| Author | Message | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi I just purchased a used Alembic Epic 5 Strings, with the following Serial No.: 93W7974 USA It has what look like two Q Switches/filters, on top of the four knobs. Thanks for the help. Gaby | ||
| locutusofborg10
Member Username: locutusofborg10 Post Number: 52 Registered: 11-2002 |
gaby if these are indeed q switch/filters please let me know. i have an epic 4 and would love to put a q switch/filter on mine. if they are q circuits, we'll find out how to put them in. locutus | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1099 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Gaby; I'm a bit confused by your description, could you post a picture? | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 573 Registered: 3-2004 |
The description sounds like signature electronics. I suppose it is possible that someone would have ordered an Epic that way, but we'll see when the wood card gets pulled or a picture shows up. | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi there Thank you all for your replies; maybe you've noticed that this was my first posting (on this forum), as this is my first Alembic - definitely not my last, if this 93' Epic is a (cheap?) example of the Alembic extraordinary sound quality and versatility. The first time I've plugged it in, I was literally blown away by its sound, the sustain and since then I almost every day find a new tonal option - I guess the two filters help also (please bear in mind that all this happened after I just tried my new/ used Zon 5, which isn't a bad bass either). OK. I know you like pictures more than words, so just a word of precaution before: I found this bass on eBay, and it has seen heavy duty service, from its appearance - but by the way it handles itself, that's just another testimonial to the amazing durability of the Alembic products, I think. Without further a do      | ||
| lowlife
Intermediate Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 158 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hi Gaby and welcome to the club. Great looking bass; enjoy. Ellery (Lowlife) | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2004 |
Sorry for the mess - I'm still sorting out the photos department. I'm a new member, what can I say... here's a picture of my Zon 5, as a way to say "sorry"  | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1100 Registered: 5-2002 |
My guess is that you have signature electronics, but that they were added sometime after the bass was built. Hopefully, Val will notice this thread and clue us in. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 574 Registered: 3-2004 |
Have to agree on that. You can know for sure by setting the volume up and panning fully to one pickup. Then spin one of the "filter" knobs back and forth. to see if it has a wah-wah effect. If it doesn't, flip a toggle switch and try it again. If you find a set that works together, spin the pan fully the other way and the other filter/switch should now do the same thing. The typical signature setup is that each filter is applied only to one pickup. The Q switch controls the amount of boost applied at the knee frequency of the filter. When the Q switch is off, the filters are simply a hi-cut. With the Q switch on, there is an additional mid-boost that sweeps with the filter. This is what creates the wah-wah effect when you spin the filter knob. It's possible that there's something else in there, but this would be the most likely. -Bob | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 5 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thank you Ellery for the welcome. Regarding the electronics, I still haven't heard from Val, but I think I can hear the "wah-wah" effect that Bob mentioned (or it's just in my head). Either way, the bass sounds fabulous. Could any of you help me with finding once an forever what each knob is supposed to do (except the volume one, which is the top left one when holding the guitar and looking down on it)? Thanks again for the replies, guys. | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 642 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hi Gaby, let me extend my welcome also. The knob next to the volume is a pickup pan. The two on the bottom are treble and bass. At least that's the set up on my Epic but it hasn't been modified. Anyway it's a great bass and since they seem to be somehow underappreciated Epics can be had at very good prices. Enjoy. The Zon is nice too BTW. Sam | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 578 Registered: 3-2004 |
Probably the knob just back toward the bridge from volume is the pickup pan (bottom left in your terms). Set all the other knobs at full and spin the pan knob. The bassier direction will be the neck pickup. Once you know this, set the pan to fully favor the neck pickup and sustain a note. Spin the filter knobs and one should change the tone while the other has no effect. The one that matters will be the neck filter and the other should be the bridge filter. Now, spin the neck filter looking for the wah-wah sound. Flip one of the toggle switches and try again. The switch that makes the wah-wah appear and disappear would be the neck Q switch. The remaining switch would then have to be the bridge Q switch. Set the pan fully in favor of the bridge pickup and repeat the filter and Q switches to verify this. -Bob | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thank you Sam I agree with you - the Epic seems to be an unknown model to the masses that would rather buy a factory Fender for the same amount of money, not knowing what they're missing (I had Fenders before, and the Epic is in a different class altogether, in my subjective opinion). At least it keeps the price of used entry level Alembics relatively low, which is great. After my experience I believe every bass player should at least try the Alembics once in his lifetime - to have something to compare the other brands by. I must lend a hand or two to the domestic chores now, or my wife will sell the bass on eBay when I'm not at home - not enough time left in a day to play this instrument; Bob, thank you for your time - I'll let you know what I've found after I try your instructions. And where is Val when he's needed? Regards to all. Gaby | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 582 Registered: 3-2004 |
Alembic is very busy these days. Not only is it prime vacation season, but they're furiously answering questions for all the people trying to make ordering decisions before the end of the year. It's got to be worse than usual over there in terms of traffic right now. | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2004 |
Bob, your last instructions did the trick, and they were spot on; so these toggle switches are "the signature" electronics? Which Alembic models have these usually? Thank you for your help in sorting my knobs and switches - electronically speaking, of course. Regards Gaby | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 584 Registered: 3-2004 |
Oddly enough, Signature electronics are standard in Signature basses. Commonly, that's the Mark King and Stanley Clarke lines, though there's a European EVH model that is rare domestically. The electronics are the same in both the standard and deluxe versions of these basses. Otherwise, you can probably have them as a factory option in just about anything except the small-bodied Essence. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2195 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's what's in the file for your bass: top: Koa pinstripe: Maple body: Mahogany neck: Maple fingerboard: Ebony original electronics: Epic pickups: MXY56 sold to: Guitar Center birthday: October 28, 1993 There are no notes about us modifying the electronics in this bass. I also notice the switch by the output jack is not our standard color. Maybe you can take the backplate off and post a picture of what's inside so we can try and figure out what the added switches do. | ||
| gaby
New Username: gaby Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Mica, Thank you for the information; I bought this bass on eBay, without ever having played an Alembic before, only because what I've heard about the products you're company is making (their quality, that is), and also noticing the extra toggles next to what looked like the usual knobs. To cut a long story short, since I started playing this guitar I'm each time surprised again by its tonal qualities and variations - it's a great bass. Here are the photos of the electronics behind the backplate, maybe you can shed some light on this mystery. Thank you and Happy Holidays!!     | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 430 Registered: 6-2002 |
The serial # in the cavity plus the 1993 date means you have one of the very earliest Epics - congrats! Just wondering if this is an actual Signature package, and if it would fit into my Epic as well? Looks as if the cavity is larger than normal. | ||
| gaby
Junior Username: gaby Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thanks, Adriaan. I also wonder how many (Epic)predecessors this Epic had, if any...? I'm still waiting for Mica's evaluation of the electronics package, as they seem to have no record of Alembic doing any work on this bass. So I really have no idea what it is, except what my ears tell me: "play that tune again, Sam!" Cheers | ||
| gaby
Junior Username: gaby Post Number: 13 Registered: 12-2004 |
Adriaan, I understand you have defretted your Epic some time ago; can you put in words the difference that made to the bass sound? Coming from violin I really enjoy playing fretless, but I'm not sure if I should transform this particular guitar into fretless (afraid not to lose its current qualities...). | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 432 Registered: 6-2002 |
Gaby, Didn't do the defretting myself, to be honest - but indeed like yours it's a koa Epic. I think Mica once mentioned that koa is a favourite at Alembic for fretless basses ... To my ears, the bass still has the same tone of voice as before, just that the articulation has changed - a lot. TI Jazz Flats are giving me a grand, blooming low end response on the E string, which in retrospect didn't exist when the frets were still on it. Pluck it the right way and it will give you a nice upright-like tone. As with all Alembics, the way you hit the strings can produce very different sounds - and it allows you to dig in deep. Especially playing over the top "frets", you can really make it sing. Obviously you lose some of the sustain, but that's a natural trade-off. You will need to make changes to the nut to make the strings sit lower - I still have to take a file to the underside, as the nut has been floating without the separate base plate underneath ........ uh, if you find this confusing then take a closer look at the nut, as it is one of those features unique to Alembic. Fret not, enjoy! | ||
| gaby
Junior Username: gaby Post Number: 14 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thank you for the insight; I use also TI Jazz Flats with my custom fretless (until today maker unknown - see pics), and they're great strings for fretless.... I think I'll wait with the defretting for a while...maybe until the next Alembic?     | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 435 Registered: 6-2002 |
Very nice for an anonymous bass (headstock inspired by Kenneth Lawrence?). Intriguing bridge, by the way - does it have piezos? I just opened the control plate on my Epic, and the outline of the cavity is the same as on yours (no camera at hand right now, sorry). Well, let's see if someone can confirm whether yours has Signature electronics. | ||
| gaby
Junior Username: gaby Post Number: 15 Registered: 12-2004 |
The piezos are RMC , with midi 13 pin connector, which makes for interesting experiments when connected to a Yamaha G50 (pitch to midi device), and from there to any available midi synth. I'm still waiting for Mica, or anybody else with some electronics experience, to clarify the issue, although from my experiments it seems to be "signature".  | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 588 Registered: 3-2004 |
That's what mine looks like - same part numbers for the filters anyway. I can't see your pan control, but if you think you have a pan, it's hard to mistake it for something else. It's got to be signature electronics. |
