badboy1984

I've got a set of very old bartolini 2 band EQ preamp. It works fine in the pass and it sounded pretty decent. The guitar tech install it for me in the pass and it works fine, i've ask him to transfer the preamp to another bass but we struggle at the moment due to the wiring is hard to spot on the preamp. We've look at the bartonlini website and no diagram on that preamp because is a older model. The preamp is the bartonlini TBTB and it have 16 wires attached to the preamp. Some of the wire is already attached to the bass and treble pots so thats easy to spot, but the wires for the volume, blend and jack is not label or colour so we not sure what to do with that. The colors for the wire is either orange and blue. So everything is pretty similar. Any idea guys?

nice bass and good choice mate. I used to own this bass with couple of mods done to it. I sold the same bass at the end because i need to keep the numbers down etc. What I done to the bas was the following: 1) The stock pickup was ok but not the best so i change it to the seymour duncan pickup and it sounded fantastic after that. 2) I change the strings to flatwound to give me that old school and moto sound. I use D'Addario chrome because personal taste. 3) I left the thumb rest in stock position, but i installed a set of fender 50's precision bridge and pickup cover so it look really vintage. By doing that i can rest my thumb on the pickup cover and play on my favourite position.

To answer your question: Q) John East Preamp A) They are very good altho many think is pricy but i think it worth every penny, i installed the J-Retro on my 60's Classic jazz and it turn the bass to a monster. Compliment on tone all the time from people. It do colour the sound a bit like abit of bass boost by default but i think is a good colour. Q) 18v or 9v? A) i would recommend 9v, i can't see any benifit of wiring it to 18v ...... Q) Battery cover? A) i'm not too sure about the M-Retro but for my J-Retro their are no battery cover and neither do i have to mod the bass for the cover. Is just a direct replace for the control plate with the battery clip inside the plate ........ So everytime you change the battery you have to unscrew the plate to change battery ....... Not too sure about M-Retro, i say you better email john east, he will get back very quick.

i only got volume problem with the G string on my Stingray. I've try everything and the result is still same. I just play extra harder on my G string to cure the problem .....

i just checked, is 1995. should be one of those early model when they still produce the bass with wenge neck and brass nut. Good deal i guess for £250

i agree with above, i sold a Corvette 4 string std for £400 when i needed money to fund the stingray. Then i bought a used "Warwick Corvette Proline 5 string" for £250! Consider the bass is made in the 90's in German and the neck is wenge neck with brass nut! I still thrilling with the bass atm consider i only pay £250

Here is the story, i use to own a warwick corvette std 4 string but have to sell it due to lack of cash to buy a musicman stingray. now i've bought a well looked after used warwick corvette proline 5 string for £250 (very cheap). The bass is swamp ash for sure but hte nut and neck feel completely different than the warwick i use to have. Not sure what year it is but i think is 1990-1995, since the bass is not register with warwick so i can't check for full spec. Neck feel very smooth and not as thick, maybe a wenge neck i got here ....... and the nut is like some kind of metal/brass instead of the plastic nut. So do you guys think i just score a old warwick with wenge neck and bell brass nut? Also the bass is passive version with bartonlini pickup.