Bartolini is an American company based in California that specializes in producing a range of guitar and bass pickups and electronics. The models listed here are factory-installed on Ibanez guitars. This list is not meant represent the full range of Bartolini pickups. It was founded by Bill Bartolini in 1978.
Bill Bartolini (1938-2023)
Before he got into electronics, Bill Bartolini and his wife Patricia studied the science of acoustics, becoming experts. According to NAMM, their publications from the 60s and 70s became “standard reference materials on the subject of waveforms and acoustic sound patterns.” Bartolini began creating magnetic pickups in the early 60s as part of his research into the acoustics of nylon string instruments.
He began his pickup company under the brand name “Hi-A,” in 1973 with which he made quadraphonic, hexaphonic, and monophonic designs. In 1978 he changed the label to Bartolini (By this time, the Bartolini name was well established among the bass community). During this time, he began innovating in the design and testing of pickups by introducing square-wave magnetic pulse testing, the mechanical string picker, and the first preamplified pickup with parametric bandpass enhancement.
Bartolini became famous in the bass world for his pickups, which are still used by so many companies for their instruments. He would retire from the business in 2014. Clyde Clark took up the reigns and has been running Bartolini Pickups & Electronics ever since.
Bill passed away in September 2023; Aside from his incredible designs, he will also be remembered for his support and mentorship in the music community.
They deliver "excellent clarity with well-balanced tonal response".[1] The neck pickup tone is very deep and the bridge pickup tone is bright. This allows the widest tonal sweep from the blend control.[2]
They deliver "excellent clarity with well-balanced tonal response".[1] The neck pickup tone is very deep and the bridge pickup tone is bright. This allows the widest tonal sweep from the blend control.[2]
The Bartolini Custom pickups are arched to mirror the radius of the fretboard which positions each string equally distant from the pickup magnet.[3] The neck pickup tone is very deep and the bridge pickup tone is bright. This allows the widest tonal sweep from the blend control.[4]
The Bartolini Custom pickups are arched to mirror the radius of the fretboard which positions each string equally distant from the pickup magnet.[3] The neck pickup tone is very deep and the bridge pickup tone is bright. This allows the widest tonal sweep from the blend control.[4]
