Alembic Basses or pickups

[mathman]

So, the Blitz bass I bought from Rod has Alembic pickups installed.  They have a pretty cool sound and the tone control is supposedly parametric. Sounds like it. A wide variety of tones.  Anyone here familiar with them or the basses?  I searched and can find info about the basses but the pickups info is a bit more sparse as replacement pickups.

Any info or experience appreciate.

thanks

[topekatj]

Alembic is still in business in San Rafael CA. Ring 'em up and let us know what they say!

https://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/preaminstocn.html

www.alembic.com

[Steve Haynie]

Alembic started off with the electronics first, and the basses and guitars were added to house the electronics.  One does not change pickups in an Alembic, but one can add Alembic electronics to another brand of instrument.   

Know this before engaging the company or its devotees.

[beezerboy]

I remember them being on Judah St. when I lived in San Fran, 1970. they were right down the street from a friend's house. I walked by their shop pretty regular but never went in. we knew they were doing stuff for the Dead and others but figured it was invitation only.   no spare money anyway... we were scratchin' to get another Showman head

[specialk]

I'm sure those are Series I pickups and maybe that 3 way switch (if that switch is 3 way) is the Q filter switch:

"The 3 position Q switch boosts the frequencies closest to the centered frequency by pre-determined amounts (sorry, don't remember the specific amounts and I don't want to guess)."
 

[Willie G. Moseley]

Back in the, er, erstwhile more-affluent days, I had a custom-made '82 Distillate (medium scale, and Alembic used that scale a lot). Big bobbin pickups as I recall; closest sonic comparison (to my ears, YMMV) was a Gibson Thunderbird. The Q Switch was fun, it was like a built-in envelope follower/Mu-Tron III

Still had it when this publicity photo was made in '91.

Jeezus, that was over 30 years ago