who makes pups that fit alembics?

[maskedman72]

i have a uropha 5 string and i am considering different pups and pre. what i am wondering is what pups will fit right in?

[Funkinthetrunk]

Well...this guy will make you anything you want, to fit anything you want. BTW, his pickups sound outstanding, too. Permanent fixture in my bass.

Reed James Custom Guitar Upgrades

[line6man]

Originally Posted by Funkinthetrunk

Well...this guy will make you anything you want, to fit anything you want. BTW, his pickups sound outstanding, too. Permanent fixture in my bass.

Reed James Custom Guitar Upgrades

Yes, that was going to be my suggestion as well.

[lefty1979]

Ummm, not to be rude, but the pickups and electronics are one of the big things that make an Alembic an alembic. Kind of a total package thing. What are you looking to change and why?

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by lefty1979

Ummm, not to be rude, but the pickups and electronics are one of the big things that make an Alembic an alembic. Kind of a total package thing. What are you looking to change and why?

*Exactly* what I was thinking...

[depalm]

Originally Posted by lefty1979

Ummm, not to be rude, but the pickups and electronics are one of the big things that make an Alembic an alembic. Kind of a total package thing. What are you looking to change and why?

+1

[maskedman72]

yes, i have always had the thought that it would be sacraligeous to gut an alembic but at the same time this bass has never quite had the sound i wanted. this has been the only bass i have owned for the past 10 years so i am ready to attempt to make it sound the way i want. it has a sweep filter on it rather then a tone knob and i dont like the freq that it sweeps. every time i play a jazz bass i instantly think "yes, this is the sound" so although this might sound real stupid, i would like my alembic to sound like a jazz bass espically with the bridge pup fully on and the neck pup off. and i know you will just tell me to buy a jazz bass but i now also have a jazz that i just picked up. perhaps i could change the pre in it? is that possable?

[SGD Lutherie]

Are they the large or small pickups? Bartolini makes replacements. I can also make them with the large cover.

[Stiggs]

Sell the Alembic and buy a Jazz bass. Depending on your model maybe buy a new rig too.

[Rockmusician]

I own a couple of Alembics and would never consider changing the pickups. If you don't like the sound, sell it and get something else.

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

I own a couple of Alembics and would never consider changing the pickups. If you don't like the sound, sell it and get something else.

I can say the same thing: I've had two, used them for a while and realized they weren't my thing - but they are suck specific beasts that the idea changing stuff out just never entered my mind; If you dig them, great - if you don't, sell them to someone who WILL love them and get what you want.

I think that's one reason few folks make aftermaket p'ups for Alembics... That and Alembic is a well know - heck, famously so - for their electronics. That's the place they started, replacing/modifying electronics.

[maskedman72]

Originally Posted by Stiggs

Sell the Alembic and buy a Jazz bass. Depending on your model maybe buy a new rig too.

i do have a jazz bass and i know that even thinking about changing alembic pups is a sin. this bass is my dream bass in everyway so i will just leave it as is and use my jazz when i want that sound although it would rule to get the alembic to do that sound too. alembic is my #1 fave bass company on earth and i have owned 2 of them. thanks for waking me up guys. i aint changing ****.

[bassist4dalord]

No offense, but I get wary when someone brand-new to the forums posts about a $4,500+ bass..

If you are serious, I'm going to +1 to use the Jazz Bass. For the love of Bass God and all that is bassy, please don't mod your Alembic. You will absolutely kill (read; obliterate, lay waste to, destroy, slaughter, et all) the value of that bass.

Please, just use the Jazz and hold on to the Alembic as-is. Sell the Alembic if you don't want it, but don't hack into it.

YMMV, IMHO, just my $.02

[maskedman72]

Originally Posted by bassist4dalord

No offense, but I get wary when someone brand-new to the forums posts about a $4,500+ bass..

If you are serious, I'm going to +1 to use the Jazz Bass. For the love of Bass God and all that is bassy, please don't mod your Alembic. You will absolutely kill (read; obliterate, lay waste to, destroy, slaughter, et all) the value of that bass.

Please, just use the Jazz and hold on to the Alembic as-is. Sell the Alembic if you don't want it, but don't hack into it.

YMMV, IMHO, just my $.02

LOL, no offense taken, i knew when i posted this question that everyone would think i was a complete tool and totally out of my mind so its all good. i just bought a jazz bass (a don grosh) from a tb member so my need for jazz tone is covered quite well. i will take your advise and keep the alembic as is. now i see just how much of a tool i look like!!

if i posted a photo of this bass you guys would have really busted my balls!!

[MusicBear]

If you are not happy with the sound of your Alembic have you talked to them about changing pickups or electronics?

Alembic is all about custom instruments so they would probably work with you to alter pickups and/or electronics to suit your tone needs. Working with the folks at Alembic would also keep the bass completely "Alembic", adding to the instrument's rich history (instead of "mangling" a masterpiece).

[maskedman72]

Originally Posted by MusicBear

If you are not happy with the sound of your Alembic have you talked to them about changing pickups or electronics?

Alembic is all about custom instruments so they would probably work with you to alter pickups and/or electronics to suit your tone needs. Working with the folks at Alembic would also keep the bass completely "Alembic", adding to the instrument's rich history (instead of "mangling" a masterpiece).

good points. i will have to research this.

[lefty1979]

Alembic doesn't actually offer a wide variety of pickups. It's pretty much the same design in a different shape (with a few exceptions). They do offer a few different takes on electronics, though. The details are on the website, and the Alembic Club linked to their site is a wealth of information as well. If the filter really isn't doing it for you they offer a conventional circuit with bass and treble boost and cut. I had an Orion with the bass treble boost/cut circuit and it was pretty good. It didn't come out sounding like a jazz bass, though. They also have a few other variations on the Filter based electronics with different values for the q-switches (does yours have the q switch?). The other route is an upgrade to full on Series electronics, which will cost as much as a bass by most other makers, and probably won't get you any where near what it sounds like your after. Where Alembic really shines as a custom builder is in the many different permutations and configurations of their electronics they can offer. If they don't offer what you're looking for, just ask. All of their pickups and electronics are designed and built in house, which makes it pretty easy for them to customize. They will try to accommodate a customer as much as they can. Give them a call, ask to speak to Mica.

[maskedman72]

Originally Posted by lefty1979

Alembic doesn't actually offer a wide variety of pickups. It's pretty much the same design in a different shape (with a few exceptions). They do offer a few different takes on electronics, though. The details are on the website, and the Alembic Club linked to their site is a wealth of information as well. If the filter really isn't doing it for you they offer a conventional circuit with bass and treble boost and cut. I had an Orion with the bass treble boost/cut circuit and it was pretty good. It didn't come out sounding like a jazz bass, though. They also have a few other variations on the Filter based electronics with different values for the q-switches (does yours have the q switch?). The other route is an upgrade to full on Series electronics, which will cost as much as a bass by most other makers, and probably won't get you any where near what it sounds like your after. Where Alembic really shines as a custom builder is in the many different permutations and configurations of their electronics they can offer. If they don't offer what you're looking for, just ask. All of their pickups and electronics are designed and built in house, which makes it pretty easy for them to customize. They will try to accommodate a customer as much as they can. Give them a call, ask to speak to Mica.

very good info. my bass dosent have a q toggle but it would be nice. ill have to call em.

[Stick_Player]

Nordstrand made me some 'custom-sized' pickups - split P & J set - for my 1984 Yamaha BB5000. This is the model with 14mm string spacing.

Then I had some ebony cases made for them by Tina Wood at the Bassexchange, in L.A.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by maskedman72

very good info. my bass dosent have a q toggle but it would be nice. ill have to call em.

Be prepared to spend a small fortune. It's about 2 grand just for the electronics.