Author Topic: Anyone heard of a Pluto Filter Pedal? (Read 326 times)

gtrguy · « **on:** September 19, 2015, 10:57:23 AM »

Made by an Alembic Instrument engineer George Mundy in the 70's by hand with about 50 produced for Maestro?

sonicus · « **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2015, 11:44:45 AM »

Yes , I tried one in Mr. Mundy's electronics workshop .

Really. It is a variation of a 'State Variable Filter Low pass, Band Pass, High Pass ,from what I remember.
Just get a fresh Alembic SF-2 in today's world. Current production!
(:

elwoodblue · « **Reply #2 on:** September 19, 2015, 11:52:03 AM »

I have a few pics from an old auction.
Did you find one??
It looks like FUN (and dangerous if not careful )

elwoodblue · « **Reply #3 on:** September 19, 2015, 12:00:27 PM »

Here they are:

bigredbass · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2015, 01:28:17 PM »

No wonder I struggle to understand all this stuff.

'Vertical' and 'Horizontal' freqs, resonance, and cut/boost? Really? Did you have to run this thru a limiter to keep it 'level'? 'Plumb' and 'Square'?

You know, some days around here, a full parametric or a 31-band suddenly seem like a walk in the park . . . . .

Joey

gtrguy · « **Reply #5 on:** September 19, 2015, 01:41:49 PM »

That's a hoot! I think the foot pedal also moved side to side?

hieronymous · « **Reply #6 on:** September 19, 2015, 03:46:35 PM »

Yeah, I think the pedal could control one parameter in the up & down motion, and another parameter side-to-side. I would love to have a SuperFilter in a pedal with a pedal to adjust the cut-off - one of these would do the trick!

I didn't realize that these were made for Maestro, were they branded that way?

Also, this was after George Mundy was no longer with Alembic, correct?

sonicus · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2015, 06:11:38 PM »

Yes , pedal movement was dual . ( up and down& side to side)

What is the source of information regarding Maestro affiliation ?

From my recollections Pluto was an endeavor that Mr. Mundy did on his own. Not Alembic . Please correct me if I am wrong .

gtrguy · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2015, 06:59:11 PM »

It was printed up in the May 2015 Vintage Guitar Magazine, page 85. it states Made (by hand) for Maestro, which backed out of the deal, only 50 or so were built. Pluto Pedals are really more suitable for synth operators or noise makers who know how to handle precision sweepable filters.

It says that George was an Alembic engineer and member of the Grateful Dead's tech crew.

I just bought a 'Shin-Ei ? 4 in the floor' drum machine and was reading this article that the magazine had on vintage pedals and the Pluto Pedal caught my eye.

elwoodblue · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2015, 07:27:41 PM »

Yes , pedal movement was dual . ( up and down& side to side)
That reminds me of another great contraption.The Glass Elevator

I hadn't heard of the Maestro connection. I wonder if they supplied George with 50 pedal housings.

(Message edited by elwoodblue on September 19, 2015)

sonicus · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2015, 08:00:41 PM »

George's location was walking distance from my mine at the time when he was working on these units and some electronics in the cavity the Phil Lesh Alembic Logo Osage Bass, that was laying in full view in front of me at one time of my visits to George's location a few times while he was also installing his Pluto filters in to my Alembic modified with pickups and hardware into my Bass !

http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/2792.html?1262960781

At the time I was a young man with many questions . George was very kind to me in recollection and actually was interested in educating in the understanding of various aspects of what was what in technology at the time !

Wolf