alembic pickup impedance

lf-p · #1 03-08-2011, 02:20 PM

hi there,

my new alembic pickups have a little over 8k ohm impedance.
thats a lot. i am unsure what electronics i should use with it?
is the idea best to rebuild a series II electronics or will be something else better.
my reservation is about the working together of the parts.
the pickups are standart alembic big size, but are not series 1 or 2.

thank you for the help....

p.s.: my technician is buliding tube preamps on request, inspired by the FB-2/ fender design, but with special options, like mike preamp, e-guitar optimised bass eq, etc.
if you wish i can give you his contact.

m.oreilly · #2 03-08-2011, 02:34 PM

where did you get them/what were they from? anything should 'work' with them.

lf-p · #3 03-08-2011, 03:03 PM

hi,
i got them used. they have the alembic writing engraved. - not in gold- only as black carving. mxy ?

**line6man** · #4 03-08-2011, 04:02 PM

8K is likely the DC resistance. It is very difficult to calculate or measure the impedance of a pickup, as there are a lot of frequency dependant variables.

In any case, if you think the impedance is too high, lower it with a buffer.

And btw, 8K doesn't sound high at all. That's about what Jazz pickups are wound to.

NecroticImbecil · #5 03-08-2011, 04:33 PM

I use these with an old Bartolini TCT preamp. Had to cut the plugs off of the pickups and strip the wires. This may have been done already to your pickups. The pickups themselves are very low output and need a big boost from the preamp. The TCT let me do this. If memory serves, I configured it for maximum boost of all frequencies. I know it gets too loud if I turn the volume knob up very high. I should have limited the gain more, but was just happy to have it working.

lf-p · #6 03-13-2011, 03:07 PM

hi there,
thats a good input. of cause the resistance is meant sorry.
-- actually i do have an tct laying around. i quite like the sound of the bartolini preamps. do you know the diffrence in sound to the ntbt 918 ?
personnaly i dont have problems with the hught output of the preamp. my updated FB-2 doenst seem to care. the sound is clean anyway.

by the way i think that the combination of the bartolini 8s pickup with the ntbt is just great.
the alembic pick ups in cooperation with the tct is new to me.
i dont know waht it will sound like. the sound i am looking for is the old alembic series 1 i had times ago. it was very clear and crisp at the same time. what i am curious is the high frequencies; dont know if the peak with the bartoloni preamp will be peaking enough.
lf-p