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F1X (alembic)
http://leftybassist.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5234		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  KingOfAmps [ March 19th, 2014, 7:47 pm ]
Post subject:  F1X (alembic)
So what's the lefty consensus on these? I know this is an OLD offering from alembic and I have seen a few for sale around town in my time but no exp. hands/ears-on whatsoever.

Always hear they're alembics take on "the Fender tone stack" blah blah.

I'm sure there's more to the story...?

Are they really good? Are they worth $600+?

Are they really like a Fender tone stack?

Is one smarter to just get an actual Fender tone stack?

My expectation (prolly wrong) would be towards sterile city, NTTAWWT.

Which doesn't exactly square with Fender-esque...
Author:  andrew [ March 19th, 2014, 7:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
LOVE THEM.

You shouldn't need to pay over $500 for one. Great classic preamp.
Author:  Basshappi [ March 20th, 2014, 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
^THIS^
Author:  KingOfAmps [ March 20th, 2014, 6:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
Y'all have one?

What does it do best? How does it stand out or alone from all the rest?
Author:  Basshappi [ March 20th, 2014, 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
I don't have one and I've never owned one.
Back in the day I had a friend that had one and I played through his rig a time or two. I was also recorded in a studio that had one, unfortunately that recording was lost a long time ago. The Alembic F1X isn't the be-all-end-all device, it's just a very good sound preamp built on the Fender tone stack.

John Kallas has a nice little write-up about it here (along with a few others in his collection);
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Preamps.html

There are quite a few other pres that are quite nice. Like all things musical, it just all comes down to personal preference.
Author:  KingOfAmps [ March 20th, 2014, 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
thanks happi,

that's some good info.

Somehow I landed on this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOOFHFvXNT0
Author:  Jeroen [ March 21st, 2014, 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
Basshappi wrote:
John Kallas has a nice little write-up about it here (along with a few others in his collection);
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Preamps.html


Awesome collection, and nice reviews. I have both Ampegs but I've never been able to try the Alembic. I did try a Trace Elliot V-type preamp, which is also based on the Fender tone-stack and sounds great. Very round and beefy. You might be able to get very similar results to an F1X, but at a lower price.

There are still a lot of preamps out there that I'd like to try once, like the Fender TBP-1 and those Demeter preamps, and the F1X is definitely high on my list too :)
Author:  Basshappi [ March 21st, 2014, 3:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: F1X (alembic)
I'm also very fond of the Yamaha PB-1. I've come close a buying one couple of times and promised myself that the next time I see one, if I have the money, I won't hesitate again.
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