Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: shingor64 on March 16, 2012, 09:58:23 AM

Title: Activator P
Post by: shingor64 on March 16, 2012, 09:58:23 AM

I'm just curious about P styled activator.
 
I think the other activators only differ in their plastic box sizing and I know they are all hum-canceling pickups by stacked coil design.
 
Now, is P made in same method?
It is originally hum-cancelling split coils itself, so it seems no need stacking.
 
Am I correct that J is same tone as AXY or MXY, but P is differ from them?
 
I'm planning to put 2P/PVF on non-Alembic bass.

Title: Activator P
Post by: bigredbass on March 16, 2012, 10:30:08 PM

Mica would have to respond as to whether each 'half' of the P-Activator is stacked;  my own guess would be that it follows the classic Fender recipe that the two pieces are humbucking (or hum-cancelling as ALEMBIC prefers) to each other.
 
I've owned/own ALEMBICs with AXY's and FatBoys, as well as a five-string with the P & J Activators, and while the P is certainly Alembic-ish in tone, it doesn't put me in mind of the other two.  Rather, it's just the punchiest, loudest P-pickup I ever heard.  Mica says it's the loudest pickup they make, and I believe her.
 
But it really doesn't put me in mind of the wide shell pickups:  My guess would be it's seeing a shorter length of string, or a different image of the string magnetically.
 
J o e y

Title: Activator P
Post by: terryc on March 17, 2012, 01:08:49 PM

I have an old PJ set in one of my 83 Squier P bass and even with the J pickup trimpot turn to almost max(which is at the neck position), the P pickup still hammers through. I have twin vols bass and treble control. It's a monster sound, very high with loads of punch.