| Author | Message | ||
| erwin
New Username: erwin Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2007 |
Hello folks from the Alembic forum! I have a simple question but it doesnīt go about Alembic at all haha. Well, maybe a little...I have send the neck from my Dingwall bass to the SimS shop to retro fit Laser LEDīs in it. But the thing is, i haven't seen those LEDīs before so i donīt really know what to expect. So i want to ask you guys, what is the big diffrence between Laser LEDīs and the `normal` ones. I mean, you can see that the LEDīs on Mark Kingīs Status basses are really bright. Even on pictures! But the Alembic basses he plays on, who are fitted with the Laser LEDīs, arenīt so bright at all on the pictures! But i think there is a really big diffrence between those two! I do know that the price is 500 more on the custom quote from Alembic... I hope you guys can give me a clear answer and maybe a good picture. Greetings from the Netherlands, Erwin Visser | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 990 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi Erwin and welcome to the club. I'm pretty certain that the front LEDs on Marks' Alembics would just be the standard LEDs. Laser LEDs (on Alembics) are very bright indeed. Graeme | ||
| jorge_s
Intermediate Member Username: jorge_s Post Number: 115 Registered: 8-2002 |
I don't know about all basses with laser LEDs but at least mine has a knob to adjust the brightness. I very seldom turn it all the way up since they are very very bright. | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 666 Registered: 2-2005 |
Isn't an intensity control available for the Laser LED's? That might be why you see a difference in the brightness. Some LED's can be very directional so a photo taken off to the side would not appear as intense as one taken straight on. Keith | ||
| muller1007
Intermediate Member Username: muller1007 Post Number: 119 Registered: 5-2002 |
Mark King definately has the laser leds on his Series 2 basses! It's just a matter of lighting if they seem less bright. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyqumNSuXA8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf1IqA9GEVw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7_Z5lrOIfY | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 18 Registered: 1-2007 |
I have been informed by the staff that the front laser led's offered by Alembic are not real laser's but in fact just super brighter led's than the side ones that they install. Yes they do offer dimmers as well as switches as I have them ordered on my Series II. Paul | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 21 Registered: 1-2007 |
Thanks for the MK U-tube threads. Is Mark King's group a religious band Muller? | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1210 Registered: 6-2002 |
Paul, what makes you think that? There may be the odd reference here and there, but they're definitely not the worship type of band. (Message edited by adriaan on January 11, 2007) | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 22 Registered: 1-2007 |
No I didn't notice anything except they mentioned a few words in the one song I listened to but I couldn't tell. It would have been fine with me anyway. I think it was just kind of spiritually uplifting so to speak. | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2007 |
Hey adriaan, While I got ya, if your still there, I've been reading this other thread, "Shims build thread" and they have been talking alot about the Q switch. I must be under the wrong impression. Can you explain to me what a Q switch does? | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2007 |
Ya Adriaan, now I see, I listened to the other songs. I just listened to that song Lesson in Love, and with the stage setting and everything that's what gave me the slight impression. But now after seeing the other songs, "Nevermind". haha Awesome group though. Is he in any other bands that are on utube? | ||
| muller1007
Intermediate Member Username: muller1007 Post Number: 120 Registered: 5-2002 |
The track "lessons in love" I posted was actually played for an audience including Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. It was at a fund raising concert called the "Prince's Trust" in 1989. Level 42 performed with the City of Birmingham Orchestra and were the main band that evening, playing with lots and lots of big artists. Duncan | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 76 Registered: 10-2006 |
Paul, the Q switch works in conjunction with the filter. The filter knob selects a frequency (between 300Hz & 6KHz) above which response is rolled off at (I believe) 12dB/octave. The Q adds a boost to a narrow band around the filter frequency. There's a detailed discussion here Peter | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 25 Registered: 1-2007 |
Thank you Peter. And Muller thanks, that was cool! | ||
| erwin
New Username: erwin Post Number: 5 Registered: 1-2007 |
I will ask it again on the forum from Status i think... | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 26 Registered: 1-2007 |
So Peter, Is a filter actually a tone control like bass and treble? | ||
| tbrannon
Advanced Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 289 Registered: 11-2004 |
Paul- in the simplest way- yes, it works kind of like a tradional tone knob...But not really. =) Lets put it this way- I'll never forget getting my bass, flicking on the Q Switch, striking an open A and then rolling the filter down- Don't ask me to describe it because all I could say would be, "Sweeeeeeeet!" It's one of those jaw droppers- I was at practice about a week after getting my bass- inbetween songs, I panned back to the bridge pickup and was rolling down the filter trying to find the sound I wanted and both guitarists just stopped dead in their tracks. I'm not a techie, so don't ask me to tell you exactly how it works or even what it does- all I know is that it's a killer tool and about 100 times more flexible and useable than your traditional tone knobs. I'm not much of a recording guy, but I've often thought it would be cool to have a sound file of what I described above- Q on, then play a note and roll the filter down.... I'm not setup to do it for you, but a few here probably are. Perhaps somebody will pick up on this if you're interested. Toby (Message edited by tbrannon on January 11, 2007) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 2005 Registered: 7-2004 |
Paul the Hawaiian One: Alembic uses a low pass filter. At whatever point it is set, it allows all frequencies below to pass through, while preventing the frequencies above that point from passing through. Set fully clockwise (at the traditional "10" position, or "11" if your name is Nigel) it allows everything through. You will find it to be far more useful and sensitive than the traditional run-it-through-a-capacitor tone control. The Q switch boosts the frequency at the cutoff point. When you engage the Q and move the filter back and forth, you get a wah-wah effect as the boosted frequency moves high to low and back again. It is really amazing how much a very slight adjustment to the filter can result in a significant difference in tone. It is one of the main reasons that Alembic instruments have so much tonal flexibility. Bill, tgo (Message edited by lbpesq on January 11, 2007) | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 808 Registered: 11-2002 |
To put it yet another way, a typical treble knob will cut (or boost) everything above a fixed frequency, by varying amounts depending on how far you turn the knob. The low pass filter reduces everything above some particular frequency, at a constant roll-off of 12 dB/octave - except you get to pick what that frequency is, from 6 kHz down to 350 Hz. Then as a bonus, with the Q switch you can add a boost right around the frequency that you selected. The wah-wah effect is cool, but of rather limited use in a playing situation. -Bob | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 668 Registered: 2-2005 |
Bob said, "The wah-wah effect is cool, but of rather limited use in a playing situation. " I don't know how limited Bob but it can save having to buy one more pedal. :-) Keith | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 146 Registered: 10-2005 |
Paul, You have a Series II on order? The Q control on a series II is actually a rotary pot for a continuosly variable boost at the filter frequency. This is the best of all combinations with the most versatility, however, it may have the steepest learning curve, and be the most difficult to get repeat sounds. I have Series 1 experience with a 3 position Q switch. That was superior tone sculpting. I can't imagine a Series II! Too much! Sorry, we've gone slightly off topic. You've ordered laser LED's on your custom? Awesome! Kris | ||
| mele_aloha
Junior Username: mele_aloha Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2007 |
This is Awesome!!! Don't worry Kris. I didn't start this thread. This is just out of the blue the these guys above just explained to me the best thing I have been waiting to here about this bass. See, here on the Big Island where I have been for 16 years there aren't places to go try basses let alone Alembics. I think a funky little music store had one here one time but it was even right handed and I'm a lefty. So this news above is awesome because you guys explained it perfectly. I know exactly what you are talking about when you describe the sound because this is the sound I have been wanting to achieve for so long, or should I say the sound options that I've wanted. That kind of wah sound. With the variation of the wah. And I do understand the rest of it. This is the veriables I have been longing for. I have bought a few other basses like my Carvin and thought that I would finally get that sound. It's the sound that I here alot of pro's play especially in jazz and fusion type music which I love. But no, the Carvin didn't quite have it. There is one position that I can almost get it but the rest of the sound stinks. It's just not an Alembic. So as of tonite you guys finally gave me an explanation of the filter and the Q that I was hoping they were. Sounds pretty naieve doesn't it? But believe me this is what I have been waiting to here. I am so excited now after reading these posts in a thread which wasn't even meant to be the place to explain it to me. I've wanted that sound for so long and I figured if I finally just paid the most for the best bass that Alembic makes I would be able to get it. Plus I was listening mullers utube links of MK and it really assured me that the Alembic would be what I was waiting for. Now the only problem is that I am so stoked and I have to wait 9 months or so. Oh well-- Thank you guys so much. You have really welcomed me without making me feel less than. Alohas, Paul I am going to finally reveil my order if I can upload it but I'll put it in the appropriate thread. Thanks again! (Message edited by mele_aloha on January 11, 2007) | ||
| erwin
New Username: erwin Post Number: 6 Registered: 1-2007 |
Better start a new thread for that Q shizzle. Didn't get an answer at all... | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 993 Registered: 10-2002 |
Erwin. The first 5 replies pretty much answered your query. To reiterate, the Alembic Laser LEDs are very, very bright indeed. Another MK owner here in edinburgh has them and you could use them as runway lights. graeme | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 3988 Registered: 6-2000 |
The front Laser LEDs are at least 1,000 times brighter than the side position marker LEDs. There are a variety of intensities available. Not every color is available in every intensity. Now there are LEDs that are so bright they are unsafe to use as fingerboard markers since someone looking at them could damage their sight with the intensely bright light. Side LEDs are about 2mm in diameter and the Laser LEDs are 5mm. There are some superbright LEDs that are 3mm. | ||
| erwin
New Username: erwin Post Number: 7 Registered: 1-2007 |
I'm very sorry about my responce but i hop you'll understand. Thank you very much Mica! And i want to let you all know that i just LOVE Alembic. Had one before but i have got a electric shock from one so i dont want to have one for a while...But i will have one in the future ;-) Greetings, Erwin | ||
| j_gary
Advanced Member Username: j_gary Post Number: 233 Registered: 6-2005 |
No worries Erwin. I got such a big shock the first time I played an Alembic, I bought three of them. Trying to buy another. |
