Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: redcloud on October 12, 2011, 05:57:55 AM

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: redcloud on October 12, 2011, 05:57:55 AM

Any Alembics with this product or modification?

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: chuck on October 12, 2011, 08:32:04 AM

Are you talking about a hipshot.
 
Chuck.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: FC Bass on October 12, 2011, 10:32:57 AM

I have one on my '83 Spoiler and one on my '90 Elan:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/114647.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/114648.jpg)

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: redcloud on October 12, 2011, 01:46:15 PM

Yes, just didn't seem to seem it mentioned much here.  Sorry, I should have done a search.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: mica on October 12, 2011, 03:16:13 PM

It's worth mentioning that the Hipshots can be added after the fact in most cases.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: JimmyJ on October 12, 2011, 04:44:56 PM

Also worth mentioning ... I know a lot of players use these with good results but doesn't dropping the tension of one string make the other strings go a bit sharp?  If I D-tune for a song I usually have to touch up the other strings to balance things out.
Just curious.
Jimmy J

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: jet_powers on October 12, 2011, 05:45:03 PM

I suspect your ears are more discriminating than most Jimmy. My guess is the average person (and perhaps a few above average) in the audience most likely won't notice.
 
JP

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: 811952 on October 13, 2011, 07:32:21 AM

That issue is exactly why I hadn't installed a D-tuner on my bass a long time ago.  Probably not a huge issue on many instruments, but my Series has a skinny neck and responds to minor changes in tension.  
 
John

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: mikedm on October 13, 2011, 07:38:31 AM

If Drop D is as low as you need to go, try DGCF as an optional tuning scheme. Maintains string tension as Jimmy mentioned, keeps the overall tuning relationship from string to string standard and not too difficult to retrain muscle memory. Plus, reducing your reach by a few inches  can be refreshing.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: sonicus on October 13, 2011, 07:59:02 AM

DGCF seems interesting  ; I will try it.  
 
 Thanks____

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: tmoney61092 on October 13, 2011, 08:15:09 AM

DGCF is definitely one of my favorite tunings but would have to say Eb takes the cake on my all time. I've seriously considered putting a D-tuner on a couple of my basses for quite sometime but didn't want to have to mod the headstock....
 
~Taylor

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: hankster on October 19, 2011, 01:49:48 PM

that tuning issue is why the best d-tuners are extensions - so the string is longer, and the machine frets the extended string.  Never seen one of those on an alembic.  don't know who if anyone makes them for transverse basses, they take a lot of modification to the bass.  Lots of symphony players use them of course.  the hipshots are cool though and in lots of settings people get away with them.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: briant on October 21, 2011, 12:24:48 PM

Unless you need to switch mid-song, or back and forth a lot mid-song like that Manring character (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2XbSR2Nvw), I would propose that they really aren't worth the trouble.  Switching to drop D for a song shouldn't take more than a few seconds.  Especially if you sit down and switch back and forth a few times to get a feel for how much to turn the tuning peg.  I do this several times a night and I never miss having a d-tuner (I've had them previously).

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: redcloud on October 21, 2011, 12:57:11 PM

I am kind of thinking it isn't worth the trouble, either.  I have a Dingwall Z3-5 with the Hipshot extender Key.  I am finding as mentioned above that the other strings go a little sharp and when deactivated, the B is a little flat.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: hankster on November 11, 2011, 02:38:41 PM

Regarding jimmy's earlier question about tuning, I was staggering around the alembic forum - looking for stuff about Zon basses, which is slightly heretical, I know - when I came across a thread about de tuned basses, mostly about hipshots, with a link to a Michael Manring vid.  That one, and the one in the comment by briant above, bear out Jimmy's point I think.  In addition to the flipping of the hipshot levers, there is a lot of tuning on-the-fly going on there.
 
R.

Title: Got another question, B extender key and Alembics
Post by: redcloud on November 11, 2011, 03:48:20 PM

I am going to give D-F tuning a try though on my Essence 4.