deathpig1
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I have one of these spectacular sounding valve preamps that I am looking to move. These preamps were conceived by the brilliant Ron Wickersham (Mr Alembic) as a result of having customised so very many Fender Dual Showman amps during the late 60s/early 70s. There are two channels which can be used simultaneously (stereo) or as two separate/individual channels (using an A/B switch or some other sort of line switcher). The EQ is very simple: bright switch, bass, mid and treble rotary controls - a set of these for each channel. The EQ is interactive so the controls take a little getting used to with how they change the tone depending on the combinations between them. There is a separate output for either channel as well as a combined output (which is how I've been using them as twin channel). There are also two inputs per channel which can be used simultaneously or, again, switched between.. They sound stunning! I was advised to try them many years ago by a friend of mine called Pete Cornish (he of pedal board, rack unit and boutique pedal fame) as I'd had untold gear and always ended up annoyed with the tone - SWR, Ampeg, TC Electronic, Eden, Peterson, Peavey, Trace Elliot, etc, etc, and have continually tried every new make since - Markbass, Ashdown, EBS, anything I can get my hands on, and nothing has come close to these preamps tone-wise. Don't believe those who tell you you need every conceivable control on an amp (or your bass for that matter) to get a tone to die for. This one is actually my back-up unit which is going because I have never had to use it. Alembic do another model called the F1X (I think) which also sounds good, but not quite as good. When I mentioned this opinion to Pete he offered the observation that it could be because they added a "deep" switch to the circuitry which does make a difference to the sound, Although these F2B preamps are of the old-school "good for bass or guitar" approach they blow everything else outa the water. The only thing I have ever had to be careful of with them is that the output level is outrageously high! These cost well over £1250 now so for this virtually unused unit I am after £900 ono because, sadly, I am led to believe that Alembic may be on the brink of their own cliff right now and there may not be any more of these made in the very near future. Tel: [url="tel:07977453724"]07977453724[/url] [attachment=115898:[url="tel:2012-08-15"]2012-08-15[/url]_15-51-40_961.jpg][attachment=115899:[url="tel:2012-08-15"]2012-08-15[/url]_15-52-04_771.jpg] -
Well peeps, I've had the Aphex Punch factory, which had horrible colouration, and was also mechanically unreliable, I tried an EBS in a shop against the Aphex at the time and was not impressed with the sound, and the fact it was so plastic-y and much less than sturdy (though I've since read that they've re-released them in metal cases now, and changed the circuitry to enhance the headroom/sound, though, well, see below), I've used/tried the Boss (Bass and normal) Compressor pedal, as well as the Digitech Bass Squeeze, I worked in the Distributors for BBE for a while and did not feel like buying that one. In the instances of re-trying the EBS and not wanting the BBE, as well as never having found a Diamond to try, I had a pedal recommended to me by a good friend whose word I trust implicitly: Mr Pete Cornish. He told me that he thought the Demeter Compulator was a fantastic sounding (and simple to use) compressor pedal, adding that one of his Clients (a certain D. Gilmour) noted that it worked so well without changing his tone AT ALL! Now I know Mr Gilmour is not rated as a bassist (though to some he is God on guitar) but having had a preamp recommended to me by Pete Cornish, after he had been working on Mr Gilmour's Alembic F2B units (try this or the bass-specific Alembic F1X), and finding it to be utterly INCREDIBLE, I thought I would take notice of such recommendations and try, and ended up buying, the Demeter Compulator. After using it for approx the last 5 years (and occasionally trying other units because they were around), I have to say that in my experience none of the rest really rate comparison with it. I know some of you will disagree but we all probably go for something different tonally and compression-wise. For one thing, I only use passive basses: Fenders, Gibsons and Fender style 5-Strings (with custom made '51 and Split P-style and J-style pickups from S. Duncan and K. Armstrong). The Demeter Compulator can do extreme squashed or beautifully natural (if that makes sense!?) sounding compression; I use it live for my slap sound and for controlling lunatic-output dynamic pedals (such as my Mutron III) but I've used it to record my Guitars and Fender Rhodes (for pretty much everything anyone could ever need from compression). I have to revamp my Guitar pedalboard (I need to be able to use both Guitar and Bass pedal boards on some gigs) and need a compressor which I'll be buying later today when the shops open, and will be basing my purchase on my personal experiences with all of the compressors I've tried: I'll be buying another Demeter Compulator!!!! Keep holding the band together guys, deathpig1