The Chetboard

I've had a nice Takamine classical guitar for years, but I never really liked the way the pickup sounded. So, when I mentioned it to Craig Dobbins at CAAS back in the summer, I told him that I didn't really want to start cutting on a pretty nice guitar to install a Prismatone. He suggested that I check out the Barbera pickup that Kirk Sand put in John Knowles guitar and how it simply replaces the saddle. So, I went to talk with Kirk, and he introduced me to Rich Barbera who happened to be there at the Sand guitar display.

Anyway, some time passed, and I finally got back with Rich to order a Barbera transducer for my Takamine. He had me take some careful measurements since his pickup is a complete saddle replacement that fits into the saddle slot. I installed the Barbera on my guitar on Saturday, wiring it into the existing Takamine preamp, and I'm very happy with the sound I'm getting now. It is much better balanced over all the strings, and it sounds much more natural than the original ever did. Now I'm practicing on a couple of songs that I'll be playing at church on Christmas Eve.

The Barbera is a great pickup, and he even sells a little preamp to go with it if needed. Richard Smith told me that Kirk Sand is building him a guitar with a Barbera, and I understand that he has made a few pickups for steel string guitars that have also been well-received. Ed Beaver has given it a big thumbs up. Anyway, if John Knowles is using a Barbera, then you know it has to be high quality.

Bill B.

I agree with you Nill.i also have the barbera in both of my sand guitars and i just installed another one in my steel string,with the endpin preamp and 2 thumbwheels just inside the soundhole. Easy installation and no holes drilled in the guitar. Amazing sounding pickup in both the steel string and nylon guitars! Very warm sounding in both.

I heard what the Barbera system sounded like at CAAS and couldn't wait to get one for My 2005 Gibson Studio made in Montana . It is the same style that Kirk had as a demo for the Barbera pickup, and it's the best My guitar ever sounded. Easy to install because He make's it to the specs You give Him.

I'm a believer Skip

By the way for you guys that dont want to change your premap. I have one barbera in my sand with the barbera preamp and sliders and i have one in my other sand guitar with the baggs preamp and there is no difference in tone. In fact the baggs with more sliders actually gives you way more control over your tone. The nice thing about the barbera you dont have to butcher your guitar bridge to make it fit,and you can use any preamp and it sounds amazing and it also sounds great with no preamp which is the way it was suppose to be used,according to Rich Barbera anyway.