This might be impossible...

[pocket8]

...But can you have a Q switch on a Spoiler changed to a continuously variable Q knob?  I have to send my electronics back to Alembic for diagnosis and repair, and although new to the world of Alembic, I am intrigued by the idea of having a Q knob installed in place of a Q switch.  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this would allow the resonant frequency of the pickups or both pickups together to be varied, and with it the overall sound quality, right?  That's what allows Alembics to create such a wide array of sounds, right?  If you guys have any advice as to the feasibility this endeavor, it would be appreciated.  Sorry for the nagging questions, but I'm just getting into what makes an Alembic an Alembic by reading through the forums, and it is fascinating!
 
Cheers,
John

[mica]

I'm sorry, but it's one of the only things we won't do. We actually did it once on a Spoiler (I sold the bass). After he built the electronics, my dad asked me to never sell that again. He denies me so
little that I must respect his wishes in this arena.
 
You can have a 3-position Q-switch though.

[pocket8]

Three position switch???  Cool beans!  How much would the upgrade in electronics cost?  What are the three chaqnnels that are accessible to the switch??  Inquiring minds want to know!!
 
Cheers,
John

[David Houck]

The resonant frequency is set with the low pass filter.  The Q switch, or on a Series II instrument, the CVQ, changes the amount of boost at that frequency.  The standard Q switch has two settings, 8db boost and off.  Even in the off setting there is a slight boost at the resonant frequency.  The standard three position switch, as found on Series I instruments, has off, 6db, and 9db settings.  A few club members have custom ordered switches with off, 3db, and 6db.  The CVQ goes from 0 to 15db.  Another route, that many club members have taken, is to add an SF-2 to your rig.

[pocket8]

Hi Dave,
 
As far as I can tell, I think my Spoiler has only a volume and a tone control in addition to the Q switch and the pickup selector.  Can a low pass filter be added without additional routing (like as a concentric pot or something) or can the volume be replaced instead with a low pass filter?  
 
I guess I'm not really after a CVQ or a three way Q switch (unless it too can be hot-rodded to give +15 db) so much as the low pass filter.  I really want to be able to emulate P-bass, J-bass, and Rickenbacker tones in addition to the straight-up humcancelled tones of the AXY's.  Sorry for the confusion and run around that I am causing due to the lack of knowledge on my part
 
Thanks guys,
John

[pocket8]

Oh boy...after a little research I see that the tone knob should BE the low pass filter.  So then for the Spoiler's electronics suite the controls are volume, filter, Q switch, pickup selector, right?  
 
Sorry, I just got this thing a week ago on ebay and it worked for all of 1 day and then something went and died before I could figure things out for myself.  Thanks for all the help everyone, and thanks most of all for not making me feel like a total doofus.
 
Cheers,
John

[David Houck]

Right; volume, filter, Q switch, pickup selector.
 
Alembic electronics are pretty much unlike anything else.  New users often have questions about them.  There's a nice discussion by one of our members in the Must Reads section of the board here.

[adriaan]

To my ears, the on position on the standard Q switch (8 dB) was just too strong - rather annoying even. My Spoiler now has a 3 position 0/3/6 dB switch, and the changes are pretty subtle - very usable, and with new strings the 3 dB setting is strong enough for me. As strings lose their brilliance, I up it to 6dB. (Note that I'm strictly a living room virtuoso.)
 
I had a wild idea about creating a rotary switch with small-ish dB increases (they might even be able to re-use the pickup switch for that, while adding a pan pot) and at the time Mica confirmed they could do it - but it would have had to wait until Mr Wickersham himself had time to work on it, and it would take more benchtime, increasing the costs.
 
On a side-note, our esteemed club member jimmyj intimated that he leaves both filters on his Series II wide open, with just a touch of Q for some extra air on the bridge pickup.

[pocket8]

Hi Adriaan,
 
I was kidding about the +15 db boost (sorry, I guess the delivery was a little too dead pan if you will; a true groaner, I know), but you bring up a really good point.  The 8 db position for the Q switch was really hot sounding, and I preferred the mellow sweetness of the off position.  It might be really great to put in a three position switch after all with a 6 db setting or maybe the custom 0 db, 3 db, 6 db switch.
 
Thanks,
John

[adriaan]

John,
 
You may have been kidding about the 15 dB boost but that is the maximum setting on the CVQ on a Series II.
 
As far as I know, it's not the maximum amount of Q boost that makes it impossible to add CVQ to non-Series electronics - I always gathered that the problem is in having a potentiometer to adjust the boost, instead of a switch with a couple of fixed value components.
 
If the problem is only in the maximum boost, then I wouldn't mind adding a CVQ to my Spoiler that goes from 0 to 8dB boost. But to be honest, those 3dB increments are already pretty subtle.
 
And if you have a purpose for the 8dB sound, then why not ask for a three position 3/6/8 or 3/6/9dB switch.
 
(Message edited by adriaan on October 09, 2008)

[pocket8]

Thanks much for the feedback, I think that I will probably go after the three position Q switch.  I'm just not sure whether I want to go all the way to 9 dB for maximum boost or just go to 6 dB, so I guess I'll have to think about it a bit.
 
Thanks again,
John