I'm disappointed with my Alembic Spyder and I don't know why

[RBW]

Make all your changes (strings, batteries) then re-read what jazzyvee wrote (glad i didn't  make that selling off too quickly mistake). When i got my latest Alembic i couldn't believe what i was hearing.  I was in that angry stage of i spent this and this is the sound? But, i didn't give up. Sure i would spend time with the bass and then in frustration put it back in the closet and made up my mind that is where it will stay. But, then i would practice with it, tweek the controls, getting there. Took about a year and a half of adjusting controls and quite frankly finding the correct technique to play such a beast . Only then, was it on stage. Now, i couldn't imagine not having this bass. Travels with me to all the most important shows. Nothing but "wows" from people about the sound. My wife says she can feel it in her chest but, she is a breast cancer survivor, so?Anyway.. Keep working at it. Keep us posted on your progress.         

Thanks everyone so much!!!   Ok, I'll start brand new... I'm used to using more the bridge pick up, but I will try differently... I also noticed that My Spyder is a lot better with rotosound and a new battery, I changed the 4 for the led too... just for jollies...  It sounds MUCH better on the OB1-300 and it sounded terrible on the Geezer Butler Ashdown!  I'm going to try tow OB1-300's and the Fx-1 when I get the other OB1 and do it into a 4x10 Ampeg and 15 ampeg to try some bi amping.  It's totally new and I will not give up... I still need the strings lowered and I'm waiting for the longer Rotosound to get here too... the ones I had were long.. but not long enough so the wrapping red is in the notches now and although it won't hurt I'm still waiting for the longer strings....  OK I really appreciate the feelings you had because I was really freaking out... how can my inexpensive Dean hybrid entwistle sound this good and my Spyder not!!!   Man, I have to get back to the beginning and start over.  I'm basically getting rid of all the 8x10's and the usual rampant sound coming out a lot of the same speakers.... the real bass players never did that!   I'm going to try to do what Entwistle did but theres no way to find some kind of STRAMP like he used, so I'm hoping the Fx-1 will introduce me to that. 

I will also try it on my GB 550 fusion and the 4x12 GB cabinet too.   OK... I appreciate the things I can identify with big time!  Thanks everyone... I'm going to conquer this!  It's fantastic but I haven't found it yet...  Tomorrow is another day!

Richard

[elwoodblue]

  I'm going to try to do what Entwistle did but theres no way to find some kind of STRAMP like he used,

Careful what you Ox for
http://www.rockstarsguitars.com/category/who/john-entwistle-who/page/3/

[RBW]

Hi,
Could you please explain the stereo way you are talking about?  I have to say with new battery (Thanks Mica) and new strings... Rotosound, it sounds like a real bass now!  It's fantastic with the OB1 - 300 and I'm planning on using 2 of those put through the Fx - 1 for some bi amping.  I'll try with a couple of extra Ampeg 4x10 and 115 I have on hand.  Basically the OB1 - 300 sounds great through that new funky Traynor 1510 which I have to say is impressive though pretty much unknown.

How can I do a stereo on the Spyder?   Slow and steady with plenty of expressions since I'm daft with tech stuff completely....

Thanks,
Richard

[keith_h]

The Spyder bass uses Anniversary electronics. By using a TRS to TR 'Y' cable and setting the stereo/mono switch to stereo you can split each pickup into its own signal chain.

In a basic preamp/amp/cabinet for each pickup the sound really opens up. It also allows for interesting results if you use signal processing on one pickup with the other dry. Even in a mono rig by using a preamp like the F2B you can get more tone control by running each pickup into its own channel.

[mario_farufyno]

It is not exactly stereo, but 2 individual channels, where each PU goes separated through a TRS jack or, in Serie basses, 5 pin XLR male jack. That way, instead of Left/Right you get Neck PU/Bridge PU. You can mono sum with a regular guitar TS cable, but you can split with the Y cable Keith mentioned.

In time, although is not the same as processing neck and bridge PUs differently, many recent bass dedicated pedals have built in crossovers that splits signal to preserve the low end (as we see on many bass chorus boxes) or just splits 2 full range signals to allow parallel processing (like on some bass overdrivers and compressors). These are 2 simple ways to use effects on Bass that changed the game a little, allowing us using less complex , bulky and expensive bass amp systems that those cats needed at the 70's.

[RBW]

Thanks alot, I have no knowledge of any pedals yet... I just want to used two amps/power heads and determine how much bass goes into one cabinet and the same with hi's to another cabinet.  I'm layman as far as the rest.  I noticed that the Sunn Coliseum amp has a dial to decide on the front of it where the amount is going... isn't that neat?  you just can't find that stuff anymore...

[John Risti]

I've been there. Know exactly what you're going through
Shoot me an email with your phone number.
I think I can help..
John
risti996tt@yahoo.com

[Spyder2015]

Well...as an experienced "Spyderman" :-) some comments from my side:
Playing the first notes of my brand new Spyder built in 2015 made me also think...Mhhh...main output level is a bit weak compared to my other bass guitars...so I turned the internal trim pots to maximum level. Next thing I had to do was lifting up the strings a bit - I play like "The Ox" using the typewriter style, factory settings of the string's height made them vibrating on the frets.
Next then was turning the filters away first and ignore the Q-switches for a while, just for finding the correct balance between the PUs. Optimum for me (but that's very individual - depending very much on the style you are playing!) is to turn the neck PU to max. and the bridge PU to 2/3 volume. Next thing of course are the strings! I use ELIXIR strings - they don't have that brilliance right from the beginning, but they keep their sound for a very long time, just until the nano coating starts to crackle away. My rig just consists of a TC RH750 top and a Phil Jones C8 Lite cab - a perfect counterpart for the Spyder! The only pedal I have in use is the Boss Octaver OC-3. I love the TC head becaus it's programmable, I have programmed 3 "basic" sounds: First one having a bass boost in the low-down range fro getting a fat sound - overwhelming when activating the Octaver while having switched the Spyder to the bridge PU only! 2nd setting is a "funky" one, boosting the mid/high range. Turning up both PU volume pots to the max, the sound is exactly like in Melissa Etheridge's "Like the way I do" - or to The Who's "Can't explain". 3rd amp setting is a mid-range boosted one, enhanced with a very small part of the built-in tube sound simulator. This setting combined with the Spyder's volume pots set to neck PU 2/3 and bridge PU full leads to a "Flea-like" sound, I use that e.g. for playin' "Around the world".
So far for the basic settings - if needed, I also activate the filter pots on the Spyder, e.g. for playing "jazzy" parts with less treble - but that's also a very individual thing to do, just try it yourself.
Hope that helps a bit...               

[ajdover]

I’ve owned a Spyder, and now own a Series II Entwistle replica.  It’s different from the Spyders, but .... it still has the filters and the Q switches (continuously variable). 

I use DR Hi Beam strings (I used to use Rotosounds, but .... in past years something has happened to them where they go dead very quickly, to me at least), .40 - .100 and I don’t have a problem getting that twangy Entwistle tone.  You might want to give them a shot at some point.

[RBW]

Thanks for all the help!  I'm finally realizing that the hi end is usually the neck pots instead of the bridge!  I also have found not to turn up the adjusters, or whatever they are called (usually tone) very little since it's peaks really fast!  It's a real job to get what I want.  I'm playing with crossover with an FX-1 over a Behringer NX1000 so there's almost 500 going to each Orange speaker.  It's really 250 since they are both 8 ohm but still this is my library so I don't need it so loud. Anyway.. thanks alot.  I got the rotosound Swing bass on it and I'm just learning with a lot of work to get the sound near what I want.

Richard

[rustyg61]

When I first got my Series II Europa I thought it was defective because I could turn the CVQ controls from stop to stop & not hear any difference in tone. I had what was at the time the top of the line Eden rig with a WT 800 head & a D115 & D410 cabinets. I got rid of the Eden rig & got an Alembic F-2B preamp with a SF-2 Superfilter & QSC power amp going into AccuGroove cabinets & difference was incredible! I could hear the slightest turn on the CVQ's & filters. Alembics are capable of an amazing range of tones but it takes a good amp & probably more important, good speaker cabinet to reproduce the full spectrum of sound they are capable of. If you're not happy with your sound on your Alembic I can assure you the problem is probably not the bass!

[edwardofhuncote]

Hey Rusty! Good to see you here. 

[rustyg61]

Thanks Gregory! It's been a while since I posted anything! I was feeling nostalgic last night & went back & read my build thread for the Blue Orca. It's so wonderful to have that record preserved to relive the excitement of having a custom build! Hope everyone is doing well!


Rusty

[StephenR]

Hey Rusty, hope all is well in Texas!  Jen and I return to Alaska in two weeks for our fifth visit, when we met up with you in Seward four years ago the night before our wedding it was our second trip. Only been back to Seward once since then, one stunning sunny beautiful day when we finally were able to hike the Lost Lakes Trail, rest of our trip, which included going to Salmonfest, it rained pretty much every day. Naturally we were thinking about you while there. No Kenai Peninsula for us this time, we will be headed to the interior to check out Wrangell St. Elias National Park and the Denali Highway then heading north for our first visit to the Fairbanks area and finishing up with a short return to Denali National Park. Would be great if you, and Blue Orca, can make it to the "yet to be announced" CA Alembic gathering this year.

[rustyg61]

Hey Stephen! Great to hear from you! Glad to hear you & Jen are still making the trek to Alaska! I will be there from July 1-12 this year. I hope you will be lucky enough to actually see Denali, it only comes out of the clouds about 10 times a year I'm told! The year we went we had a clear view of the mountain driving in the day before we arrived at the park, but the next day when we rode the bus to the mountain we couldn't even see the base of it! If you've never been to Fairbanks you may be disappointed, there is really not much to see there compared to Seward & other more mountainous parts of the state. It gets really hot there too, 95 in the summer! North Pole, Alaska is nearby though so make sure you go there & say hi to Santa!


I would love to go to a Cali Gathering! If it falls on my days off I will definitely try to make it. All my vacation time is spoken for this year.


I'll try not to be such a stranger around here.


Rusty