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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive through September 29, 2015 » Anyone heard of a Pluto Filter Pedal? « Previous Next »

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gtrguy
Senior Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 927
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 10:57 am:   Edit Post

Made by an "Alembic Instrument engineer George Mundy" in the 70's by hand with about 50 produced for Maestro?pluto
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4494
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 11:44 am:   Edit Post

Yes , I tried one in Mr. Mundy's electronics workshop .

Really. It is a variation of a 'State Variable Filter" Low pass, Band Pass, High Pass ,from what I remember.
Just get a fresh Alembic SF-2 in today's world. Current production!
(:
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 1699
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 11:52 am:   Edit Post

I have a few pics from an old auction.
Did you find one??
It looks like FUN (and dangerous if not careful :-) )
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 1700
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 12:00 pm:   Edit Post

Here they are:







bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2453
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 1:28 pm:   Edit Post

No wonder I struggle to understand all this stuff.

'Vertical' and 'Horizontal' freqs, resonance, and cut/boost? Really? Did you have to run this thru a limiter to keep it 'level'? 'Plumb' and 'Square'?

You know, some days around here, a full parametric or a 31-band suddenly seem like a walk in the park . . . . .

Joey
gtrguy
Senior Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 928
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 1:41 pm:   Edit Post

That's a hoot! I think the foot pedal also moved side to side?
hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 1574
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 3:46 pm:   Edit Post

Yeah, I think the pedal could control one parameter in the up & down motion, and another parameter side-to-side. I would love to have a SuperFilter in a pedal with a pedal to adjust the cut-off - one of these would do the trick!

I didn't realize that these were made for Maestro, were they branded that way?

Also, this was after George Mundy was no longer with Alembic, correct?
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4495
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 6:11 pm:   Edit Post

Yes , pedal movement was dual . ( up and down& side to side)

What is the source of information regarding Maestro affiliation ?

From my recollections "Pluto "was an endeavor that Mr. Mundy did on his own. Not Alembic . Please correct me if I am wrong .
gtrguy
Senior Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 929
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 6:59 pm:   Edit Post

It was printed up in the May 2015 Vintage Guitar Magazine, page 85. it states "Made (by hand) for Maestro, which backed out of the deal, only 50 or so were built. Pluto Pedals are really more suitable for synth operators or noise makers who know how to handle precision sweepable filters."

It says that George was an Alembic engineer and member of the Grateful Dead's tech crew.

I just bought a 'Shin-Ei – 4 in the floor' drum machine and was reading this article that the magazine had on vintage pedals and the Pluto Pedal caught my eye.
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 1702
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 7:27 pm:   Edit Post

"Yes , pedal movement was dual . ( up and down& side to side) "
That reminds me of another great contraption.The Glass Elevator


I hadn't heard of the Maestro connection. I wonder if they supplied George with 50 pedal housings.

(Message edited by elwoodblue on September 19, 2015)
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4496
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 8:00 pm:   Edit Post

George's location was walking distance from my mine at the time when he was working on these units and some electronics in the cavity the Phil Lesh Alembic Logo Osage Bass, that was laying in full view in front of me at one time of my visits to George's location a few times while he was also installing his "Pluto" filters in to my Alembic modified with pickups and hardware into my Bass !

http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/2792.html?1262960781

At the time I was a young man with many questions . George was very kind to me in recollection and actually was interested in educating in the understanding of various aspects of what was what in technology at the time !

Wolf

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