Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: Mlazarus on October 18, 2022, 10:10:17 PM
-
I own an 82' series 1 so I am used to the sound of the Q switches and filters, but it would be nice to understand and hear what the series 2 CVQ controls do. How much more sound effects do you get with a CVQ control? Does anyone have a video to hear the differences?
-
Well i found an old 2006 post about this, but maybe some of you have better explanations and sound videos for this Topics sake.
Old post:"The CVQ, and what does it do precisly?"
-
The boost settings of the Q switches can be pretty much replicated with the CVQs, you'll soon get a feel what your favourite positions on the CVQs are - just hard to tell if they would be the same as the fixed switch positions. The boost range of the CVQs does extend upwards to 15 dB, where switches usually have a maximum of 8 or 9 dB, so that's more options to choose from.
There are some demos on YouTube, including some by members at the Club. From what I recall, some posters tend to demonstrate with similar settings on both filters and Qs, which leaves out a vast area of options. And make sure you search out Stanley Clarke concert footage, as he often changes his settings even while playing.
-
You can mod the Q switch by swapping out the cap for a different one, or turning a 2 position switch into a 3 way and having more caps in the circuit. I even have replaced a Q switch with a varitone 6 way with 6 different tone settings in a custom build I have.
-
Having used both, I vastly prefer the CVQ. I have found that with switches, what I'm often looking for is somewhere in between the switch positions. But that's just me.
-
That's especially the case when you have the two-position switches
-
I love them both, though i find on gigs, switches are more practical for me.
-
No feel and guessing game with switches in a gig. You know what you will get. Pre-sets work well in that situation. Now, as far as dials, try dialing a nice tonal effect with the filters. That requires practice to get the right tone in the middle of a performance. I read Stanley Clarke does it often.