Bartolini TC-3 Preamp

I installed the preamp for 15 days on my Start pickups which show more than 30 years on the clock. I had the choice to change the pickups (very expensive) and may change the sound or find the right combination to recover their youth.
For the modest sum of € 40, I installed the preamp in my guitar and the effect is rather spectacular. The sound regains its biting treble are raised and the power increased significantly, so I Redemont to add a switch to cut back and its fine home when I want.
I see you later install a knob to assay the effect is actually quite violent.
I can not imagine the effect on humbuckers (it can be mounted on all sorts of electronic passive pickups). Considering the price, there's really nothing to do without it, provided it is a little DIY.

Been used for 95 or 96 in a Stratocaster U.S. Standard 91.
This preamp is very small and poses absolutely no problem with the installation if it is to find a place to wedge the 9V battery it needs to function. It also has an incredible amount of wiring options that will allow any hacker worth the name to make a custom pallet of sounds. Anything is possible. The simple boost overall signal to boost selective acute and / or mediums. Besides the possibility of coupling the gear knob to control intensity boost.
My Start has undergone quite a few mods before the arrival of the TC3, it gives me the blow dozens of sounds. For example, a switch allows me to reverse polarity middle pickup, which allows me, as a result, to get specific sounds very fat Humbuckers usual. And much like the TC3 does not behave the way m ^ m on the single coil, I get the sudden sounds typically Gibsonniens with Fender. The switch then offers me a position Strat normal, and one more ... "Couillue" or hairy as the culture of each ...

The initial purpose of this type of preamp and in principle allow the use of cable lengths greater than normal without acute losses. But personal is not what interested me initially because I wanted to offset the loss of my Strat general level compared to my other guitars equipped with double-coils which forced me to raise the input level my preamp for my presets effects do not stand in lollipop. TC3 and what has been a revelation since it allowed me to get a thicker sound than my other guitars had already made humbuckers.

Since then I have set up a signature in a Mexican Start Chris Rea (a reissue of 62 actually), and a Squier 91 of which already sounded very beautiful way before this addition and have become even more beautiful by him.

From experience, I do not recommend it on a guitar mounted humbuckers, because for once, the sound becomes unmanageable because of the power supplies if the vehicle is not clamped / channeled.

Strictly speaking, test another model less powerful kind TC5 and 6 should be enough with this kind of electronic.

In any case, given the price of sugar after all black, I think it is injustice to be as little known ...