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dr_zayis
New
Username: dr_zayis

Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2010
Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 7:35 am:   Edit Post

I had different pickups installed by a reputable shop. Then I had the Alembic pickups reinstalled. Now the tone pots seem misaligned. I`m getting a really brittle metallic sound from all the pickups when I open them up. And the dark mode seems really muffled to me.
I`ve tried adjusting the 6 plastic screws and see that 3 of them change the output level of the pickups but none of them are changing or remedying the problem.
Also, what`s a trim pot? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 4497
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 9:06 am:   Edit Post

Kenny:

Welcome to the club, it's always nice to have another fellow six-stringer around in this bass-heavy corner of the cyber-world. The low-pass filters Alembic uses are quite a different animal from the usual tone controls on passive instruments. At "10" you should expect a very trebly, almost piercingly bright tone. At the other end of the spectrum, the "1" position, you should expect a very bassy muffled tone. On a guitar, the secret of the Alembic filters is to make extremely small adjustments to find the right spot. On my Alembics, I find that the usable tones are found in, perhaps, no more than 20% of the pots travel, usually between the "6" and "8" positions. I have spoken with the folks at Alembic (as others have) about a guitar filter that would sweep this more limited range. It's one of many things on their "might be interesting to do" list.

A trim pot is found inside the control cavity. They appear to be little blue boxes with a small white screw head inside. You adjust them with a small flathead screwdriver. Think of them as little gain controls and tweak them in small increments. Hope this helps.

Bill, the guitar one
dr_zayis
New
Username: dr_zayis

Post Number: 3
Registered: 7-2010
Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 3:39 am:   Edit Post

Hi Ibpesq:
Thank you for taking the time to help me. The repair shop seemed truly bamboozled with an Alembic. When they swapped the Alembic pups back in it came back with the middle pup not working at all. I took it back and it took them 3 months to figure out that a small wire had disconnected within it`s casing.
Since it came back it`s different. The bright tone kicks in where it used to be muffled and when I open it up I get the muffled tone. I`ve experimented with the trim pots and this does not remedy the problem.
Are the volume pots adjustable? How does one go about accessing and adjusting them if they are?
Thanks again for your help!
Kenny
adriaan
Moderator
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2541
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 4:42 am:   Edit Post

Kenny, may I suggest you take some snapshots of the electronics cavity, and post them here? It seems like they may have gotten some wires crossed when re-installing.
dr_zayis
New
Username: dr_zayis

Post Number: 5
Registered: 7-2010
Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 10:53 am:   Edit Post

Thank you adriaan. Unfortunately I don`t own a camera or cell phone and would`nt have a clue as to how to upload pictures. I might try to borrow one and figure it out though.
That they might have got the wires crossed is a good thing to know though and I thank you for your insight.
Kenny
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 9460
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 11:31 am:   Edit Post

If you need help uploading pics, just let us know.
dr_zayis
New
Username: dr_zayis

Post Number: 8
Registered: 7-2010
Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 10:51 am:   Edit Post

Thank you davehouck. I`ll keep that in mind for when I finally get my hands on a camera.

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