| Author | Message | ||
| shim
New Username: shim Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2006 |
I ordered my dream bass to Alembic. My bass will have the signature electronics, but I cannot decide the type of Pick-up. Valentino wrote he could get the better sound by exchanging AXYs to FatBoy, but, I cannot hear the sound sample of them. Any other opinion?? or do you have any sound-samples to get a idea about pick-up? please help me. :D | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1104 Registered: 9-2002 |
I had AXY's in the BigRedBass for several years before venturing out and retrofitting it with FatBoys. The AXYs are perfectly clear and sound as if they have a relatively flat frequency response. They are very honest in their presentation. They remind me of studio monitors' very equal presentation of material with little coloration. The FatBoys seem more muscular, a meatier presentation. They impart more punch, all else being equal. Other musicians not prone to saying anything about my tone all suddenly began inquiring what had I done to that bass, it sounds great. I had to agree. I liked the AXYs, but I'm just crazy about the FatBoys. I would NOT go back to AXYs, and they were very good. I just prefer the FatBoys. J o e y | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1105 Registered: 9-2002 |
I had AXY's in the BigRedBass for several years before venturing out and retrofitting it with FatBoys. The AXYs are perfectly clear and sound as if they have a relatively flat frequency response. They are very honest in their presentation. They remind me of studio monitors' very equal presentation of material with little coloration. The FatBoys seem more muscular, a meatier presentation. They impart more punch, all else being equal. Other musicians not prone to saying anything about my tone all suddenly began inquiring what had I done to that bass, it sounds great. I had to agree. I liked the AXYs, but I'm just crazy about the FatBoys. I would NOT go back to AXYs, and they were very good. I just prefer the FatBoys. J o e y | ||
| the_8_string_king
Advanced Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 289 Registered: 9-2005 |
Joey, do you prefer Fatboys for both pickups, or for only the bridge pickup -as I seem to recall hearing another club member saying they were "too much" or something to that effect -on/for the neck pickup. I ask because they've started working on my custom, and I could ask them to put Fatboys in one or both pickups. | ||
| lidon2001
Advanced Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 271 Registered: 4-2005 |
FatBoys were too much for my neck pickup on my medium scale bass with the neck pickup moved closer to the neck. I assume it was from the strings being a bit looser on the shorter scale. With a longer scale, and I believe Shim has his neck pickup moved a bit back towards the bridge, I would think that Valentino's suggestion is the way to go, as are most suggestions made by the fine folks at Alembic. | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 790 Registered: 11-2002 |
I've also commented that I thought a FatBoy was too much for the neck, but Joey prefers using them in both positions. From what I recall reading here, I think there's a pretty even split of opinion, though maybe a slight preference (among those who have tried) for using them in both positions. The one thing I'm pretty sure of is that if you have a choice, it would be crazy not to put a FatBoy at the bridge. If I were choosing a pickup for a position halfway between the standard neck and bridge positions, I would certainly try a FatBoy first, and expect to stick with it. But it's all a matter of taste, as always, and I think you probably have to hear them yourself to make a decision. My suggestion would be to go with one of each, then swap them around. Whatever you choose, worst case is you end up buying one pickup, and it probably won't be a second AXY. -Bob | ||
| shim
New Username: shim Post Number: 9 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thax. so Joey suggest the both position Fatboy, and Bob suggest the only neck pick-up FatBoy... right? Bob~ but, I cannot hear them myself to make a decision, because in Korea most alembics have only AXYs, not FatBoy. I really want to hear them.... I feel the AXYs too clean. Thanx Joey, the_8_string_king, Bob... :D Anyother opinion??? -Shim | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1424 Registered: 3-2004 |
I have two short scale basses. One has AXYs and Europa electronics, the other has FatBoys and Signature electronics. Both have the neck pickup pushed closer to the neck. It's like the difference between single coils and humbuckers in terms of tone. The wood recipes are different, so it's not apples to apples, but the FatBoys just sound fat. I think it's a matter of finding the right pickup height and gain settings. I suspect that if you just swapped a higher-output FatBoy in for an AXY and made no other tweaks, it would be too much. However, a careful rebalance should make it work just fine. Logically, I would almost want to try the reverse. A FatBoy in the neck position for warm Motown tones and an AXY at the bridge for crisp treble accents. Of course, the treble on an Alembic is so present to begin with that the FatBoy still works great there. Again, it would be critical to match the gains and heights. That would be a challenge with this config since you'd be putting the lower output pickup at the lower output position. I would say that they are two different tools with different tones. I would go for the FatBoys for a vintage tone and the AXYs for a more modern sound or for chording that needs the tighter definition. Just my opinion... -bob Oh, and if you go with one of each to consider swapping, make sure they both get made with equal length lead wires so they reach from either position. | ||
| the_8_string_king
Advanced Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 290 Registered: 9-2005 |
Wow, I got a thanks, and I didn't even contribute anything! Hey Shim, congratulations on commissioning your custom! Joey, Tom, Bob, thanks for your input. I have to say I'm pretty interested at this point -based on what you guys have said (along with previous raves/testimonials)- on getting the FatBoy pickups for my 6-String custom that they've started on. I'm planning on getting the Balance K Omega body (the only thing that might affect that is concern over whether the "reach" required to reach the 1st fret would be greater than that of a Europa of the same [34 inch] scale). I can't remember if Mica said the Balance K comes with AXYs or MXYs, but I'm pretty sure she said the FatBoys fit right in (without the need for further routing). (If so) I'm interested in getting a FatBoy for the bridge pickup, and the standard (whichever it is) pickup for the neck. Now my neck pickup should be in the standard position. But hey, does anyone happen to know the retail $ for a second FatBoy & that of the standard pickup -in case, after getting the bass, I decide that I either want to swap the standard neck pickup for another FatBoy, or to swap the FatBoy for the standard pickup? And can anyone confirm that FatBoys are readily switchable with the standard pickups on the Balance K? I'm 99% sure Mica said they were -but I'd like to be 100% sure! Thanks, gang! | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1426 Registered: 3-2004 |
FatBoys and AXYs are exactly the same size. If you order your bass with AXYs, then you can drop it right in. What you get depends on your base electronics package. I think you get MXY with Set-neck and Essence/Europa/Rogue basses and AXY with Signature basses. Of course, you can order whatever shape you want and I doubt there's much, if any, upcharge to switch pickup shapes. No idea on the cost... Were I in your shoes, I would order one AXY and one FatBoy in whichever positions you prefer. Then you can swap them back and forth to check your preferences. This means you will have to only buy one additional pickup in the worst case. On the other hand, if you order two AXYs and prefer FatBoys in both spots, you'll need to order two more... By the way, reach to the first fret of a Balance K should be the same or shorter as compared to a Europa. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1106 Registered: 9-2002 |
Yeah, B, that's a great idea: Get one of each and it's NOTHING to swap them back to front. It's gonna take longer to unstring/re-string than to unplug them and switch them. The crazy thing is you only remove the two screws you can see, swap them, put the two screws back, and they're still in EXACTLY the same height! The BigRedBass is a long scale, standard Omega shape, so my neck pickup is in the traditional spot, next to the truss-rod cutout at the end of the fingerboard. I basically set my heights with the neck pickup about halfway between the top of the body and the bottom of the strings, and the neck pickup halves that height again closer to the strings. My trims are set with a slight rearward bias to add that bridge pickup zing on top of the front pickup beef. I have the 4-way selector, no pan. I originally tried the AXY in front with the FatBoy aft, but the FatBoys are so delicious to me I prefer them in both places. I would rather have a little too much of something and thin it out rather than having to really boost something that is barely there. I'm finally to the point I want as little tone modification as possible, and I preferred a little thinning to a lot of boosting. My friend Bob likes 1 and 1 on his fretless, which I could see for him. Bob has VERY good ears, not surprising as the rest of him is first-class, too. J o e y | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1107 Registered: 9-2002 |
Oh, and BTW: Be sure if you order replacement AXYs/FatBoys that you let Mica or Val know WHAT fingerboard width you have. The BigRedBass is a classic taper five-string. So I told Val to send me a FatBoy 5/6. Guess what? Classic taper fives actually take a FatBoy four ! ! OOOOOPPPPSSS! Once I got the right one, they ARE utterly interchangeable, same size. J o e y | ||
| shim
New Username: shim Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thanx Everyone. :D Because I cannot hear the differences between AXYs and FatBoy, so your suggestions are so helpful. So.... your suggestion is... AXYs for Neck pick-up, and FatBoy for Bridge Pick-up?? PS : Because I'm poor at English, so Frankly speaking, I might not be able to understand whole of your words;;;; I worry about it. | ||
| shim
Junior Username: shim Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2006 |
And, I want to get the sound like Jimmy Johnson. To get this sound, which one is good for me?? | ||
| the_8_string_king
Advanced Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 296 Registered: 9-2005 |
By the way, thanks to all you guys, Shim for raising this topic and bringing it to the forefront of my attention, and Joey, Tom and the Bobs for their comments. Bassed on your feedback, I'm going to tell Mica I'd like to get the Fatboy for the Bridge pickup, and see if this costs extra. If it doesn't, I'll go for it, and ask that the wires are long enough to allow swapping. It sounds like I can't go wrong with it. But -this is probably a really stupid question- ... I really want this bass to have a FLAMING Coco Bolo sound... the Fatboy couldn't... I dunno, make it sound less... "Coco-Boloier"... could it? That's probably a dumb question, but if any of you FatBoy lovers can answer it, I'd appreciate it! Thanks again you guys! You done educated me good! And I think it just might have a significant effect on my finished sound... which, if so, would be no small thing! Time for my behind to go to sleep! Night, y'all! | ||
| jtussing
New Username: jtussing Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2006 |
Hate to ask a stupid question, but can anyone tell me what the center pickup / plate / whatever it is on the Series II electronics is? I refer to the thing between the two "normal" pickups. Thanks! | ||
| 5stringho
Member Username: 5stringho Post Number: 64 Registered: 11-2006 |
Jim, The center pickup/plate on the Series is a "Dummy Pickup". The Series pickups are single-coil, and Alembic uses the Center Plate for humcancelling purposes without changing the tone of the Single coils. GO BUCKS!!!! The 'Ho | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1108 Registered: 9-2002 |
Eight, I've played Will Gunn's Cocobolo Fantasy COTM (c-t-c coco, ebony laminates) with its FatBoy 5/6's . . . sure didn't sound like mahogany or myrtle to me ! ! BTW, Will has this fabulous axe, unplayed and with a new warranty at a hell of a savings (www.willgunnguitars.com). Will is of course the only stocking, exclusively ALEMBIC dealer. Check it out, it's gonna make somebody one hell of a buy. J o e y | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1428 Registered: 3-2004 |
Joey, great ad! If I am reading it correctly, you're saying that you've played the "unplayed" bass that Will has for sale? Impressive, red one.  | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1109 Registered: 9-2002 |
B, for the life of me, I can't understand how Will got that one and left it alone . . . it's not mint, it's brand new. But Will goes back with ALEMBIC to the 70s and has been through the stage of a Series 2, stereo'd out to two amps, one for each pickup. He's having a very simple four-string made for himself to go back to his R + B roots. I can't think of a better guy to order a new one from. Knows them encyclopedically, and the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. I can't believe he moved back to Iowa, I was gonna have a good friend and a stock of ALEMBICs four miles from my home . . . so if that's an ad, OK. But it IS going to make somebody a hell of an axe at a great savings. J o e y | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1429 Registered: 3-2004 |
No doubt, I just got a kick out of playing the unplayed instrument. Sounded like something out of Spinal Tap. I did the five string thing for most of ten years and I am back to fours for the past two or three. Part back to the roots, part wish to focus on improving playing skill rather than using the "crutch" of extra notes readily available under the fingers. But, since I think neither one of us has any more to say on the topic of AXY vs FatBoy at the moment, maybe we should just take the rest of the day off. Happy 2007!!!! | ||
| georgie_boy
Intermediate Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 182 Registered: 8-2005 |
Have to agree with you on the idea of sticking with 4 strings!! It DOES improve playing styles Just my $0.02 for the new year Take care G | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1110 Registered: 9-2002 |
I came to five-strings in the mid-80's after they became available from regular manufacturers. I never was comfortable on a four string as I'd begin a certain run in first position and invariably have to finish it up the neck way too often. With the five I can play a two-octave run across the fingerboard in the space of a few frets. I just see the fingerboard in a lot more linear fashion on a five. I would not go back to a four, don't even own one, wouldn't know what to do with one. I think it's down to the player: I know guys that kill on a four, and I know guys that kill on a six or seven. By the same token we all know people that can't find their butt with both hands and a flashlight regardless of WHAT they're playing. I wish I could say sticking with a (your choice here) improves your playing, but I just can't. I look at learning on my chosen instrument to be no harder because of an extra string than I would to say it's easier if I had one less string. I double on keys, maybe that's it: I never think a 61-keys synth is somehow limited as it's not an 88-key piano. They're just different and good in their own ways. I know lots of 'former' five or six string guys that are back on a Jazz and loving it. And if that's where their musical journey takes them, I couldn't be happier. But for me and my own trip, I got better, faster, on a five, as it just suited me better. It's very easy to be hammered into playing 'what you're supposed to play' by friends and peers. Witness the endless 'where's the Fender?' stories. I get the occasional, 'Hey, you gotta take one string off that thing!' when I show up: Nobody EVER says it AFTER I play. Because, really, aside from the occasional low root C or D, if you don't see the axe and I'm fitting in perfectly in the charts, HOW would you know? J o e y | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1432 Registered: 3-2004 |
I was going to answer, but I remembered this was the AXY vs. FatBoy thread, not the four vs. five thread... | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4671 Registered: 5-2002 |
Mark said, "the Fatboy couldn't... I dunno, make it sound less... "Coco-Boloier"... could it?". I think it's a good question; I don't know the answer but I think it's a good question. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1433 Registered: 3-2004 |
That's a question for someone who has done a pickup swap. My cocobolo-topped SC was ordered with FatBoys and never had an AXY in it. As such, I can't say what a change would do to the tone. It does sound very full as is, though, so I don't particularly want to change it around. I can't imagine the native woody character of the tone changing with a different pickup, though. I suspect the AXY might just be a little thinner and crisper. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1344 Registered: 4-2004 |
maybe i can add 2 cents wolf originally had 2 axy's i swapped out for as fat boy at the bridge what i immediately noticed was more mid range warmth on the fat boy while it is a matter of choice, i yield to my in house guru val who thinks fat boys at the neck are too much. i have also found that slightly adjusting the pu height on the axy neck can greatly affect the sound with minor adjustments my height on both wolf and scooter are neck axy- slightly up on low end and a bit higher on the g string my fat boy is high on the low string and down a bit on the g i like a warm g string but not overly bright which is one of the reasons i switched over to d'darrio chromes along with their higher tension than the TI flats- chrome g strings are really full sounding naturally where you are playing the string comes into play- i find the sweet full low sounds are right about where my neck ends, most balanced sound over the neck pu and best light sound bout a .750 in front on the fat boy best part is now playing with scooters controls hope this helped flax (Message edited by flaxattack on January 03, 2007) | ||
| bumhucker
Member Username: bumhucker Post Number: 100 Registered: 3-2006 |
anyone have an AXY they'd sell me? (Message edited by bumhucker on January 05, 2007) | ||
| lindoom
Junior Username: lindoom Post Number: 15 Registered: 1-2004 |
bumhucker e mail sent I'm up for a trade an AXY for a FatBoY |
