Old Series Electronics vs New Series electronic

[jazzyvee]

Ignoring things like updates for the noise rejection and the use of newer components to replace older versions, have alembic changed the design of the PF? series electronics to improve the quality of the sound or to specifically change the sound of the bass or guitar.
I know there have been different PF cards over the years but I don't know what reason they were changed.


But it could be that the design was right first time and it has lasted the test of time and there has been no reason to change.


Just curious and in no way a criticism as I have 1980 and a 2003 series bass and although the cards look slightly different at a glance the rest of it looks pretty much the same.

[edwin]

My understanding is that the basic design hasn't changed and that updates were made based on the best parts available to do the jobs and streamlining of manufacturing. The first op amps were from the military/space world, and have a super wide frequency response and can withstand the rigors of space, but were replaced by later ones that had performance that was good for the purpose (we don't need a frequency response many octaves above the audio range) and were cheaper to buy and to install and more robust with respect to voltage and other issues.

[jazzyvee]

One of the reasons I was asking really is that I am saving for a refurb of my series I shorty and the electronics are probably going to need the noise update purely because its a 1980 bass but there maybe other things that are discovered when it goes back. Is there a vintage sound from the older alembic electronics that I would be better off keeping by maintaining the original electronics or would it be better sound wise to get alembic to replace electronics, PF card, with the current version used on new instruments and get the benefit of whatever updates have been done to the audio sound and quality.

[adriaan]

I doubt that you would find a vintage set of Series electronics to sound much different from a modern set. It's a never-ending debate when discussing mass-produced vintage and modern, and it should be a moot point when discussing our favourite builder of no-compromise quality instruments.

[s_wood]

My oldest Series bass is a 1976, which was produced just after the end of the "mil spec" era described by Edwin. The electronics are still original (and by the way the bass is dead quiet).  I don't hear a difference between that bass and any of my 4 string Series basses (one of which has the newest electronics). If there is a measurable difference between the old and new electronics it's not something that anyone would ever hear in a mix, live or recorded.  As far as the noise upgrade goes, as I am sure Mica has or will tell you, some basses will benefit from it while others don't need it. 

[lbpesq]

FWIW, I have found no need for the upgrade on either my 1976 Series I medium scale guitar, nor my 1977 long scale Series I 12 string guitar.

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Thanks for your informaton guys. I hope mine doesn't need any major electronics fixes but it does need to be sent back for a service at least as the filter pots seem to have an intermittent squeal at the fully open end of the travel and when I use it i just want that confidence that all is ok with it. It's the only one of my alembics that I'm nervous taking as the only bass to a gig.

[tomhug]

Thanks for your informaton guys. I hope mine doesn't need any major electronics fixes but it does need to be sent back for a service at least as the filter pots seem to have an intermittent squeal at the fully open end of the travel and when I use it i just want that confidence that all is ok with it. It's the only one of my alembics that I'm nervous taking as the only bass to a gig.

My 1977 Series I had similar issues. In certain buildings (with old wiring and/or neon signs) it occasionally suffered from interference. Since I couldn't rely on that particular bass working 100% of the time, I chose to have the upgrade done. Sonically the bass came back indistinguishable from it's 1977 incarnation, except it's quiet now. The one consideration is it required full replacement of my pickups (neck, bridge, and cancelling). So now that bass has the matte pickups with the gold-embossed Alembic script. Over the 30 years I've owned that bass, I had grown accustomed to that bass with the shiny black epoxy pickups, so that was a tiny bit of an adjustment. Ron will only replace the pickups if necessary, but apparently in my case, it was.

[growlypants]

Wow, that's one gorgeous bass!

[Philip-M-Bass]

I have to agree Tom, that is one Powerful looking instrument!!

Can you post more pic's  please!!

[tomhug]

Wow, that's one gorgeous bass!

I have to agree Tom, that is one Powerful looking instrument!!

Can you post more pic's  please!!

Thank you both!

Well, I don't want to hijack JazzyVee's thread. (And I really don't have all that many photos...) But... here's a Flickr album, and here's a few pics from my showcase post from way back.