Author Topic: Finally an Alembic owner! Comments and a few questions (Read 424 times)

cosmic · « **on:** June 21, 2009, 10:32:44 AM »

I finally added an Alembic to the flock. I bought an '88 Spoiler in black!

It needed to be set-up bad, so I followed some of the instructions on the forum, put on a set of my preferred strings and set the nut, bridge, truss rods and intonation. It is in perfect intonation. The strings are a little higher than I'd like, but I play with a pick and fingers and have an aggressive style at times so I had to raise them a touch. I will be slowly lowering them as time goes on.

One thing I noticed was the truss rods were not equal. The rod for the low strings had threads exposed, while the high strings did not. I assume this is due to the low strings being under less tension, and the high strings needing a little more support for that side. Make sense? The neck is straight and true with just a little relief. I will keep an eye on it to make sure it does not twist -- but it is a 21 year old bass, this is how the rods were and the neck is fine so I assume the wood has just settled into this configuration.

One question -- how can I go about replacing the pickup selector with a pan pot? I am used to this control from my Modulus basses and like the infinite sounds it offers. Is this an easy change? Plug and play or is there a lot of soldering and other stuff involved?

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2009, 12:48:51 PM »

Congrats on the Spoiler!

A quick search of the board suggests that replacing the selector switch with a pan pot is not a plug and play upgrade. Mica has described it as an advanced do-it-yourself project. In addition to the pan pot, there are some resistors and capacitors to be added as well.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2009, 08:27:48 AM »

There is a thread where people discussed this assimetry on dual Truss Rod. As long as I can remember, the idea is to keep them always equal. Check out that thread, Cosmic Bro...

http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/49337.html?1224070401

adriaan · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2009, 08:52:02 AM »

No, the point is that changes you make to the truss rods should be about the same on both sides.

The length of the threaded part sticking out of the nut is irrelevant, since the rods are quite probably not the exact same length to begin with.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2009, 05:00:31 PM »

Sure... Now, this made sense.

They should be adjusted together, and this doesn't mean both will be at same tension (or same lenght). A matter of common sense: They simply must set the Neck Relief at your needs on each side - and this means more than any relative position.

Thanks, Adriaan!

cosmic · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2009, 12:31:47 AM »

Thanks for the info. Sorry I disappeared for a few weeks. I just got back from traveling and seeing some great music and bassists. I saw the Dead headline the Rothbury Festival in Michigan on 4th of July weekend. A lot of great acts played, including Dylan, Willie,String Cheese, Zappa plays Zappa (who are excellent) and a string of others. And last week I went to a festival in West Virginia where Bob Weir & Ratdog, moe, Les Claypool and several other great acts played. Lot's of great music crammed into a few weeks.

Now I am back to woodshedding on my bass and trying to nick a few tricks I learned.

Thank for the head's up on the truss rods. After my first post I loosened the strings and the loosened both rods completely. I then tighten each equally until they were just starting to snug. After settlinag, I reset the rods equally slowly on both sides until I got the relief I like. So far, so good. All seems happy in Spoiler land. I love the bass, love the clear, warm, rich and round sound it gets -- and am digging the 32 inch scale after coming off a 5 and 6 string Modulus. My fingers are flying on this neck.

cosmic · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2009, 12:35:32 AM »

And P.S.

An Alembic Spoiler looks absolutely badass in black.

dannobasso · « **Reply #7 on:** July 18, 2009, 05:55:03 AM »

Tell me about it! And we get less flak about it nowadays. Trust me on that one. Congrats and welcome.

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 18, 2009, 09:10:02 AM »

All i can say is Tare into your alembic & beat the shyt out of it, Wood was made to be 'Hammered'

(Message edited by serialnumber12 on July 19, 2009)

chalie_holmes · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2009, 09:54:29 AM »

SPANKALEMBIC! IT'S SYSTEMIC, AIN'T NO GIMMICK,TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT.
BOOYAH! BABY!
PEACE-N-OUT! CUB SCOUT!

CHALIE HO!

hendixclarke · « **Reply #10 on:** July 18, 2009, 01:25:19 PM »

Why don't you show us pictures?

That's a hidden rule...

(Message edited by hendixclarke on July 18, 2009)

cosmic · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2009, 11:47:41 AM »

FInally, here are some picks of my black beauty. She was born in 1988 and still sounds and plays great. She has some nicks, dings, rashes from an aggressive picker, but I do not care. I buy basses to play, not look at it. And this one plays nicely -- both with a pick and fingers.

David Houck · « **Reply #12 on:** September 20, 2009, 01:38:42 PM »

Very nice!!

pauldo · « **Reply #13 on:** September 20, 2009, 04:55:21 PM »

nice. . .

hmmmmm -
What does the back look like?

sonicus · « **Reply #14 on:** September 20, 2009, 06:46:20 PM »

Looks like a good player _ NICE!