What to buy first: F1X or SF2?

[terrapinflyer]

Trying to decide which to purchase first F1X or SF2. Thought I'd seek some advice as to which will offer the best over all improvement. Currently using a SWR SM400S with Bag End cabs.Plus I have a good 1000 watt power amp that's just sitting on the shelf...

[jazzyvee]

Well, both of them can be used as pre-amps so I guess it depends if you want a filter based pre-amp or a tube driven pre-amp. Both can be used straight into your 1000 watt power amp.
 
If you want the ultimate in tone shaping and you don't have a series I or II bass then I'd say go for an SF-2. But If you do have a series instrument then I'd suggest that you will find the combination with the F1-x more than sufficient in the majority of circumstances and the SF-2 will get very little use.
 
I have a series bass and my SF-2 doesn't get  used that much at all only occasionally when I need more dominance in the bottom end.

[rustyg61]

Get the SF-2, it can make any amp sound incredible! It is the missing ingredient to your sound that you always wished you had but never knew how to get. I have had mine for a little over a year & used it with my Eden WT 800 & Fender Rumble 350 combo, & it made both amps sound exponentially better. It is super easy to dial in a room & find the punch frequency you need to get a nice punchy bottom end with crystal clear highs as well. I just bought a F-2B stereo preamp, & Jazzyvee is right, with an Alembic preamp you don't need the SF-2 as much, but I still use mine to find the sweet spot from venue to venue. I make adjustments much more on the SF-2 than on my bass or preamp. It is the Do All tone shaper! I will give you this advice though......don't be happy until you own BOTH! The combination of an Alembic preamp & a SF-2 is the ultimate bass rig!

[rustyg61]

Timm, here is an SF-2 for sale - http://www.talkbass.com/threads/alembic-sf-2-superfilter.1145257/

[moongerm]

Agreed with Jazzy and Rusty. I started off, before I even had an Alembic bass, with an SF-2. I was running a Carl Thompson bass through it all the time and I was able to get a very wide variety of tones to make the bass sound much better. I just recorded a tune for album with the SF2 on my passive Carl Thompson recently and it really helped add, remove and shape frequencies that would be very difficult or unlikely to do with other effectors. You can really create your own unique sound with them. It also helped the bass sit in the mix and cut through at the same time.

[hammer]

Heres another SF-2 which with price drop would be $650
 
http://austin.craigslist.org/msg/4919959846.html

[edwin]

I guess I'll provide a dissenting voice. I love the SF-2 but find myself hardly using mine because I found that I was just using it to try to fix deficiencies that were better addressed elsewhere, from pickups to speakers to technique. Once all those other things were ironed out, then the F1X or F2B made a lot more sense because the basic tone over the whole frequency spectrum benefits. But eventually it will probably have to be both. :-)

[terrapinflyer]

Thank you everyone for the input. I received my SF-2 wednesday. What a fantastic tool for sonic exploration! Thus far I've only played my Essence through it, I'm sure the Spoiler will yield some spectacular results as well.

[rustyg61]

Congratulations Timm! Once you figure out what everything does on the SF-2 you won't be able to live without it!  
 
Here are some threads that may help you learn it -  
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/16271/17596.html?1112538443

[moongerm]

Congrats and enjoy.
 
-Brian