Author Topic: My New Distillate, LOW volume output...Help Please! (Read 2324 times)

spliffy · « **Reply #30 on:** June 10, 2006, 11:15:23 AM »

OK, So now I know what the problem is.... a loose wire! I will start a new issue for Mica to help me.

S#!T

spliffy · « **Reply #31 on:** June 20, 2006, 08:05:45 AM »

So Tony, give us an update on the bass. Did adding the two resistor add enough gain? I got my loose wire soldered and now the pickup selector works, but I am also suffering low gain (which I did not before).
How does the bass sound? Do you get very low rumbly distorted sounds out of the E and A strings? Curious.
I am considering selling the bass. It is not my main bass, but going through all this work, does not feel worth while at this point.

Al

effclef · « **Reply #32 on:** June 20, 2006, 08:21:56 AM »

Spliffy, the E and A should definitely not sound rumbly and distorted! A Distillate should sound perfect, no distortion, unless you're overdriving the amp with too much volume. Definitely, don't sell it, find out what's wrong. Fresh battery, add the ferrite bead, etc. - talk to the factory. If you fix it I guarantee you won't sell it unless it's to fund a bigger, better Alembic.

EffClef

spliffy · « **Reply #33 on:** June 20, 2006, 08:27:39 AM »

Thanks EffClef. I have the ferrite bead and new battery. I will talk with the guys at Alembic. Somehow this bass is become high maintenance and it is frustrating me (I do get frustrated quite easily).

dfung60 · « **Reply #34 on:** June 20, 2006, 11:00:20 AM »

spliffy -

If you're experiencing low output level AND distortion on the low notes/strings at the same time, then the problem is probably a bad power connection on the EQ board or a short which might be anywhere on the board.

The mods that you've had done are very tricky compared to wiring up an ol' Strat, where half the art the tech has to have is to get a bunch of wires to stay in a big blob of solder on the back of a pot. To do the resistor addition or reattach the wire, they needed to do very precise and localized soldering, because the slightest solder bridge or whisker of a wire can lead to the kind of problems that you're seeing. You need a big soldering iron to effectively heat a 1/4 plug or make that big solder blob liquid, but to work on that PC board, you'll need a tiny pinpoint soldering tip and a very steady hand, otherwise you might damage the surrounding joints.

I'm not trying to disparage your tech (he's a trooper to even go in there without helmet and safety harness), but there are probably 100 connections here that are outside the realm of what a normal guitar tech would ever see.

The ferrite won't make any difference (it will only get rid of high frequency noise), but a new battery might help.

It seems to me that perhaps you should consider sending your Distillate on a trip to the mother ship, where everything can be taken care of fully and in one shot. If that's not workable, perhaps you might ask Mica if there's somebody local who's got more experience debugging this problem. Diagnosing a cascade of problems (which might be the result of mistreatment before you got the bass) is considerably harder than fixing a single isolated problem.

David Fung

spliffy · « **Reply #35 on:** June 20, 2006, 12:25:13 PM »

Thanks David, that is great advise and greatly appreciated. I am not sure what to do... I think I will sleep on it for a few days.

Al

ajish4 · « **Reply #36 on:** June 24, 2006, 04:51:38 PM »

Hey Spliffy,

Sorry to say, I STILL DON'T HAVE IT BACK YET!

There was a mixup with the pickup selector switch. It SHOULD arrive on MONDAY at the luthiers shop. The waiting is the hardest part.

I wish I had an update for you!

On another note, you COULD just send in JUST the electronics to Alembic. Someone had mentioned it here on the forum, I never would have thought of that! This way, the problem gets fixed, and you don't have to worry about subjecting the bass to the hazards of the US POST OFFICE!

I PROMISE to let you know how it all shakes out when I get the 'ol girl back into the house!

ajish4 · « **Reply #37 on:** June 27, 2006, 06:07:17 PM »

What can I say? After two full months, SHE'S HOME! Man, she just FEELS SO DAMN GOOD!

Before I go ANY further, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Mica for ALL the help & patience during the re-birth. Adding the resistors made her like a NEW BASS! OH, the SWEET VOLUME, and the SOUND; IT RINGS LIKE A BELL!!! SO NICE & LOUD! What a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well worth the wait!

Thanks to you too Mary, for the patience while I was ordering the parts needed to bring my baby back to its former glory. Sorry to be such a pain in the butt while ordering all those little pieces. ONLY one more to go! The brass back plate!

TWO months of waiting, testing, repairing, adding, removing, replacing, buffing, waxing, re-wiring, soldering, sigh......she is home...
I don't know how to put this...but, OH MAN, she kicks @ss!

And, last but NOT least, everyone here of the forum. From the forumate who sold her to me at a great price, to all of you who helped with directions, advice, and guidance.

Sorry to make this short, but I'm off to play my sweetheart!

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

Tony

David Houck · « **Reply #38 on:** July 02, 2006, 12:19:43 PM »

Congrats!

keavin · « **Reply #39 on:** July 04, 2006, 08:08:14 PM »

'Play that funky music White Boy!'

olieoliver · « **Reply #40 on:** July 04, 2006, 08:26:34 PM »

COOL!

ajish4 · « **Reply #41 on:** July 07, 2006, 05:35:48 PM »

Hey Dave,

Is there s way to SAVE the picture MICA posted with the directions on how to do the upgrade to the Distillate? She put some time & effort into doing the research and getting the MOD instructions posted.

I'd say that it INCREASED the volume on my bass by about 40%. A very nice gain for so little money invested into the resistors!

Thanks again everyone, a project well worth the effort!

David Houck · « **Reply #42 on:** July 07, 2006, 07:55:40 PM »

Which picture?

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #43 on:** July 08, 2006, 05:05:41 AM »

Moder Dave,
About halfway up this thread, the picture with the yellow and green arrows and color-keyed text on the right side.

Mike

george_wright · « **Reply #44 on:** July 08, 2006, 09:16:17 AM »

On IE, you can right-click on the picture. Then select Save Picture As... from the pop-up menu. This will open a file-save dialog box.