Europa Quick change tone switches

[jlpicard]

Does anyone know the frequencies of the Europa cut and boost switches. I'm sure it's been discussed before but I can't find it anywhere. I'm tring to decide if I want to add them (or bass and treble pots) to a series setup like I have seen on some of the custom basses. ( more knobs to tweak! Oh boy!!) Also, any comments about pan/verses two volumes? It seems like you would be able to get some setting combinations w/two vol. that are just not possible with a pan? thanks, Mike

[David Houck]

There have been discussions about the difference between volume/pan and volume/volume setups before.  There is a difference; and both have their advantages.  Somewhere, someone, probably Mica, once posted a really good description of how the volume/volume setup works.  I can't remember that description, but it seems to me that on the V/V if you have both volumes set at 5 (half way) and then bring the bridge volume up to 6, on the V/P you would have to adjust both the pan and the volume to get to the same place.  Likewise on the V/P if you have the volume and the pan both at 5 and then move the pan to 6, on the V/V you would have to adjust both volumes to get to the same place.
 
All I found on the boost/cut swithces is that it's a 6db boost or cut; couldn't find anything on the frequencies.

[David Houck]

I did find something Mica wrote about the switches:
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The quick tone change switches are independent of the filter and offer +6dB / flat / -6dB. So in the center position, they're invisible The effect of these switches is between the pan/balance and filter. These are found on the Europa, Rogue and originally on the Distillate model.  
 
The bass and treble controls (like on and Excel or Orion bass) are asymmetrical, +6dB and -15dB centered around 100Hz and 5KHz.
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Based on that, it does seem reasonable to assume that the switches would also be 100Hz and 5kHz.  At least until Mica posts otherwise!

[bsee]

Vol/Pan has recently been improved with a circuit that maintains constant volume as you pan.  Prior to that, it was a big knock against that setup.  
 
Vol/Pan should give you any relative amount of each pickup you want.  I suspect that dual volumes in stereo mode is superior, especially for recording, if you have some audiophile in you.  

[jlpicard]

Thanks Dave, I just had another thought weighing in on the side of the V/V setup. I would seldom use both pickups in a 50/50 ratio. Usually one will dominate slightly over the other.In that case I would use the dominant pickups filter to dial in the main character of the sound I was after.I would then use the second filter to add the finishing touch. Having the ability to fade in just the right amount of the second filter/pickup without altering the first is in my mind the best way to find a sound quickly  and reapetedly. Then again ,who knows? This is going to be my first series bass so I may change my perception once I have lived with it for a while.  
On the quick change sw; I have been using my SF-2 to try and find the Europa's boost freq. As close as I can figure It sounds like about 150-200hz. Higher than I might have guessed. Perhaps the front panel sceening is not accurate?The freq. knob on the SF-2 is about 2/3rds of the way between 110hz. and the next higher marking on the front panel with the damping ratio set to 1.5-2 and gain set to 6. All this analysis may seem a bit overboard maybey? Perhaps a big part of what makes us Alembic players?

[David Houck]

You've described what I've been doing since I got the S1.  The bridge pickup has become, for the most part, the dominant pickup, and I dial in the main character, as you put it, with the bridge filter; then I use the neck filter and volume to adjust that character as desired.

[bkbass]

I have two custom spoilers with signature electronics and a stereo/mono switch which means a stereo master volume and a stereo pan control that Ron had ordered and it took about 6=8 months for him to recieve the order from clarostat.He has for some time been able to make his own but I know they still order them from others and that there is still a very long lead time.That being said I also have a orion with modified signature electronics(no 2way switches and no pan)two volumes,two filters and stereo/mono switch.I find that the two volumes sound a little more open to my tin ears.Also,I have more control.I also have a Rogue with seriesII standard electronics and since playing that one I find I'm always twittling with the pan and boost switches on the spoilers but I'm quite content with the orion setup and I leave it alone.The next bass is Barry's dark custom on FTC.On that one I ordered it without the master volume and selector switch and opted for a standby switch instead.I recently discovered I use the master volume on the rogue more than I thought but in the end by direct comparison I would go with two separate volumes.

[bkbass]

I have two custom spoilers with signature electronics and a stereo/mono switch which means a stereo master volume and a stereo pan control that Ron had ordered and it took about 6=8 months for him to recieve the order from clarostat.He has for some time been able to make his own but I know they still order them from others and that there is still a very long lead time.That being said I also have a orion with modified signature electronics(no 2way switches and no pan)two volumes,two filters and stereo/mono switch.I find that the two volumes sound a little more open to my tin ears.Also,I have more control.I also have a Rogue with seriesII standard electronics and since playing that one I find I'm always twittling with the pan and boost switches on the spoilers but I'm quite content with the orion setup and I leave it alone.The next bass is Barry's dark custom on FTC.On that one I ordered it without the master volume and selector switch and opted for a standby switch instead.I recently discovered I use the master volume on the rogue more than I thought but in the end by direct comparison I would go with two separate volumes for the most flexibility.Just my 0.02