| Author | Message | ||
| effclef
Junior Username: effclef Post Number: 25 Registered: 1-2004 |
I am sure other folks have come to this conclusion also. Isn't it SOOOOOOOO nice to be able to take a set of strings off without having to straighten out the peghead ends and run them through a stupid hole in the bridge? With Alembic....just loosen and lift out. Many times I've pulled a set to try another and just stuck the old ones back on in 2 minutes. That slotted bridge RULES. EffClef | ||
| s_wood
Member Username: s_wood Post Number: 79 Registered: 5-2002 |
You know what else rules? The way the truss rod covers on an Alembic can be removed and the truss rods can be tweaked without detuning! I hate the way some other basses require you to loosen the strings just to access the screws that attach the truss rod cover. | ||
| effclef
Junior Username: effclef Post Number: 26 Registered: 1-2004 |
Or worse, have to UNBOLT THE NECK....sheesh. Seriously, I can't think of too many things that are ergonomically not-close-to-perfect on these things, once you know how they work (like the pickup adjustments). EffClef | ||
| bassman10096
Intermediate Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 137 Registered: 7-2003 |
Effclef: I'm with you on the slotted tailpiece. It is really handy and I've done it several times in the recent past. Bill | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 235 Registered: 11-2003 |
How can the truss rod be adjusted with the neck unbolted? What's it being adjusted in reference to? I've not had the pleasure of experiencing that one. Sam | ||
| effclef
Junior Username: effclef Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2004 |
Sam, the truss rod on say, a Fender bass, is hidden beneath the pickguard and I believe there's no slot in the body which will allow you to reach it without unbolting the neck, turning the truss rod, and putting the neck back on. I've never owned a Fender but I think this is the case. Maybe I am imagining things or maybe they are not this way anymore! I have an old Aria (now being used by my niece) which had access to the single truss rod by a slot cut in the pickguard. I took an Allen wrench and ground it down really short so it could be used. You had to turn the rod just a little, remove the wrench, reinsert, move a little more - but it worked and there was no need to take off the pickguard. I agree with others - the Alembic system is great, and takes a lot of the "fear" out of doing it yourself. EffClef | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 240 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks, I think I read somewhere that the Geddy Lee bass is like you describe. I can't imagine going through all of that. I have a PBass, Jazz Bass & Strat and the adjustment for these three is in the headstock. They are newer ones with the oldest being a 2000. I guess Fender figured it out or hired an engineer. As for Alembic's system, there is nothing about Alembic that I don't like. Except that I don't have enough of them! Sam | ||
| ajdover
Junior Username: ajdover Post Number: 37 Registered: 11-2003 |
I own two Jazz Basses ('73, and a '94). On the '73, about the only thing I have to do to adjust the truss rod is remove the pickgard. I use a right angle phillips head scredriver for it, and it works fine. The '94 is styled after the '75 Jazz Bass, where they went to a three bolt neck and a "bullet" truss rod system with the truss rod being on the headstock in the shape of a bullet. It is much easier with the adustment there. Geddy Lee's Jazz Bass is like my '73 in the sense that that it had the truss rod adjustment at the bottom of the neck. Like his, mine has the black block inlays, though the body on mine is natural, whereas his is black. The reissue Geddy Lee basses are like his, e.g., black, maple neck with black block inlays, and a Badass bridge. Like Geddy's, I have a Badass on mine as well (Fender bridges, at least the older ones and the ones on cheaper new models just plain suck IMHO). Of course, the problem is easily solved by buying an Alembic .... Alan | ||
| gbarchus
Junior Username: gbarchus Post Number: 48 Registered: 6-2002 |
I have removed the necks on my Fender basses 100s of times. It is a real pain! Most definitely NOT user friendly. The more you do it, the better you get at "guessing" the right tension. But, there have been times in which I have had to loosen the strings, take off the neck, make an adjustment, bolt the neck on, tune the strings only to find that I need to do it again. Sometimes you learn to live with it out of adjustment. Yeah, Alembic got that right, for sure! Gale | ||
| gbarchus
Junior Username: gbarchus Post Number: 49 Registered: 6-2002 |
Well, maybe dozens of times. | ||
| bigredbass
Advanced Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 243 Registered: 9-2002 |
Ah, the idiocy of fashion: Any number of times, Fender (and Fender-style builders) have used the 'bullet' adjuster, left an open hole ahead of the bridge, or carved a recess at the neck/body joint to allow access to the truss rod without removing the neck . . . only to once more announce this year's 'new' vintage models at NAMM with, you guessed it, a neck (or pickguard) you have to remove to adjust the truss rod!! I realize that Fender is the General Motors of the guitar world, but geez, even GM doesn't use carburetors any more. J o e y | ||
| 811952
Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 87 Registered: 10-2003 |
Back in the day, my bass tech loved the slotted tailpiece for ease and speed of string changes (I broke a lot of them because I play really hard). I loved the slotted tailpiece because that meant I only had to play the G&L for one song (two max) before I got the Alembic back with new strings... | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1066 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother John ...you were even further than we up bass-road!! We could maybe afford an Alembic ...we never made it to a bass-tech LOL. Paul the bad one | ||
| 811952
Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 88 Registered: 10-2003 |
Paul TBO, I was "up there" for about 5 months 20+ years ago. The quick-change tailpiece was handy when I could afford to break strings. Four careers later (news videographer, TV weather guy, video producer/shooter/editor, computer guy) I'm a relatively poor (but quite happy) man. The Alembic might as well have a Floyd Rose on it these days, because I can't afford to break strings anymore! :-) I am saving my pennies, though, so I can either buy Alembic guts to put in my Lakland 55-01 or else pickup a used Alembic 5 on Ebay. the Lakland is a great sounding and playing bass, but the Alembic absolutely sings in comparison (and with ancient strings on it!). I figure I can do the guts in 4 or 5 months if I'm impatient or maybe have enough for a used Alembic in a year if I can stand to wait that long. It's funny, I never really considered having two Alembics until just the other night, and it seems entirely doable if I can manage the finances right (no food or clothes for the kids, etcetera)... John the just-had-an-epiphany one | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1072 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother John, I know EXACTLY what you talking about. Bonnie also was purchased in far more financial days (about 8 years ago) when I was directing some quite succesfull video's. I never made it to video journalist or presentator , leave alone the weather. Lakland? I read and heard about them but never actually played one. I am not up to 2 Alembics too. I work on my "secret" project with EVH. I'm looking for a Epiphone Jack Casady and maybe ...in the end ...the ultimate project will be an Alembic 6 string fretless (something I'm dreaming of together with moder Val but he is too busy with his own project right now to consider my dreams ...what is completely normal you know!) Hey ...I'm getting some epiphanic thoughts too!!! Paul the bad one | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 384 Registered: 5-2002 |
Just curious, does your Lakland have Barts? If so, I would suggest that the Lakland is a very nice bass as it is. I can see gutting a Fender; but gutting a Lakland is a little more extreme. If your taking suggestions, since your other stated option is to pick up a used Alembic, I'll stick my neck out and recommend you go with that. | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 385 Registered: 5-2002 |
(Message edited by davehouck on February 23, 2004) | ||
| 811952
Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 89 Registered: 10-2003 |
Paul TBO, I love playing fretless, but traded that one for a power amp. I tried the 6- and 7- string route, but got tired of doing the math.. "Let's see... up 5 strings, 9th fret.. should be an... Oops! that wasn't it!" Now I know that 5 is my limit. If you want entertainment, listen to me play when I switch back and forth between a 5- and a 4- string. It's comical, in the depressing "geez I suck" sort of way... ;-) Dave, The Lakland has Barts, but they're the import mk1's. The bass is a Skyline 55-01, not an American one (although the pickups seem to be the only difference). It is probably the nicest bolt-on bass I've ever played. I thought I could live with it, since I do really use the low b string quite a bit, but it just isn't nearly as responsive as the Alembic. When I play the Lakland hard (as I'm prone to do) it sounds like I'm playing it hard. When I play the Alembic hard, it simply gets louder. Ultimately, I think I need to finagle (is that a word?) a 5-string Alembic. I guess it's time to start watching E-bay and doing my homework so I'll be an informed buyer when the time comes... I love this club! John | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 388 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have to admit I have not been keeping up with the overall bass world. It was my assumption that Laklands were high end hand made "ultimate Fenders" along the lines of Sadowsky. However after looking at the Lakland web site, reading your last post, and then looking around on the web, I realize that my assumption is in error. As you pointed out, the Lakland Skyline basses are not made in the Chicago shop. According to the Lakland site, the Skylines are made "oversees". Further searching on the web found reference to the Skylines being made in Korea, and as you also pointed out, on the lower priced models apparently even the Barts are made in Korea. The reviews I read about them were good. But I stand corrected, my opinion about gutting a Lakland was based on insufficient knowledge. | ||
| malthumb
Intermediate Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 170 Registered: 5-2002 |
Dave, Lakland USA models use Bartolini electronics and pickups. The Lakland Skyline models are made in Korea. There are several Skyline products, including the 55-01 and the 55-02. They each have a base and Deluxe model. The 55-02 Deluxe has the same electronics and pickups as the USA made basses, so they are a very respectable instrument. I had a fretless 55-02 Deluxe for a while and really enjoyed it. In my opinion, they're better than most Fenders. I've never experienced a Sadowsky, but based on what I've heard of them, the Skylines are not in that league. Then there's Alembic. As you might expect, no comparison. | ||
| 811952
Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 90 Registered: 10-2003 |
James, You're right. There is no comparison. My 55-01 is a deluxe model. I got mine from a local dealer (Z's music in Charleston, IL) for around $750.00 new. Physically, the bass is sweet. And the guts sound great as long as I don't beat on the thing. I got similar results playing a 55-94 (USA) model, so I don't think it's a quality issue so much as a limitation of every non-Alembic bass I've ever played (I've never played a Sadowsky through an amp where I could here it well, so I can't speak to that). It is by far the nicest Korean bass I've ever played, not that I'm an expert on Korean basses.. Anyway, it's probably too nice to cut up, too cheap to put Alembic guts into and will never equal an Alembic, so I guess we all know where this is headed. Oh, and the strings go through the bridge and/or body, so it would take for-e-ver to restring, should I keep it that long... ;-) Of course, it would be a great instrument for the kids... Thanks guys... John | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 389 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks James and John. Today I know more about Laklands than I did yesterday! |
