Just bought my first Alembic!

[funkedupbass]

I was a my local music store and saw a used distiller 4 (1984) for 1250.00. Having only heard about these mythical creatures (alembic basses) and not having played one, I was eager to play it. Well I played it and bought it. I love this bass, it even looks magical. Really can't say enough good things about it. But know I really need to know what these knobs on it do. I know one is the volume, and thats about it. I have rough ideas of what they could do, but not sure which are which or exactly what they do. The body definetly looks mahogony, but the top seems like walnut, but has a reddish tint to it, so I'm not sure what it is.
Any help would be extremly appreciated.
thanks,
-eric

[lbpesq]

Eric:
 
Welcome to the club and to the ranks of Alembic players.  Your bass is probably a Distillate, made between 1978-1990.  If you post the serial number and ask for a build record Mica or Valentino will provide you with info on build date, woods, and electronics.  If you describe the knobs with a little more detail (how many?  rotary?  switch?, etc.) or maybe post a picture you will undoubtedly recieve all the info you could ever want on your electronic set up.  The folks around here are downright friendly and knowledgeable.  Being a guitar player myself, I'm not familar with Distillate set up, but I'll bet dollars to donuts someone around here is.  Enjoy your Alembic!
 
Bill, the guitar one

[funkedupbass]

ah sorry about that. Ok yes it is a Distillate 4. The model # is 85d3532. I can posts pics on wed, but not today. The top knob I know is the volume. Underneath that knob in another, which I don't know does what. In front of those 2 knobs is a two-way switch, next to that is are two 3-way switches, and all they way over on the bottom horn is a 4 position rotary knob. I was told @ the music store that the 2 way switch is an active passive swith, but I've since been told that there is no active passive switch. I think their might be a pickup selector somewhere, a q? switch, and some sort of cut/boost/idunno switch.
thanks,
-eric

[jagerphan84]

Hey Eric,
 
I've got a couple Distillates in my collection, they're both fantastic basses.  I have no doubt yours is as well.
 
The knob underneath the volume knob is a low-pass filter.  Turning it while sustaining a note will give you a similar effect to using a wah pedal.  As you close the filter, you roll off the high frequencies.  I don't recall which direction is which without the bass in my hands, though.
 
The 2-way is a q-switch, which adds a 'bump' in the EQ at the cutoff frequency selected by the filter.
 
The 3-way switches are referred to as 'quick tone change switches;' with cut and boost for bass and treble, with center position being neutral.
 
The 4-position rotary is a pickup selector, with standby/neck/both/bridge.
 
Hope this helps!
Adam

[funkedupbass]

what is standby?

[funkedupbass]

and thank you so much adam; great, much-need info!!!
-eric

[jagerphan84]

Standby is both pickups off (no output), although the battery is still drained as long as the bass is plugged in.
 
...To quote Mica from a previous thread:
 
Note, the standby position is not the same as off. So long as you have a cable connected to the output jack, the battery is draining. The standby is useful for when you have an extended rest period but later want to return to your original volume setting.
 
Adam
 
PS - no problem!  Welcome to the club; I'm sure you'll find (many) answers to any questions you may have about your Alembic, bass rig, or pretty much anything else you can think of.

[David Houck]

Hi Eric; welcome to the group, and congrats on the Distillate!

[funkedupbass]

Thanks Dave. I just oiled it up and looks even more amazing (didn't think that was possible).
So when the standby is clicked over, there shouldn't be any output?
If thats the case then why when I click over to standy, I still get a signal? Granted it's a much lower signal.