| Author | Message | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4733 Registered: 6-2002 |
NBD to report on the back to the future day as well. Firstly the good news, well great news, well amazing news..... actually ecstatic news....... I'm now the owner of a series I short scale small body bass. :-) You guys have heard my woes about not being able to find one for years so now I will shut up about that part but. MAN!!!!!! this bass is _______________ and so _________________ absolutely________________________ ( choose your words). Pierryves you can keep the blackwood bass... ok... ok that was a little exaggeration but you get the picture. The sound is nothing like i expected to come from my fingers. It is an amazing sounding instrument and at just about 9.5lbs its my lightest bass. The neck feels narrower too although slightly deeper but comfortable and nothing like a baseball bat neck. I'm astounded at how great it sounds. I was planning to take it on my gig next week.... until........... However..... Why does there have to be a downside.... :-(, This is not supposed to happen when you eventually get that long dreamed about bass. Well, when the bridge filter control is full on with the q switch on it has a sharp ear piercing squeal each time I move the filter from fully open to just off fully open. Doesn't happen on the neck pickup and is hardly noticeable if the bridge q-switch is off. Any solutions. I'm about to contact Mica and have already emailed the seller to let him know that I'm not happy with this because one of the questions I asked him was about any noises the bass made and I was assured that it was quieter than his previous other alembic series basses. I'm just gonna post a link on to drop box so mica can get an idea of the sound. Then I will repost it here. But at the moment I'm pretty deflated....! https://www.dropbox.com/s/8rwa0yh79syj2qp/SeriesI-Squeal.mp3?dl=0 | ||
| jimmyj
Senior Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 608 Registered: 8-2008 |
Jazzyvee, Congrats on the new baby! The squeal is most likely an indicator that the filter control pot has not been turned for a few years. With the bass off (so you don't call all the dogs in the neighborhood) turn that pot from full to off about 100 times to exorcize out the demons. While you're at it, do the same for all pots and switches. That should be the answer! Jimmy J | ||
| moongerm
Advanced Member Username: moongerm Post Number: 301 Registered: 8-2013 |
Jimmy J to the rescue! Yeah! | ||
| stephenr
Intermediate Member Username: stephenr Post Number: 120 Registered: 9-2014 |
Congratulations on your long awaited "new" bass! I had a couple of odd squeals and random noises when I pulled out my 78 series bass after a long hiatus and the knob twiddling thing definitely cleared it up. If that is the only issue you are golden. Let us know how you make out. Enjoy! | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4734 Registered: 6-2002 |
I've done the twiddling stuff on all the knobs and switches and whilst it's a little less squeaky it's still there if I open up the bridge filter. At the moment nothing else. A little his in the output that I don't get from my other basses but maybe a little check of the hum cancelling system may sort that out. | ||
| growlypants
Intermediate Member Username: growlypants Post Number: 149 Registered: 3-2011 |
Hey, congrats, Jazzyvee!! | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4557 Registered: 5-2009 |
Jazzyvee , I am so happy for you ! Congratulations . It seems that some time ago you have expressed that you wanted to acquire a bass of this description . Perhaps your determination manifested the reality . As a French Lady friend of mine used to say when someone had their mind made up " The Carrots are Cooked ! " ( She laughed always infectiously afterward and lit up the entire room  ) | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4736 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks Wolf, you are right I've been after a shorty series from day one of looking at alembic. However the right one's never came up at the right price or when they did I was outbid on ebay. Somehow I got distracted along the way and the priority dropped as I was doing more gigs where a 5 string was more appropriate and hence got distracted by those. But the heart is where the heart is and at last I have a series shortie. In a perfect world a custom would have been my preference although I'm not sure I could really specify a perfect bass for me without compromising something. So this is a good practical compromise in terms of cost only. It sounds amazing and is only just over 9lbs which is about 2lbs lighter than any other of my basses. Well my carrots are certainly cooked and with class. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4558 Registered: 5-2009 |
Jazzyvee, I was amazed as well with the weight and sound quality from my Series Shortie . I had decided a while back as well right after I had the opertunity of checking out Nick's (afrobeat fool ) nice Series Shortie that I would like to have one . ( Thanks Nick ! ) All the carrots are on the table now and ready to enjoy ( I can almost hear Layla laughing so infectiously again ! ) Wolf | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4740 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yes I was impressed by the sound of Nick's short scale bass when I tried it at the California meet I attended 3 years back. | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 942 Registered: 9-2004 |
Yes, I have played Nick's bass and heard him play it. It sounds great. The SS Alembic series play so easily and they sound great! | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4748 Registered: 6-2002 |
I have exercised the filter knob again fully and then some mor short twists at the upper end where the problem is and its now all clean and the squeak has gone. | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2309 Registered: 2-2005 |
Good to hear everything is back in working order. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4861 Registered: 6-2002 |
If i'm standing next to my bass rig without playing anything, hands on the strings to mute them, and just hearing a little background hiss from my rig then turn to face the speaker with my bass and get a loud feedback squeal as the bass gets closer to the speakers am i right to assume that it confirms microphonic pickup(s)? | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8778 Registered: 6-2000 |
How close is closer? | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2174 Registered: 5-2002 |
You know, I thought this was the case. I got lots of nasty looks when the bass unleashed the squeal. Except that it happened with several different basses, including one with EMGs, so it's not the pickups. It only happens when I use my fEARful cabinet, which is full range. When I just use a JBL K140 equipped speaker, there's no feedback unless I want it. So, what cabinet are you using, Jazzy? | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4864 Registered: 6-2002 |
Mesa boogie powerhouse 2x10. I believe it is a full range cab Edwin. Mica i will try standing by the cab later when i do my practice session and let you know how close it happens. |
