questions on using a series I off the grid

[KR]

Jimmy, Ron told me the headphone output was designed for the player to be able to tune backstage before heading out.

[JimmyJ]

Hey, how about that?  But tune to what?  I plug it into a tuner so I'm not really using it to drive headphones.  And since it's only or short moments my batteries last quite a while. 

Jimmy J

[rv_bass]

Or, you could just eliminate the 1/4” jack all together

[edwardofhuncote]

As usual, solid and practical advice Jimmy J.

Yeah... my idle mind becomes the devil's playground sometimes riding around in the service truck. I start thinking about how much I'd rather be playing bass! The bass at issue here is an older Series I currently in the shop getting the RF upgrades, and while there on the bench, the Q-switches are being replaced by CVQ's. (already had a Master Volume)  I had asked also for them
to change the 1/4" jack from stereo to mono, like my other Series bass.

Good to get some real-life perspective.

*Rob... you ain't right man!

[KR]

I have a set of high impedance AKG 240 Monitor that are easily driven by the stereo jack.
Here's what Ron emailed me.

Hi Keith,
Originally we wired the jacks for stereo output, for high impedance
headphones like the old Sennheiser open air type, for tuning up in the
dressing room.
Ron

[JimmyJ]

Keith,

That's very cool.  This is one of those equipment things where no matter what purpose the feature was originally designed for, there will be somebody who finds another way to use it.  Didn't Phil Lesh once "play" his instrument's filters by putting the pickups near a tv camera and using the Q knob to create a melody out of the RF?  That's some creative thinkin' right there.  The fact that Alembic builds in the battery system in the first place is brilliant.  How you use it is up to you.

Rob, that's just crazy talk!

Jimmy J

[lbpesq]

Hey, how about that?  But tune to what?  I plug it into a tuner so I'm not really using it to drive headphones.  And since it's only or short moments my batteries last quite a while. 

Jimmy J

IIRC, back in the 1970’s few of us were plugging into tuners.  I believe I was still using a tuning fork.   I remember that shortly after I moved to California in 1973 (48 years ago, yesterday) the first amp I acquired was an old Vox Essex bass amp.   I loved that it had a little switch in back that, when turned on, would provide a “G” tone out of the amp.  I thought it a big step up from the fork at the time!

Bill, tgo

[rv_bass]

“Rob... you ain't right man! ”

“Rob, that’s just crazy talk!”

Greg, Jimmy, I blame poor_nigel (and Mica and Kris)…but I actually like it, you don’t have to worry about batteries at all! 

[StephenR]

I never use the batteries in my Series basses so I took them out...

One thing to keep in mind before converting a Series stereo jack to mono is that you can run the five-pin cable and the 1/4" jack simultaneously. With a mono 1/4" jack you lose the ability to run two separate stereo feeds each to their own amp and speakers. Not sure how many people ever took advantage of this feature but imagine it would be fun to try.

My limited memory tells me that the first portable digital tuners I was aware of came out in 1978 or 1979. I still have the first one I bought, small rectangular gray Korg chromatic tuner. It seemed small at the time, subsequent models were smaller but what a game changer. I remember seeing a picture of Jerry Garcia using the same one onstage in 1979.

[lbpesq]

Having never tried it before, I just plugged a pair of headphones directly into my ‘76 Series I guitar. Nada!  No sound, nothing!  I’ve had it modified at the Mothership to convert the 1/4” to mono.  Does that disable the headphone capability?  (And yes, there are good batteries in the guitar).

Bill, tgo

[JimmyJ]

Bill tgo,

You should be able to get some sound (in one ear only) but it depends on the phones, how hot you run your preamp trimpots, pickup and master volume levels, etc. If you are able to drive an amp from that 1/4” out, then it should work.

Jimmy J

[lbpesq]

It works with my Further, but not on my Series.   

Bill, tgo

[edwardofhuncote]

Funniest thing, that bass that Rob posted... that doesn't take batteries anymore... 1681... is just three numbers away from 1684, the one I sent home for the RF upgrades and Series II tweaks. Thomas, may he Rest in Peace, had exquisite taste in fine Alembic basses. That's the second one I've referred to today. Quite a vision he had for that one.

[s_wood]

I’ve converted all of my Series 1/4” jacks to mono as well. I rarely run the basses in stereo, but if I do the amount of extra gear necessary to do it makes a carrying a DS-5 seem like a trifle.

[BeenDown139]

with the kind assistance of mr. rv_bass i was able to complete this project over the weekend in between a push to complete some more home winterization before the snow flies here in the mile high.

this is how we woodshed on a sunday morning at la casa BeenDown:

● '76 series I in battery mode.
● stereo to mono 1/4" cable.
● early 90's korg pandora PX4B in training/loop mode hooked up to music player and series I.  what a war-horse this little box is.  i've learned literally 100's of songs using this little device.  it's probably responsible for the carpal tunnel surgery that i had to have on my right hand a coupla years ago.  i'll probably have them throw this in my coffin with me for my final dirt nap.
● washtub foot rest.
● favorite folding chair with extra padding for my tired old bones.
● sony headphones.
● sunday morning buzz.

i tried the cable going into the mighty PJB double 4 and it sounds awesome as well. life is good!