Alesis Q2 Fix

[26rednef]

Hi Charlie.

I have fixed the stereo problem on my Q2 now, it was the input jack that failed so a little contact spray fixed it. The Display is more tricky I find the LEDs but the local electronic store did not have them so it is now ordered from US. It is surface mounted ones and a bit tricky to replace.

Thanks for the tip on the stereo problem. You also said some thing about new updates, where can I find it?

Kind Regards,
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi 26rednef,
Please email me for the updates charliehallATntlworld.com (replacing AT with @) with the serial number and also let me know whether you have 100 or 175 programs.
Regards,
Charlie

[26rednef]

Hi.

I have 100 EFTP programs.
What is the price in case of.
What is updated major/minor things.

Kind regards,
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi 26rednef,
There is no charge for the updates.
The updated programs are the Echomatic 1 and 2 programs. I have changed the voicing EQ of the echoes and also changed the wow (as in wow and flutter), and also made the echoes distort more easily. The updated programs 0-00 to 0-07 and 0-10 to 0-24 are replaced one by one. The Midnight and Meazzi programs 0-14 and 0-15 are replaced by new Gonzales and FBI programs. The unchanged programs will remain as they are and will not be overwritten by the update files.
Regards,
Charlie

[26rednef]

OK thanks, I will check it out.

Some question on the recommended programs in your "set up list".

Wonderful Land 0-03 Hank seams to make use of something more like 0-07, see this interview. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhm3w45-o3I
F.B.I 0-36 It is more likely something like 0-18,0-19,0-23 I make use of 0-18
Gonzales 0-00 It is more likely something like 0-18,019,0-23. I make use of 0-23
Peace Pipe 0-05 Here I can't find something that match the very nice slow ripples Hank make use of. The timing seams to be more like Binson Echorec 2 but that one does not produce that kind of ripples. Do you know what Hank used on Peace Pipe, it's an early recording so it must have been a Meazzi Echomatic 1 or 2. What to use to get close here? I really like the slow ripples Hank make use of, I use 0-11 and taps the tempo, it works but it is not equal nice?

Kind Regards,
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi 26rednef,
Hank is definitely using 0-03 for Wonderful Land in that clip.
0-36 was Hank's initial choice of echo for FBI. I later wrote a program that works for FBI. The update has new programs for FBI and Gonzales.
Peace Pipe was an Echomatic 2. It was definitely not a Binson.
Regards,
Charlie

[26rednef]

Hi.

If that is the case, my version of that program is not correct, the one on the video sound exactly as my 0-07, a nearly even raw of ripples. The 0-03 in my Q2 sounds more interrupted with bounced ripples, not an even raw. I have not changed the programs, so if they are different it is loaded in to my Q2 that way. Then I noticed that on the original Wonderful Land recording the ripples is slower then I have in my Q2 and what Hank has on the video clip. Same story as with the Peace Pipe recording. You say they used the 4 head machine on Peace Pipe and the same on Wonderful Land. Can it in stead have been the mostly used 5 head machine but with variable disk speed the used at the original recording? And if you listen to Hank on the video clip he mention that the speed could be set to match the beat and I think they did. They used what ever there was to make use of when it comes to instruments and electronics if it make it sound better. Is there a easy way to "clock down" the ripple speed in your programs without change every thing? To tap the tempo don't work that way in the "tap-programs".

Kind Regards,
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi rednef,
I think something must have gone wrong with your Q2. First of all, please check that when using the R(MONO) input, the LED indicators are reading equally for left and right.
Hank's first unit's head spacings do not work for Wonderful Land or Peace Pipe at any speed.
Regards,
Charlie

[26rednef]

Hi and thanks.

I use my Q2 in both stereo and mono setups and it works OK now after the contact spray fix. I can send samples of 0-03 and 0-07 if you like and you will hear the different.

You say that Hank did not use 5 head machine with changed speed on Peace Pipe and Wonderful Land. It is probably correct, I do not know.

Other says: Meazzi/Vox Echomatic 2
First used on record: Probably Find Me a Golden Street in Jan 1961; subsequently used on all tracks recorded with Fender Strats up to late 1963/early 1964.
BUT
The echo pattern (you say it is Q2 0-03, Echomatic 2) on Hanks demo does not match the original Wonderful Land recording. Not any of my Q2:s (0-00 - 0-07, all Echomatic 2) does match the echo on the original recordings of Wonderful Land 1961 or Peace Pipe 1961. It should match if it was what they used. Early ballads can be recorded with some thing different ....... but what?

It should be very nice to have the original echo patterns for The Shadows early ballads for example 10 - 20 most known ones. I should prefer to have that instead of the 26 Swiss, Factotum and Euro patterns, never used by me.

Kind Regards,
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi 26rednef,
You have not told me about checking the LED levels. Are they reading equally when the R(MONO) input is used? If you cannot answer my questions it is making it very difficult for me to help you.
Are you saying that Hank's demo of the Wonderful Land echo sounds the same as yours? If not, please email me short mp3 samples of the two echoes. Keep each file as short as needed to only demonstrate the echo sound from normal playing and damped notes. No real tune or backing tracks needed.
If something has gone wrong with these two echo patches in your Q2, the update will fix them anyway. If all of the other patches seem alright, perhaps you should do the update before sending me any samples as it may prove to be unnecessary. In fact I wonder why you have not decided to do the update yet.
Regards,
Charlie

[26rednef]

Hi and thanks.

Yes the led level meter shows equal input for Left and Right,
no problem with that any more,.............. thanks.
So I think my Q2 works OK.

I have checked the timing on the 0-03 program and it is ruffly ~(105,202,284,360)mSek and Fb from head 4 (match Echomatic 2 quite well) but heads 1,2,3 seams to be set to wrong levels.

Kind Regards.
26rednef

[Charlie Hall]

Hi 26rednef,
OK, thanks for checking that. The head levels may be a little different with the update. I suggest that you email me for that. I think you will be happier with the new versions, as everyone else so far seems to be.
Regards,
Charlie