| Author | Message | ||
| richbass939
New Username: richbass939 Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hello. After 30 years of admiring Alembic from the outside I finally bought one. A few months ago I bought an Epic 4 string. It is 95W9177, flame maple top and pretty much the standard package, I guess. One thing I've realized is that "standard package" and being one of the lower end basses in no way means that there is anything lacking in these instruments. The first time I plugged it in the sound quality blew me away. That was even before I put on new strings and started tweaking the sound. After a few months of reading the "club" postings I know that it's no surprise to any of you guys. I've owned quite a few basses over the years and still own most of them. I've definitely never played one that is even in the same ball park with Alembic. I can imagine that with their ability with electronics, the instruments with more advanced electronics have a range and versatility of the sound that would shock even old bass players. By the way, I'm 49, have played bass since '73, played professionally for a while in the late '70s, and have owned several good basses. I really feel that if bass players would make the jump and play an Alembic (any one of them), even for an hour, they would be scrambling to buy one. Enough for now. I have many questions for you guys. Sometime soon I take some digital pictures of my collection. My wife and I have 25 or so instruments (mostly strings). I kind-of feel sorry for them. Since I got my Epic I've been playing a lot more. I have ignored virtually all of them except the Alembic. Thanks, Rich P.S. There's one thing about the club that I'm really happy about. I've read many message from you guys. It is clear from most of them, and stated outright in some, the club is not made up of Alembic "snobs". I'm sure that we've all owned several other brand (many of them very good). I can't imagine many people knowing enough about instruments (or being able to invest the money) to buy Alembics as their very first basses. I hope all those people who appreciate excellent sound, design and construction quality get the chance to try out an Alembic. They'll probably find a way to buy one. | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1046 Registered: 5-2002 |
Congrats and welcome to the group! | ||
| hollis
Senior Member Username: hollis Post Number: 542 Registered: 11-2003 |
Rich, Welcome. I (and many others I'm sure)feel the same way. I have to make a concerted effort to pick up my non Alembics at least once a week just to keep my own guilt for having not played them in check. Enjoy | ||
| jalevinemd
Intermediate Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 127 Registered: 12-2003 |
Rich, Welcome to the club. I share Hollis' sentiments. Yes, we are proud of our Alembics. To consider ourselves, however, guardians of the temple of "the one true instrument" is ridiculous - although that sentiment may come across now and again. I cherish my Alembics as well as my other guitars. Big Bear gets almost as much playing time as Little Bear and I love my PRS. For the most part, the rest sit on the sidelines and observe. Regards, Jonathan | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 625 Registered: 11-2003 |
Good morning Rich, again welcome. Your Epic sounds like a good choice. As an Epic owner myself I'm looking forward to the photos. That's cool that you include your wife as co-owner. Good selling point for future aquisitions, eh? Let's hear about your amp as well. Sam | ||
| richbass939
New Username: richbass939 Post Number: 5 Registered: 11-2004 |
Sam, Everytime I've gotten a new instrument recently (a few in the last few years) she has said "Do you really need a new one?" It's kind-of our little ritual. This time she didn't say that. Well, she said it after I ordered the Alembic, with her blessing, of course. Actually, about a fourth or fifth of our collection (violins and violas) were made by her father. He made about 53 of them between the late '40s and the late '90s. She's as much of a collector and "appreciater" (is that a word?) as I am. I was just dusting them off a few minutes ago. Rich | ||
| richbass939
New Username: richbass939 Post Number: 7 Registered: 11-2004 |
Sam, My amp is an old Rickenbacker combo. It has a 12" in it. I'm not sure how many watts it puts out. I have never been that much of a gearhead. A good processor would probably help my sound but I've never really gotten into it. I use a stomp box compressor (all the time) and chorus (when I'm playing along with something kind-of soft and acoustic. I've been surprised how much the Rick carries even in a big room. I come from the days when if you didn't have 15" speakers, at least, you weren't squat. I got over that prejudice when I played my Rick combo. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. I rarely have it over about two or two-and-a-half. Rich | ||
| mint_bass
Advanced Member Username: mint_bass Post Number: 213 Registered: 1-2004 |
Welcome to the club Rich I also own an Epic and i adore mine i dont own alot of other basses and have not tried alot but i know quality when i hear it. I am really glad you are happy with your new bass and look forward to seeing the pictures. If you have any questions about your bass do ask straight away you can learn so much here someone has an answer to everything. P.S. hello Sam have not seen you around the site lately good tohear from you again and i hope all is well. | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 628 Registered: 11-2003 |
Rich I didn't know that Rickenbacker made amps. If it's anything like the instruments it must sound good. Andrew, I'm doing well, thanks. Look for an email from me. Sam | ||
| gare
Intermediate Member Username: gare Post Number: 106 Registered: 11-2003 |
Welcome Rich I remember seeing Stepenwolf play years ago using the large Rickenbacker amps..strange looking, the speaker cabinets were sort of 'V' shaped and mounted on tubular stands like the Vox Super Beatle..sounded good tho. | ||
| richbass939
New Username: richbass939 Post Number: 8 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thanks, everybody for the responses. I'll have to get the Rick amp in the pictures when I get around to taking some. I've been thinking about how to display the instruments. We have quite a few. I didn't know Rick made amps until I found this one about 15 years ago. I used to own a Rick 3000 short scale bass in the early-late '70. I like the sound of the 4000 series basses. You used to hear a lot of them years ago (probably still). Good distinctive rock-n-roll sound. I have a lot of questions for all of you. I'm very happy with my Epic and really want to explore the sound. Thanks, Rich | ||
| richbass939
Junior Username: richbass939 Post Number: 11 Registered: 11-2004 |
Just wondering. A guy at work has a good digital camera. Can I borrow it, take pictures, have him download it and send me an e-mail with them attached, and post them from the e-mail onto this site? Rich | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1059 Registered: 5-2002 |
Rich; yes, that would work. | ||
| mark_ewert
New Username: mark_ewert Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hello everyone My good friend Dave Houck told me about this page. I am going to start offering custom made case's for top quality instruments. I have done some drum case's that hold the entire kit in a safe and secure enclosure.I wanted to get some input from you all as to what you would look for in a case like that. | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 524 Registered: 12-2002 |
hello mark welcome,and can you post some pics of some of your work? im sure plenty of our friends would be intrested in peeking. | ||
| andrewknight
New Username: andrewknight Post Number: 8 Registered: 11-2004 |
Mark, You became a "finally got it" guy 5 days before me. It's just so darn fun to have an Alembic in the house that I can't go to work today. Andrew | ||
| andrewknight
New Username: andrewknight Post Number: 9 Registered: 11-2004 |
Mark, You became a "finally got it" guy 5 days before me. It's just so darn fun to have an Alembic in the house that I can't go to work today. Andrew | ||
| mark_ewert
New Username: mark_ewert Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2004 |
Andrew I would seem that there's a Rooster! in the hen house. I am a Drummer. I just do job stuff anymore, But Dave Houck and I played together a few years back. Really love Dave's Bass you just don't get that tone out of just any old guitar. At any rate I told Dave that I could build a very nice case for that guitar. And he told me that some of you might be interested as well in something like that. I will post a picture of the case that I made for myself just as soon as I get all the CRAP that's piled on top of it OFF! | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1066 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Mark!! By way of introduction; Mark is a fine drummer, and as he and I now live on opposite sides of the continent, I really miss playing with him. Anyone in the Phoenix area looking for a drummer should get in touch with him. A few years back, we scheduled a four day recording session at my place near Charlotte. Mark was living in Nashville then, and drove down for the session. He backed his van up next to the door, set up a ramp, and wheeled out this wonderful road case. The entire drum kit was stored in that one case. It had individual compartments for the different pieces, with hinged sections and nice padding. In a recent phone conversation, Mark mentioned that he was looking to build some cases for guitar and bass. I told him about some of our discussions on cases in this forum. I told him that while Alembic cases are of top quality, there are not many other choices for custom cases. When my Essence gets back from Santa Rosa, I plan to have Mark build a case for it. So if anyone has any suggestions that you think he should consider, post them or email him. | ||
| mark_ewert
New Username: mark_ewert Post Number: 3 Registered: 11-2004 |
Well, as promised, some photos of the case that I made for the Custom kit. I put this case together for a kit that I specked out and had made in Nashville by the Donaho Drum Company. They did a really nice job and it seemed there were very few choices in the way of cases for this drum set, so I made one to order at about half the cost of a local case maker in town. Let me know what you think. Mark       (Message edited by Mark Ewert on December 16, 2004) | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1101 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nice pics Mark! If you click on the little notepad in the top right hand corner of your post, you can edit it. I haven't tried it while editing, but you may be able to put a carriage return after each pic, thereby getting them to line up vertically instead of horizontally. | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 1102 Registered: 5-2002 |
That was quick! | ||
| mark_ewert
New Username: mark_ewert Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hey Dave your up late....... Is there working players in this group? I wonder if there might be a real live gig lurking around in here | ||
| jacko
Member Username: jacko Post Number: 76 Registered: 10-2002 |
Nice case mark. i love the colour of your kit aswell. Must be a beggar to carry though. Just how many roadies do you own? | ||
| mark_ewert
New Username: mark_ewert Post Number: 5 Registered: 11-2004 |
It rolls right up in to the back of my truck via a ramp. Not bad at all. It will also go through any standard door. |
