Author Topic: Hey Mica: I've Got A Stupid Question For You (Read 415 times)

bassman10096 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2004, 03:36:15 PM »

Here's to simplicity! Having just bought S2 electronics, let me qualify that...

I love my new bass because, between the S2's and SF-2 I have an infinite number of potential tweaks I can make. But when I order my next Alembic, I'm going for something much more user-friendly. Even if...I lose some versatility in the mix. I'll always have my S2 if I'm not satisfied and am convinced a better sound can be created with more electronics.

Being an inveterate tweaker, I realize I could never go for something with more limits on potential adjustments until I owned the ultimate. But, for those of you who own SF-2s: Don't you feel like your tone shaping ability is limited only by the character and quality of what ever bass you hook up with, its preamp and pickups? I have nearly a love affair going on with an active Jbass whose sound does not impress me at all - until I feed it through my SF-2!

Bill

kmh364 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 22, 2004, 05:07:48 AM »

I'm with you, Bill. While I certainly respect Ron's lifetime work and think owning an S-II would be the ultimate statement of electric/electronic instrument technology, I just prefer simpler electronics. I looked at the Further/Tribute electronics and it seems pretty straightforward. I think I'm gonna have to discuss my options with Mica or Susan and see what they come up with. I have a feeling I'm gonna end up with some kind of bastardization of two or more electronics packages a la EMW, LOL! Hey, that's it....Alembic can call it the KMH electronics package! Actually, after dealing with me again, they may elect to call it the PITA electronics package, LOL!

bkbass · « **Reply #17 on:** August 22, 2004, 07:26:49 AM »

Plain and simple?No but...just go for the pitch that's in your head as the center reference and branch out from there.You'll find some interesting tones in your search for your tone along the way.I'm dead serious about my next statement always,always have a pad and pencil nearby when exploring tones and do it in fifteen minute slots always returning to your defacto settingsthis simple equipment is just as important as the cables, amps,pres,and instruments in the grand scheme of things.Take many notes!

kmh364 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2004, 05:56:43 AM »

Understood. It seems like a lot of work, though, huh? LOL! I tend to be a little lazy when it comes to stuff like documentation (ask my bosses, LOL!). For those of you who have read my rather verbose ramblings on a variety of topics here on this site, you're probably shaking your head in disbelief at that last statement, LOL!

Bottom line is I just have to figure out what I want and then go for it. Alembic offers virtually unlimited options, so just when you think you got it nailed, you think of something else or, worse yet, you see something on this site that someone else has done and all of a sudden ya gotta have it, LOL! I just have to (try to) keep it as simple as I can, electronics-wise anyway, while still getting as much versatility as I can. Unlike as it was for my other instruments, it's a little harder on a civil-servant's paycheck to buy multiple SPECIALIZED instruments from Alembic, so whatever I get has to be reasonably versatile.

bsee · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2004, 08:08:41 AM »

EMW is a pretty versatile package. For the most part, it is the Europa package with pots for fine control of the bass/treble boost/cut instead of toggles.

Personally, after a few months with a Persuader, I think seperate volume controls is very powerful for tone control. If you could add the toggle switches from a Europa to this package, it would get you in the ballpark for any tone you want. The fact is, you will find an awful lot of tone control in your hands beyond what you can do with the knobs on any package.

I hope to play an S2 and a Brown Bass this week. I suspect that I won't realize the benefits of the S2 when I play it. I expect that takes a lot of hours to really appreciate the versatility and is most useful in a studio setting where you might be willing to spend the tweak time to get it perfect.

I think I am really going to bond with the Brown Bass electronics package. I have really come to appreciate the separate pickup volumes, so this should feel like an extension of the Persuader package.

Also, playing a few basses will do a lot more for the decision process than talking about it. Find out what the shops within range have, and go for a ride to try them out. Maybe even hook up with some other members in your area to touch and listen.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 30, 2004, 10:55:23 AM »

Hey Bob: I'm sure this will strike you after you work with both the anniversary and S2 controls and tone shaping: They are actually rather similar.

Anniversary has:
Neck pu - vol, filter, 2 pos'n Q switch
Bridge - Same controls
4 pos'n pu selector (off, neck, bridge, both)
Stereo/mono modes

S2 has:
Neck pu - vol, filter, cont variable Q
Bridge - Same controls
4 pos'n pu selector (same options)
Stereo/mono modes
Master volume

What I think about the differences:
Having worked with a 2 position Q switch and the CVQ knobs, I don't find the difference too dramatic (others may disagree). But the master volume is a godsend for convenience and for keeping the pu volumes strictly as tone shapers.

The only remaining difference would be the sound characteristics of the S2, single coil pu's and preamp vs. the anniversary humcancellers and preamp. I can only tell you subjectively that the single coils have a different kind of presence - particularly in the way they project high harmonics.

My point is that both packages give you the same method of controlling tone. Their tweakability is, literally, similar (at least in principal). Susan and I discussed this at great length once when I was designing my bass. The point she made was that, for tone shaping capability, the critical jumping off point was for the electronics package to permit independent control of each pu. I believe that's why the Alembicians will generally say that anniversary electronics with fatboy pu's are the closest approximation for Series soundshaping.

I guess what prompted me to write this was that you shouldn't undersell the capabilities of the Brown Bass's electronics. Nor should you necessarily assume they are significantly less complex or nuanced than the Series package.

I'd welcome the comments of others with more hands-on experience with both anniversary and Series electronics, but this is what I can best deduce about the comparison.

BTW: Sounds like you are in for loads of fun! Good luck with making choices and keep us posted.

Bill

bsee · « **Reply #21 on:** August 30, 2004, 12:58:54 PM »

Bill-

I am not so confident that I understand how the master volume works. Are you saying that even if you vary an individual pickup volume down, that the master will maintain the same overall volume passed to the preamp? And conversely, if you boost the volume of a pickup, it just changes the balance while maintaining constant output volume? If that's the case, then I would have to agree that it sounds like a very handy tool. I'd be interested to hear more about the technical details of what this control does.

-Bob

bassman10096 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 30, 2004, 05:49:14 PM »

No. The master volume just makes it easy to adjust the overall volume output of the bass. So, when you decrease the neck pu volume without changing or increasing the bridge pu volume, the master volume lets you adjust quickly to the overall volume you want. Without the master volume, tweaking pu volumes would most often change the overall bass output level. The master volume just gives you a single, convenient way to reset your bass volume without interfering with the tone you shaped when you set the pu levels.

Hope that makes sense.

BTW, Mica told me it's possible to add a master volume to an anniversary bass, but the pot is expensive. I think the cost on a new build (where all the routing to fit the added pot would already be done)was $250??

bsee · « **Reply #23 on:** August 30, 2004, 06:53:26 PM »

Thanks, it makes sense but sounds like it might take some time to get used to keeping it in the middle of the range. I would guess you have to keep it up high enough to be strong without maxing it.

I suspect that it's harder to live without once you've used it, but I do okay minus a master volume today.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2004, 06:57:19 PM »

I used to on former basses, too. It's all a matter of what you are used to using. Enjoy your visit with all them exotic instruments!

kmh364 · « **Reply #25 on:** August 31, 2004, 04:19:44 PM »

OK, now I'm really confused, LOL! Series THIS, Master Volume THAT, my head is spinning! I just wann get a cool one-of-a-kind custom guitar from Alembic that is versatile without being ridiculously complicated. Oh, yeah, it's gotta look great and not like everyone elses, LOL! OK?

I need to hit the lottery, LOL!

kmh364 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 31, 2004, 04:20:17 PM »

OK, now I'm really confused, LOL! Series THIS, Master Volume THAT, my head is spinning! I just wanna get a cool one-of-a-kind custom guitar from Alembic that is versatile without being ridiculously complicated. Oh, yeah, it's gotta look great and not like everyone elses, LOL! OK?

I need to hit the lottery, LOL!

flaxattack · « **Reply #27 on:** September 04, 2004, 07:35:29 PM »

What you really need to do is hit the pipe

kmh364 · « **Reply #28 on:** September 05, 2004, 07:03:34 AM »

Oh Behaaaave!

kmh364 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 28, 2004, 03:43:30 PM »

Hmmmm...maybe a balance-K style like Jonathan's (not quite that small though) or a scaled down Dragon's Wing a la Roger style guitar....choices, choices, LOL!