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Alembic Club » Owning an Alembic » Fun Stories » Archive through November 02, 2005 » Furnace and Air Handlers - aka this is my rig « Previous Next »

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811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 396
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 11:37 am:   Edit Post

I hope this is the scariest-looking thing any of you guys see today. :-) It actually sounds very, very good, even if it IS craptastic!!

John

The Furnace and Air Handlers

Mighty Bogen tube power

Bogen backside
stoney
Advanced Member
Username: stoney

Post Number: 394
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 11:44 am:   Edit Post

Dude, what have you been smokin'????
(only kidding) that sure is an original if I ever saw one. I'd love to hear it, Ohhhh wait, I'm ONLY in Maryland, you're in Indiana. Bet if you turn it up just a "little" I'll be able to...
811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 397
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 12:00 pm:   Edit Post

It rumbles "real nice like." The Bogen power amps are conservatively rated at 200 watts rms apiece. They came out of an IBM plant that closed down 25 years ago, and are most likely around 40 years old (and built to run 24/7 for eternity). They sound great, but weigh a ton. I assume they are somewhat fragile, so I usually don't even use a hand truck on them, but hand carry them instead (anybody know a good chiropractor?). I am a creature of opportunity, so other than the Bass Pod, the rest of the pile is stuff that I have largely just stumbled across over the years. Amazingly, this configuration sounds remarkably clean and without the expected phase problems at crossover frequency. Of course, I'm playing in bars so it's not like I've been sticking an analyzer in front of the thing, but I digress. At any rate, there is enough for me to carry that I usually don't get stuck wrapping cords and pulling up duct tape. ;) I'd imagine you can probably hear my back crackling from Maryland if you step outside around 2:00 am this Saturday...

John
811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 398
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 12:02 pm:   Edit Post

Oh yeah, the basses are all long scale, and I can actually reach the controls on the Bass Pod, even though I'm only 5'8" tall...
john
stoney
Advanced Member
Username: stoney

Post Number: 395
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 12:07 pm:   Edit Post

I tried playing a long scale but found myself chasing it around the room to reach the bottom fret.

Very cool rig.
811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 399
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 12:10 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks.

The trick to playing a long scale Alembic is to not chase the bottom fret around the room, but to wait patiently until it comes back around to you. That, or wear the bass really high (which I find comfortable). F may well be the key of the Devil...

John
smokin_dave
Advanced Member
Username: smokin_dave

Post Number: 218
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 2:36 pm:   Edit Post

One of these days I need to make the trip over to T.H. to hear this monster for myself.If you are ever plying in Indy,please let me know.
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 2002
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 3:34 pm:   Edit Post

Hi John,
great rig indeed.
Jonathan ...just closing my eyes and seeing you chasing around the room behind the F.
"Honey ...waht are you DOING"
"Watch out dear I am getting closer!"

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Paul the bad one
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 404
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 10:55 pm:   Edit Post

A VERY busy session bassist friend of mine here in Nashville does lots of sessions using the preamp part of an old green-faced Bogen 'bingo-caller' amp, 50s vintage, as his direct box. The producers just rave about it!

J o e y
811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 400
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 6:48 am:   Edit Post

Joey,
That's an incredible idea. I've got at least one of those in the garage somewhere, and may have to give it a shot. My brother has (or at least recently still had) a pile of 50-watt DuKane tube amps out of school P.A. systems that he would occasionally refurb for guitar players. Those are awesome little tube amps as well...
John
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 853
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, May 09, 2005 - 5:16 am:   Edit Post

John,

Other than it's a LOT to carry, there's nothing wrong with that rig. Your term "Craptastic" still cracks me up, LOL! As a kid, I'd have loved a mondo stack like that back in the day. Now with my bad back and my buddy Arthur^^ always lurking about, I'm into small portable stuff myself. Regardless, thats gotta be one kick *ss rig. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Kevin

^^ You ALL know Arthur...you know...Arthur-itis, LOL!
keith_h
Junior
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 47
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Monday, May 09, 2005 - 6:41 am:   Edit Post

Ah the infamous folded horn. I remember dragging two of them around with Acoustic heads along with two front loaded 15's in my younger years. Funny thing is they always seemed to gain weight whenever they saw a flight of stairs. :-)

Keith
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 401
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 12:35 pm:   Edit Post

The heaviest and most difficult to carry pieces are the power amps! I think they weigh as much as the speaker cabinets, and don't have wheels. The folded horn is very similar to the Acoustic 301 cabinet that went with the 370 head (the solid state system which replaced the Acoustic 360 as used by Jaco).
John

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