Author Topic: Fine Scratches (Read 812 times)

bigredbass · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2015, 11:18:43 AM »

Dan, you might double-check the pointer knob on your p/u selector. Mine felt like that, then it dawned on me the knob might be loose, and it was. It's .050 allen wrench; re-seat and snug that up, and it'll probably feel right.

The pickup heights are set differently than your P/J bass, where the Activator pickups ride on spring heights like most axes.

0n Alembic 'soapbar' shapes, the drill is loosen the two Phillips head screws you can see. Then reach down thru the holes and loosen the two 'buried' ones, they set your height / angle of the pickups. Once they are where you want them, then use the two exposed ones to lock them in place. BE SURE and just get them snug, NOT hard-tight, as you can break the ears off the pickups !

Since these are low-impedance pickups, you will not hear as big a jump in gain or treble as they get closer to the strings, but if you listen carefully, there is a difference in tone. What's right is up to you. Also, you can adjust the relative gain / blend with the preamps in the back cavity. It may take awhile for you to dial this in.

The five-string adjustable nut is, as you've found, divided in half, with the locking screw under the A-string slot. One more brilliant Alembic feature, as we typically would want the bass side just a bit higher than the treble side. With this, we can leave filing these nut slots to other brands, and simply raise or lower one side or the other. Brilliant.

Strings . . . . are real personal. With fives, you will either fall into the

a) I've GOT to do something about this floppy B-string camp, or

b) This is the way fives are, no big deal

I would only suggest starting with Alembic's 'factory' gauges (45-128), and them branching out from there.

Again, something else that you may find, something I only really noticed with Alembic: With these pickups and a relatively flat amp setting, you might hear a bigger difference between string brands than you did before.

I'd really recommend the FAQ and MUST READ sections for lots of good knowledge and background.

Joey

(Message edited by bigredbass on September 11, 2015)

DanFrank · « **Reply #16 on:** September 11, 2015, 01:31:50 PM »

Wow, that's a wealth of information from all of you! Thank you so much! I've appreciated these instruments for years of listening to players without ever owning one. Now I do, and the people in this club are fabulously helpful!

I will be digesting this info and applying as I'm setting it up now with new strings, etc.

Thanks so much!

DanFrank · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2015, 04:10:36 PM »

I had my first experience on stage today with the 5-string Spoiler and it was everything I had hoped for! Sounded fantastic and it really cut through the mix=E2=80=A6.love it!!

Does anyone have a solution for dull side markers? My eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I'm having a little problem seeing the markers because they are very small and non-reflective. They look like the same material as the fretboard ovals.

Also, in changing my strings today on my Persuader, I noticed a small crack in the face wood above the center screw running perpendicular to the brass nut. It must have been caused if the screw was not loosened before adjusting the nut height. I think I read other threads in the past about applying Cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) to those types of problems. Is that an wise approach to follow?

Thanks so much!

jazzyvee · « **Reply #18 on:** September 15, 2015, 04:40:46 AM »

For dull fret side markers, a few of us including myself have found these to be very effective.
https://fretfx.com/

DanFrank · « **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2015, 05:11:23 AM »

Thanks Jazzy, I'll look into it!

keith_h · « **Reply #20 on:** September 15, 2015, 07:41:43 AM »

The side of the fingerboard is unfinished. You could use a white Scotchbrite pad to buff the side markers to remove the oxidation. If you have brass markers even after buffing them they will not be the easiest to see though.

Keith

lbpesq · « **Reply #21 on:** September 15, 2015, 07:49:14 AM »

You might also try a little Flitz on a Q-tip. Or check out Fretlord GlowDotz. They are peel and stick glow-in-the-dark markers. Musician's Friend has them for around $15. I've never used them myself, but for $15 it might be worth a try.

Bill, tgo

sonicus · « **Reply #22 on:** September 15, 2015, 08:12:22 AM »

Bill , Thumbs Up , for the Flitz on a Q-Tip for the side dots !
It has work for me sensationally as well . Have some lemon oil ready for a little wipe as well in the surrounding wood . I avoid abrasive cleaning and striping methods , Chemicals if used wisely and skillfully in a craftsmanlike manner can have stellar results.

Wolf

slawie · « **Reply #23 on:** September 15, 2015, 02:19:43 PM »

Position markers.
I use a little piece of electrical tape that always lives in my gig bag. Cut off a thin strip and whack it on. Only for really dark stages and only at positions 5,7 and 12. Comes off easily at the end of the gig. Available in a variety if colours. Cheap as chips. The adhesive does not damage the finish.

Slawie

mavnet · « **Reply #24 on:** September 15, 2015, 03:24:27 PM »

I got some of these for my upright, and ended up using them on the alembic currently being refinished. Worked great http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ETJPELI

flpete1uw · « **Reply #25 on:** September 15, 2015, 03:42:17 PM »

I'll second the Fretx, I thought they would come off but 2+ years later still kicking. Also a pretty low profile on the fret board. From what is claimed they can be removed without damage to the instrument? Time will tell.
Nice Spoiler!
Pete

ed_zeppelin · « **Reply #26 on:** September 17, 2015, 05:21:30 PM »

Let it gooooo (those with kids will please forgive me for implanting that ear worm in your heads). One of my very favorite experiences is showing bassists that they already know how to play fretless, they just don't realize it. Every second that they've spent playing bass has also been fretless training.

I wouldn't know how if I hadn't been playing upright since I had to stand on tiptoe to reach a low F (no kidding), so I just grew up with it. The same rules apply to fretted basses, with or without position markers: the higher up the neck you go, the closer your fingers are together. That's all there is to it.

Play some air bass for a moment. Close your eyes and hit a low F with your left hand, then slide it up to the twelfth fret. I'll wait.

See? That's not even your fingers doing it, that's just your ARM. your arm has a pretty good idea where things are. Believe it or not, it's even easier for your fingers to do it within an area of the neck, simply because the relative distance between your fingers is something you don't even have to think about.

This isn't about my ego. Frets and position markers are important, and I'm not telling you this to show off or anything. It's about music, and being able to access your muse easier with something you already know but might not have realized.

Challenge yourself to practice finding positions by muscle memory alone (just don't look, is what I'm saying here). You'll be astonished, I promise. In every single case where I let another bassist try upright for the first time, they look at that vast blank expanse of ebony fingerboard and freak out until I tell them what I just told you, and to relax, close their eyes and just play. And they do. It's just about confidence.

I use a *Michael Kelly Dragonfly 5-string fretless acoustic bass for bluegrass and country gigs, and they have a pretty interesting take on it. This is a pic I found on the net that shows both their traditional markers on the fingerboard - in the form of inlaid abalone dragonflies (two on the 12th fret, natch) - between the (imaginary) frets, just like any other guitar. The dots on the side of the neck are actually ON the fret, though, and they put tiny corresponding dots on the edge of the fingerboard to keep morons like me from getting the two confused.

*a Chinese name, apparently