| Author | Message | ||
| mdrdvp
Junior Username: mdrdvp Post Number: 50 Registered: 7-2002 |
Does anybody know the difference between the old, let's say 70's and newer electronics in series I or II basses. The old ones have a more "buttery" sound than the new ones. Does it have anything to do with the electronics, or are the pickups different. Or is it a wood and/or scale thing. I've sold some basses for friends of mine so I have tried a couple of small and big body basses from different years and none of them had the same sound. The only thing I noticed was that buttery 70's sound. Sometimes I expected a certain sound from a bass and it sounded completely different than a similar bass that was 10 years older. Manfred | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1083 Registered: 6-2000 |
I think the major difference is that many of the early instruments were oil finished. And after that, we used a polyurethane finish that was later discontinued by the manufacturer. Also, there's a huge variety of woods in the both the bodies and the necks in the 70s while we were learning what sounded good. Not every experiment produced a "buttery" sound. I think if you're after a predictably buttery sound on a newly built bass, then straying from our current typical neck arrangement of Maple and Purpleheart may be advisable (think Brown Bass). The electronics and pickups are only changed as certain components were discontinued (like the original ICs that were discontinued only months after my dad designed the original PF circuit). Many of the components, like the pots, are identical. There are some older basses that don't have filters, like the P1,P2,P3 and P4 series. Ask dela, these sound remarkably different. PF5 had filters, PF6 was the last major revision, we're on PF6B now, with only minor changes to reflect the changing environment of high frequency noise sources. Oh yeah, another big difference is that they are old. On an older instrument, what has been vibrated through playing, the cell walls thin out and make the wood more resonant. Just sitting around won't do this, the bass must be played to enjoy this benefit. And to the discerning ear, no two Alembics will sound exactly the same. I think that's what we love about them, they are individuals. | ||
| dadabass2001
Junior Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 44 Registered: 6-2002 |
Amen to that statement! I 've got three and they all have distinct voices. That, even more than the look, is what attracts me so much to these instruments. Mike P.S. I got my two new Alembic T-shirts. They are cool! | ||
| mdrdvp
Member Username: mdrdvp Post Number: 51 Registered: 7-2002 |
Thanks. I did notice a different in feeling between old and newer basses as well. The body is slimmer and comparing two small bodies, old and newer, it seems like the old one feels more lighter, it has something vulnerable. Maybe that's just me. I'm always curious when I see an Alembic what it would feel like and how it would sound. The cell wall part is interesting but seems logical. I'm always recording the same bassline when I got my hands on another bass just to compare its sound. But all Alembics have a similar sound and while on stage, it always seem to have the right frequency to cut through all other instruments even on low volume. I never change the volume during a gig where other band member are turning up there volume. It's always there where other non customized basses only let you hear some rumble in the background. Manfred | ||
| muller1007
Junior Username: muller1007 Post Number: 37 Registered: 5-2002 |
Alembic T-shirts???!!! | ||
| elzie
Intermediate Member Username: elzie Post Number: 178 Registered: 8-2002 |
Mike, those shirts are cool! I got mine last week and I get a lot of comments( all good)! However, I think I need to brush up on the logo history. I always get stuck at the rays when people ask me what it means... Mueller, Alembic is now selling t-shirts so go to the "store" and check them out. I am waiting for Dino to get his so we can recognize eachother on the street ;) (Message edited by elzie on August 16, 2003) | ||
| dean_m
Intermediate Member Username: dean_m Post Number: 158 Registered: 7-2002 |
HA!!!! I got mine a few years back when they were making the tye-dye ones!!! Let's see, I think I'm up to 3 now not including the ones that my wife wears. I suppose I should update my wardrobe though. D |
