Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: essenceman on December 30, 2016, 06:32:42 AM

Title: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: essenceman on December 30, 2016, 06:32:42 AM

An early Happy New Year to all.
Having once had a battery die on me mid gig  :-[ , I've always been a bit careful about checking remaining battery charge before gigs. I was just wondering if anybody knew what the minimum voltage is for an Essence to operate.
Thanks in anticipation.
Rob

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: mica on December 30, 2016, 03:26:12 PM

We recommend at least 7 volts. There's lots of variables, but that should get you where you want to go.

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: essenceman on December 30, 2016, 04:47:26 PM

Thanks, Mica.
Have a good one.
Rob

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: pauldo on December 30, 2016, 06:19:02 PM

Rob, not sure with the Essence, but on my Distillate there are warning signs without checking actual voltage, however once the signs appear I need to react quickly as there isn't much time before the voltage drops enough to silent the bass.

Before the silence comes the sound strength weakens but then a most awesome distortion comes onto the scene.  If I can figure out how to harness that tone and have it 'on demand' I would be a very happy person.

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: essenceman on December 31, 2016, 02:31:13 AM

Hi Paul,
Not sure that I remember any distortion when mine went - it was a long time ago! As far as I was concerned, I suddenly had no sound without any warning and I immediately looked to my lead, my amp, my pedals... everything but the bass. At the time, I was playing in a wedding band and you just have to keep them dancing, so it was a case of the rest of the band playing a nice, piano-based smooch number while I changed my battery.
Lesson learned, but Mica's response gives me a lot more confidence now, however, I will continue to check the charge regularly!
Have a great New Year!
Rob

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: David Houck on December 31, 2016, 08:23:59 AM

Paul; if I recall correctly, someone custom ordered a bass with circuitry that reduced the voltage to a point where that distortion started.

And the same thing happened to me once; all of a sudden my clean tone gets really dirty real quick, and I'm thinking the amp is having a catastrophic failure.

Title: Re: Minimum voltage for Essence to work
Post by: pauldo on December 31, 2016, 11:31:21 AM

Quote from: David Houck on December 31, 2016, 08:23:59 AM

Paul; if I recall correctly, someone custom ordered a bass with circuitry that reduced the voltage to a point where that distortion started.

And the same thing happened to me once; all of a sudden my clean tone gets really dirty real quick, and I'm thinking the amp is having a catastrophic failure.

Well that is a keen idea, I truly adore the tone (for the correct applications of course),  the last time I had it happen I was wearing headphones practicing and the harmonics inside of the distortion were wonderous!

Wonder how much it would cost to add a 'voltage drop circuit'?