| Author | Message | ||
| funky4
New Username: funky4 Post Number: 3 Registered: 5-2004 |
Hi, I'm thinking of adding a SF-2 to my current rig and would like a few opinions as to whether or not the "group" feels it's worth the $$$$??? I'm pretty happy with my current setup, but am always looking for ways to improve. The questions I have are: 1) Is it worth it from the standpoint of tonal options? 2) Where would I "place" the SF-2 in my current rig...ie...signal path? Here's my current path: Bass.....Avalon U5 DI....Alembic F-1X...Stewart Power Amp....2 Aguilar GS112's I "love" the sound of my current F-1X, but am always keeping my "ears" open for new opportunities...... Thanks chuckf | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 487 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Chuck I'll tell you up front - I'm still learning what my SF can do. But just about from the get-go, I've been in love with the thing! It has a tremendous range of tonal capabilities. I too, push it with an F-1X (into a QSC PLX 2402). There's absolutely no problem with the preamp - it's great. But the SF has enabled me to top even that. I have it after the preamp in the signal chain (just haven't tried in the effect loop, yet). I run it in mono. Generally, I set the left channel in low pass, cut off at about 120hz. I vary the right channel a lot, switching between high pass and band pass settings to shape the high and middle. This gives me a very deep low end and lots of play in the rest. Not at all like a graphic EQ, because you can vary the mix between wet and dry and the filter intensity for each channel independently of the other. It's a bit hard to articulate, but having the added flexibility and accuracy in setting up my signal has consistently given my noticable sparkle and subtlety I've never had with anything else. I should also mention - I let go of my Alembic before I got the SF. Needed to raise money for the custom S2 I shuold receive shortly. So, I haven't been able to experience combining onboard Alembic filtering with the SF. But it's a killer combination with non-Alembic electronics because it lets you do so many Alembic-type things with them (while still keeping their own uniqueness). Bottom line - worth buying one used to try out. If you don't like it you'll have no problem retrieving your investment. They appear frequently on Ebay, but they don't hang around long. By the way - how do you like the Aguilar 212's? What kind of deep low end can you get from them? How does their sound compare to 210s? Bill | ||
| smokin_dave
Intermediate Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 144 Registered: 10-2002 |
I bought mine new 10 years ago and I'll NEVER part with it.I run it in the effects loop of my SWR sm400.Endless tone options indeed.I mess with people sometimes twiddeling with the filters and getting sounds that turns heads.But mostly I set it and forget it and let the Rogue electronics do the work.Bill's right.That stuff gets snatched up pretty quick on ebay.If you get it,you won't regret it. | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 721 Registered: 5-2002 |
I like mine a lot; it's in the effects loop of my F-1X. It's there primarily so it will be in the signal I send to the PA from the F-1X's direct out. There has been a lot written about the SF-2 in this forum. You may want to run a search through the prior posts; you will find many detailed posts about how people set up and use their SF-2s. | ||
| dannobasso
Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 62 Registered: 3-2004 |
I'm looking forward to getting mine soon. Sent the check out Friday. With shipping, $491. Not too bad moneywise. I hear that they go for over $700 new. It will join my F1X and QSC 1602 Epi T310 & T115 home rig. Here's hopin'! Danno | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1407 Registered: 9-2002 |
I work with mine now for almost a year. Great tool! F1-X, SF-2 in "effect loop" chain, signal via cross-over to Dynacord L-1000 Poweramp low channel B, high channel A, to Glockenklang "Quattro" (4 x 10")-A and Uno (1X15")-B. The SF-2 is used in its most simple way: as a 3 band filter which works very well for me. Now I'm so far that I can adjust the tone very quickly when I change basses during the set. My abilities on "the thing" are still growing! Paul TBO (Message edited by palembic on July 11, 2004) | ||
| funky4
New Username: funky4 Post Number: 4 Registered: 5-2004 |
Thanks to ALL for the quick responses and opinions....looks like I'll be searching for, and adding one of these to my rig in the upcoming weeks. Bill....I "love" the 2 Aguilar GS112's that I currently use, as they are a strong compromise between the 115 and 210 combos that I've used in the past....they're full and punchy enough to carry most med to large type of venues that we play in....and when we're playing in smaller clubs I really enjoy the portability of just taking one with me to a gig and getting a little bottom end.....I should also mention that our band uses In-Ear-Monitors and work with a great sound man....so I always seem to be dialed in quickly to what I want to hear, and need to feel... Thanks again for all the responses and good playin out there... ChuckF | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 488 Registered: 7-2003 |
Thanks Chuck - I've been blending a 112 (w/a 6 and tweeter) in with a 210 (Acme LowB-2) and sub. I like the added beef of the 12". It's not a colored sound (meaning - to me - it's very clean), but I like the way the 12 voices the mid notes. I'm adding another 210 (an Eden 210 XST) and will need (due to limits on power and channel configuration) to choose between keeping 2 210s and losing the 112 vs. choosing between the 210s and perhaps adding another 112 or trading up to a 212. The other thing I forgot to mention about the SF: There is an Alembic manual that provides good explanations of ways you can configure your signal chain, choosing between mono and stereo operation, etc. It also provides a "basic" set of filter and mix settings with descriptions of the sound each produces. The reason it is only basic is that all the possible permutations you can set up would consume a phone book. However, the settings described show you a lot about how the filters and mixing function work. If you don't get the manual with the unit you buy, I'm sure Alembic or someone on the Club could get you one. Bill | ||
| hifibassman
Member Username: hifibassman Post Number: 54 Registered: 12-2002 |
Question; Has anyone thought of asking Alembic if they could cram all of the SF2 features onboard in a series bass, creating a sort of "series 3" superbass? I think it would be a wonderful idea since part of the superfilter is already on the series 1 and 2 basses. Is it possible? Or is it overkill? Just an idea... | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 734 Registered: 5-2002 |
Yes, I do remember that question being asked before. And I think the answer was something to the effect of there would not be enough room. | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1413 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother Randell, believe it or not but ...it has been done yet although not in a "Series" bass but in a Rogue with "Standard" humcancelling PU. We have a very wise brother around here called Bob (Novy). If I were you I would send him a mail. It's a nice person and as far as I know he has never eaten a club member who asked him a question about his bass. So fire away ...oh huh ...to him ....questions of course. Part of the construction is to follow in the Factory to Customer dep. See http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/970.html?1067880972 Paul the bad one | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 736 Registered: 5-2002 |
Paul; I haven't seen that bass in a while, thanks for the link. | ||
| hifibassman
Member Username: hifibassman Post Number: 55 Registered: 12-2002 |
Paul, Thanks for the link as well. I've played a few rogues before- those basses most definitely have an awesome sound even with the stock electronics let alone any add ons. I guess it would be next to impossible to have an sf2 setup exactly like series electronics with independent control sets for each pickup, unless Mr. Wickersham designed and fabricated some sort of a micro card (like a micro sized enhanced pf# configuration) with almost all of the sf2 electronics burned on a custom chip of some type. Then all you have to manage is getting all the control pots to fit in there. Now that i think about it, that idea wouldn't work well- possible that the electronics would not be up to the same top quality mil-spec standards if done that way. | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 271 Registered: 11-2002 |
Randell, I'm not sure I would think about your proposal as a "series 3". The term "series" really refers to the style of pickup (single coil) and the supporting electronics, while the filters are a separate matter - the (two) filters you get on a Series 1 are identical to the one or two you get on many of the non-Series instruments. The only special case here is that with a Series II, you get CVQ (continuously variable Q) knobs instead of multi-position switches, and Mica has stated several times that you can't have those on anything other than a Series II, because it is difficult, time-consuming, and therefore very expensive. As you probably know, Series electronics usually require two control cavities, and on a smaller bodied instrument such as the Rogue, the body also has to be enlarged to make the standard cavity bigger. So my guess is that squeezing in the extra stuff to convert two standard filters to two full channels of an SF-2 would be pretty much out of the question. On the other hand... now that Paul TBO has let the cat out of the bag, I happen to have a Rogue (with non-Series pickups) in which the (single) filter is identical to one channel of an SF-2, and it somehow got squeezed into a single cavity in a standard Rogue shape. The filter can be assigned to either, or both, pickups; has the full frequency range of 45Hz-6kHz; CVQ, low/band/high pass modes; and has two knobs for mixing the direct and filter gain for whatever pickups are assigned. In addition to that, there are master volume, pan, and bass and treble pots. Ignore the control layouts in the FTC thread referenced above, those were thrown out a very long time ago. But Dave - now you should understand what the 'filter mode' switch does :-) To me, this is a wonderfully flexible circuit - I can mix in some highs from the neck pickup, or deep lows from the bridge, as a couple of examples - and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Ron did an amazing job, even more than I asked for, but it turned out to be much more difficult than any of us imagined. There are several custom circuit boards, I think all of the pots were hand made, and you wouldn't believe how crammed the control cavity is - for a single filter, and without the Series stuff. I'm not sure how much more I should say about it at this point, I've been waiting for some guidance from Mica or Susan on that. I gave them a check for more than twice what they asked for the electronics upgrade, and they still lost way more than that, but now that the design has been worked out, they may be able to offer it at a reasonable cost... or it could be that Ron just doesn't have the time to fit these in with all his other projects. In any case, I suppose we'll have to get some pictures up one of these days. -Bob | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 740 Registered: 5-2002 |
Bob; congratulations on what must be a wonderful bass! And yes, I suppose some pictures would be nice <g>. The controls configuration sounds like a great idea, and "flexible" does seem to be the appropriate description. Thanks for finally clueing us in on this mystery! | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1422 Registered: 9-2002 |
huhuhuhu ...I've always been great with cats in bags | ||
| hifibassman
Member Username: hifibassman Post Number: 56 Registered: 12-2002 |
thanks Bob for the clarifications. I did also assume that "series" referred to the pickup configuration and the type of bass. I was thinking that the "alembic series 1, or 2" represented the top of the line, the standard that all other basses would be measured by. Based on that interpretation, I figured that if the electronics were extended in features beyond series 2 then it would be logical to call the bass with full independent sf2 electronics a "series 3". Too bad that physical limitations would prevent that. Your rogue bass must have a sound palette that's unmatched even by a series bass. | ||
| musashi
New Username: musashi Post Number: 6 Registered: 5-2004 |
I am in the process of trying to release a bass CD (featuring several different Alembic basses, and some others) and it looks like I'm going to have sacrifice some things in order to make that happen. Therefore I am thinking of selling my SF-2 if anyone is interested. (It has a sticker on the back indicating it is from the first run). Also a Furman power conditioner / tuner / rack light combo unit. For a photo please the section involving Swaps and Wish Lists. | ||
| funky4
New Username: funky4 Post Number: 8 Registered: 5-2004 |
Hi, I'm back and just received my SF-2. I can't wait to try it out this evening. My did NOT come with a manual. Is there a "club member" out there who could point me in the right direction of getting one, or have one that they could send my way? Thanks again for all the opinions leading up to my purchase of this. chuck f | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 776 Registered: 5-2002 |
Have you picked up a manual yet? | ||
| funky4
New Username: funky4 Post Number: 9 Registered: 5-2004 |
Dave...thanks for asking and NO Luck as of yet??....I sent a note to Alembic about a week ago and have not gotten a reply?? I did figure it out to run "mono" and am starting to get some tasty tones from my unit....but I'd really like to have a manual with some basic guidelines. If you have one, or could point me in the direction of getting one I'd REALLY appreciate it. Thanks again for the response chuck f | ||
| adriaan
Advanced Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 287 Registered: 6-2002 |
Use the Search option for SF-2, and you'll find a number of discussions. People have also contributed the settings they use. Now if someone in our Club would have the time and energy to collect those posts and re-post in a separate thread? | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 779 Registered: 5-2002 |
I may have one for you. The folks at Alembic are all busy working on my bass <g>. | ||
| funky4
New Username: funky4 Post Number: 10 Registered: 5-2004 |
Thanks to Andy and Paul ( TBO )for the generous offers, and "Mr Dave Houck" for the delivery of the SF-2 manual this morning. I really appreciate it!!! And I now have one in case anyone else out there in the clubs looking as well??? Now at least I can jump with a "parachute", and I look forward to many hours of twisting knobs to come up with that "ultimate sound" of all things Alembic.... Thanks again to a great group... Chuck F |
