups + electronics Instrument response: The response of the instrument varies d...
Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 9:24 PM
How do I match the pickups specs to the instrument?
To get the best performance from your choice of our pickups you should consider the following: The shape of the pickup hole routed in the instrument....
Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 9:30 PM
What are some common string widths and curvatures?
4 String Bass Pickups  The most common string width (center of low string to center of high string) for these is known as "Fender width" - 3/4&quo...
Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 9:32 PM