Author Topic: AXYs vs FatBoy (Read 3434 times)

jtussing · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2006, 06:59:54 AM »

Hate to ask a stupid question, but can anyone tell me what the center pickup / plate / whatever it is on the Series II electronics is? I refer to the thing between the two normal pickups.

Thanks!

5stringho · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2006, 07:16:47 AM »

Jim,
The center pickup/plate on the Series is a Dummy Pickup. The Series pickups are single-coil, and Alembic uses the Center Plate for humcancelling purposes without changing the tone of the Single coils.
GO BUCKS!!!! The 'Ho

bigredbass · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2006, 08:46:04 AM »

Eight, I've played Will Gunn's Cocobolo Fantasy COTM (c-t-c coco, ebony laminates) with its FatBoy 5/6's . . . sure didn't sound like mahogany or myrtle to me ! !

BTW, Will has this fabulous axe, unplayed and with a new warranty at a hell of a savings (www.willgunnguitars.com). Will is of course the only stocking, exclusively ALEMBIC dealer. Check it out, it's gonna make somebody one hell of a buy.

J o e y

bsee · « **Reply #18 on:** December 31, 2006, 09:34:25 AM »

Joey, great ad!

If I am reading it correctly, you're saying that you've played the unplayed bass that Will has for sale? Impressive, red one.

bigredbass · « **Reply #19 on:** December 31, 2006, 09:45:23 PM »

B, for the life of me, I can't understand how Will got that one and left it alone . . . it's not mint, it's brand new. But Will goes back with ALEMBIC to the 70s and has been through the stage of a Series 2, stereo'd out to two amps, one for each pickup. He's having a very simple four-string made for himself to go back to his R + B roots. I can't think of a better guy to order a new one from. Knows them encyclopedically, and the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.

I can't believe he moved back to Iowa, I was gonna have a good friend and a stock of ALEMBICs four miles from my home . . . so if that's an ad, OK. But it IS going to make somebody a hell of an axe at a great savings.

J o e y

bsee · « **Reply #20 on:** December 31, 2006, 10:34:08 PM »

No doubt, I just got a kick out of playing the unplayed instrument. Sounded like something out of Spinal Tap. I did the five string thing for most of ten years and I am back to fours for the past two or three. Part back to the roots, part wish to focus on improving playing skill rather than using the crutch of extra notes readily available under the fingers.

But, since I think neither one of us has any more to say on the topic of AXY vs FatBoy at the moment, maybe we should just take the rest of the day off.

Happy 2007!!!!

georgie_boy · « **Reply #21 on:** January 03, 2007, 07:00:53 AM »

Have to agree with you on the idea of sticking with 4 strings!!
It DOES improve playing styles
Just my $0.02 for the new year
Take care
G

bigredbass · « **Reply #22 on:** January 03, 2007, 09:15:51 AM »

I came to five-strings in the mid-80's after they became available from regular manufacturers.

I never was comfortable on a four string as I'd begin a certain run in first position and invariably have to finish it up the neck way too often. With the five I can play a two-octave run across the fingerboard in the space of a few frets. I just see the fingerboard in a lot more linear fashion on a five. I would not go back to a four, don't even own one, wouldn't know what to do with one.

I think it's down to the player: I know guys that kill on a four, and I know guys that kill on a six or seven. By the same token we all know people that can't find their butt with both hands and a flashlight regardless of WHAT they're playing. I wish I could say sticking with a (your choice here) improves your playing, but I just can't. I look at learning on my chosen instrument to be no harder because of an extra string than I would to say it's easier if I had one less string. I double on keys, maybe that's it: I never think a 61-keys synth is somehow limited as it's not an 88-key piano. They're just different and good in their own ways.

I know lots of 'former' five or six string guys that are back on a Jazz and loving it. And if that's where their musical journey takes them, I couldn't be happier. But for me and my own trip, I got better, faster, on a five, as it just suited me better.

It's very easy to be hammered into playing 'what you're supposed to play' by friends and peers. Witness the endless 'where's the Fender?' stories. I get the occasional, 'Hey, you gotta take one string off that thing!' when I show up: Nobody EVER says it AFTER I play. Because, really, aside from the occasional low root C or D, if you don't see the axe and I'm fitting in perfectly in the charts, HOW would you know?

J o e y

bsee · « **Reply #23 on:** January 03, 2007, 01:47:56 PM »

I was going to answer, but I remembered this was the AXY vs. FatBoy thread, not the four vs. five thread...

David Houck · « **Reply #24 on:** January 03, 2007, 07:49:42 PM »

Mark said, the Fatboy couldn't... I dunno, make it sound less... Coco-Boloier... could it?.

I think it's a good question; I don't know the answer but I think it's a good question.

bsee · « **Reply #25 on:** January 03, 2007, 08:43:59 PM »

That's a question for someone who has done a pickup swap. My cocobolo-topped SC was ordered with FatBoys and never had an AXY in it. As such, I can't say what a change would do to the tone. It does sound very full as is, though, so I don't particularly want to change it around. I can't imagine the native woody character of the tone changing with a different pickup, though. I suspect the AXY might just be a little thinner and crisper.

flaxattack · « **Reply #26 on:** January 03, 2007, 09:25:49 PM »

maybe i can add 2 cents
wolf originally had 2 axy's
i swapped out for as fat boy at the bridge
what i immediately noticed was more mid range warmth on the fat boy
while it is a matter of choice, i yield to my in house guru val who thinks fat boys at the neck are too much. i have also found that slightly adjusting the pu height on the axy neck can greatly affect the sound with minor adjustments
my height on both wolf and scooter are
neck axy- slightly up on low end and a bit higher on the g string
my fat boy is high on the low string and down a bit on the g
i like a warm g string but not overly bright
which is one of the reasons i switched over to d'darrio chromes along with their higher tension than the TI flats- chrome g strings are really full sounding
naturally where you are playing the string comes into play- i find the sweet full low sounds are right about where my neck ends, most balanced sound over the neck pu and best light sound bout a .750 in front on the fat boy
best part is now playing with scooters controls

hope this helped
flax

(Message edited by flaxattack on January 03, 2007)

bumhucker · « **Reply #27 on:** January 04, 2007, 03:10:50 PM »

anyone have an AXY they'd sell me?

(Message edited by bumhucker on January 05, 2007)

lindoom · « **Reply #28 on:** January 04, 2007, 04:35:54 PM »

bumhucker e mail sent I'm up for a trade
an AXY for a FatBoY

s_wood · « **Reply #29 on:** July 09, 2017, 07:06:05 PM »

Reviving a zombie thread...

One of my Alembics is a Mark King Signature Deluxe 5. When I first got it (used), I swapped out the 2 stock AXYs for 2 Fat Boys. Lately, I've been thinking that, as compared to my Series basses, the sound was a bit too thick in the low mids, and not as punchy or clear as I'm used to hearing from my Alembics. So, I swapped out the Fat Boy in the neck for the stock AXY, adjusted the trim pots to precisely balance the out out of each pickup - and there it was! All of the clarity and depth of tone I am used to hearing! So, put me down as another Alembician who thinks that an AXY in the neck position and and Fat Boy in the bridge is the way to go. For my tastes, the Fat Boy in the neck is just too much - but I love it for the bridge pickup. YMMV, of course