| Author | Message | ||
| alembic83
Junior Username: alembic83 Post Number: 47 Registered: 9-2004 |
Hi, I'm hoping to get some advice here regarding a 'transplant' procedure I want to do with some Alembic AXY pickups/tone filter. FYI, I won't be doing any of the work myself, I'll be taking it to the Alembic dealer in Korea, but I want to get the opinion of the Alembic Club first. I'd like to know if the following can be done and/or some other suggestions you may have. These pickups came from my Aria LTD bass which came stock with the Alembic guts, but the Aria has developed several structural problems with it...SO, I want to put these Alembic parts into ANOTHER Aria bass - a Black n Gold II to be exact (Hey, if I had a Spoiler body lying around I would just drop 'em in there, but for now the Black n Gold will have to do!).  I know the 'transplant' part itself is no problem save for routing out a little more space for the pickups, but here is where it gets a little more complicated. First, I hope to be able to use the existing pickup selector switch in the Aria. It's just a 3 way, and not a 4 way like on Spoilers, so no 'mute'. Here is a pic of the controls of my Black n Gold: [IMG]http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd117/vintagejapanbass/Aria%20Pro%20II%20Black%20n%20Gold%20II/100_2345-1.jpg[/IMG] Is it possible just from looking at the switch if it can be done? Or will I need an Alembic selector? The second thing I want to have done is to add a Q switch, so I can hopefully achieve tones similar to my Alembic Spoiler. I have searched a few good threads here on Q switch installations, but want to see if it can be done on my bass. I'm in Korea and when I asked the dealer about the possibility of getting a Q switch, they didn't seem to know what I meant (maybe a language barrier). They replied by saying I could buy a circuit for either 1 million won ($850 or so) 600,000won (about $515). From what I understand, the Q switch goes for around $50-60 from Alembic so I'm guessing they misunderstood me. I haven't been able to make contact with Alembic to order an official one, so I was wondering if I could just use the existing DTDP switch in my Black n Gold (see photo) and use it with the other parts that make a Q switch (which, as I understand from the other threads, are: axial 15nF (.015uF) cap as well as a 1 meg resistor). Here is a picture of my Aria LTD with Alembic electronics: [IMG]http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd117/vintagejapanbass/Aria%20SB-LTD%20Red/100_2348.jpg[/IMG] So to summarize, I want to know if I can use the existing 3 way pickup selector in the Aria with these Alembic electronics and secondly I'd like to know if the Q switch is feasible. I'd be willing to buy an Alembic Q switch if anyone has an extra...I also plan on having a red LED battery indicator installed in the space where the second DTDP switch is located on the Black n Gold. I figure that would look better than an empty hole. But if anyone has another suggestions of what could be useful in that spot, let me know! More photos (inside and out) of the two basses in question are here, if it is helpful: http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd117/vintagejapanbass/Aria%20Pro%20II%20Black%20n%20Gold%20II/ http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd117/vintagejapanbass/Aria%20SB-LTD%20Red/ Thanks! |
