Won some alembic bits in an off chance finding of a guitar equipment auction

[jazzyvee]

Would this transformer adaptor plug have enough umph to provider power to the bass on the In-2.

https://www.plugadaptors.co.uk/product/3079099/MX651001/Step-Down-Voltage-Converter-230V---110V--45VA-

[JimmyJ]

Yes, I think the IN-2 actually says "10w" on the back so that "45w" adaptor should be plenty.

Jimmy J

[edwin]

Hi Edwin, i managed to find a solution that seems to be heading in the right direction without any wires going front to back. See my most recent post here.
https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=25841.30

Thanks! A great solution.

[jazzyvee]

Hey Jimmy, the postman arrived with the conversion leads today from Alembic.
I took my bass to Jaydee Custom Guitars about 3 weeks ago to have the new saddles cut and fitted and a fret dress so once that is done I will be able to see how/if the new (vintage) pickups and card work in the short scale bass.
From what you mentioned earlier about the noise upgrade and the "no pre-cbs" scenario, i hope that since mine has not had the upgrade, the new pickups at least work and may make it a tad quieter than he existing ones are now. They are a lot quieter than when I first had the bass.

[JimmyJ]

Let the experiment continue!  It will be interesting to read what you discover about any noticeable difference between the old and new pickups. 

Those adaptors, if they look like the ones in my "reply #44" post, are made for using a new preamp board with old pickups.  So you can leave your hum canceller plugged in and use the adaptors with the old pickups to see what that combo sounds like (you may need to adjust your hum balance controls).  But I've never seen an adaptor for the other way around - new pickups into an old preamp board.  Did the package from Mica also include some of those?

Keep us informed!
Jimmy J

[jazzyvee]

Yes I requested adaptors for both ways including the hum-canceller, just in case. :-)

[JimmyJ]

Wow, that's cool!  I didn't know they ever built any of those.

You are all set to test out every combination in JV's Alembic Laboratory. 

Let us know what you discover.
Jimmy J

[mica]

Custom, Jimmy, custom!

[jazzyvee]

Word!

[jazzyvee]

I collected my bass from Jaydee yesterday afternoon and they have done a great job (as always) cut new saddles and dressed frets. Apparently there were a few high spots in the middle of the neck. Anyway it sounds great now. So I will try to find some time over the next couple of days to try chop and changing pickups and PF-cards to see what works and in what combinations.
Watch this space.

[jazzyvee]

Right here goes, this evening I put the new pickups from the auction in the bass with the original card and I would say that they sound brighter/cleaner and the bass sounds less warm than the original pickups but chunkier. I had to adjust the noise cancelling and it sounds really great. Initially I was getting a squeal again on the bridge pickup when the Q-switch was on and the filter close to being fully open. Turning the connector round on the hum canceller cancelled that squeal out too. So maybe i put it back on the wrong way round.

The spare PF card works great too and is louder but that is probably just the trim pot settings. I had to pop some insulation on the brass connectors as they were making contact with stuff under the hood and causing noise probably due to shorting out on the back of the pots.
So I think I will keep the new pickups in and see how they hold out.

I do think the bass could do with the noise cancelling done but it is only evident if the gain is up on my F-1x but with it low and the power amp up the high frequency interference is virtually inaudible. If I ever get statside with the bass I would consider finding out if I could drop it off at alembic and hope it could be done for me to carry home again. But as I said it is still really quiet but not as quiet as my other series basses and probably never heard on a gig.
So far So good.

[edwin]

Excellent news!

[paulman]

What a great thread!  Congrats Jazzy!

[jazzyvee]

I think there is a feedback loop somewhere in the system and I have a hunch that it may be something to do with the A & B pre-amp returns getting back into the input A & B sockets.
Yesterday I tried turning the input gain of the F-2B up  and it got to a point where everything just squealed even thought the bass was on mute. I am wondering if the extra output socket mod added to the front is as normally closed jacks and connecting the feed from the pre-amp returns ( since it's connected to those jacks ) and feeding it into the input again. I will get my circuit tester on the case later and see if any of the electrical training I did in my early working life still accessible.  I know at least enough not to get electrocuted. 

[jazzyvee]

Ok I have done some drawings to make my wiring experiments more clear.  For simplicity I have only showed the cable route for the A route but the B route follows the same stages. This is all based on me using a series bass with the 5 pin and the IN-2 on the Stereo setting and the SF-2 on the stereo setting also.

Scenario 1 Goes from the In-2 into the SF-2 first.
Scenario 2 Goes from the In-2 to the F-2B first.
I have included a blank image so maybe your suggestions can be drawn on that since a visual representation always helps.