Anyone have any reviews of the pickup that John Knowles is using in his guitar?
I think it was a Barbero or something like that. Does he have good customer service and
is he a reliable person?
Eddie Estes
Re: Barbero pickup
Eddie,
Kirk Sand introduced me to Rich Barbera the last time I was at CAAS in 2012, and I talked to him at that time about a pickup for my Takamine Classical. I had some contact with him over time, and eventually, I ordered a pickup. I had to carefully take measurement of my saddle and the original Takamine transducer thickness so that he could make an exact fit. I think he also has a preamp, but he said that it sounds real nice even when wired passive. I was able to wire it right into the Takamine preamp. I didn't much like the "plugged in" sound before, but now it sounds very natural. I really enjoy playing it plugged in now. The Barbera is the one that John Knowles is using, and I think Kirk put one in Richard Smith's new guitar. It's a great pickup!
Rich stays pretty busy doing pickups for violins, cellos, upright basses, as well as guitars. I know that he makes pickups for Kirk and another high-end builder. Now I'm hearing that he will be making pickups for a Guild Doyle Dykes nylon string signature guitar designed by Kirk (similar to the Gibson Studio Classic). I'm not surprised at all after how his pickup gave my guitar a new electric voice. You should contact him and see what he can do for you. Here's his website:
http://www.barberatransducers.com/
Hope that helps!
Bill B.
Kirk Sand introduced me to Rich Barbera the last time I was at CAAS in 2012, and I talked to him at that time about a pickup for my Takamine Classical. I had some contact with him over time, and eventually, I ordered a pickup. I had to carefully take measurement of my saddle and the original Takamine transducer thickness so that he could make an exact fit. I think he also has a preamp, but he said that it sounds real nice even when wired passive. I was able to wire it right into the Takamine preamp. I didn't much like the "plugged in" sound before, but now it sounds very natural. I really enjoy playing it plugged in now. The Barbera is the one that John Knowles is using, and I think Kirk put one in Richard Smith's new guitar. It's a great pickup!
Rich stays pretty busy doing pickups for violins, cellos, upright basses, as well as guitars. I know that he makes pickups for Kirk and another high-end builder. Now I'm hearing that he will be making pickups for a Guild Doyle Dykes nylon string signature guitar designed by Kirk (similar to the Gibson Studio Classic). I'm not surprised at all after how his pickup gave my guitar a new electric voice. You should contact him and see what he can do for you. Here's his website:
http://www.barberatransducers.com/
Hope that helps!
Bill B.
- BillB
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:44 pm
Re: Barbero pickup
Eddie.....Are you considering installing one in your Sand? As you know I have a Sand exactly like yours and I have toyed with the idea of getting one for my guitar. Bill really gives a glowing endorsement!!
- Roger Pratt
- Posts: 708
- Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:45 pm
Re: Barbero pickup
I hadn't looked at the website in a while, and I went back and looked at it. There are several video clips as well as a list of guitar makers (Buscarino, Benedetto, Sadowsky, Collings) that use the Barbera pickup. He also makes a pickup for steel-string
http://www.barberatransducers.com/guitar_pickups.html
Bill B.
http://www.barberatransducers.com/guitar_pickups.html
Bill B.
- BillB
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:44 pm
Re: Barbero pickup
I am looking at pickups to replace the Gibson pickup in it in case it ever bites the dust.
I wanted a Prismatone 3 the one that is the same size as the Gibson but it seems to be hard to get those.
So I am shopping around for what is available.
Eddie
I wanted a Prismatone 3 the one that is the same size as the Gibson but it seems to be hard to get those.
So I am shopping around for what is available.
Eddie
- Eddie Estes
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:13 pm
Re: Barbero pickup
Kirk may be able to help you with a Barbera or a Prismatone. I think he makes a saddle piece that holds the transducer when replacing the old thick Gibson saddle pickups with a Barbera (and also one for the Prismatone). I don't know if he sells something like that, but he may. I'm pretty sure that I've seen something like that on a couple of Sand guitars.
Bill B.
Bill B.
- BillB
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:44 pm
Re: Barbero pickup
Someone needs to come up with a Gibson style replacement pickup. They are prone to bite the dust (at least one string). Mind you that there's two different types: one with a radius and one without. Easy availability is the key.
- PhilHunt
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:06 am
Re: Barbero pickup
Eddie, Bill, Roger, Phil,
Kirk Sand installed my Barbera pickup a little over two yeas ago. We used my existing Baggs end-pin preamp. The string-to-string balance is very good and it really responds to dynamics. Most importantly, it feels good on stage.
I visited Rich Barbera in his shop recently. Like Kirk Sand, Rich is a musician as well as a craftsman. He uses computer-controlled gear to make the pickups. Each one is tested with guitar strings up-to-tension. And he has several hi-end acoustic amps for evaluating the sound. As Bill pointed out, the demand for Rich's pickups is increasing. They are available on special order.
John
Kirk Sand installed my Barbera pickup a little over two yeas ago. We used my existing Baggs end-pin preamp. The string-to-string balance is very good and it really responds to dynamics. Most importantly, it feels good on stage.
I visited Rich Barbera in his shop recently. Like Kirk Sand, Rich is a musician as well as a craftsman. He uses computer-controlled gear to make the pickups. Each one is tested with guitar strings up-to-tension. And he has several hi-end acoustic amps for evaluating the sound. As Bill pointed out, the demand for Rich's pickups is increasing. They are available on special order.
John
- John Knowles
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:56 pm