Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: WLeach on September 23, 2024, 03:22:33 PM

Title: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 23, 2024, 03:22:33 PM
 So I recently bought the Pan/Preamp kit for my 85’ Persuader. It looks like it’s set up to have the pickups plugged into it, the power looks to be daisy chained through it and a single output to a volume. I don’t trust my memory as to the correct value (50k).
 I’m puzzled by the connection to the filter at that point
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: edwardofhuncote on September 23, 2024, 03:51:56 PM
Did your Persuader have it's original Volume-Volume-Filter set installed?


I'm curious about how this upgrade will work too... I put it in my Persuader, but mine had Volume-Pan-Filter electronics already. I was simply upgrading the Pan module so I could adjust each pickup gain separately.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: adriaan on September 23, 2024, 10:37:51 PM
Not sure why you would be concerned about the 50k, as it should be plug-and-play - at least it was for my Epic with the bass and treble controls, rather than a filter.

The daisy chaining confused me, IIRC mainly because one of the connectors of the new harness needed to marry another connector, whereas I assumed it would need to be attached to a board - though of course things might be different for a Persuader package.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 06:15:53 AM
Yes my Persuader has all the original electronics. Volume / volume / pre

I do know the Epic controls are different than the Persuader set up. The volume pot was something Mica mentioned, this may be a plug and play setup, I just want to confirm
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: martinecox99 on September 24, 2024, 08:29:50 AM
Hi, I recently did this upgrade on my Persuader. If you have the original dual volume set up on a Persuader you will need the additional single-volume harness option. Installation was straight-forward.

Good luck!
Martin
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: martinecox99 on September 24, 2024, 08:34:10 AM
Quoting the instruction sheet:

"Plug pickups in the panmodule.
Plug the pan module 2- and 3-pin female connectors in the filter module, and the 3-pin male connector to the one-volume harness."

Hope this helps!

Martin
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 10:58:51 AM
Martin, the one volume harness is out of stock and I have no schematic to fabricate one.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: FC Bass on September 24, 2024, 11:23:46 AM
You should have one... Can you post a picture of all electronics you have?
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 03:20:14 PM
Photos of pan/pre and electronics. Now that I’ve figured out how to attach images  :o
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: FC Bass on September 24, 2024, 03:58:46 PM
I think this must be it, remove one of the volumes and replace with the Pan preamp.
Also I think you must cover the trimpot on the filter with a sticker, I'm not sure if you must turn it al the way down.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: FC Bass on September 24, 2024, 04:11:48 PM
I see the problem... The second volume is hardwired to the "main' volume board?
Wonder if you can convert it to the single volume harness...
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: edwardofhuncote on September 24, 2024, 04:51:14 PM
This was why I posted the initial question... I always thought original Persuaders were wired this way. FC is a certified Spoiler and Persuader doc though... he'll fix you up.  8)


I can tell you it's a great upgrade once you've done it! Huge improvement on my Persuader.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 04:56:31 PM
FC, that’s my conundrum. Anyone got a schematic or picture of the single volume harness? I can do the work, just need to know what to do. I spoke to Mica about getting a schematic/diagram but haven’t been able to get back in touch. Mary sent a schematic but it doesn’t apply to the Persuader.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: FC Bass on September 24, 2024, 05:43:50 PM
I'm not sure if this is helpful, but this is a butchered board.
IIrc the two unused solder pads on the edge are the input/ground. (where the pan module connects)


Thanx Edward :-) Persuader is new for me, no experience with the vol, vol stuff here.

Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 06:47:32 PM
Martin
Could I get you to take a photo of your current wiring? I’d love to see what the “ single volume harness looks like.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 24, 2024, 06:49:40 PM
Thanks FJ, good info. Let’s see if we can put some pieces together. Still want to nail down the specifics on the single volume harness.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: martinecox99 on September 24, 2024, 10:00:16 PM
Pix from my Persuader. Hope it helps!
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 25, 2024, 08:58:30 AM
Thanks FC and Martin for the photos, I can see what Mica was talking about needing a volume pot. I am beginning to understand what I have to do now.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: mica on September 25, 2024, 04:05:47 PM
Single volume harnesses are not in stock (meaning the ones we've made are reserved for new builds coming up), but can be ordered.

The original 2-volume Persuader would have 100K volume pots. The single volume harness uses a 10K (and all the bits on the board as well). FC is correct that you want turn down the gain on the filter pot preamp since you will be using the pan pot preamps now. Putting a little sticker over the trim control after you turn it down is a nice reminder to leave it alone in a few years.

You can keep your 2-volume setup as a spare, add a filter to it for another project, or sell/gift it to a fellow club member.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 26, 2024, 07:36:19 AM
Thank you Mica, how would I go about ordering a single volume harness?
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: mica on September 26, 2024, 11:45:29 AM
Call us at the shop or email me.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on September 30, 2024, 02:01:15 PM
Thank You to Mica and Mary, and to all those who replied to this thread.
This arrived in the mail today, the elusive 1 volume harness!!
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: edwardofhuncote on September 30, 2024, 03:57:59 PM
Hey, looka' there!


Tell us what you think about that new pan module now.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: WLeach on October 01, 2024, 02:34:10 PM
First impressions- It really opens the tonal range of the bass. Being able to pan and blend between the pickups really changes the game. The pan kinda acts like a tone control, the brighter sound of the J pickup vs the warmer tone of the P pup. Add that wonderful filter section and this thing rips!
Night and day difference.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: pauldo on October 01, 2024, 05:18:33 PM
Love a happy ending!   :D
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: edwardofhuncote on October 02, 2024, 02:27:50 PM
That's very much my experience too. The ability to dial up the gain on that poor little J bridge pickup is priceless. It was just 'present' before I got the new preamp installed. I played that bass for two sets last weekend... and thoroughly enjoyed every note. Ten years on, two Series basses in the stable, and it's still my go-to.
Title: Re: Persuader Pan/Pre conversion
Post by: David Houck on October 08, 2024, 11:03:49 AM
Glad to hear you got this together.