Alembic Preamp
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
- Johnie Helms
- Posts: 381
- Joined: 22 Mar 2010 1:50 pm
- Location: Oklahoma, USA
Alembic Preamp
Has anyone used or own the Alembic F2B (2 Channel.) for Pedal Steel.?
Thanks
JH
Thanks
JH
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- Posts: 3879
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Hendersonville Tn USA
Re: Alembic Preamp
I have two of them-used them a bunch back in the 90s-Sonny Garrish used one back then too-on many, many hit records!Seems like one of mine might have been Sonny's-I honestly can't remember!Johnie Helms wrote:Has anyone used or own the Alembic F2B (2 Channel.) for Pedal Steel.?
Thanks
JH
SH
- Johnie Helms
- Posts: 381
- Joined: 22 Mar 2010 1:50 pm
- Location: Oklahoma, USA
F2b
Hey Steve,
I know they been around awhile…
Care to git rid of one of’m.?
Thank you for your reply
JH
I know they been around awhile…
Care to git rid of one of’m.?
Thank you for your reply
JH
-
- Posts: 3879
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Hendersonville Tn USA
Google can be your friend (sometimes).
The good news: There are plenty of schematics on the information superhighway.
The bad news: Many of them appear to be schematics of only one channel.
And some might be "approximations" or "modified" versions.
However, there is actually one that is on what appears to be a real Alembic web site, so it might be accurate.
At a rough quick glance it does not look all that complicated.
http://www.alembic.com/support/F2B_manual.pdf
The good news: There are plenty of schematics on the information superhighway.
The bad news: Many of them appear to be schematics of only one channel.
And some might be "approximations" or "modified" versions.
However, there is actually one that is on what appears to be a real Alembic web site, so it might be accurate.
At a rough quick glance it does not look all that complicated.
http://www.alembic.com/support/F2B_manual.pdf
- Johnie Helms
- Posts: 381
- Joined: 22 Mar 2010 1:50 pm
- Location: Oklahoma, USA
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- Posts: 626
- Joined: 22 Nov 2000 1:01 am
- Location: Hendersonville, TN, USA
- Bob Hoffnar
- Posts: 9244
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Austin, Tx
- Contact:
Re: Alembic Preamp
I used one for a bit and then A/B'd it with a Furman PQ-3 which I ended up using. In any case if you have one they are great for the steel. If you are looking for that sort of sound I think Brad Sarno has it dialed in with his pre amps.Johnie Helms wrote:Has anyone used or own the Alembic F2B (2 Channel.) for Pedal Steel.?
Thanks
JH
Bob
- Johnie Helms
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- Location: Oklahoma, USA
- Brad Sarno
- Posts: 4916
- Joined: 18 Dec 2000 1:01 am
- Location: St. Louis, MO USA
- Contact:
The F2B has gotten expensive in recent years. It's simply a pair of non-reverb channels from an old Fender preamp. Pretty straightforward, not magic or exotic necessarily. If you want that same Fender classic tone and circuit but with reverb, we do have the SMS Classic that's every bit the F2b and with upgrades, quieter power supply, a bit more refinement in the tone for pedal steel use, and gobs cheaper too. (please excuse the shameless plug )
https://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/pro ... reamp.html
Brad
https://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/pro ... reamp.html
Brad
- Johnie Helms
- Posts: 381
- Joined: 22 Mar 2010 1:50 pm
- Location: Oklahoma, USA
F2B. Dual Channel Preamp
Hey Brad,
PM sent..
Thanks
PM sent..
Thanks
- kevin ryan
- Posts: 579
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- Location: San Marcos, California
- Contact:
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- Posts: 7252
- Joined: 6 Nov 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Atlanta Ga. USA
the maintenance on the F2b is super easy. the biggest problem with them is the mounting of the filter caps. they should be changed anyway. when new there was a piece of foam that kept them from moving around. the foam degrades and then the caps wiggle around and then break the wires going into the board. very easy to replace them. i would not send them out. you should do it yourself and save a lot of money. i replace the caps in mine with radial type caps rather than the original axial. along with some hot melt glue to lock them down.Steve Hinson wrote:Johnie,
Both the F2-Bs I have are in need of some maintenance at the present time...
It is really hard to get anything worked on in Nashville these days...
I've got 2 e-mails in to Alembic asking them about the possibility of sending
them to SF to have them"freshened"...
More later...
SH
these preamps are nothing but higher voltage higher filtered fender twin/showman preamps. they sound good.
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- Posts: 3879
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Hendersonville Tn USA
Yeah,one of mine had already been recapped,and the new filter caps all broke loose!Luckily I looked inside before I went to use it and saw them just laying in there...I think I might try to fix it myself.Bill Hatcher wrote:the maintenance on the F2b is super easy. the biggest problem with them is the mounting of the filter caps. they should be changed anyway. when new there was a piece of foamSteve Hinson wrote:Johnie,
Both the F2-Bs I have are in need of some maintenance at the present time...
It is really hard to get anything worked on in Nashville these days...
I've got 2 e-mails in to Alembic asking them about the possibility of sending
them to SF to have them"freshened"...
More later...
SH
that kept them from moving around. the foam degrades and then the caps wiggle around
and then break the wires going into the board. very easy to replace them. i would not send them out. you should do it yourself and save a lot of money. i replace the caps in mine with radial type caps rather than the original axial. along with some hot melt glue to lock them down.
these preamps are nothing but higher voltage higher filtered fender twin/showman preamps. they sound good.
-
- Posts: 7252
- Joined: 6 Nov 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Atlanta Ga. USA
Steve Hinson wrote:Bill Hatcher wrote:Do it. Use radial caps….both leads coming out the bottom……insert the leads through the board and bend back and trim leaving 1/4” on the bottom side of the board and lying on the trace. Solder. That will take some of the tension off the wire and help stop it from pulling away. Then use a little craft style hot melt gun. Heat it up with a glue stick in it and run a bead around the bottom of the cap. No more problems.Steve Hinson wrote:
Yeah,one of mine had already been recapped,and the new filter caps all broke loose!Luckily I looked inside before I went to use it and saw them just laying in there...I think I might try to fix it myself.
I bought my first alembic pre back in the 70s when they came out. Have used it for all sorts of instruments. Over the last 30+ years I buy them when I saw them at a good price…used to be $100 used….no more. They bring lots now .