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hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 955
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 - 11:02 pm:   Edit Post

Someone on another forum pointed out a website with a bunch of interviews by Jas Obrecht - I remember him from Guitar Player magazine back in the '80s. This interview with Dixie Dregs bassist Andy West has some great references to Alembic!
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 10377
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, September 16, 2011 - 9:46 am:   Edit Post

Cool interview; thanks!
jos
Junior
Username: jos

Post Number: 45
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2011 - 12:52 am:   Edit Post

Andy West is one of my favorites a really great bass player!!!
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1036
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 - 5:16 pm:   Edit Post

Seeing Dixie Dregs in the late 70s and early 80s gave me the same reaction as seeing the Aquarium Rescue Unit in the early 90s. Best band in the world. Both had phenomenal bass work.

Andy's Alembic was for sale for a long time at Cambridge Music in Porter Sq in the early 90s. I played it a number of times, but was too poor to purchase it.
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 1297
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 - 6:34 pm:   Edit Post

Is there any info on Andy's bass here or elsewhere?
The two canon jacks are intriguing ; was there an extra to control his synth ?

Thanks for the link Harry,
hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 956
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 - 9:06 pm:   Edit Post

Edwin - did that bass have crazing in the finish? I think I might have played it without knowing its pedigree...
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1038
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 - 9:27 pm:   Edit Post

Yes, it did. This is when Cambridge Music was in Porter Sq. upstairs. It also had no truss rod cover and only one trussrod.

However, I don't seem to recall the dual XLR output jacks. Maybe it was a different one? Of course, it's possible that I just didn't know anything about it.

They used to have great instruments for killer prices in the 80s. Strats were all less than $400, SGs between $350-500, Les Pauls around $500 as were 335s. Teles were really cheap and blackface Fender amps were also cheap and plentiful. Too bad I was so broke.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2055
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 - 10:35 pm:   Edit Post

Very interesting article ! I would like to find out more about the output configuration of the Alembic Bass as well .
oujeebass
Intermediate Member
Username: oujeebass

Post Number: 185
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 - 7:56 pm:   Edit Post

I read/heard somewhere that his Alembic was damaged at a gig, and that's why he went to a steinberger at the tail end of The Dregs.
rustyg61
Advanced Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 321
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 12:25 am:   Edit Post

I first saw the Dixie Dreggs in 1979 in Houston when they opened for Stanley & have been a fan ever since! Great interview, thanks for posting!

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