Series 1 dummy middle pickup

[Littlesfdog]

Hi I just got 2 series 1 pickups on eBay .One bridge and the center pickup . I’m wondering if the dummy pickup has any use besides keeping a bass free of noise. I haven’t received the pickups yet ,so I thought I would ask here first so I wouldn’t be surprised.Thanks.

[lbpesq]

Yes, the center or  "dummy" pickup on a Series instrument helps to minimize noise.   While this is its "only" purpose, it is a pretty important purpose.

Bill, tgo

[gtrguy]

Yep, you don't want to play without it.

[StephenR]

What plans did you have for the pickup and hum canceller?  The hum canceller would need to be used with a Series bass circuit and generally the pickups work best with an Alembic circuit even if they are the standard pickups sold with the Activator packages that do not require a "dummy" pickup. I saw these listed the other day and the listing seemed kind of vague.

"Alembic Pickup
We have been cleaning up and came across a drawer of parts that were meant for rehabs and restorations.
Not sure what bass this came off of but it is an Alembic bass pickup from a 4 string. Guessing a Spoler or Series BAss...
Not 100% sure. Selling as is.
Check other listings for similar stuff.
As pictured. Selling as is, not tested. I believe it works but I do not know. Has been in a drawer for years and I don't remember it's specific history. "

A Series pickup and a Spoiler pickup are not the same. If you bought a Spoiler pickup it has hum cancelling built in, it is not a single coil pickup like the ones in Series basses. Can you return either of these items if it turns out they aren't what you wanted or they aren't in working order?

[Littlesfdog]

Hi thanks for your input.I plan to put together a 4 string fretless,using a bass /treble Alembic curcuits.You know sometimes you have to buy quickly or it will be gone.I might have bought to quickly, but I was thinking I could buy another series 1 or whatever type pickup it is to go with it.So is the dummy pickup low impedance, or not functional at all for what I want to do.The post states sold as is ,but I could ask .Thank again for all input.With the help from Mica and the tech i have put together 2 Alembic conversions and 1 guitar.I live in San Francisco so I just cross the bridge.Thank all!

[StephenR]

Great that you live in the Bay Area, are already are familiar with some of the electronics and have worked with Alembic on previous conversions. Once you get the pickup Mica would be able to identify what kind it is and have it tested to see if it is in working order. If it is an AXY pickup from a Spoiler a matching pickup would be easy to get. If it is indeed a Series pickup I am not sure what your options are. Here is a link to one of the "Must Reads" here about the different types of Alembic pickups.
https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=293.0

Keep us posted as to how you make out and once you get the bass together post some pictures.

[JimmyJ]

Welcome to the forum.  We like pictures so when you get these items, post a shot and everybody here will help ID what you got.

The "center" or dummy pickup in a Series instrument has no magnet in it.  But it is used in a similar way as the 2nd coil of a normal humbucking pickup, just not stacked in the same pickup housing. Since there's no magnetic field to excite the hum cancelling coil does not "hear" the string.  But it does hear the hum and RF that the main "single-coil" pickups are also hearing.  The signal from this coil is then amplified and blended in with the signals from the main pickups but with the phase reversed so that it ONLY cancels the noise.  This is one of Ron W's many amazing innovations!

Jimmy J

[Littlesfdog]

Hi ,thanks for the welcome and the reading material.Now I have another question,if I do have a series 1 pickup & the hum cancelling pickup ,couldn't it be used with a stacked coil to get the best of both worlds? I have an Alembic strat pickup that I can put in the neck position.This will be my most ambitious conversion to date.Just a thought and I will post pictures of what I have when received. Thanks everyone.

[keith_h]

 If you are considering using the dummy pickup you need additional circuitry that is only available in Alembic Series I/II electronics.

I assume you are building a bass when you say four string fretless. I'm not sure the Alembic strat pickup would have the aperture to pickup all of the strings nor that it would work well with heavier bass strings. Since you say you are using Alembic bass/treble electronics I believe those are Activator based so were designed to use Alembic's MXY/AXY pickups and their variations. These models have the hum cancelling coil built in so do not have the issues of the single coil Series pickups.

[Littlesfdog]

Hi Keith ,yes I'm building a 4 string fretless bass.I wasn't sure if the activator curcuits were compatible with the single coil.I know that you can run 18 volts through it with the right capacitor and the series 1 requires 18v.I.m not trying to get all the bells and whistles that come with series 1,just something that functions.Lots of scenarios here.I could run the single pickup with the dummy pickup?I could wait for another single coil and proper circuits.But the idea of single coil on a fretless bass appeals to me.So that's what I'm striving for.Thanks.

[Littlesfdog]

P.S.When I said I not looking for all the bells and whistles,I'm not putting down those features.I just know I can't fit all those filters and switches in what I want to put together.Thank again ,SF dog.

[gtrguy]

Series pickups are used with a unique circuit board and power supply and cable, plus a couple stacked pots and non-stacked pots with some extra switches as well. Frankly, if I wanted a single coil bass pickup I would probably look for a vintage Rickenbacker PUP off a 70's 4001 as they are easy enough to wire up. Another really interesting way to do it would be to use the vintage Peavey T40 pickups and pots as they were designed to go from true single coil to humbucking with the tone pot control and are not an active circuit and they worked amazingly well.

Just my .02 cents worth.

[mica]

Sorry - the Series I/II pickups with the dummy HX are only meant to work with their own circuit board. The low-frequency noise cancelling network lives there, none of the other circuits have this function.

[rv_bass]

Deleted my question, found the info online.

[Littlesfdog]

Thanks for all the information.Here is a picture of what I have.Peace.