Author Topic: Alembic Tribute Tone Issues (Read 304 times)

laytonco · « **on:** November 13, 2013, 02:55:00 PM »

Good day everyone,
Gil here from Colorado, owner of a beautiful Alembic Tribute....that has some issues.

1) When I first plug the guitar in straight to an amp, no OBEL in use, sounds okay, but somewhat thin.
2) When I plug the OBEL chord in and run my effects, it sounds very tinny, like an am radio.
3) When I turn the OBEL off, but with the chord still plugged in, it sounds very flat, all midrange.
4) When I unplug the OBEL cable, still flat.

I normally play with the OBEL on. Just to make sure it wasn't a low volume thing, I started playing the end jam of Jack Straw at a good full volume, and had to stop. I felt like icepicks were being stabbed into my ears!

Questions:
1) Can someone link me to the photos of the cavity showing the internal electronics of the Tribute? I've seen them but cannot find them. I want to make sure there's nothing missing like a foam piece or something out of place. I do see one piece of foam tucked up toward the neck?

1) Does anyone know of any luthiers in Colorado that are qualified to work on Alembics. I need to turn this paperweight back into the guitar i love!

Peace,

Gil

mica · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2013, 03:10:32 PM »

Is the thin sound a new development?

After 4 it doesn't sound like 1, it sounds like 3, do I understand correctly?

Post a picture or two of your electronics and we'll see if something looks out of place. meanwhile I'll find a photo of a recent one for comparison.

Serial number?

Also, does the output change when you add pickups? Need to determine what version of the electronics you have.

My dealer in the Denver area can probably hook you up with a repair person - you probably will need a more techie person than a buildie person.

laytonco · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2013, 03:24:46 PM »

Hey Mica,
Thin has been the issue and sometimes even some distortion sounds. What's also consistent is that when I turn off the OBEL, the sound is very midrange and flat. And new now, the OBEL on is much quieter than when the OBEL is off.

Thanks,

Gil

laytonco · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2013, 03:31:42 PM »

Okay, for the other questions:

1) After 4, yes it goes back to 3. Truly, when I first plug the guitar in, no OBEL, it is the only time it sounds good. But to my ear, something is just different even then.
2) Serial number 05T13428
3) When I add pickups, the output does increase some.

Thanks again,

Gil

laytonco · « **Reply #4 on:** November 14, 2013, 09:11:27 AM »

Mica,
I thought that i had posted this update last night, but don't see it. My apologies if this is a double post!
I continued to play the Tribute last night and finally lost all sound. I thought i better let you know that as well.

Thanks again for all you do!

Gil

lbpesq · « **Reply #5 on:** November 14, 2013, 10:57:52 AM »

Gil:

I know it's a dumb question, but I've made this mistake in the past- have you tried new batteries?

Bill, tgo

laytonco · « **Reply #6 on:** November 14, 2013, 11:28:36 AM »

Hey Bill, When Im sitting in this seat there are no dumb questions so please offer anything up. I went ahead and changed the presamp battery to a brand new out of the package duracell. Same results. But then i started to put the guitar away, all pickups turned off and i did get a squealy strum sound. I cannot replicate it again. Right now, no sound.

peace,

Gil

mica · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2013, 04:01:53 PM »

Gil - can you email me your phone number?

grateful · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2013, 06:24:26 AM »

Another dumb question: have you tried different leads?

laytonco · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2013, 07:41:13 AM »

Hey Grateful - do you mean cables? If so, i did. I tried the Tribute in 3 different amps with the same results. I tried various cables as well. I also used two others guitars with the 3 amps and they sounded fine. Thanks!

Gil

slawie · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2013, 04:01:18 PM »

Check the the battery connector is working ok. Give a little tug on the cables to the battery connector to make sure that the cables are not disconnected inside of it. Sometimes corrosion can affect the integrity of the battery power. You can pick up a new battery terminal connector fairly cheaply at an electronics parts store. Solder in the new one.
slawie

jx2638 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 21, 2013, 08:50:14 AM »

Gil,
What's the update? Did you have it looked at?

jx2638 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2013, 09:02:44 PM »

Gil,
What's the update? Did you have it looked at?

lbpesq · « **Reply #13 on:** December 21, 2013, 11:57:20 PM »

The twi-night doubleheader of double posts!

hehehehe

Bill, tgo