i think those guys at Alembic are onto something...

WarriorJoe7 · #1 03-13-2008, 05:30 PM

I really haven't found any onboard preamps that I really really like, except for the alembic preamps with the filter (no eq on it) Honestly I end up setting most preamps absolutely flat and panning the pickups for tonal adjustments. And sometimes on passive basses I roll off the highs a bit. But the Alembic filter just works amazingly well for bass. I actually use it alot and change it for different sounds. Can't say that for EQs.

Actually out of all the EQs I really like the parametric in a US Peavey Millenium. The mids actually works similiar to the Alembic filter.

I am not sure if it is the combination of their pickups and the filter or if I would like a similiar filter with regular pickups just as well. But the Peavey makes me think I like the filter. OK so does anyone know where I can get a similiar active filter? It doesn't even have to be onboard. Actually i might prefer it in a box so that I can use it with all my basses.

So I want a Alembic filter in abox (but not the expensive F2x preamp.) It should be jsuta simple little circuit like the on board filter itself BUT because the impedance of Alembic pickups are way different I am sure it would have to be designed differently. Anyone have any ideas?

Joe

ArpeggiFish · #2 03-13-2008, 06:09 PM

Do you have a q-filter with it? I don't know what it does...

Shindig · #3 03-13-2008, 06:31 PM

Here's the only filter based pre (besides Alembic & Wal) that I've found:
http://www.bestbassgear.com/acg-eq-02-preamp.htm
There's probably others.
I think EMJazz is getting one.
Good luck!

DavidRavenMoon · #4 03-13-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarriorJoe7

I am not sure if it is the combination of their pickups and the filter or if I would like a similiar filter with regular pickups just as well.

yeah, a filter would work great with passive pickups. The whole reason they used a filter was because their low impedance pickups have a very flat response, with the resonant peak being very high. So by using a low pass filter with adjustable resonance (Q) you can silulate the tone of a high impedance pickup.

Here's a passive pickup into a low pass and then high pass filter.

http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/media/lp-hp.mp3

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarriorJoe7

OK so does anyone know where I can get a similiar active filter? It doesn't even have to be onboard. Actually i might prefer it in a box so that I can use it with all my basses.

Stay tuned...

jrfrond · #5 03-14-2008, 08:05 AM

Alembic is STILL the king of active basses for me. Ron Wickersham, who designed the electronics, worked for Ampex in the old days, and it was all designed to be studio quality, right down to the low-impedance pickups, balanced outs, and a hefty outboard power supply that could deliver lots of current, which translates to great sound.

The Alembic electronics are built around a design called a "State-Variable Filter". The filter designs have continuous control of boost/cut, corner frequency and Q (bandwidth), as well as having low-pass, bandpass and high-pass outputs. There is not a whole lot like that on the market, BUT.....there is an old Craig Anderton book called "Electronic Projects For Musicians" that contains a project called the "Super Filter", which is the closest I have seen. It is EXACTLY what I described, complete with the three filter outputs. You might want to consider having it built for you. I built this box a LONG time ago. Just wish I could remember where I left it!

DavidRavenMoon · #6 03-14-2008, 04:13 PM

That Craig Anderton Super Tone Control is a VERY cool circuit. I had one in a box back in the 70's that would sit on top of my amp.

The early Ken Smith basses had something similar to the Anderton circuit in them.

Ron Wickersham had some very forward ideas back then. Rick Turner designed the pickups. Originally each had its own dummy coil until RW came up with the active common dummy coil thing. Now of course they are stacked hum cancelers.