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maclamb
New
Username: maclamb

Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2006
Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 6:35 am:   Edit Post

(Forgive me if asked and answered...)
Longtime fan of Jack's Playing as well as Tone.
There are 2 specific pieces where I'm wondering how the tone is produced. (to me it sounds like a "honk" - but I bet there's a more technical term...)
One is on First Hot Tuna Album, New Song for the Morning (00:37 and 1:26) I think this song in particular shows off his sound.
Also, I had a bootleg version of Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil where he solos and his bass postively hums, thrums, vibrates. Words fail me.
Unfortunately I lost the tape years ago (if someone HAS a copy, please contact me...)
Now my question (yes, you probably know what's coming.

While that sound is probably not (easily) reporducible (after having slogged my way throgh the thread on pickups, bass, amp) is it typical of alembic pickups/basess? I owned a series 1 for a while and it seemed to be close. So, is that only on those type of pickups, or will I find a similar tone on less expensive (and in my price range) alembics?

thanks for your patience with my newbi-ism...

oh, and, what alembic bass is he playing on Crown of Creation, credited as "Yggdrasil Bass"?
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 3498
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 7:01 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Joe; reading back over some previous threads, it seems likely that on Crown of Creation Jack is playing an Alembicized Guild Starfire.
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 105
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 1:21 pm:   Edit Post

He played Guild Starfires from the latter Baxters (most of Baxters is a Fender jazz) sessions through Hot Tuna Burgers or so.

AFAICT, they had the Hagstrom Pickups with Alembic active electronics ("emitter followers" and such). Jack says the original goal of the active electronics was simply to get the signal through longer cords with as little loss as possible.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1798
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 1:25 pm:   Edit Post

Ah! I knew you couldn't stay away from this one for long, Frank! Good to hear (read) from you again.

Cheers,

Kevin

(Message edited by kmh364 on March 22, 2006)
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 106
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 3:02 pm:   Edit Post

hey Kevin - Did you ever get to FPR?
I just came back on Monday night(hence my missing this thread :-) - this time I took Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar from Jorma (what was I thinking! :-(
Jack was doing his annual kickoff "Beginner" class.

Back to the thread - I reread Susan's history, and she mentions that the Starfires were fitted with low impedance pups and electronics. I dug out my vinyl of Burgers, where you can just see the upper portion of the neck pup on Jack's last Starfire (pic on 30 Seconds over Winterland, the next year, shows Alembic #1). Anyway the pup on the Burgers gatefold pic looks like a Hagstrom - I wonder, then, if Alembic rejigged the guts of a Hagstrom? The pup is definitely not the early trapezoid-shaped Alembic.

Frank

(Message edited by yggdrasil on March 22, 2006)
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1800
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 6:01 am:   Edit Post

Frank:

Not yet. You're really making me sick! LOL! Drop me an email to let me know what you thought of the Jorma class.


Cheers,

Kevin
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1141
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 7:03 am:   Edit Post

Frank

If it's not too much trouble, could you cc me with the email about your experiences in Jorma's class? Or maybe just go ahead and post it to the club? I'm sure there are many of us interested in FPR.

Bill, tgo
tom_z
Advanced Member
Username: tom_z

Post Number: 324
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 8:30 am:   Edit Post

I'm interested too. I'd love to hear first hand experience of FPR.

Tom
pas
Member
Username: pas

Post Number: 72
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 12:11 pm:   Edit Post

I've been - I went to the very first session in April '98 & took the bass class with Jack. Interesting experience. I posted on here sometime ago my long & drawn out thoughts on the experience. I wish I could some how link it for you.
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 107
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 12:46 pm:   Edit Post

Well, I'll do up something considered, rather than dashed off - I've done 4 workshops with Jack and one with Jorma.
I also did the virtual tour that's up on the Ranch site.
http://furpeaceranch.com/
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 3513
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 3:13 pm:   Edit Post

Paul (PAS); that post is in this thread.
pas
Member
Username: pas

Post Number: 73
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 4:19 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Dave!
basmansam
New
Username: basmansam

Post Number: 1
Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 7:05 pm:   Edit Post

Getting back to the original question about Jacks sound...
1) The sound is in his hands. Have you noticed that he sounds the same on the jazz bass or Les Paul Sig Bass??
2) The versatone amplifier has alot to with the "sound" that he gets. Slightly overdriven to extremely overdriven.
3)Lots of sustain from the modified hagstrom pick ups on the Starfire Bass.
4) See #1

(Message edited by basmansam on March 24, 2006)
maclamb
Junior
Username: maclamb

Post Number: 13
Registered: 3-2006
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 5:33 am:   Edit Post

Have you all seen this:

http://www.basspickup.com/
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 110
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 11:46 am:   Edit Post

Yep-

I have Dark Stars in a Guild Starfire Reissue

scroll down a bit for a pic


http://www3.sympatico.ca/videoimage/Basses.htm

(Message edited by yggdrasil on March 27, 2006)
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 2353
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:55 pm:   Edit Post

BEWARE!!!
Brother Franks Bass Collection site is very DANGEROUS to visit for people suffering from GAS.
Believe me ...I know!

Paul TBO
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1158
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 7:45 pm:   Edit Post

Nice collection!

Bill, tgo
olieoliver
Intermediate Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 150
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 9:21 pm:   Edit Post

Some very unique basses.

Olie,TBGDO
2400wattman
Member
Username: 2400wattman

Post Number: 84
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 9:49 pm:   Edit Post

I love it, not one crappy Ibeenhad in the bunch!
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1806
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 6:54 am:   Edit Post

Nice collection, Frank! Yet another thing to add to the jealousy list for me, LOL!
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 820
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 7:00 am:   Edit Post

What basmansam said - "The versatone amplifier has alot to with the "sound" that he gets. Slightly overdriven to extremely overdriven."

Isn't the SWR InterStellar Overdrive preamp supposed to be built to reproduce that?
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 149
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 9:59 am:   Edit Post

hey is it possible to combine the darkstar pickups with alembic filters for the ultimate casady tone!
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 111
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 10:49 am:   Edit Post

Hmmm. maybe a new offering - the SE-1 : Alembic Starfire Electronics plate, offered with a free Dremel tool?
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 112
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:11 am:   Edit Post

Stiil haven't managed to write up some FPR info, but came across this guy's accounts on the web, which should tide y'all over fer a bit!


http://users.mcleodusa.net/r/raines/furpeacetravelogue.htm
bassman10096
Senior Member
Username: bassman10096

Post Number: 865
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 6:11 am:   Edit Post

...and free guitar strings for life!!

But seriously - as I understand it, and according to Rick Turner, the link between the Hagstrom Duosonic single coils and later Alembic pu's was continued experimentation by Ron and Rick on the Casady and Phil basses. First, the Haggies were modified with heavier mags, then ultimately they wound more and more sophisticated pu's of their own (meaning the Duosonics were no longer necessary).

Bill

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