Does Alembic still make activators that will fit my 1973 Guild Starfire bass? It kind of looks like a Gibson humbucker shape might work.
Thanks,
Mike
Can you post a pitcure of the front your bass? If you can get a shot of the electronics cavity it would be a bonus! I need to see how much room we have to work with to see if a standard set will fit.
For humbucker shaped pickups the stadard control layouts are:
3 controls: volume, pan, filter
4 controls: volume, pan, bass, treble
Either system is $400 retail.
The Guild Starfire bass is a thin hollow body, kind of like a Gibson ES-335. Phil Lesh is pictured playing a stock one on page 17 of the So Many Roads companion editorial booklet, and he is shown playing a heavily modified (by Alembic) Starfire in the photo spreads accompanying the Europe 72 album and CD and the Ladies & Gentlemen - The Grateful Dead: Fillmore East April 71 CD.
Mine has a 3 position toggle switch for pickup selection and a master volume knob, both located on the lower cutaway. Additionally there are individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup and one bass-cut switch, roughly under the bridge and bridge pickup. Therefore I have a total of 5 knobs and 2 switches on my Guild. The pickups are each 1 7/8 by 3 and are held in place with black plastic collars which are 2 5/16 by 3 15/16.
I oredered this Guild stereo wired from the factory in 1973. It has a TRS 1/4 jack mounted on the lower side of the body. I almost never used the stereo feature (who had 2 amps in the 70s? - not me So stereo is not a priority at this point. I had it converted to lined fretless when I bought my Epic in '99. The pickups and pots have gotten very bad (intermittant and scratchy).
I am planning to use a local luthier and assume the Guild will need some body mods to accomodate the electronics (wouldn't want them just flopping around inside the hollow body
Here's some shots of my Guild Starfire (thanks for use of your camera, Gary) A few more will follow in a day or two.
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2005.jpg)
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2006.jpg)
I would like to keep stereo RTS output if possible
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2007.jpg)
Here's an audio cassette next to the pickups, for size comparison.
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2008.jpg)
Here are a couple more pictures
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2024.jpg)
(http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/402/2025.jpg)
Hi Mica et al,
A question regarding activator dimensions and naming: The HB is a Gibson humbucker shape, The RK is a pair of Rickenbacker shapes, What is the SB shape and what are the dimensions of these styles?
Thanks,
Mike
P.S. A belated Happy New Year to all at Alembic
The SB is the name for the assembly of HB pickups that fits a Steinberger bass (with the extra long wiring harness) the pickups are the same as the HB.
Confusin', huh?
Mica, or anyone else who can answer this, what would it cost to get an Alembic bridge setup (with sustain block) for my Starfire?
Thanks,
Edwin