| Author | Message | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 4 Registered: 7-2004 |
Hi All, Is anyone aware of Alembic ever making a semi acoustic bass with functional "f" holes??? I was watching an older video of TOTO and the bass player, Mike Poccaro seemed to be playing what appeared to be a semi-acoustic Alembic. It was shapped similarly to a Stanley CLarke model but was bound front and back and was noticably thicker than a standard SC model. In addition it seemed to have functional "f" holes top and botton. Couldn't get a realy good look in the video but the inlay work and pickups looked like Alembics. I have not seen anything remotely resembling this configuration in any of the showcase/custom listings or in any discussion threads. Anone have any info on this bass. Guess my curiousity has gotten the better of me on this one,. Thanx | ||
| serialnumber12
Intermediate Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 187 Registered: 12-2004 |
Ive seen that bass and i was thinking the same thing!,,,maybe mica or susan (or dave Hauk)might know more about this bass, but the oval inlays says alembic & the headstock. (Message edited by Serialnumber12 on April 19, 2005) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1613 Registered: 5-2002 |
I looked around on the net last night but couldn't find anything. A video capture would be nice. Anybody know someone with a copy of the video? | ||
| trekster
Junior Username: trekster Post Number: 22 Registered: 7-2004 |
FWIW..the video is for the song "Africa", from the Toto IV album. When I saw it long ago I thought too that it was an Alembic, but I also thought it sported EMG pickups (since this was around 1982-3, I wonder who put thier logo on thier pickups first -- EMG or Alembic? Hmmmm....) --T | ||
| effclef
Advanced Member Username: effclef Post Number: 322 Registered: 1-2004 |
Could it have been one of the Alembic-modified Guild Starfires similar to: http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1801.html?1040358995 EffClef | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 5 Registered: 7-2004 |
Well based on my observations, having seen this video several times, the body is considerably smaller with very sharp, pointy cut aways. Again it looks as if somebody made a semi acoustic SC model. The only other thought was maybe a "one-off" Rick Turner model without the rotating pickups. | ||
| room037
Junior Username: room037 Post Number: 43 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi, I keep this pict in my PC. I think, it was on eBay. It looks just like Ricky !  | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 537 Registered: 6-2002 |
From http://www.toto99.com/encyclopedia/index.html - under VIDEOS: "More moody, obscure and emotional, like the song it portrayed, was the conceptual video for 'Africa'. The band played modified instruments on a stage resembling a large book." So it may well have been an Alembic, but modified for the occasion! | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 6 Registered: 7-2004 |
Ummmm, not sure I would take that "modified" statement too literally. More like they used some period pieces, primarily some African percussion, to highlight the overall feel of the video. I have a difficult time believing that the instrument being played was modified for the video since it was only visible for a short period of time and if it was modified I'm not sure what the point of the modification would have been. It didn't seem to affect or enhance the general gist of the video at all. But what do I know??? | ||
| trekster
Junior Username: trekster Post Number: 23 Registered: 7-2004 |
Ok, question -- is that Mike Poccaro in the video, or David Hungate, who actually recorded it? While the "Africa" bass is still a mystery, I know that the bass used in the "Rosanna" video (same album) was definitely an white Ibanez Roadstar. Maybe Ibanez made something semi-acoustic during that time period (late 82-early 83). --T, grasping at straws | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 7 Registered: 7-2004 |
I think this was the first video and album for Mike with Toto, David Hungate had left to become a Nashville session bassist afer their 3rd album | ||
| jagerphan84
Intermediate Member Username: jagerphan84 Post Number: 173 Registered: 10-2003 |
According to Allmusic, the album Toto IV was released in 1982, and Mike joined in 1984. | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 8 Registered: 7-2004 |
Ugh, sorry, David left after Toto IV. It appears Mike was first credited on the FAHRENHEIT album........Sounds kinda funny talking about albums since a large majority of players have never owned albums to the degree us old timers have. Still have my collection of 1200 albums that I listen to regularly....but I digress..... | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1614 Registered: 5-2002 |
According to the site that Adriaan cited, Hungate left right after the album was recorded and Porcaro did the videos and tour for the album. | ||
| xlrogue6
Member Username: xlrogue6 Post Number: 92 Registered: 8-2002 |
Way back when I worked at Alembic, there was a 335 style SI bass that once belonged to Robert "Kool" Bell lurking around the shop. (Message edited by xlrogue6 on April 19, 2005) | ||
| chuckc
New Username: chuckc Post Number: 9 Registered: 7-2004 |
For those who have not seen the video or the bass, the best way to describe it is to take the picture of the Alembic shown above, bind the front and back, make it a 2 p/u configuration, and change the wood to what I can only gather is either walnut or perhaps a dark mahogany. The neck appears to be ebony with oval mop inlays. Additionally there doesn't seem to be any contouring of the body either fore or aft, just a sort of slab look to it. |
