| Author | Message | ||
| nathanpatoubass
New Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 8 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi, I'm owning an alembic serie 1 from 1978. Though the electronic of this bass play perfectly when connected to the jack input of the bass, I have an issue when I'm using the 5 pin cable: there's a sound coming out from the bass but no more control of the electronics : no filters controls, no volume control for each pick up, and no selection of pick up. Clearly they might be an issue with the internal wiring to the jack + from the jack to the 5 pins input. If someone could send me the picture of the electronic cavity for a serie 1 or a diagram schema this will help my luthier to make the necessary changes. nota: sorry if my english is not so good, I'm a "lonely" french guy living in Paris area. Thanks in advance for your help Regards Franck | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 756 Registered: 11-2004 |
Franck..when you say a sound, you mean when you play a note or some other sound?? It either could be the cable or the power supply, one set of pins supply the current whilst the other two are the signal out, the 12 o'clock one is the ground. I am not sure on the 78 Series 1 but am I right that it works perfectly with the battery power?? | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7814 Registered: 5-2002 |
Read through this thread to see if it might be helpful. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
New Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi Terryc, When I said "a sound", I was meaning that when I play a note, the bass is playing correctly i.e. I have the same sound coming out from the bass with the power supply than with the battery power. BUT I have no control at all from the 2 switches, nor from the 2 x 2 buttons and nor from the pickup selector. I look like that the controls buttom have no actions on the sound. I had the power supply test and the 5 pins cable tested by my luthier and it's working perfectly. Therefore, I suppose that the problem is coming from the electronic in the cavity. Certainly the wiring in the cavity is not totally correct. Thanks for your help Hi Davehouck, I have read quickly the thread you send me but apparently Mike spent a lot of time wiring the cables. I'll have a look more carefully to this thread and hopefully I'll be able to solve this issue.I will let you informed. Thanks you both for your support Regards Franck | ||
| lembic76450
Intermediate Member Username: lembic76450 Post Number: 147 Registered: 5-2002 |
Franck, I once had a problem like this and it turned out to be a bad ground. Mine was an issue with the cable, but, maybe yours has to do with the 5 pin cannon plug. Good luck. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6001 Registered: 6-2000 |
Since it sounds like the 1/4" jack is functioning fine, check the wiring on both jacks. There's some picture references here. I can mail you the schematic if you email me your postal mailing address. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
New Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 10 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thank you all for your support. You are right I suppose that the problem might come from the the 5pins connection inside the cavity . By the way, when I bought this bass from the precedent owner, the pick up selector was not an original one.(I've it replace since by a new one I purchased to Alembic). Mica, I apreciate if you could send me the shematic or any picture of a "standard serie 1 cavity". This will help my luthier to make the needed corrections. My email address is : franck.slama@dhl.com I can send if needed a picture of the cavity of my bass.(the size of the images is exceeding ghe maximum allowable upload size therefore I was not able to attached a picture to my message) Thanks once again for your support. Franck | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 681 Registered: 8-2005 |
Mica If you read this..........could I have a diagram as well?? Just for future use. My profile will show that this is a genuine request, and not from an interloper AE 76 069 G | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7823 Registered: 5-2002 |
Franck; if you email your pictures to me, I'll resize and post them here for you. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 11 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thank you Dave, I'll send you an email with some pictures of my bass and the cavity electonics Thanks. Franck | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7830 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here are the pics Franck sent of his control cavity.   | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7831 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here are some cropped and adjusted closeups of the jacks.   | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7832 Registered: 5-2002 |
And here's a very nice shot of the bass!!  | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 758 Registered: 11-2004 |
Nice bass..worth all the effort to get it working again Personally I would send it to Alembic to get a full service on the electronics, especially if I was keeping it forever(which I would) Your luthier may be very good at his craft but I would only trust my MK with Alembic and no one else. Anyway that is my opinion. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 12 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi Terryc You are certainly right. The only issue is that I'm living in France and the shipping cost to Alembic USA from France + Insurance + electronic repair + shipping cost back to France might be expensive. My wife is already fed up with me and my 8 basses...But you are right this one is my prefered one and I hope I'll never have to sell it for financial reason. I don't know why but it's just sentimental. (perhaps it's due to the fact that this bass is 31 years old...) Regards. Franck | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 13 Registered: 4-2007 |
Mica, I just realized that you were asking me my postal address and not my email address. Therefore, find below my postal address: Thanks in advance for your proposal to send me the schematic of the electronic. Regards. Franck (Message edited by mica on April 02, 2009) | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6019 Registered: 6-2000 |
Hi Franck, I got your address - but deleted it from your post for privacy. The schematic will leave in tomorrow's mail. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 14 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thank you so much Mica. I apreciate your support. Have a nice week end. Regards Franck | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 759 Registered: 11-2004 |
Franck..how about selling some of your other basses to fund the cost of sending it to the USA..terrible suggestion but it is an option | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 15 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi Terry That could be an option if I do not succeed in solving the issue by myself or with my luthier. The most difficult will be to decide which one to sell (pedulla, Tune, Fenderx2, lakland, alembic 20th anniversary (oh no not this one), or Status). Rgds.Franck | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 760 Registered: 11-2004 |
Don't even think about the 20th Anniversary getting sold! The others..well it is difficult although you could decide on which to sell by assessing how much you play them against the others. | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 16 Registered: 4-2007 |
Mica, I've received the schematic today. Once again thank you. I'll share this document with my luthier and hopefully he'll be able to fix the problem. I'll let you informed. Thanks you ! Franck | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 686 Registered: 8-2005 |
I also received the schematic here in Scotland. Thanks Mica, and all the team! | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 19 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hello Mica, After spending some times on trying to cable properly the jack to the xlr,using the schematic you sent me, I finally came to the conclusion that the pin #8 of the jack is not working. The violet signal should go to the #8 but as the pin #8 is not working , I have put the violet signal on pin#4 of the jack (together with the orange signal). The bass is working now but the volume of each pick up are working together only (not separately). Therefore I'm not far from solving definitively my issue : I need to change the jack by a new one. Can I order 1 stereo jack to your company? Thanks in advance for your reply. Franck | ||
| jimmyj
Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 61 Registered: 8-2008 |
I'll make an attempt here too... Sorry, my two years of French study is all forgotten, c'est dommage! Franck, The first thing you must do is try to restore all the connections to match the original schematic which Mica has sent you. It is hard to see in your photos but it is possible somebody has changed things causing your bass to act strangely! About your last comment... "Pin #8" of the 1/4-inch jack makes contact with the "ring" of a stereo plug. Series I were originally wired so that one pickup connected to the "tip" and the other connected to the "ring". Like this:  If you want to use a standard (mono) guitar cable then the two outputs from the Alembic preamp card (one for each pickup) must somehow meet at the "tip". But you SHOULD NOT simply connect the orange and violet wires together or you will get the strange double controls that you describe. You must use two 20k resistors to "sum" the signal to mono. They should be joined together at "pin 4" of the 1/4-inch jack (that's the "tip") while the other end of one resistor contacts the orange wire and the other end of the other resistor contacts the violet wire. Bonne chance!!! Jimmy J | ||
| jimmyj
Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 62 Registered: 8-2008 |
OK, a bit more... Originally in Series I the orange signal wire went directly to "pin 4" of the 1/4-inch jack and then continued from there (with a short orange wire) to "pin 2" of the XLR. The violet signal wire went directly to "pin 8" of the 1/4-inch jack and then continued on to "pin 3" of the XLR. Now days, these output wires go directly to the XLR first and the 20k resistors collect the two signals from there (XLR "pins 2 & 3") and "sum" them when they meet at "pin 4" of the 1/4-inch jack. There, clear as mud! Jimmy J By the way, that's a lovely looking bass! | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 20 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi Jimmy ! First of all your french is not as bad as what you think. You only need to practice a little. Thanks for your help. That's clear for me as I spent some times trying to understand the schematic. I'm 100% sure that the previous owner has changed things in the cabling. What was strange is that there were a direct cable from pick up control#1 to pin#2 of the xlr and pick up control#2 to pin# 3 of the xlr. I had removed these links and have made the correct cabling respecting Mica's schematic. However even if I use a "stereo" guitar cable, respecting the schematic given i.e. orange signal on pin4 of the 1/4inch jack and then continued on pin 2 of xlr, and violet signal on pin 8 of the 1/4inch jack and then continued on pin 3 of the xlr, it's not working. I understand from your message that I need to use 20k resistors in order to convert signal to mono. I'm really not a technician though I like spending times on this bass. (I don't even know how to get a 20k resistors....(please don't laught at me) That's why I think that the easiest thing to do is to replaced the 1/4 jack by a new one. But if I'm wrong, your thoughts will be welcome. thanks for all this clarification. Regards Franck | ||
| jimmyj
Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 63 Registered: 8-2008 |
Franck, Your English gets better with each post! Your bass is definitely worth the time and effort to "restore" it's electronics to their original condition. I suggest you get help from somebody like an amp repair person who can read the schematic and trace the wiring. Your luthier may be able to do it but the circuit is obviously much more complicated than a normal passive electric guitar. Any amp repair person would also probably have 20k resistors in stock - or at least be able to get you some. (These are very inexpensive components). The 1/4-inch jack Alembic uses is a fairly specific part because it also switches the power source from the external supply to the internal batteries. It is not something you can find easily at your local electronics shop. If you feel you need to replace this part then perhaps you should order the following from Mica at Alembic: 1- 1/4-inch jack 1- 5-pin XLR jack 2- 20k resistors These parts should not cost you too much and may help you make a clean repair of your instrument. Keep going, you will enjoy the outcome! Jimmy J | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 21 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thanks Jimmy for your support. I really apreciate. I'll try to follow your suggestions. Regards. Franck | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7961 Registered: 5-2002 |
Just in case it might be of some help: Wiring a 1/4" stereo cable Wiring a 1/4" stereo to 1/4" mono cable | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 22 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thanks Dave ! Franck | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 23 Registered: 4-2007 |
Jimmy, Dave, I've found 2x 20K resistors in an electronic store in Paris. I'll try this week end to sum the 2 signal from XLR to pin 4 of the jack i.e.: - orange signal to pin 2 XLR + 20k resistor from pin 2 XLR to pin 4 of the 1/4"jack. - violet signal to pin 3 of the XLR + 20k resistor from pin 3XLR to pin 4 of the 1/4"jack. I'll let you informed if any progress. Regards Franck | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 24 Registered: 4-2007 |
I've done the wiring yesterday night.(I could not wait the week-end to do it !) Now both jack and xlr are working correctly. I would like to thank you all for your help and support to fix this issue. I think I wouldn't have being able to do the appropriate corrections without your support and knowledge. Once again thank you ! Franck | ||
| jimmyj
Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 64 Registered: 8-2008 |
Franck, Great job, congratulations! And you've learned something about electronics too. Enjoy this bass, you are lucky to have it in your collection! Jimmy J | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7975 Registered: 5-2002 |
Congrats!! |
