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Thread: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

  1. #1
    Registered User Dave Harbst's Avatar
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    Default Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

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    I found a Barcus-Berry pickup in the storage compartment of a used mandolin case. I have no need for the pickup and plan to sell it, but have no idea how much to ask for it. If anyone out there can help me with some estimate of it's value, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Harbst View Post
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    I found a Barcus-Berry pickup in the storage compartment of a used mandolin case. I have no need for the pickup and plan to sell it, but have no idea how much to ask for it. If anyone out there can help me with some estimate of it's value, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
    I did 30 seconds of internet research on it. I'll give you 10 bucks if you ship it to me free.

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Try it with a high impedance preamp and it should be fine. I’d say c.1980s but I have an even earlier one which sounds OK. Piezo technology hasn’t changed that much in the last 110 years!

    They were quite expensive in their day but not so popular nowadays but, as with certain other things, they will eventually come back into fashion.

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    Registered User Dave Harbst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Thanks, Ray(T)!

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    Try it with a high impedance preamp and it should be fine. I’d say c.1980s but I have an even earlier one which sounds OK. Piezo technology hasn’t changed that much in the last 110 years!

    They were quite expensive in their day but not so popular nowadays but, as with certain other things, they will eventually come back into fashion.
    Models that resemble this one are going for 300-500$ on reverb. Hence my 10$ offer.

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Quote Originally Posted by John Adrihan View Post
    Models that resemble this one are going for 300-500$ on reverb. Hence my 10$ offer.
    So?

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    I didn't understand either.
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Treat as any other piezo transducer. These tend to work best into a very high impedance input. Encountered one of that model paired with a Baggs preamp and it sounded about how you'd expect.
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    Registered User Dave Harbst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Thanks for the replies. I won't need any further information about the pickup.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Quote Originally Posted by John Adrihan View Post
    I did 30 seconds of internet research on it. I'll give you 10 bucks if you ship it to me free.
    Ha ha! You funny man!

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    If it takes nearly 4 years to understand a joke, no wonder I didn’t get it!

  12. #12

    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    Old thread, but I have had one of these since 1986, using it to amplify my Yamaha dreadnought. It’s magnetic, pretty much a thin humbucker. It’s pretty warm sounding. I hadn’t thought of using it for mandolin, but now I’m curious.

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    I don’t think it’s magnetic - just a stick on piezo element encased in plastic so you think you’re actually buying something.

    Originally, they were sold as a strip of black plastic about an inch long and less than a quarter of an inch wide with a lead coming from one end attached to a Switchcraftish ‘phone socket as per the o/p’s photo which squeezed into a piece of bent metal with a hole in it so you could screw it into the end of your instrument (I didn’t know anyone who did!)

    This progressed into a slightly larger model encased in wood which actually had Barcus Berry written on it in gold lettering. There was an optional “pre-amp” which I borrowed over night from a local shop which, when dissembled reveald not much other than a FET to widen the input impedance of your electric guitar amp - acoustic amps had yet to be invented.

    As I’ve alread said, it’s very old technology and not much has changed since Bell was incorrectly credited with the invention of the telephone. Correctly positioned and with an appropriate input impedance (1 Meg or greater) they should work just as well as any one of their modern counterparts.

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    I think that model is magnetic. Not positive, but it's closer in size to the regular electric guitar pickups they made for a while.

    For mandolin (and violin) I only remember seeing the wood block versions, don't remember the just plastic strips. Then again, I really didn't notice until close to 1980.

    And I believe a Boss TU tuner pedal has the correct imput impedence. (Or maybe it's just one of them, can't remember right now.)
    Last edited by Eric Platt; Dec-15-2023 at 7:01am. Reason: Edit for clarity
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    I stand corrected, I think you’re right. There’s a picture of one on the e-mando site here - https://www.emando.com/pickups/Barcu...y_magnetic.htm

    I don’t ever recall seeing one; perhaps they never made it to this side of the Atlantic. I can’t produce a photo of the plastic strip version as I fitted it inside a guitar with epoxy almost 50 years ago and it won’t come out. Still works though! …….. then there were the Hot-dots ………

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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

    That is definitely a magnetic pickup. If you are planning to use it, don't use phosphor bronze strings, or 80/20. They are only magnetic in the core. Get a pure nickel or electric guitar strings and cut the balls off or your wound strings will be weak.
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    Default Re: Need info on a Barcus-Berry pickup

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    One of these? I received one of these as a gift ca 1988, found it in a drawer about 10 yrs ago, and stuck it on an old flatback that I use as a travel mandolin because you never know when the opportunity will arise. I've used it a couple of times and it sounded OK. The output is a 1/8" jack which can be inconvenient.

    Edit: I missed the original when I first read the post - mine is obviously different.
    Last edited by morgan; Dec-15-2023 at 11:01am. Reason: revision

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