Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: petehnek on March 03, 2008, 06:39:04 AM

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: petehnek on March 03, 2008, 06:39:04 AM

I've got an old SVT and B-15 that I recently had fixed up and I'm trying to get the Series II to play through them.  Is there anything special I should do?  Just Series II-->DR-5-->Ampeg or does something else get thrown in between the DR-5 and Ampeg?  Haven't been able to get it to work right yet for some reason.  The B-15 blew up (not sure if it can be related) and the SVT sounded distorted.  Whatup with that?

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: jbybj on March 03, 2008, 10:19:07 AM

The old SVT was probably designed with a gain stage that expected the lower level input of a passive instrument. If the output of an active electronics instrument is too hot, it will distort right at the input stage. Try turning down the preamps inside your Series II. Good luck, JBY

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: hieronymous on March 03, 2008, 02:29:26 PM

Also, my impression is that active instruments aren't really meant to be played with the volume at 10 - instead, 10 (on a passive instrument like a Fender Precision Bass) is somewhere in the middle, and you can go above 10 or below.
 
Did you have the volume pot maxed on your bass?

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: petehnek on March 03, 2008, 04:57:25 PM

I'm not sure where the volume was.  I had both pickups on full I'm sure, not sure where I had the master volume.  I'll have to check it out.
 
The SVT is about a 1970 and the B-15 is a 1966.  The SVT is sounding awesome with my main Fender Jazz and the B-15 was sounding great until I tried the Alembic out on it, when is suddenly stopped making any noise.  It's not a fuse I think cause the tubes are on.  Just no sound.  Can simply plugging in a Series II do that to an old amp?  Seems a bit much.

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: David Houck on March 03, 2008, 08:25:24 PM

On the back of a Series bass are four trim pots accessible with a small screw driver through the back plate.  The two outside trim pots are the gain adjustments for the pickups.  Full clockwise is all the way up; counterclockwise lowers the output.  Don't overturn; full travel is about 300?.
 
Have you determined whether the problem of no sound is the amp or the cab?
 
(Message edited by davehouck on March 04, 2008)

Title: SVT, B-15 and Series II
Post by: petehnek on March 04, 2008, 05:47:25 AM

Excellent, I'll check out the trim pots, I guess turn them about halfway?
 
I don't know what the issue is.  I just had the thing restored and it was sounding fantastic.  Then I plugged in the Alembic and zip.  Could be coincidence, maybe something wrong with the wiring that was missed.  I don't think the rectifier tube is lighting up.