| Author | Message | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2011 |
I purchased #1045 new in 1978, after reading an article in Rolling Stone in the early 70s. My dream came true. I had originally placed an order for a series 2 guitar in walnut/maple. When this one was offered due to an order cancellation, I accepted without question. I had no way to imagine how good an instrument could be. It is resonant and responsive like nothing else. To this day, this instrument is the only one that surprises me with every note. It is truly a lightning rod for passion.  | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 344 Registered: 2-2011 |
Welcome to the Club Mark! You have a beautiful guitar! It looks like my Stanley Clarke Signature Deluxe! | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2011 |
Thanks Rustyg61. As fate would have it, this guitar has been a constant companion through all these years. My connection to it borders on a peaceful kind of madness. I have always struggled to describe what it actually does in a musical mix...until i broke a D string on this gig and picked up the red Strat behind me. My brother David with the LP, said he wondered if the Alembic had been too low in the mix all night...till I put it down and a huge wall of sound fell down out of the mix. Best description I've heard. The Strat with all due respect, felt like a toy in my hands.  | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 345 Registered: 2-2011 |
There is a definite difference in the sound & clarity of Alembics VS "mortal" guitars & basses! The 1st gig I did with my Alembic, my drummer commented that he heard notes from me that he had never heard before even though I was playing the same exact parts I always play! The Alembic just cuts through the mix like nothing else! | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2011 |
Agreed Rusty, it seems to me that all other instruments revolve around the lone Alembic in a mix. | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 346 Registered: 2-2011 |
Nice shot of the sideways "Alembic Buckle!" I wear my belt like that too! | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2011 |
Yes Rusty, i also cut the rivets out of my jeans on the right side.. Disciplines become rituals for the sake of playing of this guitar. | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 348 Registered: 2-2011 |
You've taken amazing care of your instrument, it still looks brand new! | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 5 Registered: 12-2011 |
Thank you Rusty. Great pride in the keeping of this instrument. The frets are like jewelry. Besides for an early issue with back bow, which was solved, it has had no failures of any kind.  | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2011 |
Uncle Bob's Rock Shop, left to right. Steve Reel, Mark Rewis, Bob Dibble, David & Mack Sanders | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1637 Registered: 7-2007 |
Mack, Welcome to the forum. Absolutely beautiful guitar! The Band looks like a lot of fun. Let me know if you get up to the Asheville, NC area (seems to be a popular stop here with folks from Charleston, vica-versa too). Play it Healthy! Art | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2011 |
Thanks Arts, Living every note. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2207 Registered: 5-2009 |
Welcome , Great instrument and pics! | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1606 Registered: 6-2002 |
The band sounds great, Mack. Welcome to the club. Mike | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 8 Registered: 12-2011 |
Sonicus, Mike, thank you, It's a pleasure to meet you. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5015 Registered: 7-2004 |
Mack: Welcome to the club! Always nice to have another 6-stringer around these parts. Most of the people around here seem to like 4 or 5 bridge cables and giant speakers, but they're a cool bunch anyway.  . Would love to see some more and closer pics of your guitar. Bill, the guitar one | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 9 Registered: 12-2011 |
 Hi Bill, My close up files are too large to fit here. I'll work on that. | ||
| mack_sanders
New Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2011 |
"Form follows function" is an appropriate term when attempting to describe the many positive attributes of this instrument. The lines of reasoning on response and resonation are well founded IMHO. One attribute i have only recently come to grasp is the sense of a complete absence of latency when compared to the softly mounted components of the instrument in the foreground. The Alembic simply produces chords and notes with a bang as well as subtle notes in which the lines on the finger tips can be heard and integrated into a passage. The over all result being a feeling of confidence because of the ability to eliminate the constant and habitual adjustments for maybe 1 or 2 milliseconds of latency, which make it easier to lock into a groove with the band. Small increments of time are hard to measure, though they can often be evaluated by a slight feeling of an annoyance. In this day and age ,1-2 milliseconds is an entire universe, though I'm guessing Ron was probably on to that, more than 35 years ago. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2657 Registered: 6-2002 |
Any chance of some close up photo of the guitar Mack? Jazzyvee | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2011 |
Hi Jazzyvee, Will have to convert some files so they fit. Got some down time coming, off line for a relocation. Hope to be back soon. | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 12 Registered: 12-2011 |
 Mack with #1045 | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 357 Registered: 2-2011 |
Great shot Mack! And my apologies for calling you Mark in my 1st post! | ||
| charles_holmes
Intermediate Member Username: charles_holmes Post Number: 172 Registered: 3-2009 |
"Mortal Basses and Guitars".....Ha! Ha! I really like that description!! Kudos Mack! That's a slammin' axe you got there dude!....The guitar of the..the Gods! Not for Mortals! | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 13 Registered: 12-2011 |
 Mack with 1045 | ||
| rustyg61
Advanced Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 358 Registered: 2-2011 |
Glad you like my description Charles! To put a twist on a friend's Harley shirt, "If God made anything better than an Alembic, He kept it for Himself!" | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 14 Registered: 12-2011 |
Well said Rusty! Hi Charles! | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 15 Registered: 12-2011 |
It has been said of modern formula one racing cars ,that they are designed in such close keeping with the fundamental laws of nature that they tend to behave almost as living things. The same can be said of the Connection between the "Queen"(1045) and I, the depth of which cannot be over stated, nor can the joy be over stated.  | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1134 Registered: 10-2006 |
Love the strap! Peter | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 16 Registered: 12-2011 |
Photos by Cathie Bowes Reel and Amber Rewis. | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 17 Registered: 12-2011 |
Thanks cozmik_cowboy The strap was made by Ralph Rivera in 1978. It has been with the guitar since that time. | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 18 Registered: 12-2011 |
 Mack with 1045 | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 10510 Registered: 5-2002 |
Beautiful guitar!!! Welcome to the club! | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 19 Registered: 12-2011 |
davehouck, thank you! | ||
| slawie
Advanced Member Username: slawie Post Number: 392 Registered: 8-2002 |
Is that a triple walnut stringers in the neck recipe? Welcome to the club slawie | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1201 Registered: 5-2002 |
I checked out the videos on your website. Great job! As a bass player I have to say that I really appreciate your drummer. Mad skillz, but also knows when to just lay that backbeat in just the right place. The Alembic sounds great, too! | ||
| tncaveman
Member Username: tncaveman Post Number: 100 Registered: 2-2011 |
The vids are really cool - great mixing and playing. Everyone in the band is good - a rare sight. Stephen | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 20 Registered: 12-2011 |
Slawie, 1045 is a purple heart, maple neck with rosewood fret board. Front & back are cocobolo, maple and mahogany. Edwin, Tncaveman, thank you. I re-fretted recently and it has be come a test bed for experimentation with fret crown profiles (Fibonacci)micro tuning and work hardening. It stays on the bench until all notes are dead on. | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 21 Registered: 12-2011 |
PS, does anyone have suggestions on how to cure a noisy f2-b? Changed out the power supply caps and tubes. lots of hiss. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1258 Registered: 5-2002 |
If it's an older unit, I would suggest looking at the plate resistors. That's the classic place where the Fender preamp designs get noisy after a number of years. It's an opportunity to try different resistor types. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1259 Registered: 5-2002 |
If it's an older unit, I would suggest looking at the plate resistors. That's the classic place where the Fender preamp designs get noisy after a number of years. It's an opportunity to try different resistor types. | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 22 Registered: 12-2011 |
Edwin,thank you. The F2-b is #857, somewhere around 1980. I have difficulty understanding tubes, but I have noticed that a recent installation of Fender/Russian/12AX7/7025's sounded good but had fry noise and a pair of Russian/ Mullard 12AX7/ECC83's seemed softer with richer even order harmonics, but with a lot of hiss. Any guidance is appreciated. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1449 Registered: 6-2002 |
Great Photo's Mack, I have a close cousin of #1045, a series one guitar-serial #1100, ....joy  It's good to see 1045 ( and You ) in action. Keep it up !! Elwood | ||
| mack_sanders
Junior Username: mack_sanders Post Number: 23 Registered: 12-2011 |
Hey elwoodblue, thank you . Do you have photos posted of 1100? Edwin, I recently found TAD 7025 W/A RT080 tubes from The Amp Dr. The F2B improved dramatically. |
