Options for an after market preamp with filters like wal or alembic series?

[donkelley]

Anybody have recommendations? Please :-)

I loved the filters in my Alembic series 1 but it's long gone for 15 years now. There must be after market options to put that into my favorite basses now?

[Clarky]

Contact Alan Cringean of ACG Guitars - his preamps apparently can sound very Wal-like http://www.acguitars.co.uk/shop/

[donkelley]

Cool! Anyone else with other options? Might add well look around a bit.... Not to mention I'm in north America although in theory anything can be shipped anywhere...

[ikay]

Bartolini also make a filter based preamp - [url="http://www.bestbassgear.com/bartolini-ezq.htm"]http://www.bestbassg...rtolini-ezq.htm[/url]

I use an ACG EQ01 (dual filter). Great preamp although I don't know how it sounds compared to a Wal or Alembic.

The ACG is available in the US from bestbassgear.com - [url="http://www.bestbassgear.com/acg-eq-02-preamp.htm"]http://www.bestbassg...q-02-preamp.htm[/url]

Edited June 29, 2013 by ikay

[BigRedX]

Looking at the rather confusing wiring diagrams for the Bartolini unit, it's no where near as versatile as the ACG EQ01.

Unless the bass you are modifying only has a single pickup don't bother with the ACG EQ02 or the Bartolini pre-amp. The real power of filter pre-amps comes from being able to modify the output of each pickup separately, and AFAIK the only unit that can do this that is sold without a bass attached to it is the ACG EQ01.

[ead]

+1 for the ACG preamps. Once you get the hang of what they can do there's no looking back. I have to declare an interest at this point as I have the 5k EQ03 in my fretless and the new SEQ coming on my next ACG.

[LukeFRC]

ACG EQ01.


Though.... a serious consideration.... It costs a lot. Ask ACG to make a (lower end) bass for you with it in it... and it's not much more....
I bought one for my warwick. It's alternatively great or a pain in the arse depending on the day and how I'm getting on with it. (lots of knobs, quite complex to learn, I'm getting there).

[ead]

Just wondering if, as the SEQ seems to be the replacement for the EQ02, it will be available as an after market option. Simpler to use, 3 knobs (one stacked), could be a useful addition / option.

[lozbass]

Boogieman in the US is cloning Alembic guts and will supply 'series type' pickups and electronics- there's quite a range advertised as 'replacements' on ebay (just search for 'alembic' and they'll show). The boogieman electronics are far less expensive than Alembics own. I haven't tried them and they've caused some irritation in the Alembic community, however, I suspect that they function as you'd expect.

An alternative is to purchase an Alembic SF2 unit - they come up in the US fairly frequently (Talkbass, Alembic Club). Essentially, the SF2 (Superfilter) is Series II electronics in a shallow rack mount unit - indeed, it has even more options and a broader palette than than a bass-mounted Seriies II system, though you don't get the low impedance pickups of course. I have a SF2 and the performance is outstanding. It can make a conventional bass sound quite a lot like an Alembic (if that's what you want).

[jazzyvee]

Acg filters are a great choice. I have some installed in one of my alembic Europa basses because I wanted separate filters for each pickup so this gives separate low and high pass filters for each pickup. It is very flexible and able to give the tonality of many other basses should you need it.

I initially bought mine in the hope of getting an alembic series type sound on the cheap. It does have an alembic type sound but since buying a series alembic bass I can hear the difference. Fortunately that difference gives me a bass I can use for specific musical situations mainly reggae for the real sub bass and the fender jazz type sounds.

Jazzyvee

[EMG456]

Once again, ACG.

It's more like the Wal than the Alembic in that once you've filtered out the highs using the low pass filters, you can add selected ones back again using the high pass filter. Unlike the Wal, the amount of Boost at the Q point and the frequency and amount of high pass filter are continuously variable rather than pre-set switched. And the Alembics didn't have that Wal "Pick Attack" or high pass filter capability.

I have an EQ01 in my Status 6 and would absolutely recommend them. As Luke alludes to it's not as simple to use as a more straight forward pre amp but infinitely more versatile.

Ed

[BassBunny]

ACG. No more to add really.

[ossie]

would one of these do it?
on e-bay now
[center][b]Legendary EWS Trilogic II[/b][/center]
[center]Bass Pre-amp[/center]

[center][b]Immaculate (See Pics)[/b][/center]
[center]Probably one of the best bass pre amps available[/center]
[center]Extremely versatile, noiseless, Fantastic Quality and Tiny[/center]

[center]Retails between £155 – £199[/center]
[center][b]Grab A Bargain[/b][/center]

[center][url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/EWS_PEDALS.html"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/EWS_PEDALS.html[/url][/center]

[center][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=tri-logic%20bass%20preamp%20ii&clk_rvr_id=495899451817&adpos=1o1&MT_ID=10&crlp=21389962643_2113181&tt_encode=raw&geo_id=31981&keyword=tri-logic+bass+preamp+ii&crdt=0"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=tri-logic%20bass%20preamp%20ii&clk_rvr_id=495899451817&adpos=1o1&MT_ID=10&crlp=21389962643_2113181&tt_encode=raw&geo_id=31981&keyword=tri-logic+bass+preamp+ii&crdt=0[/url][/center]

[center]If you are looking for an affordable, high quality outboard pre-amp, this is the baby.[/center]
[center]Turn your passive bass into an active instrument and extend the tonal capabilities of[/center]
[center]Your instrument immeasurably whilst using up little space on your pedal board.[/center]

[center]I have used this beauty to control the tone and volume of my Jazz Bass bass, from my pedal board[/center]
[center]and it gave me the ability to dial in such a wide range of tones from Marcus to Jaco.[/center]
[center]A trule quality bit of kit.[/center]

[center]Here’s what EWS say: [i]“First made popular by Xotic Effects, the Tri-Logic is back!
Renewed and Reincarnated by EWS, the "Tri-Logic Bass Preamp 2" is significantly smaller in size and more affordable. With all the same features of the former Tri-Logic, 18-volts & 3-band EQ, the Tri-Logic Bass Preamp 2 has evolved with improved sound quality and usability”[/i][/center]
[center][url="http://ews-us.com/item_triLogic2.php"]http://ews-us.com/item_triLogic2.php[/url][/center]

[center]Tons of review online, you tube etc – All excellent ![/center]
[center]See feedback; I really look after my gear and this is like the day I bought it.[/center]
[center]Any Questions, please ask.[/center]

[donkelley]

wow, fantastic information folks! thanks so very much :-)

I'll check out all of the options - budget is important to me, if I can get by more cheaply with good results then I'll do it. But I'm always on the search to get the series I control and tone that I had in the 90s with my current basses or some new hybrid bass I may yet have found or frankensteined together. Closest I have now are my BTBs with the vari-mid controls, but of course they don't really emulate the effect the same way. if I turn down the treble control and bump the mids at a high frequency I can get close to my previous Alembic tone, which is almost more maddening to me since it makes me realize how much of the Alembic tone was in the electronics.

I don't miss the weight of the series I - that thing was mad, although I loved the look as it was the first bass photo in a magazine that I'd ever fallen in love with and literally dreamed about owning one day.

I'm wondering about the rack mount since it may give me a lot of that flexibility in my varying range of instruments.

I will do my research on the ACQ stuff (sounds ideal really) and other suggestions.

thanks!

[Badass]

I've been looking at using filters for what seems like forever but I've never taken the plunge. I am very interested in using the ACG EQ01 in the passive ACG bass I have. The reason being for now taking the plunge? I just don't know how a bass will sound, what with the vast amount of tones that are often cited form these things. I find it confusing.

Anyone have any links to sounds or YouTube videos? So i can see someone demonstrate one of these filter thingummies

[ead]

If you look on the ACG site here http://www.acguitars.co.uk/acg_admin/wordpress/category/media/ you will find some sound samples and vids.

[Badass]

Many thanks I'll check them out.