| Author | Message | ||
| hieronymous
Advanced Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 373 Registered: 1-2005 |
For a while now I've been meaning to take some pictures of my various bass together, and tonight it wasn't too hot out, the sun was starting to set so I had a lot of indirect sunlight, and I was feeling ambitious enough to drag a bunch of stands and basses out into the back yard. One shot I took is of my three Alembics:  L-R: '85 Spoiler/Exploiter, '75 Custom Series I Doubleneck, '03 Stanley Clarke Signature Standard I know that a bunch of you have a bunch of Alembics - how about some group portraits of your families? Whether they are pictures you've already taken or you are inspired to line 'em up and take some new ones, let's see whatcha got! | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 741 Registered: 4-2005 |
 78 Series I 6 string guitar; basses: '82 Series I 4-string; '94 Epic 6; '98 Mark King Standard 5; Guild 4-string bass w/ Alembic pickups. Bought this one in a pawn shop for $150. It got me hooked on the Alembic vibe. | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 210 Registered: 12-2004 |
"Guild 4-string bass w/ Alembic pickups. Bought this one in a pawn shop for $150. It got me hooked on the Alembic vibe." That was a score and a half even if the poor bass is ugly as sin. Though I'd love to play it in my 80's cover band. :-) I'll play along and take a new family portrait today. | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 742 Registered: 4-2005 |
It is a Guild "Burnside" offset flying V. They were imported from Korea, I believe (so it may not really be considered to be a Guild.) I was in a small pawn shop and saw the ax and took it down to play and noticed the Alembic logo embossed on the pickups. I had heard of Alembics most of my playing career (but I had only seen three in the flesh up to that point). I plugged it into the only small, very small bass amp in the store and was surprised at the variety of tone. Whoever rigged this one out did a fine job. It is a neckthrough bass and is very light. The light wood gives this one a very distinctive voice. I had always convinced myself the Alembics were just hype and I could live without one. As I have said in previous posts after playing this one I said to myself, "Self, if this bass sounds this good with Alembic pickups, just think what a real one would sound like." My next Alembic was the Epic 6. A real player and the first six string bass I could ever do anything much with. Next the Mark King appeared and I needed a Five so she was added to the family. It has the Fatboy pickups. It plays like lightning and sounds like thunder. Next came the Series I bass. The extended horn is somewhat unusual, but if you look in the archives there are more of them around in posts than you might think. The bass posted with the Black Oak Arkansas post in the Artists section looks a great deal like this one. This Series I bass guitar is absolutely the best sounding and playing instrument I have ever had the pleasure to play. Then came the '78 six string guitar. I am still finding tones on this guitar. I consider myself to be a bass player first, but I do OK with the six banger and I am not held hostage to the whims of guitar players. I have an Aria SB 900. That bass was my main ax through a good deal of the mid-1980s and I had considered it to be close enough for Rock and Roll to Alembic for me. About ten years passed and I got the opportunity to buy the Guild Burnside and I became addicted to Alembic. The Burnside bass to me is a throwback to some of my Glory Days of playing when many players wanted the most extreme (and, yes ugly) axes they could land. Sometimes I like to play it simply because it is so light and it has a few battle scars. I cannot tell my Alembic story without including this one in the mix. It's funny, I have posted this picture twice and about the only one of my guitars anyone mentions is the Guild Burnside. | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 212 Registered: 12-2004 |
OK, took some pictures this afternoon out on the deck since it was a nice day. All my other basses were jealous but they'll just have to deal. :-) edit: basses are John Paul Jones Signature and a Rogue 5 with Signature electronics + master bass and treble controls. Both basses have side neck LEDs - hence the additional switch on each.  To save bandwidth here I posted a bunch more over at: http://www.briantimpe.com/page/familystyle.htm (Message edited by briant on August 03, 2008) | ||
| hieronymous
Advanced Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 374 Registered: 1-2005 |
David, your '82 Series I is the one that caught my eye - I really like that shape! Brian, very nice JPJ!!! By the way, what kind of camera do you use? This is my new wallpaper:  | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 213 Registered: 12-2004 |
"Brian, very nice JPJ!!! By the way, what kind of camera do you use?" Thank you, good sir. My camera is a Nikon D40. I've had it since December of last year and I couldn't be happier with it. All those pictures, including the ones hosted at my website, are scaled way down from the originals. I was lazy when I converted most of the pictures and did it with Microsoft Digital Image Suite - which does a horrid job of scaling down. You usually wind up with a lot of distortion. Some of the pictures were so bad that I manually converted them with Photoshop - like the one hosted here and the back shots on my site. The one hosted here is sadly low in quality to get it under the maximum allowed attachment size. | ||
| dtrice
Intermediate Member Username: dtrice Post Number: 159 Registered: 10-2006 |
Brian how do you like the Triple Omega shape. I am considering that shape for my future series. How does it balance to you? Weight? How does it feel when sitting down and playing? I know that's not the point of this thread but I could not help but ask. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 135 Registered: 5-2007 |
Keep the photos coming. I love them all | ||
| malthumb
Senior Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 438 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here are my two, with a buddy who likes to hang around from time to time. Top one is a 1987 Series I, walnut Middle one is a 2000 Mark King Dlx w/ Series II elec, coco bolo The other is a Roscoe LG-3005 fretless, Spanish Cedar w, flame maple tobacco burst top  Peace, James | ||
| keurosix
Advanced Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 355 Registered: 10-2005 |
Here's my family: '96 Epic 5 String Wenge fretless; '02 Europa 6 string Quilt Maple; 5 string Modulus Graphite Quantum TBX thru-neck CocoBolo "activated"; Dean Edge 6 string fretless w/ ACG EQ-02 preamp; All basses w/ FretFX LED's  | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 214 Registered: 12-2004 |
"Brian how do you like the Triple Omega shape. I am considering that shape for my future series. How does it balance to you? Weight? How does it feel when sitting down and playing? I know that's not the point of this thread but I could not help but ask." Emailed you to keep the thread on topic. :-) Great pictures, everyone! | ||
| longhorncat
Advanced Member Username: longhorncat Post Number: 260 Registered: 8-2005 |
Old family photo  | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1453 Registered: 12-2002 |
 | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1454 Registered: 12-2002 |
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb8/keavin12/Basspic014.jpg | ||
| hieronymous
Advanced Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 377 Registered: 1-2005 |
This morning I bid goodbye to my Exploiter. It wasn't easy, but I just didn't play it enough to justify keeping it, and I don't play out so the shape doesn't get the exposure it deserves. It wasn't easy - this was the first bass I bought (of many) since I got back into playing in 2002 - but it went to a fellow Alembic Club member, so at least it's still in the greater family! So now my own personal Alembic family is down to this:  I know it looks like the desktop pic I posted above, but I wanted to commemorate the event officially. Also, the sale was in the works which is why I had the foresight to take the picture. | ||
| thumbsup
Member Username: thumbsup Post Number: 54 Registered: 7-2008 |
Hello Harry! I know you might be feeling a little down about your Ex Exploiter but I asure you shes in a good home and I will keep good care of her & it was a pleasure talking to you. I will post a picture of my new family (including the Exploiter addition)soon! If your double neck ever leaves home please give her directions to my house.  And again thank you for keeping the Exploiter in the Alembic Family!....Steve | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 859 Registered: 11-2004 |
Steve's on a roll! Two in a week =) | ||
| precarius
Advanced Member Username: precarius Post Number: 247 Registered: 11-2005 |
86 Persuader- 99 Excel- 91 Essence  | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 722 Registered: 5-2006 |
'87 Spoiler, '90 Elan and '83 Spoiler:  Sideview:  | ||
| 3rd_ray
Member Username: 3rd_ray Post Number: 69 Registered: 2-2008 |
Here's my small but growing Alembic family... '08 Burl Maple Excel and '02 Tulipwood Essence... there will be an MK Deluxe here soon, I hope.   And here are a few cousins... Burl Amboyna Surine Esprit and a Carvin with Koa  | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1854 Registered: 10-2002 |
Here's my small collection...  l-r 05 rogue 5, 07 MK5DX, 96 epic 5. Graeme p.s. I know the grass needs cutting ;-) | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 435 Registered: 11-2007 |
Graeme..be sure to make a daisy chain before cutting that grass! That Rogue looks stunning (as always!) John. | ||
| johnnyman
New Username: johnnyman Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hello Everyone. This is my first post at this site. I found this thread because I did a search for Exploiter bass. What I was hoping to find was information where I can buy a hard shell case for this beauty. I spent quite a bit of time looking through the Alembic web site but I was unable to find anything. If you know where I can buy a case for my bass, please let me know. Thanks. By the way, I love the tone of this guitar.  | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3214 Registered: 7-2004 |
Call Alembic. I'm sure they can fix you up. Bill, the guitar one | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6930 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi John, welcome to the board! Nice Exploiter! Like Bill said, give Alembic a call. Call during phone answering hours, which I think is something like 10 to 4 pacific. | ||
| basstard
Intermediate Member Username: basstard Post Number: 188 Registered: 3-2003 |
Bill (longhorncat) - I'd call that headonism! ;-) | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 657 Registered: 11-2003 |
Mine:  | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 658 Registered: 11-2003 |
More:  | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 659 Registered: 11-2003 |
Yet more ...  | ||
| basstard
Intermediate Member Username: basstard Post Number: 192 Registered: 3-2003 |
Whoa! Alan, what do you need so many 4-strings for? Do you play all of them? Anyway - congratulations on impressive collection! | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 449 Registered: 11-2007 |
How about this bad boy - there are currently only four worldwide and this is the only one in the UK A good companion for my Persuader I think! No huge variety of tones - but the tone it does have is absolute killer! | ||
| willie
Member Username: willie Post Number: 91 Registered: 11-2003 |
Is that an old Music Man Sabre with natural finish and maple fingerboard I see there? | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 660 Registered: 11-2003 |
It sure is! | ||
| pierreyves
Advanced Member Username: pierreyves Post Number: 276 Registered: 11-2006 |
adjover, I hope you play also well you have basses !! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6949 Registered: 5-2002 |
Alan does indeed play well! | ||
| ajdover
Senior Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 661 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks Dave! You're no slouch yourself! Speaking of slouches, I'm reminded of a line from the movie Caddyshack ... Judge Smales: "... and I'm no slouch myself." Ty Webb: "Don't kid yourself judge. You're a terrific slouch." Alan | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1920 Registered: 2-2006 |
Nice collection Alan. I have a natural finish MM Sabre but mine is a rosewood fretless neck. Bought it new in October 1978. OO | ||
| eligilam
Intermediate Member Username: eligilam Post Number: 125 Registered: 2-2006 |
white cloud: that looks like either a Carl Thompson or an Eshenbaugh. I'm assuming it's neither since there are only four? cool looking bass. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1870 Registered: 10-2002 |
Is that a wishbass John? Graeme | ||
| willie
Member Username: willie Post Number: 92 Registered: 11-2003 |
I thought so. I have a Music Man Sabre that looks identical to yours. I've had it new since 78 or 79. I'll have to put a picture of my family in here with the Sabre included. Nice to see another one. Willie | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 450 Registered: 11-2007 |
Eligilam, Graeme - it is a Prometeus! Handbuilt in Italy to my exact specs/woods by the upcoming luthier Armando Pugliese. He is a classical instrument luthier who has decided to follow his real passion of building electric basses! He has a very individual philosophy about how basses should be built - I decided to buy into it! Feels very much like a Wal custom to play and has the punchiest/nicest tone I have ever heard on a passive bass! Woods: body - solid Ovangkol, neck - quarter sawn Padauk, fingerboard - quarter sawn cocobolo, control cover - wenge! Single Bartolini soap bar pickup. I am delighted - and his prices are very modest (I dont know how he makes a profit!) John. | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 754 Registered: 4-2005 |
 Here's my Wishbass. It's a 'Swirl'fretless. | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 308 Registered: 2-2005 |
Hiya, let me be the first Guitar slinger to post my small Alembic Family. From left to right (in case you couldn't guess) is my 2002 Skylark super thick flamed maple top with a glowing mahogany back standard neck 'cept it's 25.5" scale, and then 2005 Further with the added bonus of side LED's. The odd Further item is that it has the Further mark (F) in the serial number, but apparently there is a bass with the same 5 digit serial number. BTW In the background is my 1928 Kimball Piano. Not in pristine condition, but it sure works well when the power is out! Hopefully, someday, I'll be able to birth an Alembic of my own design. Then 3 will make the family, and that's a magic number  | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 877 Registered: 11-2004 |
I've never seen a Skylark and Further side by side before. I had no idea the Skylark was so much larger. | ||
| basstard
Intermediate Member Username: basstard Post Number: 200 Registered: 3-2003 |
This is an alembicless family yet but it's subject to change pretty soon ;-)  L-R: '79 (probably) Aria ProII Rev-Sound Bass, Malinek Fretless 5, Nexus Shining 5. The Malinek and the Nexus are works of talented Polish luthiers. The man behind the Nexus brand, mr Jacek Kobylski, has lately worked on my Shining 5 which happens to be a bass he originally built for himself 12 years ago... This is a bass with some history. Mr Kobylski also told me he loves Alembics and considers them to be among the best instruments on the face of the planet :-) And this is what I call headonism:  Soon the dream I've been dreaming for over 10 years will come true and another bass, this time with an alchemic name, will join this happy family :-) | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1889 Registered: 10-2002 |
That's the first time I've seen an Aria with a fender style headstock. This...  Is what I call Headonism ;-) Graeme | ||
| basstard
Advanced Member Username: basstard Post Number: 203 Registered: 3-2003 |
Graeme - Arias with in-line headstocks weren't that uncommon but it seems the model I have is pretty rare. Plus, there's a pretty cool story behind how I got it :-) And wow, your Headonism is more hedonistic than mine! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1890 Registered: 10-2002 |
I'd like to hear that story Jarek ;-) I had the use of an Aria SB1000 fretless around 1979/80 which was a joy to play. Graeme | ||
| basstard
Advanced Member Username: basstard Post Number: 205 Registered: 3-2003 |
OK Graeme, here goes: I was recording bass parts for my 1st album ever (Days by the band Peter Pan) in a studio that was to be liquidated soon as the entire builing was to be brought down. There was a kind of a back room used as a storing place and I lurked there out of couriosity. I noticed that huuuge hardshell case, definitely roadworthy. I thought there were some keyboards inside and I asked Michal - the owner of the studio and the recording engineer - about it. He replied it was a bass so of course I got all excited and asked him if I could look inside. I could so I did and I think you've guessed what I saw :-) I was amazed because I've always loved Japanese basses from late 70s/early 80s - Ibanez Musicians, Yamaha BBs, Daions and, of course Arias. Unfortunately the Aria was in pretty sad shape - one of the tuning machines was falling apart, one of the bridge saddles was missing and, as it later occurred, none of the pots would work. However, the bass itself worked and when plugged in, it gave a beautiful sound, a bit old-school, athough definitely crying for new set of strings and a decent shielding job. Michal told me he knew the owner of the bass who had left it there about a year before and hadn't collected it since then. As the studio was to be closed, I suggested to Michal that I could take care of the bass if its owner didn't contact him and collect it before closing the studio. Unfortunately, the owner did call Michal... but then he didn't collect the bass. Michal had to take the Aria home and keep it in it huge and horribly heavy case in a cramped cellar in the basement of a block of flats where he lived. However, he gave me the owner's phone number. Of course, I gave the guy a call. It occurred he knew nearly nothing about the Aria and had no idea how good an instrument it was (or rather would be after a proper restoration). He had bought it for pennies and was toying with the idea of restoring it. He asked me to call him within a month. Of course, I did. He then told me he didn't have the time to restore it so he could sell it to me... So I bought it. For an equivalent of... $190!!! I later had a luthier repaire the pots and make a new bridge saddle and I bought new tuners which I installed myself. Counting all that, this very good bass, a rare instrument with a personality, cost me an equivalent of about $260... And I've already used it to record 3 songs for Satellite's next album :-) The only things that still need to be done are replacement knobs (originals are nowhere to be found) and pickup coil switches. And a better setup. But otherwise, it's a sweet instrument! Guess I got lucky :-) (Message edited by basstard on September 05, 2008) |
