Author Topic: Converting Orion to stereo? (Read 225 times)

hand_of_doom · « **on:** October 29, 2012, 04:25:21 PM »

Hi all! I'm new on here and this is my first post so be gentle with me...

I am shortly to recieve my new (to me) Orion, and I can't wait. It has the standard electronics so is mono. Now to me, the classic Alembic tone is when they are running in stereo and it's the sound I would ideally like to recreate. I love the bite and twang of the bridge pickup but I find it too thin on it's own.

Has anyone on here converted their mono Alembic to stereo? Or, can anybody offer advice on if this is even achievable? I'm happy with the electronics and pickups as they are aside from this so would like to preserve these as much as possible. Is it going to be a major operation or is it relatively straightforward (major electronics dunce here).

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2012, 05:20:30 PM »

Hi Ben; welcome to the club!

The Orion electronics package only has one preamp, so no, you wouldn't be able to split the neck pickup signal from the bridge pickup signal. And even with a package that has two preamps, like the Europa, there's still just one path through the filter and the bass and treble switches. Only when you get to Signature electronics do you have separate controls for each pickup; and Anniversary is essentially the stereo version of Signature.

Of course you could probably upgrade to Anniversary electronics. An Orion with Anniversary controls would be pretty cool.

gtrguy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2012, 07:49:22 PM »

You might get a F-1X and run the crossover stereo outputs into two amps or Bi-amp your bass some other way.

count · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2012, 08:47:17 PM »

Doublepost

(Message edited by count on October 30, 2012)

count · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2012, 09:03:00 PM »

You would have to change all the guts of your bass buddy... It can be done, but it's gonna make a pretty big dent in your wallet. Unless you look at alternative preamps.....

lbpesq · « **Reply #5 on:** October 31, 2012, 07:43:34 AM »

I've run mono guitars through a stereo system. I don't get a different pickup through each channel, but I can tweak each channel a little differently in tone and get essentially the same effect.

Bill, tgo

gtrguy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2012, 11:09:09 AM »

Or get an SF-2 and tweak on it all day long for tons of cool sounds!

bonesrad · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2012, 12:23:41 PM »

While I have Series I electronics on my Alembic and naturally run it in stereo, here's my take on running my mono basses in stereo.

Bass signal goes into Chorus box that has two outputs. One output goes into bass amp rig and one output goes into Fender guitar amp. Then I use an SF-2 in the effects loop of each amp. I'm pretty flexible on the SF-2 settings for the bass amp but usually need to filter out the low frequencies that I send to the guitar amp. This works pretty well.

You could change out the electronics on your Orion but as stated earlier, it might be really expensive. Going the Chorus only route might achieve your needs for a small price.

Have fun.
Bones

count · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2012, 02:52:19 PM »

You'll still end up with a mono axe.
As long as the signal gets mixed in the bass guitar you won't be able to modify each signalpath separately.