Is a Series Right For Me?

[jalevinemd]

I am in the process of completing my latest build. All of my guitars have Skylark electronics. The last one, which I play exclusively, and the one that is being built now have the following setup:


Three way blade pickup selector switch
Two volume knobs
Two Filter knobs
Two bright/normal switches
LED switch
Booster switch
Booster gain knob

I am starting to think about another build (as soon as this latest one is complete) and have tossed around the idea of entering the Series realm.

It seems that I can get every tone I need, from a very convincing piezo-like acoustic sound to full on humbucker lead. We play mostly 70's and 80's Classic Rock with a smattering of 90's grunge/post grunge. So most of what I'm playing is overdriven or distorted. I get all of my dirt, delay and modulation from my Fractal FX8. Given this, I'm wondering if the magic of the Series electronics will be lost. Considering the cost, I don't want to make such a large investment without any real benefit. Trying out a Series instrument before making the decision is not a realistic option.  I had a mid-late 70's Series I for a very brief time but didn't really play it enough to get a sense of its sonic palette. Plus my rig has completely changed since then.


I'd like to hear the thoughts of some Series guitar players as to where this unique electronics package fits into their playing style.




Regards,


Jonathan

[gtrguy]

I don't own a series 6 string guitar but, frankly, if you like some overdrive, I would not get the series electronics. I know many might not agree with me, but that is what I think. I like some grit when I play guitar in the blues band I am in, and I use a small pedal board with modded pedals and overdrive the amp to get it.

I listened to Paul Reed Smith speak a couple weeks back, and he discussed how many guitars are now 'pedal board drivers', which is interesting. I don't go that far (neither did he) but many people now get their tone that way these days, and the tone can be good.

[lbpesq]

I would agree that a Series instrument for heavy metal/grunge/punk and other types of music calling for heavy distortion may not be the optimal combination.  Essentially, you are buying a Porsche to take long distance road trips, and then adding luggage racks and a trailer hitch to carry all your stuff, because the 2-seater Porsche won't cut it.  May I suggest that you consider modifying your current build to replace the "bright/normal" switches with 3-way "Q" switches?  I have the off/on/bright switches on my Further, and Q switches on my Series guitars as well as adding them the the builds I've done with Alembic Strat sets.  I find the Q far more effective and usable.  I think it will also give you a better idea of Series electronics than the bright switch does.  Just my $.02.

Bill, tgo

[jalevinemd]

Bill,

I know you've mentioned the Q switches before. Having never played a guitar equipped with one, I guess I'm not really all that familiar with how they can be used to sculpt tone. I had tossed around the idea of incorporating Anniversary electronics on the next build in lieu of Series to gain some added flexibility and shed some cost. So I guess we're on the same page in that regard. For the most part, I don't mess with the filter too much once I've dialed in the sweet spot and the bright switch almost never gets engaged. The only time I mess a lot with either is when I need an acoustic guitar tone. I engage the bright switch on the neck pickup and turn the filter all the way up. Sounds very piezo-like. I want to make sure that I'll still have that tonal option with a Q-switch equipped guitar.

[lbpesq]

Jonathan:


The effect of engaging a Q is a little similar to the bright switch in that the Q will emphasize the most high end portion of the frequencies the LPF is letting through.  The 3-way Q lets you employ more subtle changes, (0-6-9 db boost at the cut-off frequency), than the bright switch.  I, too, tend to find a sweet spot on the LPF and leave it there.  I usually put my Q in the middle position, 6 db boost.  Then, as I'm playing, if my signal sounds a little muddy or bassy, I just hit the Q to the 9 db setting on the fly.  Conversely, if my tone sounds too shrill or trebly, I hit the Q the other way so there is no boost at the cutoff frequency.  I certainly use my Q switches far more often than the bright setting on my Further.  You can still open up the LPF all the way and switch the Q to the 9 db setting to get that trebly acoustic piezo tone.  If you otherwise seldom use the bright switch, then, it seems to me, a Q is a no brainer.  As the old Alka Seltzer commercial used to say: "try it, you'll like it".


Bill, tgo

[jalevinemd]

You make a very convincing argument counselor. Maybe Q's are the way to go.

[jazzyvee]

I have a series guitar and an orion with filter and 3 position q.
I find a single filter system with q to be more than enough for my guitar tones and whilst the series gives me more,  i have found for me its more a nice to have rather than an essential part of my live sound to be honest. But i think to be fair to alembic, thats more because im used to single volume and tone  guitars like strats. I love the sound of my series guitar but i have found with both that for distortion and overdrive, a valve pedal or amp gives a sound i prefer. I currently use radial trimode and a radial classic with my JC120 and on board drive when using my fender twin amp. Using the q on a valve amp just pushes into that creamy saturated tone on my neck pickup. Yummy.
The q does magic to the tones though and i get that meters sissy strut tone and also that honk like sound that toots and the maytals use on some of their early stuff like monkey man