1992 Alembic Series I 5- string

[button]

Question- is there a diagnostic that can be run by a dealer to see if my bass is up to spec? I didn't play it for several years (except for tuning it and making sure the neck was ok) and then decided to get back into it, took it to the local dealer, had the battery terminals replaced, bass setup and cleaned, ever since, it just doesn't seem to sound as it did originally. The splitter box crapped out on me a couple years after I bought the bass ( I was playing 9 shows a week, for 3 1/2 years) and I recently got a new box with cord. Any ideas, hopefully short of sending it back to Alembic? Is it possible that the tech at the local dealer goofed something up when he replaced the battery terminals? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[rv_bass]

Hi button,

What is it that does not sound quite right?  Can you describe it?  Also, have you tried it with the five pin cable rather than battery power and so, does it sound the same?

[button]

Hi, rv_bass-
I've run it both ways, and the only difference I can tell is the signal seems hotter with the box/phantom power/5-pin cable.
It's hard to describe; it just seems like it's lost its "smoothness".

[JimmyJ]

Hey Ty,

It's doubtful that anything significant has changed but there are a couple things to check.  One is, since the bass was sitting for years you should spend a while exercising all the pots and switches.  As in; sweep each pot through its full rotation about 50 times and switch the switches (series 1 you said?) about the same amount.  This helps make sure the pot's "sweepers" and switch contacts are clean and not effecting the tone in any weird way.

The other thing that can change is simply the balance of the two pickups.  Are you sure you are hearing both pickups the way you like them to be blended?  Even if the volume knobs are set the same on the front, the balance can be altered by the two outside trim pots accessed through the rear panel.  Maybe those levels were changed during the clean up?  Just a thought.

And by "splitter box" you mean the power supply, yes?  For me, using the PSU and 5-pin cable is the preferred way to operate these basses.  I think of the 1/4" jack and batteries as an emergency backup.

Jimmy J

[pauldo]

Ty,
I think if you can post some clear pics of the electronics it may help.  We got some wizards here! 

[hieronymous]

What happened with the strings? Were new ones put on when the setup was done? Did you specify what you wanted?

[button]

Hi, hieronymous- yeah, new strings. Have run d'Addario XLS round-wounds since day one, new ones on set-up.

[button]

Ty,
I think if you can post some clear pics of the electronics it may help.  We got some wizards here! 

Hi, pauldo- I'm working on it, will do asap. Thanks for the suggestion!

[button]

Hi, everyone- trying to post pics of electronics, so far, no go....

[button]

Don't know why it didn't work earlier, but, here's more.

[JimmyJ]

Ty,

Here are the backside level controls I was talking about.  You can set the front panel pickup volume knobs to full and then set your preferred balance using these trimpots on the back panel.  I tend to like a bit more treble pickup than bass but the balance is up to you.


The two inside trimpots are the hum balance controls.  Don't move those unless you are having noise trouble.

Jimmy J