Author Topic: '11 MK Deluxe - Buckeye Burl (Read 712 times)

hieronymous · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2012, 09:09:51 AM »

I upgraded my Stanley Clarke Signature so now it has Anniversary electronics - instead of vol/pan, it has separate volumes for each pickup, pickup selector, and a switch so you can run either stereo or mono. Probably as close as you can get to Series without being Series. Of course, the pickups are different.

Ultimately, I'm a believer in using the tools available to express oneself. As Chalie said, any Alembic is going to be an amazing instrument.

And the bass in this thread is AMAZING!!!

jazzyvee · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2012, 11:29:52 AM »

Hi Harry, did Alembic do the mod for the anniversary electronics or did you do it yourself? Was it a mod to the existing electronics or a completely new electronic refit?.

The important bit, was it a few hundred dollars or a heck of a lot of hundreds of dollars?

I did ask Mica about this recently but have not got a reply back from her yet.

jazzyvee

(Message edited by jazzyvee on October 11, 2012)

(Message edited by jazzyvee on October 11, 2012)

hieronymous · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2012, 04:32:39 PM »

Just the control harness - used the same pickups. And Alembic did it, so I don't have the old harness lying around

So I seem to remember it being on the lower end of the scale cost-wise.

pukie · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2012, 12:18:00 PM »

OK first things first, thanks for all the nice comments , and I can safely say that this particular bass gives an accurate rendition (to my ears) of the Stanley Clarke and Mark King tones. So I can slap away to my hearts content.

I'd imagine there would be some very unhappy customers and, the US being a very litigeous society, a few law suits if signature basses didn't produce the signature sound of the signatory.

That said, What it does'nt give me is one of the other tones that I associated with Alembics - the John Entwhistle sound. Perhaps that needs series electonics..or a rig the price of a house..or does someone else know better?

Anyway now for the next question - why upgrade?, what will Anniversary Electronics actually bring to the party that a volume/pan combination and tone shaping at the amp won't do? - apart from the stereo option.

(ARRRGHHHH! I have a nasty feeling I am going to need this anyway, if everyone else does it!)

jazzyvee · « **Reply #19 on:** October 15, 2012, 12:41:57 PM »

Here is a discussion on the subject from a few years back. Certainly got me thinking.

http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/26700.html

Jazzyvee

5a_quilt_top · « **Reply #20 on:** October 15, 2012, 12:44:07 PM »

Re: Entwistle tone -

IMO, Anniversary electronics help, but aren't totally necessary.

It is my experience that the most important component of the Entwistle tone is perfecting the typewriter tapping technique. If it is executed correctly, any Alembic electronics package should have enough sensitivity to reproduce this technique.

New strings, longer scale and low action also help as you don't have to tap as hard to get a ringing sound. It actually sounds better if you ease up and use a gentle, precise tap (as opposed to a hammer) directly on the fretboard somewhere between the 18th and 24th frets.

I have a Spyder with the Anniversary package and a Stanley Signature Deluxe with the same electronics as your MK. Like your MK, the Spyder is 34 scale and therefore rings a little more than the short scale SC, but, electronically, either will deliver the harmonic nuances produced by the tapping technique.