| Author |
Message |
bassfingers
Member
Username: bassfingers
Post Number: 61
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 10:41 am: |  |
Further to Terry's mention of Alembic Jazz style basses,this one was up for sale at Bassworld in Kent,England.
Rather gorgeous IMHO.
Best Wishes,Simon. |
daveo
Junior
Username: daveo
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 11:22 am: | |
WOW Bassfingers; if I played Bass, I think that is what I'd want. An Alembic Jazz Bass would sound, feel and play "softly as a morning sunrise". |
bassfingers
Member
Username: bassfingers
Post Number: 63
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 1:22 pm: | |
I tried to find the link to the site featuring the bass above but Bassworld,as you may know,is a bass forum site.However,after some brief Google-age I found it.It's well worth a look,they've got some beautiful Alembics and the bass above is still advertised.
www.psst.co.uk/americanguitars/bass.htm
Best Wishes,Simon. |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1627
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 2:19 pm: | |
That's the store that got 'em. There was a 4-str. as well...it must have sold. The pix of that one, as well as that of the bass above, are buried somewhere here on the site. |
terryc
Junior
Username: terryc
Post Number: 30
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 5:35 am: | |
That F Jazz style bass is the biz, bet it sounds great as well looking good(as if it wouldn't!!)
Well guess I shall start saving my pennies then. |
bassfingers
Member
Username: bassfingers
Post Number: 64
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 7:17 am: | |
Hi Terry,
I hope you've got a big piggy-bank mate,did you get a look at the website?.I'm not sure I understand why the shop price is £1200.00 more than the net price.
Still,you're right,that bass looks the business,at any price.Yet another piece of Alembic exotica that has me thinking "How can I go about financing this one??".
D'you think my brother would mind if I sold his car?.
All the best mate,
Simon. |
terryc
Junior
Username: terryc
Post Number: 35
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 2:55 am: | |
hi bassfingers
The trouble is can you justify it..I mean if I won the lottery I would no problem, they all look so damn good..even to hang on the wall in the home they would be such a talking point but overall these basses are meant to be played as they are built not just for looks but for tone as well. Still I can dream...
Yes the website is a choice menu of bass food |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1635
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 4:47 am: | |
Ahhh, the Pound Sterling...there's a definite reason why Britain is not on the Euro, LOL! Yes Bass World UK's prices are high, especially for one like me who has $USD, LOL! They do have an excellent selection, though...better than most US Dealers...and you do get what you pay for with an Alembic.
Further, unless you have one custom-made, they got the only two J-bass bodied Alembics currently available (only one left now) anywhere, to my knowledge. IMHO, Alembic seems to prefer to leave the Fender-clone business to Sadowksky and Lakland, so you probably won't see too many more like these, LOL!. |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1636
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 5:00 am: | |
FINALLY...I found pix of BOTH of the Bass World UK Jazz basses....scroll down to Mica's post half-way down the page.
http://alembic.com/club/messages/449/7704.html
Enjoy!
FWIW, Mica mentions that this was to be the FIRST of more shipments of J-Bass Alembics...not sure if they ever made any more.
Val? Mica? Dave? Anyone know? |
bassfingers
Member
Username: bassfingers
Post Number: 67
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 8:29 am: | |
Hi Terry,
I'm sure I could justify the cost of any bass if it was to become part of my working 'A' team.The basses I use most have,or will at some point,pay for themselves.This was always my 'Ace up the sleeve spousal placation vote-winner'.
If I could assemble an ultimate 'Noah's Ark' collection-(Two of that,Two of those)-I'd struggle to justify that,but it would take a lottery win to finance it.(I'd need a lottery win just to finance all the Alembic's I'd like.Then there's those several sets of Mk1 Taurus pedals to think about!).
Kevin,it must have taken ages to find that thread.It generated a fair amount of interest at the time,so who knows?.Thank you for posting it.I (we)appreciate your time and research.
Best wishes,
Simon. |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1639
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 10:20 am: | |
Simon,
No worries, Mate. It took me a couple of days because the search engine on the site was giving me nothing but error messages.
There were other pix as well, but I think they were from Bass World UK's site. Apparently, they don't have a "sold" bass section like some others have on their sites on this side of the pond (i.e, Bass Central, G Guitars, Superbass, etc).
Mica and Co may have some more pix hidden away somewhere.
I think you're not alone on this site...a lottery winner here would keep Alembic in beer n' skittles for a long time to come, myself included. With Alembic, you are only limited by your imagination...and your bank account, LOL!
Cheers,
Kevin |
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil
Post Number: 829
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 1:53 pm: | |
Hello Kevin,
we only made those two so far.
Valentino |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1645
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 2:10 pm: | |
Thanks Val...I had a feeling that the Wickershams weren't real keen on re-inventing the Fender wheel unless specifically comissioned to do so, LOL! |
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko
Post Number: 480
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 1:22 am: | |
Aaarghh! you said the F* word Kevin. That's 3 hail marys and an 'our father' for your sins. ;-)
graeme |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1649
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 4:51 am: | |
Forgive me Father for I have sinned...I own two "Smith" Stratocasters from the early '80's, LOL! Amen! |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1651
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 5:48 am: | |
Steve:
Just for sh*ts and giggles, what stand did you use that caused this great catastrophe? Inquiring minds wanna know. I use USS Genesis stands and I just recommended them to another (new) club member in another thread.
PLEASE tell me that you didn't use one of those, LOL!
Cheers,
Kevin |
terryc
Junior
Username: terryc
Post Number: 47
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 5:35 am: | |
Guitar stands..mine is a standard body sits in cradle with two rods that clip together to form the neck cradle, there is no 'stop on the neck cradle as there are on music shop hanging types..to solve this get a very wide rubber band and wrap it around the exit of the neck cradle, if the bass decided to go walk about it will bounce back.
Even with all these precautions something is bound to happen that makes it fall over etc..we need to play 'em and not wrap them up in cotton wool. |
s_wood
Intermediate Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 177
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 11:44 am: | |
Kevin:
It was, indeed, a Genisis stand that fell over and caused this disaster. The model was Genisis Ultimate GS100. It's one of the ones that uses a red disc to lock the folding legs into place. One explanation for what happened is that the lock failed to engage, but who knows?
I do know this, though: guitar stands suck. All of them. |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1662
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 5:13 am: | |
Sorry to hear that...they seemed like the best of what's available today. I use the GS200 because I like to cradle the instrument from the bottom, as opposed to hanging it from the neck.
I have two older stands (no longer made...and I can't remember the manufacturer) of early '80's vintage. They're built of heavy-duty steel and are chrome plated. They're cradle type and are identical in contruction and aesthetics to ultra-premium drum/cymbal stands. The cradle is a heavy-duty steel padded removable fork and the neck cradle is a smaller version (no neck lock). Unfortunately, the foam rubber padding on the surfaces that touch the guitar succumbed to age and turned to powder. I'm sure it wouldn't be to difficult to re-pad them with something soft that's NOT reactive to lacquer (gotta watch the Custom Shop Les Paul, '62 VRI Strat and Heritage Golden Eagle jazzbox finishes). I have never seen any other stands come even remotely close to the quality and strength of these stands...I wish I could still get 'em. In the days when $1k guitars were expensive, we had good stands....now that guitars can cost more than a house, we have junk...go figure! |
howierd
Member
Username: howierd
Post Number: 55
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:05 am: | |
Back in 1980 when my cat knocked over my guitar stand with series I in it, the bass fell straight out and landed on a carpet on the fretboard and snapped the neck starting under the neck lams and them diagonally across the neck. The front lams held so it did not come complely off. I showed it to my buddy at Giant Music and he said it can be fixed. So I took it to my Luthier and he glued it back together with yellow glue. I still used a guitar stand while at home but I used large staples and nailed the stand to the floor and put a large rubber strap across the neck holder. It held for about 21 yrs when a friend had it in his studio and while recording the neck slowly started separating and the crack opened up again. He took it to Washington Music center( Chuck Levin's) and they repaired it using a poly glue. You can see the crack but can not feel it. The harmonics are perfect and still plays like a dream. If this ever happens again I'll send it back to alembic and have it replaced with a new neck.
Howierd |
johnnybassboy
Junior
Username: johnnybassboy
Post Number: 15
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 10:20 am: | |
Steve, that bass is a beauty... and the damage is a shame. I stumbled onto this post, I was actually looking to see what new and exciting Alembic(s) you might have in the works.
Now I'm curious to see how it all works-out: rebuild or replace.
At least you've trusted your bass to the best of hands.
-John |
hb3
Member
Username: hb3
Post Number: 71
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:13 pm: | |
My cats knocked a guitar off its stand face first onto the floor, too -- an MTD 535 onto a HARDWOOD floor.
Here's the amazing part: no damage. Zero. Not a ding. I swear to God. |
terryc
Member
Username: terryc
Post Number: 52
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 3:31 am: | |
the cats would have become Davy Crocket hats.. |
s_wood
Intermediate Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 178
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 2:20 pm: | |
Susan and Mica:
Now that I have the repair vs. replace estimates in hand, I am still unsure how to proceed with this project. One factor that will help me decide is this: from the photos that Mica posted above which show where the new scarf joint would be placed it looks like that there will no longer be a continuous system of maple and ebony from nut to bridge because there will be a glue joint somwhere between the nut and first fret. Am I right about that? If so, would it be fair to say that a repair would basically turn this bass from a neck through to a set neck (with the glue joint being near the nut as opposed to where the neck joins the body)? |
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364
Post Number: 1680
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 3:13 pm: | |
Steve:
While my intention is not to speak on behalf of Mica et al, nor am I looking to usurp their authority, please allow me to interject my $0.02:
You've always had a glued scarf joint, it was just disguised by the headstock lams. Alembic will just lower the scarf joint slightly. You will still have a neck-thru-bodied instrument...the vast majority of the neck remains.Other than the slightly visible new joint, the sonic effects should be zero to nil, IMHO.
Cheers. |
worldfamousandy
Junior
Username: worldfamousandy
Post Number: 44
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 3:43 pm: | |
My $0.02: I've had this repair done on my bass. They did a beautiful job, and you can only see the repair if you look up close. They cut the neck diagonally from the middle of the second fret to the middle of the fourth fret, and installed the new corresponding part of the neck/ headstock. The neck laminates match up well, but, of course, it's not perfect. You can see it if you are looking for it, although you have to be quite close to the bass.
I guess it's been 4 or 5 years since I had the work done, and my '76 Series 1 sounds better than it ever has. Sure, it's got a scar from the surgery, but it adds character. After all, scars are tattoos with stories.
I'm trying to get some pictures of this, but none so far really allow the repair to be seen. I'll keep trying.
Andy Calder
www.andycalderbass.com |
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass
Post Number: 603
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 4:28 pm: | |
I know stands are a subjective thing. I've used everything from the Hamilton 'Hanger' (yes, it did begin to put marks into the headstock) to most everything else out there. I've finally settled on those little folding Fender stands where the center post has a padded 'T' that rests right in the middle of the back of the body. Since it's so low to the floor, they are really pretty tip-proof and there's no contact with the neck at all. And you can fold them up and put them in your gig bag. $10-15 most places.
J o e y |
jlpicard
Advanced Member
Username: jlpicard
Post Number: 337
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 4:43 pm: | |
I've got the ultimate guitar stand. I hired the biggest, meanest, ugliest looking biker I could find and on breaks I hand him my bass and he holds it tightly while scowling menacingly at anyone that comes within ten feet of the stage! LOL |
s_wood
Intermediate Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 179
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 5:08 pm: | |
Well, I guess a real Alembician is, like everyone else on this board, open-minded and willing to listen to the opinions of others and try new things.
I'm not, though. On this point I shall remain firm: guitar stands REALLY suck. |
s_wood
Intermediate Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 188
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 5:14 pm: | |
After wrestling with the decision about how to fix this mess, my insurance company (Heritage Insurance) made it easy - they decided to total the bass, since the estimated repair cost plus expected depreciation (which is covered by my policy) was close to replacement value. Plus, since the repair would have involved placing a new scarf joint - glue joint - between the nut and the bridge, the whole sonic point of the ebony neck laminates would have been diminished, if not lost.
Since the insurance company offered to pay for me to have a new bass built (using the hardware and electronics from the old one) the decision was a no-brainer. So, here we go again! Quick Susan, the quilt!
I totally have to give mad props to Ellis Hershman at Heritage Insurance Co, my musical instrument insurance broker www.musicins.com He specializes in musical instrument insurance, and was a pleasure to deal with.
Listen: insurance on a 10K Series bass costs about $60 US a year. The insurance covers accidental, shipping or travel damage (including depreciation!) and loss. You have to be stone cold crazy not to insure your Alembic! Know this: most standard homeowner's policies either don't cover your instrument (particularly if you ever use it at a paying gig) or are riddled with exemptions.
Pardon my shouting, but DON'T BE A BUTTHEAD. INSURE YOUR ALEMBIC! |
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck
Post Number: 3407
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 5:33 pm: | |
Sounds great Steve!! |
bsee
Senior Member
Username: bsee
Post Number: 1069
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 7:13 pm: | |
Is ungluing things and transplanting in a new neck not an option because of the bookmatch to center? I have heard about doing neck transplants on non B-2-C instruments. |
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 621
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 7:16 pm: | |
Steve - Thanks! I found out the hard way that my basses were not covered by homeowners. In fact, I have had lots of insurance lessons lately. If a bass is used for income, it is not covered. If it is used as a hobby, it is not covered! My problem is that I had a flood. So NOTHING was covered with homeowners. It is a separate flood policy. I had my home insured for flood, but not the contents. I thought that the contents were under homeowners. WRONG! Come to find out, my policy was worthless. So, this time, I will definately insure my basses. Live and learn.
Michael |
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq
Post Number: 1071
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 9:59 pm: | |
Michael:
I visited you bass today. It was proudly on display in the Alembic showroom. Mica seemed very jazzed about the restoration. I have to tell you, your bass really oozes soul. Call me a California sprouthead, but your axe really has good vibes. I'm looking forward to following the restoration.
Bill, tgo |
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin
Post Number: 757
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 4:09 am: | |
  |
bassplayer2106
Member
Username: bassplayer2106
Post Number: 72
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 2:58 pm: | |
I bought a Jaydee Mark King bass a few years ago, it was 6 months before I realised that it had at some time, had a head break repair.
You could only see the repair when the lighting was right.
It had no detrimental effects on the sound or playability of the instrument at all. |
precarius
Member
Username: precarius
Post Number: 69
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 11:35 am: | |
Steve- I called Heritage Musical Instrument serv. and talked to Matt Hirshman. He said there was a minimum charge of $250 per year and that covered up to 250k insurance. Did I ask about the right type coverage? Thanks.
Mike |
precarius
Member
Username: precarius
Post Number: 70
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 11:41 am: | |
Please do not look at my previous Post Number as it may be offensive. DON'T LOOK AT IT! |
s_wood
Intermediate Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 190
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 6:43 pm: | |
Hmmm. good question. That price seems high based on what I know, but it's his business and I am just a customer. I have a couple of basses insured, so I never asked what the rate was for just one. My understanding from Heritage was that the usual charge was somewhere around 60 cents per hundred dollars of insured value. |
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq
Post Number: 1089
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 8:31 pm: | |
When I talked to them a couple of weeks ago, they quoted $.50 per $100 value.
Bill, tgo |
crgaston
Intermediate Member
Username: crgaston
Post Number: 125
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 9:00 pm: | |
Mr. Greene,
I have nothing to say, but stand in humble awe of your perception and timing.
Impeccable.
Charles |
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq
Post Number: 1129
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 4:15 pm: | |
So I'm reading the May 2006 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine and I get to the Q&A column on page 76, and, lo and behold, there is a letter from a guy whose bass feel out of it's stand onstage and was decapitated. The writer signs "Steve Wood"! It looks like one of us has been published!!!! Congrats, Steve.
Bill, tgo
P.S. The issue also has a story on guitar wiring through the ages that mentions four huge influences on guitar wiring in the 1970's: Les Paul; Billy Lorento, who changed his name to Bill Lawrence; Bernie Rico, who started B.C. Rich; and Alembic, "started in the late 60's as part of the Grateful Dead gestalt." Unfortunately the article gets it wrong, writing that by the late 70's Alembic guitars "featured preamps, onboard EQ, and a lot of switches for tapping coils and aligning phase."
Go Olympic!!!! |
s_wood
Advanced Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 208
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 11:20 am: | |
This whole project has some seriously bad karma attached to it. Susan told met that the load of quilted maple that was going to supply the killer quilt top for the replacement body was actually destroyed in a kiln explosion.
So, the rebuilt bass will have a name: Fawn Leibowitz. Perhaps my stage name should be Eric Stratton. |
paulman
Junior
Username: paulman
Post Number: 28
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 11:49 am: | |
"You mind if we dance with your dates?"
I think The Fawn is a great name given the chain of events surrounding this repair. I am checking out instrument ins as we speak thanks to this thread, and you wonderful posters! |
2400wattman
Intermediate Member
Username: 2400wattman
Post Number: 157
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 12:46 pm: | |
"I use to touch fawn this way" ,"I know, she told me" |
ox_junior
Advanced Member
Username: ox_junior
Post Number: 337
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 1:03 pm: | |
I can personally testify to the quality work Alembic is capable of when this happens.
Go to the Factory to Customer thread and look down, down, down for "Peghead Swap for Mike". My Spyder required a new peghead after my singer was a little overzealous with microphone swinging.
I was horrified, of course. But a most spectacular repair job was managed by the Alembic team, you can barely see where the repairs were made (see the photos on the thread), and I can detect no negative effects whatsoever in the playability and tone of the bass.
Your beautiful bass will rise again!!!!
Cheers, Mike Bisch |
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko
Post Number: 652
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 12:51 am: | |
Ok. I'll bite. For the benefit of us Europeans, who on earth is Fawn Leibowitz?
Graeme
(Message edited by jacko on May 26, 2006) |
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan
Post Number: 899
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 2:28 am: | |
A Google search on Fawn Leibowitz will tell you more - from what I can tell she's a character in a National Lampoon movie who is supposed to have died in a tragic kiln accident. |
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan
Post Number: 900
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 2:31 am: | |
If you didn't scroll to the right, you might have missed the operative word in my previous post:
a tragic kiln accident |
bigbadbill
Advanced Member
Username: bigbadbill
Post Number: 233
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 10:18 am: | |
LOL! Fawn Leibowitz....from National Lampoon's Animal House, one of my favourite comedies of all time. Heck, probably one of my favourite films of all time (which may say a lot about me  )
As for the bass, oooooouuuuchhhhhhhh. Glad it's going to be reincarnated. Wonder if it'll be one step closer to enlightenment? BTW Simon, thanks for the American Guitar Centre link; I want that Triple O!!!! Buckeye was actually my first choice wood but I couldn't afford it at the time....wonder if there's some way I could swing that? Hmmmmm........it may be clearout time....... |
s_wood
Advanced Member
Username: s_wood
Post Number: 209
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 12:56 pm: | |
To my fellow Alembicians across the pond (be it the Atlantic, Pacific, one of the Great Lakes, the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Rio Grande, St. Lawrence or any other body of water I forgot), I will tell you this: it is simply not possible to understand America unless you have seen Animal House.
(Message edited by s_wood on May 28, 2006) |
bigbadbill
Advanced Member
Username: bigbadbill
Post Number: 235
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 4:38 am: | |
I'm from the UK and as I say it's one of my favourite films, for better or worse.....I remember my dad taking me to see it when I was about 14 or so and I've never seen a grown man laugh so much... |
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