| Author | Message | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1868 Registered: 10-2006 |
On page 67 of the July issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine is a nice little article titled "Alembic Unplugs: California-based electric bass and guitar powerhouse has sights set on acoustic-guitar market", with a pic of a lovely prototype of what looks to be about a 0000 (mebbe 000; hard to tell without a reference point) sized guitar - with a crown headstock bearing a very familiar logo and, of course, a point at the south end! Says next step is a run of eight; you cannot imagine how much my fingers are itching right now!!!!! So, Mica - details!!! Size? Woods? ETA? How badly can I not afford one? Peter (who is willing to bet $5 Federal that Bill gets one of the 8) | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1611 Registered: 6-2002 |
ahhh..ooooh...wow, My mind is racing imagining what the crew at Alembic could create. A series 000 ? | ||
| slawie
Senior Member Username: slawie Post Number: 786 Registered: 8-2002 |
A Grateful Dreadnought? slawie | ||
| hammer
Senior Member Username: hammer Post Number: 707 Registered: 9-2009 |
Several years ago (2012) when my son and I visited the mothership to see the Further he was having built I noticed an acoustic body sitting around the shop...nothing more than a body sans neck. I asked Mica about it at the time and she mentioned that something acoustic "might" be in the initial stages of development but that the project was nowhere near completion. I sincerely hope that this means that it has come to fruition. | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 1733 Registered: 5-2006 |
 I think I've seen one pic, tried to find it but failed... (maybe on Facebook?) My Dad is in the market for a higher end acoustic, but I'm afraid this will be a bit over budget (he's looking at Taylor now) He's extremely enthusiastic about Alembics though, if it's a little over budget I think I can persuade him :-) | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2029 Registered: 5-2002 |
I wonder if this also means that Starfire style hollow body basses might also be an option.... | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1869 Registered: 10-2006 |
Sorry, Flip; I read it in the print version - I tried to link to the online mag, but my subscription lets me download, not read online, and they might get touchy if I scanned the page & posted. We will have to wait for Mica to share. Peter | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 6071 Registered: 7-2004 |
I've played the prototype. Sweet axe. Bill, tgo | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 2371 Registered: 11-2004 |
If I had the money I would cease working! | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2030 Registered: 5-2002 |
If I had the money, I'd get to work! | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1870 Registered: 10-2006 |
So, what else can you tell us, Bill? I'm dying of intriguement! Peter | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2222 Registered: 2-2005 |
I've talked to Mica multiple times and Alembic looking into the building of an acoustic guitar came up more than once. It would be nice to see some pictures of what they finally came up with. Keith | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 367 Registered: 5-2015 |
I too would love to see what Alembic's take on an acoustic instrument would be... Conversely, C.F. Martin & Co. (notable early American guitar-maker and arguably the "Alembic" of their time in the mid-1800's) produced a line of solidbody electric basses and guitars in the late 1970's. It must have been a very short-lived project... I've never seen one other than in pictures, but they looked pretty sweet.  (Message edited by edwardofhuncote on May 26, 2015) | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 877 Registered: 9-2004 |
I have played a couple Martin elec bass guitars. They were kind of an interesting idea that did not live up to what they should have been. Sorta like the first run of PRS amps and bass guitars. | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
New Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2012 |
I've also played the prototype and have seen three others under construction. Aside from being just that, the prototype is everything you'd expect from an Alembic instrument. It is visually striking and the tone is clear and very even - the bass is not boomy, highs are crisp (but not harsh) and the mids are full without being muddy. It is very responsive to pick attack and is an excellent finger-style guitar. I'm guessing that it would also sound very good amplified. To that end (but with no intent to heap any more tasks onto Ron & team) I could speculate that if a proprietary pick-up system and related electronics could be developed and discretely added to it, the results would be game-changing. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1871 Registered: 10-2006 |
I was thinking the same thing, David; I firmly believe that the best acoustic guitar pick-up by faar is a microphone, but I'd be more than willing to approach Alembic's take with open ears! A friend of mine had one of those Martin basses; a decent bass, but not what you'd expect from Martin. Their earlier archtop electric guitars, however, are sweet (and way rare). Peter | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8530 Registered: 6-2000 |
I'm sure pics of this have been on the club before, but to make this a thread with worth, here's a picture!  This is the first one - there's a small run in progress now with various back and side woods. What's left is an Indian Rosewood (shown - but not this one, this one stays with mom!), Quilted Maple, and Coco Bolo. | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 995 Registered: 12-2003 |
I remember you playing the prototype, Bill. It's when I had that conference in SF and you and I took a trip up to the Mothership. Great day! | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2031 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks, Mica! It looks beautiful. Re: the PRS first run basses, they are held in high esteem by reggae players. I don't think I've played one myself, but they are somewhat sought after. | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 368 Registered: 6-2014 |
Nice - Love the point body! That makes it look unmistakably Alembic. The jumbo-ish shaped body and fourteen frets clear is right up my alley too. (my main two guitars are are a Martin OM-18ge, and a Custom Shop 00-18 built to "golden era/authentic" specs) Would love to read another thread sometime on construction... bracing patterns, neck joint, etc. | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 1734 Registered: 5-2006 |
Extremely nice, thanx Mica! If some of the small run are still available, could you send me (or post here) a price indication? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 6072 Registered: 7-2004 |
Warning: brief hijack. Peter, I had one of the Martin hollow body electrics. IIRC it was an F-50. It had a Martin neck, while the body was made by a guy in upstate NY and the single pickup was a D'Armond. A rather mediocre guitar as I remember. I traded it for a motorcycle. We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread. Thanks for the pic, Mica. Bill, tgo | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4211 Registered: 5-2009 |
I will be excited to see the Alembic Acoustic Bass ! ( when it shows up) I think a jumbo body like the GUILD B50 NT would be really cool . If the Alembic version of such an instrument had the adorable little point at the bottom even better! Variations in scale length would be swell as well . | ||
| nnek
Intermediate Member Username: nnek Post Number: 118 Registered: 8-2009 |
I'd like to see an Omega! | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1872 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hijack back: Well, Bill, I will admit that it has been 40+ years since I handled one for any amount of time, and I didn't really play yet then, but it felt really good at the time & the buddy who owned it made it sound really good. I guess it would depend on the bike..... I didn't know about the outsourced body, but all the ones I've seen have had 2 p/ups; F-55 (single-cut), F-65 & F-70 (both double-cut). Back on track: So, did you snag one? And if so, when can I borrow it?? Peter | ||
| samsamaha
Junior Username: samsamaha Post Number: 47 Registered: 4-2015 |
I'm a happy owner of a Martin D45V and love it, but I'll be honest, if I didn't already have it, this would be quite tempting... Lacquer finish and high grade Adirondack tops I assume? Sure looks good either way. | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2223 Registered: 2-2005 |
The guitar picture looks great. If I were a better guitar player I would seriously give consideration to purchasing one. Keith | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 530 Registered: 6-2012 |
Having one will make you a better guitar player... How's that for an incentive? ;-) | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 891 Registered: 9-2004 |
Oddly enough, after reading this post, I just picked up a Martin EB-18 from around 1980. It is one of the last ones made. It has flat wounds and I plan to play it in a country group I am in! I like the look of it and it is very well made, with a Badass bridge and a dimarzio pickup with a coil tap. I guess they only made around 870 of the bass ones. The workmanship is superb.  | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 56 Registered: 5-2014 |
Well, now that the cat is out of the bag with the article in A.G., I guess some info can be passed on. This has been a ten year long process getting to this point with the acoustic. Susan approached me years ago to design an acoustic since she knew I was an acoustic builder, and basically a life long Alembic family member. On this first instrument, the rules were simple from Susan. "It has to have a point". My many years of experience with Alembic design philosophy and cues allowed me to touch on some of the important features unique to Alembic instruments. My design was based off of a small jumbo I had been building for a few years, but I increased the depth of the body to give the guitar a little better bass response. I also increased the radius of the back to give more focus and definition of the low end. The top also has increased radius so there is no 14th fret hump so common with Martin guitars. Not wanting to create a boutique guitar that had a "unique" and incomprehensible sound like so many on the market today, I stuck with the tried and true forward X bracing pattern. Where it differs is in the depth of the braces and their thickness. The design allows for better support of the top while allowing increased area on the top for better flex and vibration. Once I had the blue prints completed, it was time for a trip to Santa Rosa. I spent some time with Bob Nelson at the Alembic factory, and we built the molds, side bender and various other jigs. Bob did a great job bending the sides with their intricate point. He also glued up a wonderful 5 ply neck made of mahogany with two purple heart lams and a maple center lam. Then it was back to my shop in So. Cal. where I built the body. I delivered it the day of Mica's wedding. It was in Susan's office for many years before I got around to having it sent back down for the binding install and fitting of the neck. I completed carving the neck, put on a Bolivian Rosewood fingerboard, crafted an ebony bridge, and put a light finish of French Polish on the guitar. From the minute I strung up the guitar, I knew I had something special here. Everything worked in harmony to give a great sound for both finger style and picking. It had a solid almost Dreadnought type power, but still responded to the lightest touch. It was a guitar that could handle virtually any playing style, and had a tone that was reminiscent of a 70 year old Martin. The goal to create a guitar that was not foreign to the ear, but was still truly unique had been accomplished. As good as the prototype was, it was still not up to Alembic standards, and this is where Susan and Mica really applied their design aesthetics. The final design will sport a 3/4 sized Alembic crown peg head, a more Alembic "flying bird" style bridge, much fancier binding and purfling, a paua rosette, and a host of details which keep the Alembic hippie sandwich laminates unified throughout the guitar from the inside to the outside. As usual, only the finest materials will be used, and all bracing will be quarter sawn Adirondack Spruce. A cutaway version will also be available. As to the request for an Omega cutout, I have already designed that, and it is in the blueprints for the Parlor Guitar version yet to have the prototype built. First things first though. The wonderful talents of all the folks at Alembic are hard at work creating a true piece of Alembic history….the Element! | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1634 Registered: 6-2002 |
So intriguing !! Thanks for detailed story. Great moniker too. I really look forward to see more Element pictures. Now...if I just had money  | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 57 Registered: 5-2014 |
I am sure Mica will post more. She has some cool ones of James, Jack, and Chris working with me in the shop during the initial phases of building. I have pictures of the prototype build, but due to the secrecy of the development, have kept them to myself for the most part.  | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Senior Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 413 Registered: 6-2014 |
Fascinating Trevor, great job! I volunteer to help with the design of the parlor guitar... may I recommend a slotted headstock, 12 frets clear, and size 00? =) | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1896 Registered: 10-2006 |
I say crown, 12-fret, & size 0. Your description of the Element's design & sound makes me think I was right in my first guess of roughly 0000; can you confirm or deny, Trevor? Peter | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 58 Registered: 5-2014 |
The Parlor is designed as a 12 fret, and is based off a 00 size, but the hassle of a slotted headstock may not be the first choice. The size of the Element would be closest to a Gibson SJ, but it is a little slimmer and deeper. Scale length is 25.4 or 25.5 depending on what Susan decides. The proto was 25.4. | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Senior Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 414 Registered: 6-2014 |
Oh man, I can hardly wait to see a Parlor prototype... that sounds like a guitar after my own heart. Better stop now, I can feel my Martin Custom Shop 00-18 getting jealous, besides that, I have a custom fretless order pending! Again Trevor, great work. | ||
| hifiguy
Senior Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 447 Registered: 10-2006 |
You live well, Edward, instrumentally speaking! | ||
| dfung60
Senior Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 611 Registered: 5-2002 |
Very interesting thread! I'm curious to see where this goes. Since it was mentioned in the thread, I own one of the original 4-string PRS basses. It's quite an unusual beast. It has 3 pickups and a dummy hum-cancelling coil that's visible on the back of the bass. There's a pickup selector knob (a la the old PRS guitars) and a master volume, then there are two different knobs that control a very unusual active bass and treble circuit. They unusual thing about the EQ is that the kneepoints are very extreme compared to most active EQ - the bass knob really affects only the lowest bass and the treble knob only the extreme highs. That's not really bad. It has an great tiger stripe maple top and sunburst finish. The neck is mahogany. The workmanship, like PRS of the late 80's, is top rate. How does it sound? Hmmm... Let me say this - PRS makes really great guitars. David Fung | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Senior Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 415 Registered: 6-2014 |
I'm curious what kind of neck joint was used... traditional tapered dovetail? Like the tried-n-true X-brace, it's hard to go wrong with it, but the Alembic acoustic of my imagination could go a different route, in the spirit of innovation. Re; slotted headstock, how about a (somewhat drastically) scaled-down version of Classico? @hifi - I've had a thing for vintage Martin guitars for quite some time... it's fair to say, that's what put me on the road to here. =) I firmly believe the folks that founded Alembic are the C.F. Martin Sr. of their day, and the next generation(s) is/are following suit. | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 59 Registered: 5-2014 |
Mortise and tenon bolt on neck system with unique brass rod full tenon support. Very solid, very precise. Only one bolt required for a very secure joint, but I had two on the prototype. | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 894 Registered: 9-2004 |
I had a friend who bought one of the first PRS guitar amps. It looked really cool, it did not sound so good! They ended up making a run of less than 200, if I remember right. Funny how companys can create products that should have been better. I would love to see a photo of your PRS bass! | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 1126 Registered: 4-2004 |
I found one of those PRS amps in the trash a couple of months ago. I emailed Bill right away b/c of his testimonials on Pitchard's current line.... Aside from some scratchy pots in the clean channel, the amp sounds pretty freakin good! Yeah, it's not a blackface or a Mesa, but it definitely does the dual fender clean / Marshall gain two channel thing quite convincingly. | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 566 Registered: 6-2012 |
To continue the PRS amp hijack a bit further - I have two, a Sweet 16 head and an Archon 25 watt 1x12 combo and have found both to be ideal for their specific purposes. I use the Sweet 16 head with a closed back EVH 1x12 cab with 25 watt Celestion speaker to amplify my Rob Allen MB-2 fretless "acoustic" bass - don't laugh, it sounds pretty d*mn good when the treble is trimmed appropriately and the bright switch and reverb are both off. And I currently use the clean channel of the Archon as my main gigging amp for guitar. That clean channel handles pedals as well or better than any other amp I've tried to this point and the half-power switch has made my volume tolerable for sound people. To get back on topic - one day I hope to be fortunate enough to snag one of those Alembic acoustics. Got a few things ahead of it on the wish list. | ||
| ed_zeppelin
New Username: ed_zeppelin Post Number: 7 Registered: 2-2010 |
I sincerely think that is one of the most beautiful acoustic guitars I've ever seen. The simplicity is its best feature, in my opinion. It's simply breathtaking. (I've written this paragraph five times and it keeps coming out as pretentious blathering one would be embarrassed to hear at an art gallery "wine and cheese" yap-fest.) The only other acoustic guitar that affected me like this is Django Reinhardt's Selmer, for the same reason; elegant simplicity.  | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2085 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hey, I love art gallery wine and cheese yap-fests! After all, with a family of artists, they are a way of life for me. Here's Dawn at her opening at the Denver Art Museum with the first fragrance as art exhibition at a major American museum (that I know about), part of the impressionist flower painting show called In Bloom. Sorry for the hijack!  I agree with your comparison between the guitars. The Selmer does have an Art Deco thing going on that sets it apart. The Alembic has something else. I wonder if us Alembic folks see it differently because we are so used to seeing some of the subtle details, from the point to the headstock, on electrics. I can't wait to hear one! | ||
| ed_zeppelin
New Username: ed_zeppelin Post Number: 8 Registered: 2-2010 |
It's a sculptural work that signifies precisely the non-being of what it represents; the suggestion of performance psychologically involves the musician with the process of creation, provoking instinctive responses to the zeitgeist of the assemblage which centers on an interest in the universality of our biological make-up and landscape viz a viz the inner vibrations of our souls made visceral, combined with the collective sense of the sublime. This guitar examines hesitation as part of the process of decision-making, where the object is neither the point of objecthood nor the art-object. It is rather the oblique object of the creator's intention to sublimate nature while simultaneously exploring form as a vehicle for the highest form of expression. (Cut, pasted and edited from the "artybollocks generator" at http://www.artybollocks.com/ ) | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2087 Registered: 5-2002 |
Try the gorgonzola! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11889 Registered: 5-2002 |
Ed; that makes sense to me, but what happens when the drummer comes in? | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1829 Registered: 6-2002 |
He goes for the gorgonzola and washes it down with lemon extract... uh huh. ba-dum tss | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 6177 Registered: 7-2004 |
Gorgonzola, the fragrance art of the cheese world! Moe, Larry, Cheese! Bill, tgo | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 83 Registered: 5-2014 |
Forest, Thanks for admiring my design. I hope that the added details of the production guitars will not detract from the overall visual impact. The truth of the matter is I kept the first one simple in order to not have wasted a lot of effort in case it did not sound good. Thank goodness it passed the test! | ||
| sonofa_lembic
Member Username: sonofa_lembic Post Number: 84 Registered: 5-2014 |
Forest, Thanks for admiring my design. I hope that the added details of the production guitars will not detract from the overall visual impact for you. I think they are going to be stunning. The details on the inside alone are something special. The truth of the matter is I kept the first one simple in order to not have wasted a lot of effort in case it did not sound good. Thank goodness it passed the test! | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Senior Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 494 Registered: 6-2014 |
I'll say this - it definitely looks "Alembic" Trevor. Since there hasn't been (?) an Alembic acoustic up until your prototype, I can also admire that you had this mindset - "Not wanting to create a boutique guitar that had a "unique" and incomprehensible sound like so many on the market today..." That may seem backward to some, but setting out to replicate a certain tonal voice from any acoustic instrument is extremely difficult. To do it consistently in multiple instruments is harder still. Nice job! I'll be on the lookout for that 00-parlor-size. In mahogany, and adi-spruce. And wineburst. And mini-Classico headstock. =) | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 589 Registered: 6-2012 |
Form follows function... ...the purest definition of "good design". And, if you can strategically add a little understated embellishment without detracting from either the form or the function - you will have an extraordinary design. Now, who does that remind you of - ? |
