Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: playbootsy on August 21, 2006, 04:16:24 PM
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It?s me again from Brasil. I wrote to the Alembic support and not yet I got reply.
Then Dave suggest me to start a new thread here.
My questions are about LowPass Filter and Pick-up?s selector.
I Think this itens from my Distillate was demage by the time or use.
The pick-up?s selector have some noises and don?t select more the stand by stage, and the other stages have some fails in the sound sometimes.
The lowpass filter make some noise like a fine shout/whistle when a change the position quickly, and just when the Q-swith is on.
I Try moving them back and forth through their entire ranges thirty or more times, like Dave suggest but it?s doesn?t that helps.
My intention is to buy both the parts therefore in Brazil does not have authorized of the Alembic.
Any suggests to fix it?
Mica/Val, what i have to do to buy this part?s and post to Brasil?
Thank?s Ricardo
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Ricardo:
I don't know if it's what you're describing as a fine shout whistle, but when you put the Q switch on and turn the filter quickly, it will produce a sound like a wah-wah pedal. If this is what you're experiencing, there is nothing wrong.
Bill, tgo
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Ricardo; you might want to take a picture of the electronics cavity and post it here. There may be some type of problem that some of the sharper eyed folks here may be able to spot.
While you're in there, check and make sure all of the connections are snug. For any connections that are made with plug-in connectors, try carefully unplugging and replugging a few times in case they weren't snug or there's been a build up of grit.
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Ricardo,
I have the same problem with my '81 Distillate. If you turn the filter knob quickly, it barks at maybe twice the normal volume.
I haven't had the money to fix it yet, and I simply avoid doing the wah-wah twiddle of the knob. I've also got two other Alembics, so I'm not out of firepower.
Mike
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I too have the shout/whistle problem with my Series II's CVQ switch. Shout/whistle really describes it! I know I have bad CVQ switches, but just have not got to ordering them yet. But so far no barking.
Michael
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There are several slightly different versions of the Distillate electronics. The differences are in the distances between the controls. Since some controls are on a circuit board, this can make retrofitting a new one difficult.
I would suggest that you send your old circuit baord and electronics to us. We can then either repair them (and upgrade for RF), or if they are beyond repair, we can at least be certain that a new one will fit in with a minimum of troble. I say minimum, because there is a chance that you will have to enlarge the mounting holes on the bass to convert from 1/8 shafts to 1/4 shafts.
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Bill, the wha-wha works normal when the q-switch is on. But when I move quickly a high snap appears.
Dave, I will post the photo soon.
Mike, looks like the same problem. I have to fix it, because I don?t sleep well at night...hehe
Mica, if I could send my eletronics to Alembic it?s would be wonderful. But the cost is very high and i really need my Dist to play my gigs. My small knowledge says me that with a new filter (1/8) and a new pick-up selector I solve my problems.
Waht you think about that?
MIca, my english for a call is not good and if you prefer we can contact for playbootsy@hotmail.com (mailto:playbootsy@hotmail.com) to verify the price of the parts and the way of sending for the Brazil.
Thanks Ricardo
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Sounds like a pot and a pickup selector switch to me.
Michael
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Hi Ricardo,
Valentino will contact you tomorrow to start getting the parts you need. The filter pots are now 1/4, so you will need to enlarge the mounting hole. We will provide a new knob free of charge since we have no more spares for the 1/8 shaft pots.
Still, a picture of your electronics will be very helpful to us. Can you post one on this thread?
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Wow, there seem to be a LOT of threads with these hi-freq oscillation problems lately. As I mentioned in a different thread, when you hear squeals and whistles, I think that's often a case of the internal op-amps being fed a lot of signal outside the regular audible range. A lot of these opamps can operate way outside of human hearing, but when you overdrive them with a signal at 40KHz it has odd detrimental effects on the part of the audio spectrum we can hear.
This stuff is almost certainly emissions coming through the air. Just a couple of other thoughts - is this with wireless transmitters? Are people experiencing these problems away from notebooks, PCs, LCD monitors? Is there a cell phone in your pocket while you hear these problems (if you hear a quick and quiet burst of static every second or so, that's the cell phone you left in your pocket). I wonder about whether there are byproducts from Wi-Fi access points as well.
The really interesting test would be to see if these problems go away if the high frequency response fed to the opamps was limited to no higher than 10KHz or so, maybe even less. I don't know whether this is the factory's RF mod or not.
David Fung
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Hi Mica! I will wait for the contact of Val to buy the parts. I?m far from home and I will not be able to send the photo today. In the thursday I will post the photos. Ok
I have two hat knobs 1/4 in home to put on the new filter. But i using a 1/4 knob in my 1/8 shafts. I want to buy a par of 1/8 shaft to substitute one of then. It?s possible too?
David thanks for the information...i will make the test.
Thank?s
Ricardo
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Mica, forgive me?.thanks a lot for new knob.
Soon I will have new features of a new member for my family of Alembics.
Ricardo
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Hello!
I still waiting for a contact of Val.
Today i will post the picture of my eletronics.
Thanks
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/31017.jpg)
Here the picture
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One more shot!
Val soon i will reply your e-mail, thanks!(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/31020.jpg)
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Neither of the connectors that plug the pickup leads to the PC board look tight. Gently unplug and reconnect these connectors.
I don't see a Ferrite bead. You may want to ask Val about that.
The picture seems to show some wear to the shielding paint. Ask Val about that as well.
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Good catch Dave, they do looked as though they're pulled out some.