| Author | Message | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 708 Registered: 12-2004 |
Out of a large cloud of smoke in a warehouse in San francisco back in 1969.....a hand came down from it holding a serpant which Gave birth to this thing we know as Alembic!  | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 837 Registered: 5-2009 |
I can remember the 280 Judah St. and the 60 Brady St. Location. I had work done on a Bass at 60 Brady St. and met Jerry Garcia there one time and we talked for quite a while . I can still remember some the topics of discussion . I often dropped in at the 60 Brady St location and can remember the shop layout and the glass counter and the wall to the right when you walked in with all of those low serial number Alembic Bass's .I have a clear picture in my mind of these memories. I often asked if I could check one out and felt like I was was in heaven when I was allowed to play one. This happened a few times. I feel lucky to have grown up in San Francisco at this time to have experienced all of this .I was that curious local young man with lots of questions . | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 709 Registered: 12-2004 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haight-Ashbury | ||
| oddmetersam
Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 71 Registered: 7-2008 |
I remember 60 Brady St., too. I stumbled upon the Blue Bear School of music around '72 when I moved to Berzerkely to go to school from So. Cal. A whole bunch of bass players at Blue Bear had P- and J- basses with millions of knobs on 'em. When I asked what was going on, they all said they'd been modified at a place called Alembic... I ventured there one day and the only finished bass they happened to have was the fretless that was bound for the Smithsonian traveling exhibit of American wood craftsmanship. This bass is pictured in an earlier thread. Of course, I fumble/stumble/bumble around on a regular fretted bass -- especially in those days -- so no, I didn't even try to play it. But my lady friend did take a pic of me holding it (she cut my head off cuz' I told her to make sure she got the whole bass in the picture!). Can't really remember if it was the same trip (maybe Mica knows the correct chronology), but I also went there one day and the only completed bass was one in a crate that they pulled out for me to check out. The New York address on the crate was for Alex Blake! For those who don't know, Alex played with Billy Cobham's first post-Mahavishnu band and was/is(?) absolutely killer! He was largely overshadowed by Stanley, et al, but for my money was every bit as good (no knock on Stan the Man, of course). Really lyrical and liquid. But he was much less flamboyant and more quietly plied his trade...he and Billy would do a duet in the middle of the set, playing Hendrix's "Message of(to?) Love". Alex coaxed the chords, bass and melody simultaneously while Cobham played bell tree and other light percussion. You could hear a pin drop. I have NEVER heard Jimi channeled more powerfully or emotionally. This was during a two-night stint at the Great American Music Hall. On day two I had persuaded my Osiris (a band in the Dead's extended family cuz' we had Pig Pen's younger brother on keyboards) mates to go, as I had told them about Alex. Lo and behold, early in the first set he broke either an A or D string. Unfortunately, he didn't have a spare set of strings or a spare bass, for that matter. He clearly had to use all his musical knowledge to substitute, re-harmonize and otherwise navigate the tunes, and as amazing as that was it just wasn't the same. Needless to say, Cobham was pissed as hell... Years later I'm watching McCoy Tyner on TV and there's Alex Blake playing the same bass I'd held in my hands, previously. I was screaming this story to the others in the room and they looked at me like I'd lost my mind. Oh, well. I still can't believe I've finally got my own Alembic. Know what I mean? | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 710 Registered: 12-2004 |
Wow i used to hang out at Blue Bear School of Music when they were on ocean ave in the Early 70's..............& I spent More time @ Stars Guitars than i did in jr high school!http://www.bluebearmusic.org/index.php | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 851 Registered: 5-2009 |
OK , Serialnumber12 ;_____ Cool , Then do you remember Mr. Ron Armstrong ? I also remember when Stars Guitars moved from 60 Brady St. to Folsom St. I Remember Mr. Armstrong quite well , I went to say hi to him at his last shop after "Stars" closed but have not spoken to him in about 28 or so years . I still have a "Stars Guitar" stereo cord that he sold me that was made from BELDIN#9271 124 ohm cable ,that was that blue cable. | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 711 Registered: 12-2004 |
yep i remember all those guys....i had my p bass modded with additional pickups installed in 1978 & then in 1980 i took my alembic in for a minor glue job,my power supply as well my Basscase is still wearing Stars guitars stickers from waaaay back then. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 855 Registered: 5-2009 |
I remember those stickers, I had them on stuff as well. | ||
| oddmetersam
Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 72 Registered: 7-2008 |
I had a Stars Guitars startone installed in my '72 jazz bass back in those days. The first one suddenly stopped working and had to be replaced. The current one hasn't worked for almost as long. It's still entombed in my bass! I still have a weatherbeaten Stars Guitars sticker on my Fender ohsc. The first day I visited Blue Bear there was a clinic on odd-meters. I've been hooked ever since. My contemporaries in the early 70's at the school were Bonnie Hays, Chris Hayes (it seemed like in one week he went from student to teacher to guitarist for Huey Lewis and the News!), Mark Needham (very successful producer -- Chris Issak --) and a few others. I was in Insect Fear with 2 of the guitar instructors, Keith Allen and Marcus Guerin. They're both deceased. Bass players were scarce, so I got to play constantly with people. Those were the days! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9251 Registered: 5-2002 |
Interesting stories; thanks guys! |
