Author Topic: My friend's Spoiler electronics question for help (Read 176 times)

the_lad · « **on:** January 11, 2005, 12:45:45 PM »

Hi gang,
My good friend, Richard, has this old Spoiler he acquired not too long ago & he asked me a question I couldn't answer about it's electronics. I've never owned one and am not familiar with the electronics. He figuered out that the top knob is the volume, the bottom knob is the low-pass filter, the switch is the Q, and the 3 position stove style knob seems to be the pickup selector. Now in the top position (or first notch)of the stove p/u selector knob, the bass is off or dead. The second & third down position seems to switch pickups. Richard wants to know if that dead position is actually a standby position or should this bass have 3 (bridge p/u,neck p/u , both p/u's)positions that produce sound? Richard is not very electronically inclined & never thought to ask the seller of this bass when he bought it, the workings of it's electronics. So he posed this question to me since he knows I've owned a couple of Alembics in the past. Could anyone lend some advice on the Spoiler's electronics? Thanks !
The Lad

mica · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2005, 01:01:33 PM »

The controls for Spoiler electronics are:

volume (usually nearest the pickups)
low-pass filter frequency (nearest the edge)
Q switch (next to the frequency)
rotary pickup selector switch (teardrop knob)

The frequency control adjusts a low-pass filter tunable from about 350Hz - 6KHz. Where you tune the filter is the cutoff frequency. Only frequencies below the cutoff frequency are passed.

Q switch is on when you flick it down while playing. When the Q switch is on, it boosts the cutoff frequency of the filter by about 8dB. You can hear the effect by sustaining a note while rotating the filter back and forth with the Q switch is on. You should hear a distinct wah-wah.

You won't hear much affect if you flick the switch up and down while sustaining a note since the filter's influence is mostly on the attack of a note. Play a passage you are good at repeating well and try the same frequency setting with the filter on and off. Listen the start of each note to hear what the Q switch does. It's a subtle but musically useful control.

You'll probably use the Q while slapping and playing rock. For blues and legato playing, you'll probably have the Q off.

The rotary switch os a 4-position pickup selector. From the most counter-clockwise position, the settings are:
1. standby
2. neck pickup only
3. both pickups
4. bridge pickup only

Note, the standby position is not the same as off. So long as you have a cable connected to the output jack, the battery is draining. The standby is useful for when you have an extended rest period but later want to return to your original volume setting.

There is an onboard preamp, so the circuit is active and requires a 9V battery to operate. There is not enough output from the pickups to use them without a battery since they are low impedance.

Internally, you will find 2 small trimpots on the circuit board that control the gain of each pickup. You can set the height of the pickups without regard to output. This means you can set the pickups' height to either where you like the way they sound or for your comfort, then go inside and correct the gains so that your pickup selector switch has the same volume for the neck and bridge pickups.

the_lad · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2005, 02:44:07 PM »

Thanks Mica! I see you mention that the pickup selector is suppose to have 4 positions on the Spoiler. His Spoiler only has 3 positions for some reason; standby & two below that. Did Alembic make such a 3 position p/u selector back in the mid '80's on some Spoilers? Thanks again!
The Lad

mica · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2005, 03:23:23 PM »

I don't recall us having made any like that. Some Electrum guitars had a 3-position switch.

On a normal Spoiler there will be three clicks and four positions. You can add apicture of the electronics cavity and maybe we can see if the switch is original or not.

the_lad · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2005, 08:47:33 PM »

Thanks again Mica! I will ask Richard if he wants to take some time to take a pic of his cavity so I can email it to this site for your professional asessment to see if the switch was changed. Thanx!
The Lad

the_lad · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2005, 09:18:12 PM »

Mica,
I just got off the phone with Richard and he said no need to take a pic for it does have 4 positions as you said. He said he never went lower than the 3rd because he just realised the knob was a little sticky/tight after the 3rd position. He just pushed it a bit harder and it went into the 4th position (What a knuckle-head,LOL). I'm happy for him & we both thank you very much, Mica! You know, I really dig his bass because it has Spoiler electronics, but has a real cool Exploiter body with a quilted maple top & mahogany body, mother of pearl oval inlays. The quilted maple has aged & darkened nicely. I know he digs a couple of my basses in my collection and I'd like to convince him to trade two of mine for his Exploiter/Spoiler. I'm not in the position right now to buy it from him. (He offered to sell it to me for a killer low price of $1,200 ,but my present financial dilema has kept me from my new dream Alembic & perhaps my second choice which is his old, cool Alembic). If only he'd trade it for two of my Fenders that he likes.Just maybe....Hmmmm?

Time will tell. I'll keep you posted on this trade wish of mine....it is a posibility.....I WANT HIS ALEMBIC!!!!!LOL I'll keep my cool & trust. Take care Mica.
The Lad

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2005, 12:20:37 AM »

(sorry to butt in)
It seems like everybody wants an Exploiter.
Is your friend's an '84?
I'll track that bass down someday.

the_lad · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2005, 10:00:42 AM »

Kungfusheriff,
No, my friend's Exploiter is an '85. I have first dibs,LOL. I believe he will eventually break down & trade for my two reissue Jazz basses that he really loves. It's a gut feeling I have, that his Exploiter was meant for me. I can honestly say that I have a deeper appreciation of his Alembic (or any Alembic for that matter)than he does for certain.Since buying a new or used Alembic is an issue for me at the moment (Though one day, I trust, I will be in the position to order my dream Series II '70's small standard 4)I know I can have a cool good used one soon if Richard agrees to trade. Ah, I can feel his bass in my arms already,LOL. Take care, bro.
The Lad

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2005, 12:13:23 PM »

Thanks, and sorry, I meant '85. If your friend's bass has a repaired crack on the neck pickup wing, it used to be mine.
Sigh. I'm getting compulsive about this.
Try using a screwdriver to put a few deep scratches in your reissues. F guys go nuts with glee for that stuff (laughing).

the_lad · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2005, 05:05:35 AM »

kungfusheriff,
Man, wouldn't that be funny my friend's Exploiter turned out to be your old Alembic? When that bass becomes mine (he said with confidence,lol)I will check for the crack in the neck pickup and I will take pics of her & post them in the Alembic Club. We'll see in time. I really dig that bass! Take care, K.
The Lad