Violin Pickups for Electric Violin and Acoustic Violin

Barbera Ultra High Performance pickups with separate sensors for each string.

BTS pickups empower a violin to be able play in virtually any musical situation at

any volume from a whisper to a roar.

4,5,6 & 7 string model multi transducer bridges for electric violin and acoustic electric violin. Available with mono or polyphonic output.

Barbera Transducer Systems introduced the first passive multi transducer bridge, with a pickup for each string, to the electric violin market in 1986.

Since then, Barbera pickups have become a respected standard in the electric violin field, and are used on numerous fine custom electric violins on the market today. Among them: Wood Electric Violins, Jordan Electric Violins, Jensen Electric Violins, Vector Electric Violins

EVL Violins, Stratton Electric Violins.

(Making an electric violin?  click here for some helpful tips)

Barbera Transducer Systems violin pickups are known for their tonal richness, clarity of sound, responsiveness and focused power. BTS pickups are unique and provide unequaled clarity, balance and power for amplified violin. They feature all maple construction with separate, dual piezo element transducers for each string. The transducers are resonantly responsive to horizontal string vibrations and general instrument tonalities. BTS violin transducer bridges are passive and produce a high gain, high fidelity audio signal without reliance on a pre-amp or other electronics for operation. 

The extremely efficient electro-acoustic properties of these pickups provides a high quality baseline of tone and responsiveness, on a broad range of instrument designs. They are very effective on all instrument types, from a minimal stick body, to a semi-hollow body, to a resonant acoustic violin.

BTS Multi-Transducer Bridges are not mass produced. In the process of their being crafted, each bridge receives considerable, individual attention. The performance characteristics of each bridge are carefully brought out and optimized through a voicing process which is similar in some respects to the way a luthier develops an acoustic musical instruments voice.

We make BTS pickups directly to order for musicians worldwide.Contact us to directly to have one made for you and experience the unequaled power and clarity of sound a BTS Pickup brings to your music making.

Barbera electric violin pickups are available in various models for electric violins, and in kit form for the conversion of acoustic violins into high performance, pro level acoustic electric violins. A BTS bridge will transform any electric violin or acoustic violin into a high performance, professional sounding amplified instrument. We have helped many customers upgrade and totally transform their commercial grade electric violins (ie. Fender electric violins, Yamaha electric violins, Zeta electric violins (replacements for Jazz or Strados model bridges).

Solid Model Electric Violin Pickups
are a solid style maple bridge, (without traditional heart and wing cutouts) with separate, dual piezo transducer elements for each string. They provide a focused, full sound which is rich, clear and textural.

Solid Model bridges are good for solid body electric violins where a darker, focused sound is desired. Available in standard height format or new, extra short format bridge (pictured above right) which can be cut down to an overall height as low as 3/4 of an inch . This accommodates some instrument designs where an extemely short bridge is required, as in one piece neck/body designs.

 Solid model bridges are available for 4, 5, 6 and even 7 stringed electric violins; 5 string violin with low C,  6 string violin with low C and a low F and 7 stringed electric violins with low C, F, and B flat. Solid Model Bridges are also available wired for polyphonic operation with access to each strings separate output. Solid Model Bridges are available with one dual element transducer per string (Standard Solid Model) or two, dual element transducers per string (Solid Twin Model)

Hybrid Model Violin Pickups
Hybrid Model Bridges integrate one dual piezo transducer element for each string into a bridge structure with the heart and wing cutouts of a traditional style bridge. The heart and wing structure allows for the natural mechanical motions of a traditional viol bridge to occur. These bridge motions facilitate a wider overtone spectrum and an open sounding low end. This combination of bridge structure and our integrated, multi transducer system yields a rich, open and full range sound quality. Available in 4, and 5 string models. Hybrid models are suitable for use on all styles of instruments from acoustic to solid body.

TWIN HYBRID Model Violin Pickups
With two dual element transducers per string the Twin Hybrid Model Bridge is our flagship model multi transducer bridge. Twin Hybrid Bridges sense a stereoscopic image of each strings vibrational dynamic output. ( our own eyes and ears sense stereoscopically). By sensing each strings vibrational information from two different points and then combining the signals, a more complete, detailed image is formed. The two dual element transducers per string provide an extra degree of refined tonal warmth and clarity, smoothness of sound and balance of output from low to high registers. They provide a nicely focused low end on the G - C strings (or even F and B flat on 6 and 7 string models) which is well balanced with even the highest registers on the E string. This design is state of the art. They are available for 4, 5,and 6 string violins. Twin Hybrid models are suitable for use on all styles of instruments from acoustic to solid body.

Twin Hybrid 4-String bridge
with interchangeable self-adjusting Feet 
All the above models are available with carveable feet or interchangeable self adjusting feet in a range of heights. Interchangeable feet models allow for quick, easy setup without carving. They also offer the added flexibility of allowing the bridges to be easily transferred to other instruments. Electric violin models are also optionally available wired polyphonic for access to each strings output  separately.

When bridges are to be mounted on an acoustic violin, a 1/4" output jack is provided (utilizing a standard guitar cord). This mounts the output jack on the lower left bout of the violin (next to the chin rest) with chin rest clamp hardware.

TWIN HYBRID FULL KIT with Miniature Volume/Tone Control in a the Tailpiece
and set of 5 pairs of interchangable feet in a range of heights. This is our most popular package for acoustic violin. The miniature volume pot is mounted within the tailpiece from underneath, with a small knob extending up just behind the fine tuners. An onboard volume control is very useful because it also functions as an on board tone control. As the gain is rolled back the tone gets darker. This provides a high degree of tonal headroom and a lot more flexibility in terms of which amplifiers may be used effectively.

The entire kit installs in minutes on any violin and instantly transforms a violin into an incredibly powerful acoustic electric violin that will project a deep, rich and clear sound and in any amplified music situation . Please go to our prices page for ordering information Please go to our prices page for ordering information

Octave Violin Kit
This kit transforms any 4 or 5 string violin into a cello-like sounding instrument which speaks one octave below a normal violin. The kit consists of a specially prepared multi transducer bridge which is voiced specifically for Octave applications, and a set of Super Sensitive octave violin strings developed by Rich Barbera and John Cavanaugh of Super Sensitive Strings Co.. Octave strings are thicker gauge strings, which sound one octave below a normal violin when tuned to pitch.

An octave violin, coupled with a Barbera bridge is a great tool for the improvising electric violinist. It provides an incredibly deep, rich textured and powerful electric cello voice, which also speaks in the guitar and tenor sax registers. It's a great voice for jazz and blues!

Additional Article: More information on BTS Acoustic/Electric Violin Pickups