Author Topic: Upgrading Electronics (Read 599 times)

bsee · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2006, 06:59:06 PM »

Rory,

Have you asked about having your bass in-construction upgraded now? It may not be that painful to the wallet, and certainly less so than taking the hit on resale if everything else about it is the way you want it to be.

Best of luck-
Bob

rklisme · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2006, 07:59:10 PM »

Bob

I did that quite some time ago to no avail it was to late. The only thing I can do is suffer the possible loss and move on. I am totally sold on the Series instruments and can't look back. My Essence was my main/only instrument for many years and served me well now it seems I have Series fever and nothing else will do. We will see what happens in the future!

Rory

lbpesq · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2006, 07:08:38 AM »

I ain't no bass player, but rather than upgrading to series electronics isn't the next best thing (and FAR less expensive) adding an SF-2? Doesn't this give you much the same as the series system, just on the rack instead of on board?

Bill, tgo

David Houck · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2006, 07:41:28 AM »

Bill, I think the answer in no. The starting point for Series electronics is the pickups. I don't think that you're going to get the same sound starting with AXY's and adding an SF-2.

lidon2001 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2006, 07:42:00 AM »

That's funny. Rory, with his bourgeiuos concerns for other members and the prices they pay and the dealers they use, is going to throw money away since he can't order the right bass despite his many visits to the mothership. I find that very ironic and amusing.

I find the Signature electronics simply amazing, though they do make me long for a brand new Series bass.

T

rklisme · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2006, 05:51:34 PM »

Tom

It is because I know the value will not be there just like buying a car that is why I shop around. Anyway I have made peace with that whole subject and I hope you have as well.
Tom, unfornately I did not get my hands on a Series bass until after I started building my six string and once I did I tried to change but alas it was to late. If I only knew then what I know now!
It sounds as if you have had a chance to play a Series bass as well so I think you know what I am talking about. I just purchased a Series II and I need to recover a bit from that purchase.
I played my Essence for years thinking it was the end all but now while I still enjoy it I am hooked on those single coil pickups and I agree the signature electronics are amazing but I should have done like my man Brad and upgraded earlier. I am asking/begging you to be kind and allow me this mistake since I will now have to wear a stocking so I can once again be able to afford strings and food for the winter!
On a totally different subject, how do you like your bass? Have you played out with it? Last but not least do you want to buy a six string monster?

Rory

lidon2001 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 11, 2006, 03:03:11 PM »

The full Series prep option is the one I mulled over the most. In the end, I figured the dumb dumb HX would fool me visually, and everything I read on this site about the Signature Electronics and told to me by Val and others led me to the correct belief that they would give me what I wanted. And it's always nice to still have a dream...

Many people might say that simply buying an Alembic is taking a hit. Many members take hits in different ways, whether it be by a slightly higher quote from a dealer, having to sell an instrument in production since they are unhappy with it before delivery (?!), or in some other fashion that you pun-sters are thinking about. I find the irony of someone arguing against one and then doing the other amusing. You have to admit there is some comic value to that:

Don't use that dealer, you'll take a hit; here, pass me Bill's guitar! lol

I hope Rory's Series project is a complete success, including the sale of his masterpieces. I look forward to seeing the new Series created.

T

This post/poster does not condone the use of any controlled substance as banned by federal law.

terryc · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:25:39 AM »

Read all the replies, one was interesting about a good amp, when I visited the Alembic factory in 2000(I am from the UK) I talked to the MAN himself Ron Whickersham(I am not worthy!!!) who said all that is needed is a good quality power amp with a gain control and a matching speaker with tuned cabinet, he said his circuits are all that is needed and the amp & cab are there to transfer the sound to the ears. Alembic could build you one if needed but having took that info on board I now have all the EQ totally set at centre zero with no boost or cut..and you know he is right(heaven forbid if he was wrong!)
There is enough tonal parameters in the Signature and I would imagine even more with the variable Q controls on the Series at your fingertips.
Oh yes for the fender sound, for jazz, pan biased slightly towards bridge PU, Q's off, bridge filter at mid point, neck filter at a few degrees from mid point to treble end, play the strings at the bridge PU, for precision, pan to neck PU, filter a few degrees to the bass side.
Suppose it depends on style, amp etc as well..I use Peavey

Terry C

palembic · « **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:45:35 AM »

Hi Terry!
Now ...you make me thinking!
What would happen if I put Bonnie to the DS-5R and put this thing in stereo, leading one output to the A channel input of decent poweramp and the other output to the B channel of the poweramp. I think this cuold work just fine if working with two identical speakercabs ?? I have a 2x10 and 1x15.
Mmmmmmmm ...just thinking!

Paul the bad one

811952 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 12, 2006, 07:15:02 AM »

Paul,

For a time I ran the neck pickup into a clean full-range setup (power amp only) and the bridge pickup through another power amp via an FB2 set for massive distortion and I tweaked the mix with the volume controls on the bass. It was awesome for heavy rock. I'd give it a whirl with the cabinets you have. You might get hooked on it...

Have you gotten your hands on one of the Sony IMX camcorders yet? My wife has one and it is a thing to behold. Great video and it transfers to the Avid via gigabit ethernet. Yes, a broadcast quality camcorder with an ip address...

John

terryc · « **Reply #25 on:** January 16, 2006, 06:12:47 AM »

Looks like I may have started something here concerning the amp/cab thing. I think we were used to total lack of control on our basses before we could afford Alembics, I mean there is nothing wrong with the Fender Jazz bass..Jaco made it sound great but I think he was from another planet with some sort of force coming from his finger tips(the Jedi of Bass!!!)
I think all us bass players used the EQ on our amps to get the tone we sought after because there was virtually none at the guitar..it was either on or off. So along came Trace Elliot, SWR etc who gave us loads of tonal parmaters to subsidise that.
I mean look at high end hi-fi..there are no tone controls, just very high quality power amps and active speakers..no colouration..the natural sound of the music..the same for bass.
I once read that the wood is the sound, the pick ups are the mics,,the better the both the better the sound.
I really cannot complain at all about my bass, there is enough low end to rattle windows and enough hi end to annoy cats & dogs without putting 15dB on the graphic

terry c