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ampeglb100
Member
Username: ampeglb100

Post Number: 60
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 1:20 pm:   Edit Post

...when there is a music store with this kind of inventory?

http://www.station-music.de/bass/alembic.html

I was searching on Google for Rogue's and Europa's and checked out this site. Damn...

(Message edited by ampeglb100 on April 05, 2006)
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 597
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 6:49 pm:   Edit Post

That's an amazing number of Alembics to keep around. I'd love to spend 2 days in that place.
Rich
eastcoastepic
Intermediate Member
Username: eastcoastepic

Post Number: 175
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 7:46 pm:   Edit Post

Wow, nice selection. That Series II Rogue in Buckeye Burl is amazing. But what's that 16% tax on instruments sold in Europe?? Oliver, Paul, is this correct?
harald_rost
Intermediate Member
Username: harald_rost

Post Number: 115
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 12:05 am:   Edit Post

I can sleep good at night but only because I have a 1977 Series 1 already at home ;-)

This shop is the best music-shop for basses here in Germany. They have a lot of amazing gear and instruments.

The 16% tax is normal VAT here in Germany.

Harald
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 594
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 4:45 am:   Edit Post

Love the 5a quilt maple 5 string balance k rogue.
Just need to find 6000 euros!

Graeme
ampeglb100
Member
Username: ampeglb100

Post Number: 61
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 7:32 am:   Edit Post

Hey Harald-

What city is this store in, and if it is a smaller city then what major city is it nearby? I was in Germany for 2 weeks a few years ago and I am going back to Germany/Austria/Czech this fall... This place may warrant a slight detour...

Danke,

Andy
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 835
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 7:41 am:   Edit Post

Jettingen-Scheppach - the town was in the news a couple of weeks ago: a very unfortunate accident involving a mourning procession.
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 836
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 7:48 am:   Edit Post

... and if that didn't scare you off, and you don't mind driving the Autobahn between Stuttgart and München at 100 mph or more (which AFAIK you're allowed to do, as long as traffic permits) you'll find Jettingen-Scheppach about halfway.
byoung
Advanced Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 251
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 9:15 am:   Edit Post

100 mph is no big deal. Things get a bit dodgy for me at about 135+.

That's about 220 kmh for everybody but the United States.

That's one of those things I want to do before I die: drive really fast on the Autobahn.

Brad
harald_rost
Intermediate Member
Username: harald_rost

Post Number: 116
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 9:30 am:   Edit Post

Hi Andy,

the next big city is Ulm. It's in the southern Part of Germany.

Welcome

Harald
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 595
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 12:29 am:   Edit Post

Hey Brad. It's 135mph in the UK aswell. The US isn't the only country resisting the march of progress;-)

Graeme
byoung
Advanced Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 258
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 9:31 am:   Edit Post

Graeme,

I remember distances being in miles (and kilometers?) last time I was in the UK (London), but I thought for certain that speed was measured in km/h.

Just goes to show that being certain doesn't mean as much as it used to.

I've been trying desperately to figure out a way to get over to our offices in Shannon, Ireland. Maybe then I can confirm you're not just pulling my leg.

My UK mains adapter is all ready to go. That was the other "certainty" that I had recently-- Australia used UK mains-- but they use those wonky angled plugs instead.

Brad
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 724
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:02 am:   Edit Post

Here in the US, unfortunately, a driver's license is not taken near as seriously as it is in Gemany, nor do we have a TUV equivalent organization to enforce that the cars are ready for that kind of speed, much less the driver. I shudder to think of the soccer mom yakking on her cell phone while doing her makeup alongside at 135mph! All of which would pull HEAVY fines were you to be caught doing such antics on the autobahn. Don't even THINK of driving with a couple of drinks under your belt.

Americans get a little giddy thinking of those speeds, but fail to grasp the real point: It's the TIME you save, which can never be replaced.

J o e y
keith_h
Advanced Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 388
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:19 am:   Edit Post

Joey,
I shudder when I think of the soccer (football for our non-US friends) mom doing all of those things at 35 mph. :-) Now to be fair that guy shaving in his Beamer is just as scary. It is sad that people accept our cars as extentsions of our bathroom.

Keith
dadabass2001
Senior Member
Username: dadabass2001

Post Number: 557
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:51 am:   Edit Post

I just wish people would stop using my sunroof as a "two-holer"
:-)
Mike
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 600
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 5:23 pm:   Edit Post

LOL, LOL, LOL. Mike, bet that's a shock when you get in without looking carefully.
Rich
palmann
Junior
Username: palmann

Post Number: 34
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:10 pm:   Edit Post

Joey,

when I came back from America from a students exchange (3 weeks, about 13 years ago), the father of a friend picked us up on the airport of Frankfurt.

When we got on the Autobahn I was in real panic, because I was already so much used to the way americans are driving. To be honest, I would prefer a more relaxed way of driving here in Germany, too.

Gruesse, Pablo
angelboy
Member
Username: angelboy

Post Number: 69
Registered: 1-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 2:59 am:   Edit Post

I Contacted them about the Series II Stanley Bass they have and it works out more expensive than buying a new one! The guy wouldn't budge an inch for a stock bass! You'd have thought that such an expensive bass would be best off the balance sheets!

I'm glad I didn't go for it as I've found out that it doesn't have matching coco bolo back!!! What a rip-off!
palmann
Junior
Username: palmann

Post Number: 35
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 4:19 am:   Edit Post

Well, just don't buy it. I think the Excels are ok for the price. They're new instruments, not used.

Station Music is rather expensive, but it's still you, who has to decide.

Gruesse, Pablo
byoung
Advanced Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 268
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 8:39 am:   Edit Post

Pablo,

Different areas in the US drive totally different. Some specific examples:

Seattle: everyone immediately moves to the left, and maintains +-5% of the speed limit. They will not move right to let you pass.

Los Angeles: 80MPH+ all the time, except when there are slowdowns. You can drive 70MPH (10MPH over the speed limit) and get passed by police cars and motorcycles. This is not an exaggeration; I have been passed by police on several occasions (while I was going 10+ MPH over the speed limit).

Midwest: people move right to let you pass. 'Nuff said.

Northeast: Mostly populated by nutcases. You're taking your life in your own hands.

For reference, I like driving in LA.

Brad
palmann
Junior
Username: palmann

Post Number: 36
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 8:20 am:   Edit Post

In Germany there are those regional differences, too.

But basically driving is a lot more stressful just because of the speed differences. A truck's speed is about 60-100 km/h when going uphill whereas a BMW can easily go about 180-200 km/h at the same hill. My car would go 120-130 km/h, so I'm to fast for the trucks and always got some nervous BMW drivers sitting in my trunk. That's not what I call relaxing. :-/

What does it have to do with Alembics? I don't know, I guess being the Harley Davidson of basses they're simply more highway than Autobahn for me...

Gruesse, Pablo
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1199
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 10:22 am:   Edit Post

Having grown up and learned to drive in NY, then moved to the L.A. area for 4.5 years, then to the Bay Area for last 28 years, I've also noticed regional differences in driving. The essential difference, IMHO boils down to this: Both California and New York drivers are crazy. The difference is that New Yorkers know how to drive. Yes they go 80+ on the West Coast. They also slow down to 75 with less than one car length separation in the rain! Did someone say snow? California is full of nice suburban people driving SUVs who think that 4 wheel drive makes them impervious to snow and ice. They don't realize that 4 wheel drive doesn't help at all when you slam on the brakes. The roads in California are much wider and straighter than back east. It's easy to drive on an L.A. Freeway. Take most of these Californians, put them on the Bronx River Parkway, and they'll freak out when confronted with the narrow lanes, curvy roads, lack of lane markers (no bot dots) narrow stone bridgees to drive underneath, and paucity of road signs. I've never been to Germany, but it has always sounded like fun fun fun on the autobahn. I'm driving a 1991 Nissan 300ZX, fast approaching 240,000 miles, that would LOVE a taste of 135 mph.

Bill, tgo
keith_h
Advanced Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 392
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 10:40 am:   Edit Post

I guess one of my advantages was living in the cornfields of Illinois and Iowa during my formative driving years. Lots of long and straight country roads with no traffic to to see how fast the old 442 could go. :-)

Bill,
The last time I went up to Yorktown Heights I surprised (and somewhat uncormfortable) with how narrow, curvy, etc the Taconic State Parkway was. It was obvious it was built for a different era and driving speed.

Keith
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1201
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 11:06 am:   Edit Post

Yea, but it sure is purdy, ain't it?

Bill, tgo
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 606
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 12:44 pm:   Edit Post

Bill, I know what you mean about the people on snow and ice in their 4 wheel drives. Colorado is full of them. In the past 10 years the main influx of people has come from CA, TX, and FL. Not exactly your big grew-up-driving-on-ice states. They think (based on how cars are advertised here) that 4WD and ABS means that "they are all dry roads from here." It scares me to death to be out on the roads with them. Oh, yeah. Don't forget the cell phones stuck on their ears.
Rich
byoung
Advanced Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 274
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 2:47 pm:   Edit Post

The guys that I love are the people from e.g. Minnesota who come to Seattle during a snow, and think that they are qualified to drive here because they've "been driving on snow all their lives".

Then they find out what wet snow and hills make.

After about 3 720s, they usually lose some of their bravado.

Bill, I'm with you on the "I can't drive in the rain, I'm from California!" sentiment-- seems like about half the people on the road in Seattle are that way. The other half can't drive when the sun is out.

Brad
keith_h
Advanced Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 394
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 4:47 am:   Edit Post

Bill,
I was to busy watching the road to do much site seeing. :-)

Brad,
Ditto the comments on folks from snow country. They cause more problems down here than the locals (who usually go real slow or stay home). Those 4x4's get em going real fast so they can slide through the next stop light.

Keith
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1840
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 7:59 am:   Edit Post

Wow! NYC-Metro area drivers BETER than Cali drivers! We're usually derided for the worst drivers out there. Cali must really be bad! I've seen the madness on the LA Freeway system, but jaunts between the SF Bay Area and the Monterey Peninsula have been relatively unremarkable for me, traffic-wise anyway.

The Taconic is a beautiful way to travel upstate NY (especially on a bike), but the rough condition of the roadway surface, and the State Police car radar trap every two miles makes fast going a religious experience at best. The scenery and the Pecan Pie at the Old Taughconic Diner makes it worth the ride up there, though.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1205
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 8:11 am:   Edit Post

If you're talking upstate NY, anybody ever try the french toast at the Roscoe Diner on old Route 17?

Bill, tgo
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1841
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 8:16 am:   Edit Post

Been there...used to camp in the area as a kid.
glocke
Intermediate Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 115
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 11:11 am:   Edit Post

wow...thats alot of Alembics!!

Things look alot more expensive over there...
I did a currency conversion on the price listed for the sf2....949.00 EU = 1,151.79 USD

arent these about 800.00 bucks in the states new?
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 2369
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 11:23 am:   Edit Post

Well ...now you see why we Alembicians at THIS side of the pond are REALLY the weirdo's. Nobody really gets it "...why the ùµ+°***&^!§ are you paying that much for a non EU bass".
Oh well ....it's all in the mind I guess ...

Paul TBO
jet_powers
Advanced Member
Username: jet_powers

Post Number: 267
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 2:43 pm:   Edit Post

As a nutcase living in the northeast I must take exception to Brad's remark. OK I don't really, because it's true. You really do take life into your hands. Although, LA driving makes me crazier than in Boston where you're either going 70mph or 15mph. But at least you're moving. In LA it's 70 one minute and parked the next. I noticed in Oregon people there drive like there really is a tomorrow. It didn't make sense to me because I thought in New England as everything is much closer together there wouldn't be a need to drive maniacally. Where in the west with the great distances between places there would be a greater need for speed.... Go figure.

JP

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