Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: hieronymous on October 17, 2022, 09:17:11 PM

Title: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: hieronymous on October 17, 2022, 09:17:11 PM
So this comes up from time to time. Are all non-Series pickups considered Activators, or are Activators just pickups/electronics meant to be installed in non-Alembic basses?


Another way to ask - are Spoiler and Distillate electronics considered Activators? Are Signature and Anniversary also Activators? How about the non-filter electronics packages?
Title: Re: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: rv_bass on October 18, 2022, 04:26:22 AM
The description under this link suggests that all Alembic pickups and electronics are Activator pickups starting back in 1969 when they created the first version of them.

http://www.alembic.com/prod/pickups.html

Although the online price list only lists non-Series pickups and electronics under Activators, but maybe that just indicates that Series pickups and electronics are not sold separately (other than maybe as replacement parts).
Title: Re: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: mica on October 18, 2022, 08:51:52 AM
There's three families of electronics:

Series I/II is just that.

The Distillate family includes Spoiler and original Europa and Elan electronics.
Activator is anything made with the individual modules, so that covers Essence, Epic, Signature, 20th Anniversary and soon to be the Elan/Europa.

All Alembic electronics families are active.

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: hieronymous on October 18, 2022, 09:56:45 AM
Thank you Mica!
Title: Re: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: garyhead on October 18, 2022, 10:42:39 AM
I just learned something....thanks Mica.
Title: Re: Activators - what are they exactly?
Post by: mb94952 on October 18, 2022, 05:40:01 PM
It's confusing to me, too.