'86 ASAT w/Barts

This ASAT had the pups changed out for Bartolini Humbuckers long before I got it.
It makes for a really black guitar .



[image]http://pics-akamai-cached.slickpic.com/MTE0MzY5YjJmN2ExYmU,/20150503/MTAzNjExMjcyYmUx/p/800/sml116.jpg[/image]

There's also a 'D'-tuner on the 6th string, this guitar really sounds good with heavy bottom strings
and a drop D tuning.




Here's the neck pocket pics, let me know if you can decipher anything






The pickups have some sparkle, but nothing like the originals.
These have an old Sabbath sort of sound:
[youtube]BJH7bl869wA[/youtube]


I thought most of the old Barts were low impedance, requiring a preamp (and a battery).
But maybe not, this guitar has plenty of signal and doesn't sound thin like I would expect with
underwound pups without a pre.
Or maybe there is an ooooold battery in there that has a trickle charge. I doubt this is the case as the guitar doesn't sound weak when I dig into the bass.
I figured it would be simple enough to check under the hood...but the pickguard screws have grown roots !!
I've tried with an immense amount of patience, focus, and force with my best screwdriver.... Nothing
I'm up to suggestions ( drill them out, leave it be, penetrating oil, or ???....) .
I'd love to see what routing was done and maybe have another pickguard fashioned with MFDs.
Here's a shot -



Stay tuned for more soon,
elwood

A dark beauty Elwood! Don't know what to tell you about the pickguard screws; just be careful not to ruin the heads. Drilling them out would then be the only option. But could you take the control plate out? You should be able to find an extra lead or 2 of there is a battery stashed away somewhere.

- Jos

Yayur - that's BLACK as… nice score - you just get that?

Not a fan of buckers myself but still very well done and a cool axe with what sounds like some killer tones…

Cool Sabbath track to boot.

Freaky bout the p/g screws - have never encountered that. Wonder whether the previous owner glued them in???

Cheers,
KF

nice score - you just get that?

I've had it for some years, the buckers keep me from playing it all the time.
I was hoping for a b-caster sticker remnant like yours, but it def has the BC DNA.

I'll give the screws another go after a little oil. The control plate screws are stuck also.
If that doesn't work , I have a friend with many drill presses...probably only need one
This guitar saw some humidity at some point, the screws might have grown some whiskers
and the maple expanded and locked them in.

This says that all of their pickups are passive Elwood. So maybe you do have a dead battery in there. Give them some fresh juice to make them passive aggressive.

http://www.bartolini.net/pickups-faq/

As far as the screws, alas, I have no suggestions and since I am so impatient, I would have ruined them already if it was in my possession.

looks great Elwood !! ..... that's got B'caster mojo all over it