| Author | Message | ||
| paulman
Intermediate Member Username: paulman Post Number: 109 Registered: 2-2005 |
We were playing in Chicago at the Emergenza Festival (more like a battle of the bands) and I used the Further -> F1-x rig. While we were playing I noticed these kids (maybe 19-20) who played before us (they were awesome) whispering to each other and pointing at me while we were playing. After we were done and I was packing up they approached me and said "Is that an Alembic?" and proceeded to awe and wow over it, claiming they never ever thought they'd seen one in real life. I was a little embarrased (if I'm off stage, I'm kinda introverted to strangers) but I thought of the club here, and all the others that have posted this kind of experience. Usually I get one or two people commenting on "what kind of guitar is that?", "Oh an Olympic, cool" (yes I stopped correcting them hah) but this was the first where I was grilled about how it works, what to do the switches do, why are the humbuckers so weird looking etc. I told them to be patient, and someday they too will have their Alembic ;) | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 691 Registered: 6-2002 |
Atta boy, Roger! Keep spreading the word.  Mike | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 410 Registered: 4-2005 |
Great story! Thanks for sharing, Roger! | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1046 Registered: 9-2002 |
Isn't it fun? It's like a UFO sighting, they know they saw and heard something extraordinary, they just can't put it into words! 'They never thought they'd see one', yeah, it's priceless wielding a legend. See my post in 'Ignorance is NOT bliss'. J o e y | ||
| paulman
Intermediate Member Username: paulman Post Number: 110 Registered: 2-2005 |
Mike I'll make it out to the Jam one of these days. Rehearsal is on Thursdays 9pm til whenever still though. But, our drummer is pregnant so soon I'll have some more time. Looking forward to it!! I know how those kids felt! I went into a store once and asked to see a guitar like Jerry Garcia's. They looked at me and mentioned something that sounded like Olympic, but I didn't understand what they were talking about. This was way pre-internet and before all the nice books about the Dead's equipment (a standard I have always aspired to) so I had nothing else to go on until the fateful day I bought Skeleton Key and Alembic was defined. I don't want to play like Jerry, but I do want his damn equipment! Which brings to another thread I'm gonna start right now | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1079 Registered: 11-2003 |
I've never seen an Alembic guitar in real life. The only Alembic bass I've seen here in town is mine. I do know a guy that uses a F-1X with a custom Pedulla. That's not counting Stanley's when he comes through. They're pretty rare in the smaller markets so a certain amount of ignorance is expected. I guess that's part of the mystique and part of the fun. Sam (Message edited by bracheen on October 05, 2006) | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 836 Registered: 10-2003 |
Back in the late '70s a lot of players in the really hot Indianapolis bands (Light, Roadmaster, Henry Lee Summer, etc.) that came through my area had either Alembic or Modulus basses and Bag End cabinets. Even though I was only in high school at the time, J.T. Corenflos and I could usually get into bars when these guys were doing their sound checks because they all knew him (he was like 14 at the time), and I almost always got to touch and play their basses. The necks on those early basses were so small I couldn't imagine where there was room for a truss rod! I don't think I was aware so much of the Dead connection as I was Tom Fowler and whoever it was that played for Manfred Mann at the time, who I think I saw on TV with one, and of course Stanley, then JAE. I finally made the pilgrimage to Vic's and was blown away by what that (insert interesting adjective here) guy had in stock. Dozens of Alembics, Turners, Modulus (at one point the 18-string monster bass that I actually almost bought), and everybody who worked there knew their stuff inside and out. He was more than happy to have a 17-year-old kid from the sticks spend as much time as he liked playing and drooling over whatever he had in stock, and the other musicians who would come in would always let anybody play their instruments and we were all ever so careful with them. It was a different world back then... I played in a band with a guitarist who had an Electrum for awhile. It was during that decade where everybody used chorus on everything, so I have no idea how it sounded. Ironically, when I lived in L.A. and Nashville the only people who knew what an Alembic bass was were the smiling engineers. John | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 601 Registered: 6-2002 |
Alembic guitars seem to be more rare than basses out there on-stage. The only Alembic basses I've seen live is either Stanley Clarkes or my own, oh yes and one other I saw at the Salmon Arm roots & Blues Festival this summer in Canada. The only alembic guitar I've only ever seen is mine. :-) It does generate quite a bit interest from other guitar players in the audience after my concerts. I guess it stands out because it looks pretty striking to say the least and not a "standard" strat or gibson based guitar. It's nice to be different. Individual. Jazzyvee | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 839 Registered: 10-2003 |
"I guess it stands out because it looks pretty striking to say the least and not a "standard" strat or gibson based guitar. " -And it probably sounds incredible! John | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1684 Registered: 7-2004 |
"... probably sounds incredible"? And the the sun will 'probably' rise tomorrow! I've said it before and I'll invaribly say it many times more: There is nothing like an Alembic. Period. Bill, tgo Added later: O.K., O.K., I fixed it. But, thinking about it, I'd have to say that AFAIK, there is nothing like an Almebic either! (Message edited by lbpesq on October 06, 2006) | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 856 Registered: 10-2002 |
"There is nothing like an Almebic" I don't even know what an Almebic looks like ;-) graeme (the ever so slightly pedantic one) | ||
| georgie_boy
Intermediate Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 119 Registered: 8-2005 |
An Almebic looks very similar to an Olympic, except that they were built in different factories.According to Bill, one is very difficult to live with for one week out of four---that is the Almebic, as he states there is nothing like an Almebic period--I feel sorry for the owners of these instruments. he fails to extall the virtues of the other Olympic brand however George (the Geek one) D'oh!! | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1080 Registered: 11-2003 |
Graeme, would it be pedantic of me to suggest one can't be slightly pedantic? George, Huh? As rare as Alembics maybe I think pregnant drummers may be rarer. Isn't Cuban coffee a wonderful thing? Sam the wired one | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1080 Registered: 6-2002 |
"would it be pedantic of me to suggest one can't be slightly pedantic?" Do not insult our slightly deeper sense of judgement. Of course one can. But you can't, obviously. ;-) | ||
| haddimudd
Intermediate Member Username: haddimudd Post Number: 189 Registered: 6-2002 |
"I think pregnant drummers may be rarer." I don't know which are rarer, but I have (or had) both. My wife was a pregnant drummer when our kid was on the way. Now she is neither pregnant nor a drummer really, but a mother with a regular job. And I am not much of a bass player anymore but a father owning an Alembic, Olympic or whatever it is (have to look it up)... Now we have to wait until the kids don't need anymore babysitting and then we parents will jump right into our musical lives again. Oh yes, they're out there... Hartmut | ||
| rockbassist
Intermediate Member Username: rockbassist Post Number: 102 Registered: 8-2005 |
I had a similar experience. I was playing at "Bike Week" in Myrtle Beach. While we were playing I noticed some guys from another band watching us. After we finished our set, three of them walked over to me and one of them said "Holy SH*T is that an Alembic"? He had never seen one. They loved the bass so much that they actually helped us break down and load out while we talked. | ||
| paulman
Intermediate Member Username: paulman Post Number: 199 Registered: 2-2005 |
It's quite an ice breaker. I was at a studio recently and a fellow guitarist got down on his knees and started to cup and stroke my guitar (like a woman ACK!)while on the stand muttering under his breath about what a BEAUTIFUL guitar it was. Made me a little nervous, but I can understand the appreciation. Mica said Susan designs these things with sensual curves for a reason. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 978 Registered: 10-2003 |
"got down on his knees and started to cup and stroke my guitar (like a woman ACK!)while on the stand muttering under his breath about what a BEAUTIFUL guitar it was." Been there, done that! (Message edited by 811952 on March 01, 2007) | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 202 Registered: 8-2005 |
Me as well. In Glasgow, I was trying an Ashdown system with my Series 1. The whole shop came around to look, NOT my crap playing, but the sheer sound from the Alembic!! | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 596 Registered: 5-2006 |
Genuine Olympic for sale on a Dutch site: Click here  | ||
| precarius
Advanced Member Username: precarius Post Number: 235 Registered: 11-2005 |
I really like the tortoise slagplaat. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1568 Registered: 6-2002 |
You can't beat dead schildpad. | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 376 Registered: 10-2003 |
I once had someone ask if my old Warwick Dolphin was an Alembic.  | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1572 Registered: 6-2002 |
... but you can flog it! (rimshot) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 2561 Registered: 7-2004 |
You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think. Bill, tgo | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1577 Registered: 6-2002 |
Surely you're not implying one can make a "her" think? | ||
| 82daion
Member Username: 82daion Post Number: 75 Registered: 5-2005 |
I've seen a few of the basses in the flesh, but only in stores-never live. That should change when I get mine, though. :D The only Series bass I've seen in person was John's. (811952) I've never seen one of the guitars in person. (Message edited by 82Daion on August 21, 2007) | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 245 Registered: 2-2005 |
Wow, this little thread I started almost a year ago, glad to hear many others have had the same experience. Over the weekend at a Pancreatic Cancer benefit I was thoroughly interrogated about what kind of guitar that is, where did it come from, how does it sound like that, and "it's an Olympic?". Thats the first time I've been asked that back after I say "Alembic". Then I had to explain what Alembic is, then what an alembic is. The fun will never end. Of course when asked "how much did that cost" I pointed them to the Alembic website since I don't like to cheapen my guitar by equating it with a monentary value. It's priceless to me! (Message edited by paulman on September 13, 2007) | ||
| crgaston
Senior Member Username: crgaston Post Number: 430 Registered: 11-2005 |
Roger, I've been getting asked that question a bunch lately, too. My stock answer is that it's a lot less than my 2002 Mercury has depreciated in the 5 years that I've owned it, and I sure don't mind driving it for a few more years to pay for the Alembic. |
