| Author | Message | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2008 |
First I'd like to say hello to everyone as I am a new member. I just purchased what is believed to be a Fernandes PB alembic bass. It looks like a Fender neckthrough P-bass but has the Alembic style electronics. The previous owner messed the wiring up (for reasons unknown) and I need help figuring out how to fix it back to original. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you Rooster | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3306 Registered: 7-2004 |
Rooster: Welcome to the club. Without a picture, I can't be sure, but from your description it sounds like you have a "Masterhand". I have the guitar version, which can be seen here. There are some Japanese sites with info on these instruments. I believe if you search this site you should find some links. Mine also came with lunched electronics. The word is that, while the wood work on the Fernandes instruments was quite good, the electronics paled in camparison to Alembic. I replaced the electronics in mine with Alembic humcancelling pick ups, low pass filter, and "Q" switch. I love it. Good luck with yours. Bill, the guitar one | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Advanced Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 214 Registered: 5-2007 |
Welcome to the club | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thank you for your help Bill. Beautiful guitar by the way. I don't think mine is a Masterhand but it may be as my knowledge of fernandes guitars and basses is pretty thin. I bought this bass in a guitar/pawnshop for a hundred dollars not knowing actually what it was until I did a little research. The only thing that makes me think it is in fact a fernandes is the picture second from the bottom at this link. http://www8.plala.or.jp/alembic/copy_gallery.html Here are some pics of my bass. I think they are very close to the same.      (Message edited by Rooster009 on October 06, 2008) | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thank you Funkyjazzjunky | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 592 Registered: 11-2004 |
rooster009-Welcome to our great forum. The pu's look like Kent Armstrong Alembic Style, I know as I have two lurking around somewhere in my garage. Most modern Alembic pu's are either embossed or have gold lettering. The electronics are definitely not Alembic as again there are no solderless connectors or marks on the pre amp card.(Seems to be a lot of transistors present- those black semi sircular components - never seen that on any Activator package!!) Looking at that mess it would be difficult in where to start but if you are confident in sorting it out then unsoldering every wire from every component with a marking diagram to identify where each wire goes would be a start. | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 4 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thank you Terryc. I really don't know If this is a actual Fernandes or not, but it is pretty close to one. Thanks for the heads up on the pickups. I wonder did he also make a preamp to go with the pickups? If so That would help narrow done the electronics part. I'm hoping someone with a Fernandes copy of an Alembic will be able to help me out by shooting some pics of their control cavity. Maybe the preamp is the same. If not then I don't know where else to turn at the moment. I will however search for Kent Armstrong stuff as well. The wiring is quite a mess. some of the wires on the preamp aren't even hooked up. At the moment only the back pickup is hooked up to the preamp with just one volume no tone. It would probably be easier to just buy Alembic pickups and electronics to put in it, if i can find them for a reasonable price. I will keep searching for now though as I have many other basses to play while I fix this one. Thanks again for the advice. I am confident I can sort it out once I get a little more background on the instrument. | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1137 Registered: 2-2005 |
My guess is the electronics/pickups are the original Fernandes Series 1 copies. The pots would be for setting the output and hum canceling. I suspect the disconnected brown wire is from a pickup and you might also have a disconnected hum canceling pickup. I can't say how to hook it all back up but I wouldn't be surprised that the wires were disconnected because of bad pickups or circuits. Keith | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3307 Registered: 7-2004 |
Rooster: What you have there is a Fernandes PB. You can see one here. Scroll down near the bottom. Bill, tgo | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 5 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thanks everyone. I have decided that I will start by buying a new preamp, then maybe some pickups as well. Does Alembic make a onboard preamp? Everything Alembic I have found is outboard and priced beyond what I would spend on this guitar. Also what kind of tone can I expect from Alembic pickups ( HIFI or Vintage )? | ||
| mario_farufyno
New Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 8 Registered: 9-2008 |
Usually Alembic harnesses are more expensive than ordinary PUs and Preamps. I think it will be more affordable asking for the wiring diagram in Fernandes's Site. I don't think you could call "vintage sounding" anything from Alembic, to me they're the ultimate definition of modern and hifi... | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1963 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hifi, as in "true to the source". Not cold or characterless. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 596 Registered: 11-2004 |
To add my bit..whether it be the activators or an Alembic bass,the sound is unique and to everyone in the club it is the best sound. The good points are clarity, an almost infinite number of tonal options, no loss of signal with long cables, no loss of tone when the volume is turned down..and much more. The bad points...the pu's will emphasise any sloppy playing technique so they educate you to play better as well. Oh yes..they are expensive To add, that website ibpesq linked..are they direct copies of Alembics..surely they are infringing copyright there even though there is no logo on the headstock! | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 6 Registered: 10-2008 |
Terryc would you be interested in getting rid of those Kent Armstrong pickups you referred to. I did some checking and the reason the front pickup was unhooked is because it is dead. So I'm in need of a new pickup. Also I took your advice and unhooked everything and labeled it. I will start trying to rewire it next week when I'm off work. thanks again | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 7 Registered: 10-2008 |
I mentioned earlier that I have decided to buy a new preamp. Well as of right know I have decided to try and use the stock preamp. If I can't get it to work then I have decided to go with the Audere 3zm preamp. The reason I chose the Audere instead of a Alembic preamp is much in part due to cost. I understand about the Alembic quality but lets face it, this bass is no Alembic and to sink that kind of money into it is pointless. So I think I'll save a little money here and buy a real Alembic in the future, maybe a Rogue. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 598 Registered: 11-2004 |
rooster009 - I shall look in the garage but I really cannot remember the last time I saw them. when you say it is dead..you mean that there is no signal from the leads. If I can remember those Kents were cast in epoxy and are near indestructable. There should be a row of solder points on them for series/parallel wiring. It would take some force or maybe an electrical surge to destroy them. If you unsolder the suspect pu and take a pic maybe we all could help in getting it working again. As said I will have a look in my warehouse bins. | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 8 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thanks Terryc. I'll try to take some pics and post this evening. I'm pretty sure it's dead though. I Ohmed it out and got nothing, I'll take pics of that as well. If you can find them and Wouldn't mind parting with them I would appreciate it. Just let me know cost and shipping. Thanks again. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 607 Registered: 11-2004 |
rooster009 -sorry, I am unable to find those PU's, I must have given them away or lost them when I moved house, I did look on the Kent A website and they are not listed there so I guess they were deleted from his inventory. The only good point was I cleared a load of rubbish out of my garage...maybe that is why I haven't got them now as I may have dumped them in the past..oops Again apologies for not having them, still waiting for pics though so we can suggest something. I know you put a meter on them but did you try tapping the pu with a steel rod whilst the bass was connected, I would hook the wires directly to a socket or crocodile clips and then to an amp to see if they work. | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 9 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thanks for looking Terryc. It was worth a shot anyway. sorry to put you through so much trouble. Work has taken me out of town for a couple of weeks so as soon as I get back I'll post some pics of the pickups. Thanks again. | ||
| rooster009
New Username: rooster009 Post Number: 10 Registered: 10-2008 |
Just got back last night. I will post some pics sometime today. I hope everyone is still interested in helping me to find some suitable pickups for my project. I can't wait to get it completed. | ||
| rooster009
Junior Username: rooster009 Post Number: 11 Registered: 10-2008 |
well, here are the dimensions. I need recommendations for new pups. Terryc, I tried wiring straight to the jack and got very little signal from the Kent Armstrong pickup, which leads me to believe it is a active pickup. I still can't get it to read on my meter though. Any suggestions? I'm looking for HiFi tone. I plan on buying an Audere preamp.   | ||
| rooster009
Junior Username: rooster009 Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2008 |
Ok, I've done some research. Bartolini makes a pickup in this style and size. Looks like I'm going to replace the low output neck pup with the bart for now, then maybe the bridge pup as well. It's called a W4c. This along with the audere preamp should get me going on this bass. Thanks to all that have helped. |
