This paper describes the effect of heating mode on the densification and microstructure homogenization during sintering of Cu–12Sn alloy. The bronze compacts were sintered at two temperatures (775 and 830°C) in a radiatively heated (conventional) furnace and a microwave furnace. As compared with conventionally sintered bronze, the microwave-sintered compacts exhibit higher densification and relatively lower microstructural homogeneity. This has been correlated to the dependence of Sn diffusion in Cu to the heating mode.