Bartolini MK1 Soapbar sized pickups that sound like Active EMGs

[Delberthot]

Absolutely loving my new Cort Space 4 but I am really missing the sound of the active EMGs I have in my jazz bass.

 

The EMG soapbars are too wide and I don't want to route the bass for them. likewise, the EMG J set would fit length wise but leave a big ugly hole wither side.

 

Is there any other brand of pickup that sound like EMGs?

[simisker]

Maybe you'll find something to your liking in one of the excellent Fat Bass Tone demos:

 

https://www.youtube.com/@FatBassTone/videos

 

Just check out any of the ones featuring the blue Ibanez SR.

 

 

Also, the usual follow-up for anyone asking about MK1 replacements: in MK1-equipped basses, it's usually the preamp that's the weak link, not the pickups.

 

See this recent Space 5 owner's post on Talkbass: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/cort-artisan-space-5-my-experience-one-year-later.1670985/

 

 

[Delberthot]

I think I have a plan to get EMGs into this bass without making any irreversible mods to the bass.

 

I'll report back if it works later in the week

[Dood]

EMG are releasing a Bart’ sized “fat sounding, wide aperture single coil” called the E4W.

[Delberthot]

Hmm, that sounds interesting and long overdue considering the number of basses that use the Bart soapbar sized pickups. Looking forward to hearing them but in the meantime I'm going to try something else to see if it works.

[crazycloud]

On 08/05/2025 at 01:52, Dood said:

EMG are releasing a Bart’ sized “fat sounding, wide aperture single coil” called the E4W.

As all the MK housings are 108x34mm, I hope the sensing width is wide enough for 6 strings. 

[PaulThePlug]

Mk1 Barts are a Reverse P Mars Bar.

SR500 with em passive, Vol & 3-Way Switch

[crazycloud]

On 10/05/2025 at 22:31, crazycloud said:

As all the MK housings are 108x34mm, I hope the sensing width is wide enough for 6 strings. 

According to Alex at EMG, nope as the magnet is 77.5mm long.

 

Some of these might then suit the SR375, providing the early reviews online are good, which I'm not really worried about as I've yet to use an EMG I didn't like.

[Dood]

On 10/05/2025 at 13:31, crazycloud said:

As all the MK housings are 108x34mm, I hope the sensing width is wide enough for 6 strings. 

I suspect the “4” bit means it’s a four string pickup, no idea if a 5 or 6 is in the offing.

 

edit: @crazycloud sorry, didn’t see your comment, thank you.

Edited 13 hours ago by Dood

[Dood]

Update, just spotted there’s a 5 string version (at least a prototype) out in the wilds. 

[crazycloud]

45 minutes ago, Dood said:

no idea if a 5 or 6 is in the offing.

The 5 string is the 108mm long version (magnet is 77.5mm wide) and the 6 string is 117mm with a longer 87.6mm magnet, info I got from Alex at EMG. I suspect, as I didn't ask, that these are actually P2 and P4 sizes (108/117x32mm).

 

This means that they won't fit in my Ibanez SR or Cort A6 6 strings with the 108x34mm MK1 pickups without routing. The later BH2s in my BTB846 are the same size. Looks like I need to get out the router for at least the SR so that'll get DCXs or maybe TWXs.

 

When I email back, I'll also ask if this new PU internal structure will also be available in the 35/40/45 sizes too - it would make no commercial sense if they weren't, assuming they fit.

Edited 13 hours ago by crazycloud

[Dood]

1 hour ago, crazycloud said:

The 5 string is the 108mm long version (magnet is 77.5mm wide) and the 6 string is 117mm with a longer 87.6mm magnet, info I got from Alex at EMG. I suspect, as I didn't ask, that these are actually P2 and P4 sizes (108/117x32mm).

 

This means that they won't fit in my Ibanez SR or Cort A6 6 strings with the 108x34mm MK1 pickups without routing. The later BH2s in my BTB846 are the same size. Looks like I need to get out the router for at least the SR so that'll get DCXs or maybe TWXs.

 

When I email back, I'll also ask if this new PU internal structure will also be available in the 35/40/45 sizes too - it would make no commercial sense if they weren't, assuming they fit.

Thank you, I guess that was my next question as to whether or not the EMG shells were P or BC series sizing. Nordstrand for example offer EMG and Bart BC sizing (mostly, I didn’t look at the entire range) which could be a problematic swap out if the EMG’s are P series sizes instead.

[crazycloud]

6 hours ago, Dood said:

Nordstrand for example offer EMG and Bart BC sizing

The Bart sizes Nord offer are BC/P2/P4.

I didn't ask EMG about 4 string sizes as all my main players are 5s and 6s but might add it to the question list when I email them back.

[Dood]

58 minutes ago, crazycloud said:

The Bart sizes Nord offer are BC/P2/P4.

I didn't ask EMG about 4 string sizes as all my main players are 5s and 6s but might add it to the question list when I email them back.

I’ve realised I had the filter set to 4 string on the soapbars, which offers BC and EMG, quite rightly the 5 and 6 strings etc offer a wider range of shells.