Series II Pick-up select switch

[the_8_string_king]

Link to Rory's Balance K (Awesome -check it out!)
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/12646.html?1160021947
 
You can see my bass has 16 controls (8 knobs & 8 toggles, Harrison's has 13 controls (8 knobs & 5 toggles), Understated Elegance has 10 controls (all knobs), the Big Bass has 12 controls (all knobs), and Rory's bass has 12 controls (9 knobs & 3 toggles).
 
So have no fear of knobs!!! The only question is what you want, and are able/willing to pay for!  They can do it... in fact, odds are, they probably already HAVE done it!

[mele_aloha]

Dear Mark,  
 
Before I even read that huge message above, I must remind you, I don't want and didn't say anywhere that I wanted two dimmers for my LED's. Val and I decided on one dimmer for both front and side a long time ago. So I don't even want to read that huge letter above as it already starts out assuming that I want two dimmers. I will in a minute anyway but it is already based on something that I don't have ordered.
 
Look Mark, I appreciate all of your concern but I already have my mind MADE UP! I am just thinking about maybe adding a pan like my Carvin has but please Please PLEASE!!! Don't go to all of this trouble friend because I don't even have time to read all of your nice posts. I love ya bro but please don't go through so much. Perhaps you can't picture in your mind that I think out all of this stuff too!
 
Buddy listen- You already have THREE MORE STRINGS on your bass than I could ever handle. So I hope that gives you some idea of the magnitude that we differ in. Ands believe me, it's a good differ but it's a differ. I love your 8 string but this just shows that you are way more advanced than me in mind and agility.
 
So brother, if anything, do you really wanna know how you could help me? I would love to here you playing that eight string. Could you possibly post some sound bytes of you playing like Toby did the other night? I would love to hear that bass of yours sing. It is so intriguing to see an eight string.
 
Now I must return to read the rest of your post, but believe me I don't have a lot of time to go looking at other basses and comparing because it doesn't do me any good to look at them, I just want some input from people who have put a pan in their Series II. Not Series I's or other basses because remember that I have a Series II on order and I have already made up my mind about the controls. I am not going to change anything at this point EXCEPT possibly adding a pan after talking to admins after hearing opinions of people who may have them.
 
Aloha, Paul

[mele_aloha]

 
 
(Message edited by mele_aloha on April 21, 2007)

[the_8_string_king]

Gotcha.  Cool.

[Bradley Young]

Paul,
 
When people say something you don't like, you don't have to read it.  And you certainly don't have to respond.
 
Maybe you should just say thanks, and move on.
 
Bradley

[mele_aloha]

Dear Bradley,
 
I just did Mark a favor by saving him a lot of time and effort by not trying to change my mind. This has been going on for a while now and unless you have been following all of my posts and Marks responses then you don't know what is going on.
 
I have that right. And if you notice I did it very politely.  
 
I have been having some great fun in here with some others and we are sending each other some great e-mails on the side. Perhaps if you didn't have a thorn in your side you wouldn't be responding to something that isn't your business.  
 
I have a right to be in here and happen to be liked by some others who aren't trying to control everything I say or do.
 
I don't see you sending messages to others who are making snide remarks to each other. And one, that is because I don't care and two, because it's none of my business. Are you now the polite police?
 
You obviously have a right to do the same as you just suggested to me. And if you would have followed your own advice we wouldn't even be conversing right now would we.
 
Any comments from anybody else out there on this? If I am out of line as Bradley might suggest, please let me know.
 
And again Mark, I was just trying to save you alot of writing as I know you care alot about others in here but I just didn't want to see you keep laboring over changing my mind.  
 
God Bless you Brad.

[Bradley Young]

Oh well, I tried.

[lbpesq]

Paul:
 
IMHO your above post of 4/23 is a little strong for this club.  This is an exceptionally polite and civil forum.  Many's the time I've typed out a response, read it over, and deleted it without posting.  
 
All You Need Is Love
 
Bill, tgo

[mele_aloha]

Thanks bkbass,
 
In fact I think I even want to keep the two volume knobs. It's just that I might want to replace the pick-up selector switch with the pan and add a standby to save the batteries if what you say is true that it actually cuts the power. But most of the time I think I would be playing through the box.  
 
I think it would be awesome to be able to control the volumes and then could you imagine the tone diffential you would have being able to pan from one pick-up to the next. The range would become endless. I would still like to have the master volume also. But the stereo effect and seperation would be nicer also.
 
Like I said earlier, my Carvin bass has this pan and it really allows me to dial different sounds. The only difference is that the series would have so much more variety by first dialing in the filter and Q adjustments, PER PICK-UP, then the individual volume, then the pan. WWWWWoooooeee, that seems nice. This would be like S wood and terryc are talking about.
 
Is this what you had in mind bk?
 
That would be filter, Q, and volume for each pick-up, pan knob, master volume, and one dimmer only which dim's both side and front led's at the same time as I don't really need two.  
 
This makes a total of 9 knobs and no switch's which is what my order is now. I'm just substituting the pick-up selector switch with the pan.
 
Thanks, Paul

[mica]

Standby is specifically not off - meaning that if you are using the 1/4 jack, you are always draining batteries. Think of it more as a mute position.
 
We've made exactly one bass before that had 2 volume controls and a pan. It made perfect sense to the gentleman that ordered it, but I had a hard time understanding the purpose. Note that if you use the pan control with pickups set at different volumes, the overall volume (not only the tone) will change when you adjust the pan control. This seems less useful to me because it limits the pan's use as a straight tone control, always having to jump back to the MV to correct for the volume shift.  
 
The Series basses we made for bk and swood have a master volume and pan arrangement. This way you get the blending idea for changing the tone between pickups, without the liability of the volume shift.  
 
Overall, to me it seems that 2 volumes and a master volume versus master volume and pan are like 2 different paths to the same destination.

[the_8_string_king]

Paul, I'm going to respond to your comments briefly -for the sake of setting the record straight.  First, for reference, I've taken the liberty of copying the text of two of your previous posts.  Here is the first:
 
Hey Mark, Are you out there?  
 
Ya know, I really honestly would like to have those bass/trebles controls on my bass. The only problem is that it would just be to many knobs for me especially on my bass as it is probably the smallest top bass there is, the balance K.  
 
I have really been thinking it out as I have had alot of time to as you know and there is no substituting anything else in order to bring them on board. I am totally happy with the controls the way the are except for the possiblity of this pan. And this may become an extra knob (#10) if I decide on it as I would not want to substitute the pick-up switch for it.  
 
I really appreciate all of your hard work concerning my delimma and all of your senario's.  
 
Thank you so much for your help.  
 
What do you think about what I say above?  
 
P.S. I am getting one dimmer for both side and front L.E.D.s.
 
 
Thank you, Paul
 
Well, Paul, as can be seen above in your text highlighted in blue, YOU (not me) explicitly state that you'd honestly would like to have the bass & treble controls except that it would be too many knobs on your bass.
 
You then thank me for my hard work and ask what do you think?  In response, I answer.
 
And, prior to your editing your post, your referred to having dimmers (plural... MORE THAN ONE) for your bass.  So I responded to your request for (my/our) thoughts for THAT question.  Since you didn't make it clear that you were asking about a single dimmer, and since you implicitly referred to MORE THAN ONE -you'll have to forgive my responding to the question that you asked... as opposed to the question you meant to ask (but did not).
 
I also wish to respond to this post of yours -which I've again copied:
 
Dear Bradley,  
 
I just did Mark a favor by saving him a lot of time and effort by not trying to change my mind. This has been going on for a while now and unless you have been following all of my posts and Marks responses then you don't know what is going on. (RESPONSE) What changing your mind?  I responded to the question/issue you raised.  See for yourself.  I didn't try to get you to change your mind.  I don't care what you get.
 
I have that right. (RESPONSE) Yes.  And no one has said or suggested otherwise.  That statement COULD be interpreted as defensive. And if you notice I did it very politely.  
 
I have been having some great fun in here with some others and we are sending each other some great e-mails on the side. Perhaps if you didn't have a thorn in your side you wouldn't be responding to something that isn't your business. (RESPONSE) I see no evidence that BRAD has a thorn in his side.
 
I have a right to be in here and happen to be liked by some others who aren't trying to control everything I say or do. (RESPONSE) Who has suggested otherwise?  Who are these horrible monsters trying to control what you say and do?  Down with them, I say!  Arrhh!!!
 
I don't see you sending messages to others who are making snide remarks to each other. And one, that is because I don't care and two, because it's none of my business. Are you now the polite police? (RESPONSE) Maybe someone should be.
 
You obviously have a right to do the same as you just suggested to me. And if you would have followed your own advice we wouldn't even be conversing right now would we.  
 
Any comments from anybody else out there on this? If I am out of line as Bradley might suggest, please let me know. (RESPONSE) If you have to ask, there's no point in answering.
 
And again Mark, I was just trying to save you alot of writing as I know you care alot about others in here but I just didn't want to see you keep laboring over changing my mind. (RESPONSE) I can't KEEP laboring over changing your mind... that would require that I WAS laboring over changing your mind in the first place.
 
God Bless you Brad. (RESPONSE) Now wasn't that nice?
 
Paul, I wish you the very best with your custom bass, and I hope you get exactly what YOU want.  I look forward to seeing it, and I have NO INTEREST in changing your mind on anything.  My comments and responses to the issues you've raised were intended to help you -nothing more.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm pretty sure that everyone -including his alleged thorniness Bradley- just wants you to be happy.  If you want input from people here, and are gracious about receiving it, you'll find people here are happy to give it.  From time to time, this might include dealing with our imperfections, and challenges inherent in human beings communicating with one another.  If you show -in your actions, and how civilly you respond to others- that you grasp that, people will tend to share what they have with you.  Conversely, to the extent that you respond harshly to people that are only trying to help you, you'll tend to alienate them and discourage then from sharing what they have to share with you (both good and bad).
 
The choice is yours.
 
Peace, and best wishes.

[adriaan]

Mark T8SK - if we can fault you for one thing, it's your generosity in sharing your experiences in matters Alembic, and wanting to help others out, in abundance.
 
Personally, I'm not sure why Bradley was reacting so strongly, and I can't really see how Bill TGO could find fault with Paul's very civil responses. But I must say that the length of your posts is kind of intimidating sometimes. Just a thought.
 
(Message edited by adriaan on April 23, 2007)

[mele_aloha]

Dear friends,
 
Let me see if I can put an end to this once a pan control thread.
 
First of all, what some of you might not know is that Bradley probably still thinks of me as a lousy bumb for telling him off in my additions/changes area a few months ago.  
 
Now I hope you guys understand this is a few months ago and I had already been patiently waiting to see my bass get started. It finally did and Mica posted a picture of my neck in my factory/customer area.
 
Well, I had a specific question for Mica and I asked it of her in my additions/changes thread. Instead of getting a reply from Mica I recieved a comment from Bradley.  
 
Now we are all, or most of us are spending alot of money to build a bass of or dreams in here and we must respect each others space. There is NO way I would step in and answer a question that was asked of Mica in any thread in here whether it be Basses and Guitars, Build Record/Discussion and especially someones personnal additions/changes thread.
 
So I was hard on Bradley for doing this. He seems to have never let go of this and I am very sorry.
 
Since then I have gotten to learn and see more of Bradley's personality in here and I wish this all would have never happened because he seems like a very nice warm human being. I even saw his picture and he looks like a big Teddy Bear to me!
 
So right here, right now if front of all of you, I want to express my deep apology to you Bradley and ask you forgive me for blurting out at you! I mean this from the bottom of my heart!
 
Now Mark, I was trying to politely expain to you, but I left out words in the beginning that I liked your idea of Bass and Treble knobs but that I already made my mind up and didn't want you to go back on that in this post.  
 
Mark, I am not very good at words and you are overly good at words but adriaan puts it very good above,  
 
if we can fault you for one thing, it's your generosity in sharing your experiences in matters Alembic, and wanting to help others out, in abundance.
But I must say that the length of your posts is kind of intimidating sometimes. Just a thought.
 
And that is all I can say! I apologize to you for hurting you feelings in any way but your posts are kind of intimidating to me.  
 
I know if we were having a phone conversation this wouldn't have all happened because I would have stopped you and said that I don't want to change all of the knobs and that I know about all of the switches and knob options.
 
So part of the problem here is that we are trying to be as compitent as possible because nobody is responding back.
 
Let me please suggest it to you this way, if you just scan from the top down on this thread, just compare your posts to all of the others who wrote. Theirs are short for the most part and pertain to the topic, pan controls.  
 
It kind of appears here that you don't have a pan control on your bass and maybe it would have been better to say that in the beginning and let the people who have one answer.  
 
Or are one of those 16 controls you have a pan?
 
Thank you, Paul

[mele_aloha]

Thanks Mica for setting that straight,
 
I just liked panning as opposed to resetting two different volumes as it was alittle more readily. But this is why I started this post specifically for those who have had the experience because you point out an important factor to me that the volume will change with the pan. I didn't imagine that experience and in fact it doesn't happen on my Carvin because I don't have individual volumes on each pick-up. This pan and the master are the volume controls. So now in my consideration I would want to elminate the individual volumes if I were to reach my wishes but I don't think I want to eliminate the individual volumes.  
 
One other thing, can you give me your explanation of the master switch on the Series II Mica? Or is there somewhere you can redirect me to this explanation from Alembic?
 
Thanks, Paul

[mica]

There is a master volume on a Series II. When you set the two individual volumes to the tone you like, you can then make an overall volume change with the master volume control. This will not affect the tone, since the pickups will have the same relative volumes.  
 
This is especially useful if you want to do something like fade out the volume at the end of a phrase or song. It's pretty hard to move two knobs at the same rate at the same time, but easy enough to use the single master volume.
 
I think when it comes to if you prefer a pan control or individual volume controls, it's more about how you think about the route to the sound. What makes sense to one person is rather alien to another, and there is no one correct answer.  
 
If you prefer to think about things in terms of a pan/blend control, then the pan with a master volume is more appropriate.  
 
If you think of the two pickups and changing the volumes of each individually, then using the standard 2 volume with a master volume will be a more natural route.  
 
However, I think most people can function just fine with either arrangement.  
 
I have to find out the additional price for a Series II pan control - it's one of the weirdest pots we order. I'll let you know that variable as well.