Alembic P-Bass pickup w/ no preamp

[Bill Bell]

I bought an Alembic P-Bass split coil pickup and active electronics about 30 years ago for a bass I had. I recently came across the pickup but I evidently do not still have the important part...the active electronics. I'm sure 30 years ago I only paid about $150 for the kit, today Alembic wants $1000 just for the active electronics! Is there anything I can do with this pickup? Is there something cheap I could buy to work with them? I also read that they will work as a passive pickup as well, just the output is a little low?

[David King]

Bill that $1000 figure sounds way off unless you were looking at a series I or II with multiple filters.
The electronics needed for a single P would run about $350 or so I think. The P pickup could run fine on any active preamp. A mic preamp would also work. If you have a meter you might measure the DC resistance across the coils. I think Alembics are supposed to be around 1.2K ohms which is low for a high impedance (6-10K) pickup but rather high for a low impedance one (150-200 ohms).

[Bob Francis]

If you don't have a meter take it to a Radio Shack. They will measure it for you.

[David Schwab]

I have used home made copies of an Alembic Stratoblaster preamp, which is a simple singe stage JFET preamp with Alembic pickups. That will boost the level up. You can also use an EMG AB (Afterburner) or PA2 booster. Or something like a Bartolini TC preamp.

David, the Alembic Activator P pickup/preamp is $825! I don't think they sell the preamp separately. I have Activator filter preamp here, and it's actually fairly simple. I think the newer versions come with a 2-band preamp, instead of the filter.

Some of the newer Alembic stacked humbuckers read about 7k-8k, but have very low output.

[David King]

I could ask Mica about it. I've never had any trouble getting individual parts and modules from Alembic though they sometimes don't have part numbers and have to hunt around on the shelves for some of the older stuff.

[David Schwab]

I still think even the bass/treble preamp for the Activators is going to be way over priced. Oh and the Series I and II electronics are like $3,000.
The Activator preamp is one op amp and a few other parts.

This is the low pass filter module.

[David King]

Well I hope no one has to pay retail on the Series I & II outfits.

[David Schwab]

Well I hope no one has to pay retail on the Series I & II outfits.

I got that price reading their forum where people were asking Mica how much it would be to retro fit their bass to Series I or II electronics! That was the answer.

[David King]

Sometimes it pays to have a business license.

[David Schwab]

Sometimes it pays to have a business license.

Well that's true for many guitar parts, but does 't help the OP, unless you want to get him a preamp cheap.