| Author | Message | ||
| jesuscano
New Username: jesuscano Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2008 |
Hi Friends, I am a Spanish bass player. At last I managed to get the bass of my dreams, an Alembic Stanley Clarke Deluxe 1987. Previously I had an Essence, but I ended up convincing and I sold soon after. Now looking for an amplifier that does justice to this great bass. I have a Mesa Boogie 400 +, and a power house of 4x10 cab, but all this is very heavy, and my back is suffering more each day. I was looking for a combo that is more limited in space and weight. I have seen some brands such as SWR or EBS, but in Spain there are no stores where they can check all, so I would like to know that your opinion of this, and that you recommend. Greetings and thanks. | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1536 Registered: 12-2002 |
todays market is full of small light weight and very powerful rigs so i would take the bass & try out several amps to see what satifies your ear. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7301 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Jesús, welcome to the board! And congrats on the SC! Lots of guys here use a preamp and power amp in a rack. For instance, an Alembic F-2B, QSC PLX 2402, and an Eden 210 XLT would be significantly less "space and weight" and would sound great. | ||
| pierreyves
Advanced Member Username: pierreyves Post Number: 320 Registered: 11-2006 |
for my basses, I use Alembic F1-X preamp, Yamaha P5000S stereo poweramp, SWR Goliath senior and Triad cabinets. The sound of Stanley ! | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 679 Registered: 11-2003 |
I don't have a Deluxe, but I do have a Sig Standard. My rig consists of an Alembic F1-X preamp, SF-2 Superfilter, a QSC 1804 Poweramp, Furman AR-1215 Voltage regulator, a Korg DTR-1000 tuner, and Ampeg BXT series cabinets (2X10, 4X10, and 1X15). I use it for all my basses, and the SC sounds great through it. I also have a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout 12 combo, and a Phil Jones Briefcase, both of which sound great with the SC (and many of my other basses as well). Every Alembic I've played through an EBS sounded absolutely fantastic. It's one of the reasons I picked up the SC Standard (in Seoul, South Korea). If you want something with gobs of power and tone for days in a small combo, though, my recommendation would be the Mesa Walkabout Scout. If you can't get that, EBS is a great amp as well. Alan | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 1017 Registered: 11-2004 |
Congrats on getting your SC Deluxe. Christmas day is a great time for a guy named Jesus to join the club. Welcome. Rich | ||
| jesuscano
New Username: jesuscano Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2008 |
The truth is that I'm very happy with this bass. I have a Fender Jazzbass 1966 no RI. Also, I have a reissue Fender Jaco Pastorius. And also an Aria II Sb 1000 from 1979. But now these seem toys for children in comparison with Alembic. Alembic really is king. www.myspace.com/jesuscano | ||
| pclifton2004
Junior Username: pclifton2004 Post Number: 33 Registered: 4-2004 |
EBS gets my vote every time. I ran a Deluxe through an HD350 head and a 2x10 placed vertically and it sounded amazing. | ||
| pclifton2004
Junior Username: pclifton2004 Post Number: 34 Registered: 4-2004 |
Ooh I even found an old pic of it:  | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7302 Registered: 5-2002 |
Beautiful bass! | ||
| pclifton2004
Junior Username: pclifton2004 Post Number: 35 Registered: 4-2004 |
Thank you - never should have sold it grrrr | ||
| mario_farufyno
Junior Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 38 Registered: 9-2008 |
I use a Epifani cabinet and they are amazingly light in weight, but heavy on tone. Mine is a 2x10" (UL-210) that can handle 500W RMS in a flat response ranging 40hz-16khz. All this in 38 lbs, thanks to his neodimium speakers! Shure it can reproduce frequencies lower than this, with some loss, but is the bassier cab I ever tried (open, clean and fat). It is also amazingly loud, with a sensibility of 102db SPL @ 1w 1m. Few Cabs can pair it and I'm very satisfied. To reduce weight in your Amp, consider using a Solid State. If you don't mind put tubes away, try the new GK MB˛ or the Italian made Mark Bass Amps instead tube amps equiped with heavy transformers. Have someone here tried the Acoustic Image or Phil Jones's Amps? They seem to be interesting choices too. | ||
| ifredoto
New Username: ifredoto Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2008 |
Jesus, There are indeed a lot of various cabinets available in todays' market. Having said that, although I too am concerend with space, and let it not be said that an Alembic is not a heavy bass, I've forgone those to 'get the sound'. I have had this rig since 1980 and have found nothing that comes close to replicating my/the Alembic sound. As a cabinet, I use a 1971 SVT Ampeg cabinet which has all of its' original sepakers(afectionanly known by my band mates as the 'brick'). For power, I use a Crown PSA2 mono bridged(+/-1300 watts) and an Alembic FX2 pre amp and of course, the external Alembic power supply. Most folks have no idea what I'm playing through but all agree it sonds great. I've looked to replace the cabinet, but have not been pleased with the sound, presence, and warmth of the cabinet and in conjunction with the amp/reamp, not replicabale. I'm still looking into Eden as a possible replacement(4x10) but it will take a lot of convincing. Bottom line, buck up dude, it is all about the sound! | ||
| jesuscano
New Username: jesuscano Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2008 |
HOLA everybody! Thanks for your post. I have done some tests I want to share with you. I tried EBS, SWR, MARKBASS & PHIL JONES. I think the worst of these sound has given me has been the 121 MARKBASS the amp is small and lightweight but it is very difficult to get it out of the warm sound of something stronger. The Phil Jones Suitcase, is very clean, but the E sting is lost volume, I think it is more appropriate for an upright basses. The EBS Gorm 2x10 is very good, but their price is really high for the type of amp it is. In addition to an amplifier that is heavy and hard to transport. The SWR 2x10 workingPro is the amplifier that best fits the sound Alembic I seek, I think made this my first choice. Although I did not set well if it was made in the USA. Not if that really matters, but my best things are made in USA, my Alembic my Fender, my mesa boogie, my Harley Davidson ... ;) Further wait your suggestions. All are welcome. Thanks to all. www.myspace.com/jesuscano | ||
| thehifidoc
New Username: thehifidoc Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2007 |
I am playing my 6 string through Alembic F-2B then into the PA. I like the sound!!!! | ||
| crobbins
Advanced Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 208 Registered: 6-2004 |
http://www.markbass.it/ | ||
| juggernaught
Advanced Member Username: juggernaught Post Number: 257 Registered: 3-2007 |
Markbass is pretty great. I'm a total tone whore, and the tone isn't all that clean, but the Markbass 1x12 gets the job done. Plus I can carry it in one hand with my bass in the other without straining myself. I'm keeping my Mesa Boogie M-pulse + Bag End Speakers, the tone just can't be matched, but it's a big difference as far as weight. Th Markbass also supports another cab, has an effects loop, and even a direct in + out. | ||
| juggernaught
Advanced Member Username: juggernaught Post Number: 258 Registered: 3-2007 |
BTW, I have an Alembic Brown Bass, so not too far from the SC Deluxe | ||
| crobbins
Advanced Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 210 Registered: 6-2004 |
I have the Markbass 2x10 combo, with an external 2x10 cab. I like it..  (Message edited by CRobbins on January 23, 2009) | ||
| llobsterbass
Junior Username: llobsterbass Post Number: 43 Registered: 5-2004 |
I have two Alembics, an Orion and a 1978 Series I, and they both sound amazing through any rig or combo I've tried. I know, I'm preaching to the choir... I use an Eden WT800 and Eden 4x10 in the studio (my buddy's rig), and a Hughes-Kettner BassBase 400 and Bag End 15" for gigs. For jams, etc. I use a Gallien Krueger MB150...the smallest, cleanest, loudest little bass combo ever. 21 pounds, 12" speaker and the size of a small portable TV but it BOOMS. The priority should be finding clean, powerful amplification that doesn't color the Alembic tone we all consider the Holy Grail. Check out Hughes & Kettner; I don't see a lot of them but they're super-clean but warm and have unbelievable headroom. I can't make the preamp distort even if I try. | ||
| ulf
Junior Username: ulf Post Number: 22 Registered: 5-2008 |
I tried a many of amplifier and cabinets... now my favourite halfstack is Aguilar AG 500 with Aguilar GS 212 that doesn't color the Alembic tone, very punchy, clean, powerfull... and also fantastic sound with my Musicmans the 2 channels allowed different sounds... | ||
| hendixclarke
Advanced Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 368 Registered: 6-2007 |
That's a huge cut above a Stanley Clarke signature. You have something Stanley Clarke would behold my friend.... some times I wonder if people really own this... OH, LET ME STOP... | ||
| thebass
Advanced Member Username: thebass Post Number: 251 Registered: 3-2003 |
I am playing my SC deluxe over a Mywatt 200 all tube top into a 2*12"/Tweeter cab and it sounds awesome. The Mywatt 200 is a slightly modernized Hiwatt DR201 clone. They are also referred as Weber amps (http://weber-amps.de/). For some very rare volume war occasions also I have a second 2*12"/Tweeter cab. | ||
| ulf
Junior Username: ulf Post Number: 32 Registered: 5-2008 |
this Aguilar sounds incredible...... and make my Alembics singing...  | ||
| 81distillate
Junior Username: 81distillate Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2008 |
Ulf, I have that same Aguilar rig, along with several DB cabs and a DB750. How are you liking the sounds? Im about to purchase my second Alembic and remembering the first one, Im wondering if the mid-content will be sufficient. Your thoughts? | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1398 Registered: 6-2002 |
Jesuscano, I started out looking for a decent small lightweight combo when I bought my SC and like you found in Spain, i found here in England where I live, there were not many places where you could find a variety of bass combo's to test. Mainly they were Ashdown which I didn't like. Eventually I tried a Mesa Boogie 2x10 and Mesa boogie walkabout head and was impressed with the sound so that is what I bought. Later on I upgraded to an additional 1x15 and 4x10 powerhouse cab. It gives me a good variety of options for gigs. I hope you find something suitable and not too heavy. Jazzyvee | ||
| karl
Intermediate Member Username: karl Post Number: 150 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hi Jesus, Congratulations on your bass! I also use a SC signature deluxe, and am very happy with the rig(s) that I'm using right now: the head is a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 - very clean 'true' sound (IMO), 600W and ridiculously lightweight at about 4lbs - you can fit it in the pocket of your gig bag! For rehearsals and small coffeehouse gigs, I run this into an Acme Low B1 - a tiny little 10" speaker, but with astonishing low end extension - sounds like something three times the size! And for larger gigs, I run the head into a beaten-up old SWR Bigfoot 2x12. These old Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) were loaded with beautiful-sounding Bag End speakers. Both rigs sound gorgeous and convey the character of my bass (and my playing, I hope!)beautifully, although of course the Acme doesn't have the volume that the Bigfoot gives me. Hope that's of some help, Karl |
