| Author | Message | ||
| maclamb
New Username: maclamb Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2006 |
(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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Paul (PAS); that post is in this thread. | ||
| pas
Member Username: pas Post Number: 73 Registered: 3-2003 |
Thanks Dave! | ||
| basmansam
New Username: basmansam Post Number: 1 Registered: 9-2005 |
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 |
Have you all seen this: http://www.basspickup.com/ | ||
| yggdrasil
Intermediate Member Username: yggdrasil Post Number: 110 Registered: 5-2002 |
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 |
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 |
Nice collection! Bill, tgo | ||
| olieoliver
Intermediate Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 150 Registered: 2-2006 |
Some very unique basses. Olie,TBGDO | ||
| 2400wattman
Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 84 Registered: 11-2005 |
I love it, not one crappy Ibeenhad in the bunch! | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1806 Registered: 9-2003 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
...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 |
