Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: Football on July 15, 2024, 03:55:22 PM

Title: STR/AE1 Alembic Activator / Bass & Treble, or Q-Filter for Electric Guitar?
Post by: Football on July 15, 2024, 03:55:22 PM
Wondering what people's preferences are for electric guitar.

I've had both options.  Currently have a few sets of the STR/AE1 with three-way Q-Switch.  Felt in the past I preferred that to when I use the set with bass and treble pots, but hadn't tried that for years.

Anyway, giving another shot to playing a guitar with bass and treble circuit, instead of filter/Q-Switch.

Still not sure I like the bass and treble controls as much as having the Q-Switch, but curious to hear other people's experience.

Also, if I remember correctly, if I do end up wanting to change my bass & treble electronics to Q-Switch/Filter, the factory may consider selling me an upgrade, is that right?  Think Mica may have done that for me years ago, but not sure what policy is right now for that specific thing.

And just checked the Alembic website.  Not seeing bass & treble option listed on price list.  Maybe not making that these days.
Title: Re: STR/AE1 Alembic Activator / Bass & Treble, or Q-Filter for Electric Guitar?
Post by: lbpesq on July 15, 2024, 05:24:44 PM
There are several bass packages that feature bass/treble controls, but I don’t recall seeing that setup on a guitar. I suspect that Alembic would do it if asked, though.  Personally, as a guitar player, I prefer the filter/3-way Q setup to the guitars I have with bass/treble controls.  I find the filter/Q easier to adjust on the fly.  And I prefer adjusting bass/mid/treble at the amp.   


If I had my druthers, I’d love to see Alembic redesign the filter for guitar.  I find the usable sweep of the filter is rather narrow for guitar.   If all my adjustments let’s say fall between 4-6, it would be great to lose 0-3 and 7-10, and expand that 4-6 across 0-10, if that makes any sense?

Bill, tgo
Title: Re: STR/AE1 Alembic Activator / Bass & Treble, or Q-Filter for Electric Guitar?
Post by: Football on July 15, 2024, 08:56:19 PM
Bill, I may not have explained that clearly.  I have both of these setups.  Three sets of Alembic STR/AE1 with filter.  One set of strat sized Alembics with bass and treble. 

Haven't used this setup in years.  Just started playing it again today.  Will give it some time, but may want to change it to a three way Q-Switch at some point, and get rid of the bass and treble pots.
Title: Re: STR/AE1 Alembic Activator / Bass & Treble, or Q-Filter for Electric Guitar?
Post by: Football on July 21, 2024, 02:14:28 PM
Chiming back in to say that I did a gig last night with my strat style guitar with the Alembic pickups I'm mentioning here (with bass and treble controls/pots).

Enjoying the sounds and control a good bit, but with the three potentiometers of that system (volume, treble and bass), the positioning of them in a traditional Fender Strat style pickguard ends up messing with my palm muting and I bump into the knobs, changing settings by accident.  A lot.   

I have three other sets of Alembic pickups in strat style guitars. Those all have only two pots/knobs (volume and filter) though, so I can put them farther away from picking hand position.  Basically I put them in positions where Fender would typically have the two tone pots on a typical Stratocaster.

Will reach out to the mothership and see if I can turn this system into filter/Q-switch.

Shame, because I really have been enjoying the Alembic pickups with bass +treble system these last few days, but for live use I don't see myself changing my style of palm muting, and again, I kept making adjustments by accident.  Also singing while I'm playing, so even harder to control.  For me anyway.

If I wasn't so interested in using this guitar on gigs I'd consider leaving as is.