Author Topic: Alembic "strat style Pickups" (Read 798 times)

jazzyvee · « **Reply #15 on:** March 15, 2007, 12:43:55 AM »

I'm really pleased with the sound so far it has all the classic strat sounds but they now sound more authoritative, if that makes sense.

I think going for the 3 position switch was the right move too. Positions 2 3 4 on the strats 5 position switch have now come alive, previously they were nice but a bit weak.

My only question would be, and it's not a criticism, is there anything I can tweak in the electronics to alter the sweep of the filter so that more of the sweep is in the brighter end of the spectrum and the bassy end made a little less say 3/4 in the higher end and only 1/4 in the bass end. I tend to use this maple neck strat for it's crispness and rarely for the mellow end of its range.

I'll get my fender twin amp out at the weekend and give it a proper going over and let you know how it sounds.

Thanks again for your input.

Jazzyvee

made_a_rose · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2007, 08:24:40 PM »

Jazzyvee,
I just wanted to ask how the strat sounds now that you've had some time with the pickups and the q switch? My pickups are going out there tomorrow.
Rick

jazzyvee · « **Reply #17 on:** April 23, 2007, 11:58:47 PM »

Hi Rick, I've been playing the strat quite a lot of late as I have some music to learn for my next set of gigs.

As above with the guitar now sounds very different to the previous strat sounds. I still find the bassy end of the filter sweep not very useable. Especially as compared to my orion guitar which is useable on any tone setting.

Except when the filter is wide open ( fully clockwise) the volume changes quite dramatically when switching between pickups from bridge to neck. That is the volume increases as you switch from the bridge to the neck position.

So you end up having to alter the volume or filter position slightly to adjust the volume if you need to move between pickups as you play.

I have found the middle three positions on the selector switch to be the most useful for what I'm playing at the moment which is RnB, Funk and Reggae.

The q-switch works a treat and when switched in with the filter wide open gives an amazingly clear open sound. Fantastic for reggae chops or james brown/Funkadelic style rhytmic grooves.

All in all I'm happy with it although I would imagine they would sound much better on an alembic guitar.

As for using it with overdrive/distortion. The jury is still out on that one. I think I'm gonna have similar problems to when I had the Orion. I've found it quite hard to get an overdriven/distortion sound I really like. These guitars don't really excel on distortion they are better for cleaner sounds. (In my opinion).

I will probably have to work on that a bit more. Maybe I'll have to adjust the internal gain pot. But that is such a long winded operation since you have to remove the whole pickguard to adjust, then put the whole thing back together in order to try it out.... Very frustrating. ( not alembics fault, just the reality of a differently designed guitar). I can get a close creamy santana-esque sound but not got something that I feel represents me.. yet.

Another thing I do notice is, and it maybe because I use a Jim Dunlop 3mm stubby.

With the alembic pickups I can hear the whack of the pick hitting the strings more than with my strats when doing lead runs or when strumming.

Still getting used to it at the moment.
I plan to take it on my next tour in Slovenia this summer so will let you know how it fares.
Thanks for your interest.

Jazzyvee

made_a_rose · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2007, 10:02:29 AM »

Jazzyvee,
I really want to thank you. This will be a great help when the pickups return. Interesting to note about the pick click. I had a pair of Alembic humbucker sized pickups in a carved top guitar and had the same thing. I was using a 2mm pick and thinned down to a .5 to get rid of the click. I changed out the pickups. I wonder since you don't have the problem with the orion, if mounting the pickups to a solid body is a factor?

jazzyvee · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2007, 12:05:33 PM »

I do still get the same situation with the Orion guitar as well. I wouldn't call it a problem just i think the pickups are very sensitive.

However I don' really like the sound of thin picks so I guess I have to live with it.

Jazzyvee

jazzyvee · « **Reply #20 on:** May 23, 2007, 12:28:47 PM »

Just an update on the Alembicised strat.

I took it out on a gig on Monday night. First one with the new pickups. They are roasting... fantastic sound. Nothing like they sound in the confines of my living room.

At home I have the filters wide open to get that crispness. However in the concert theatre the sound was far more responsive. I could work the filter a bit more and get good tonal variation whilst still keep things bright and sparkly.

Its a very wide open clear, crisp sound right down to a warm mellow comp for a couple of jazz numbers.

The amp at the venue was a small marshall valvestate amp which wasn't really up to handling the guitar output at full volume. But backed off and bringing the sound up in the monitors was a great compromise.

I deliberately played it clean no effects at all not even reverb just cable from guitar to amp.

Nice.... :-)

I'm now even happier to be taking it on tour this summer.

Jazzyvee