| Author | Message | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 19 Registered: 11-2006 |
Hi everyone, Ive already mede some great contacts on this forum and long may it continue! So this is a formal hello - with some pics of my old fretless, had her around 7 years, for everyone to checkout... any thoughts... Also anyone feel free to e-mail me anytime, sometimes I dont log in for a few days... but i always like to talk Alembic & music. thnx people! ps Does anyone know how many members there are worldwide - here in the Alembic club? seeya     (Message edited by davehouck on November 20, 2006) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4552 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nice top! | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 21 Registered: 11-2006 |
For real dave - she's aged like fine wine... | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 124 Registered: 10-2005 |
Hi Robbie, Love my fretless Epic 5 - Wenge top. I added the AE-2 filter kit to really make her sing! FretFX side LED's in red too. Kris  | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 22 Registered: 11-2006 |
Great dark choclate colour Kris & cool mods! No LED's on my girl, Is that a Maple stripe in between the Wenge top & the Mahogany? Im not sure what the layer between top & body on mine is - Ill try to get them to pull the file! | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 23 Registered: 11-2006 |
Also - Kris you seem to have had a good selection of Alembics - would like to see them all dude! And should say - amazing couple of Essences that dave has - take a gander! Rob | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 125 Registered: 10-2005 |
Thanks Rob, Yes the stripe is maple. Your Epic looks like it has a walnut pinstripe. It looks real nice. How's the top end of your Epic? My Europa has a quilt maple top and it really sparkles. I have posted various pics in the club. check out "Showcase" Epics and Europas, and in owning Alembics(?) "All Lit up" which has some really good pics of the FretFX LED's I added to my guitars. I'll post some more pics here as soon as I can compress them. Kris | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 126 Registered: 10-2005 |
Rob, Here's the link http://alembic.com/club/messages/394/32054.html?1161907231 Kris | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 734 Registered: 11-2002 |
Any thoughts? Sure - could we see a little bit more of the neck? The body is indeed very nice, but every time I catch a glimpse of a nice stretch of fretless ebony neck, especially on a fiver, I really want to see the whole thing. It looks like you may not even have side dots - is that true? | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 899 Registered: 10-2002 |
Robbie - you're epic looks almost identical to mine so I'd suggest the pinstripe is purpleheart. Once we get together we'll be able to compare them. There are pics of my babies here Graeme p.s. Welcome to the club ;-) (Message edited by jacko on November 21, 2006) (Message edited by jacko on November 21, 2006) | ||
| georgie_boy
Intermediate Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 139 Registered: 8-2005 |
Love the bass Robbie. Nice to see more members on this side of the pond, and in Scotland as well Enjoy her George | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 25 Registered: 11-2006 |
Thankx guys , I have and will continue to enjoy her!george - Amazing Series 2 , is that zebrawood top? looks sweet - I actually bought my Epic based on the testimony of my father who 'once' played a brown series 1/2 in london 1979 lol As for the pinstipe I just cant be sure - Ive had rosewood suggested more than a few times... we'll see at the next look-up date, cool Epic Jacko - they do look v.similar, its like her fretted twin sister lol & here's some more pics of the whole thing, and some neck shots for bob, - there are side markers but they're hard too see (even in the light!lol) -they are small brass pins into the ebony,forgive the messy bedroom...hmm Kris asked about the top end & like his quilty maple, its amazing - that fretless zing really comes out as you move up & then at the upper register the 'wah' sings double - if you play it alone no amp in a quiet room you can hear the high frequences reflecting off the maple while the body holds tose low tones... | ||
| tbrannon
Advanced Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 241 Registered: 11-2004 |
I love that little birthmark on the upper horn- don't ask me why, but I think it looks cool~ Nice pics of a lovely bass. | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 30 Registered: 11-2006 |
I hear you Toby, that was maybe the first thing I noticed about it when I first saw it all those years ago - I cant really say why either!lol | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 737 Registered: 11-2002 |
Much better, thanks :-) | ||
| georgie_boy
Intermediate Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 140 Registered: 8-2005 |
Hi Robbie It's actually a 1976 Series 1 and yes, that is a zebrawoodtop and back, with a Koa core and birch accent laminates. The headstock is padauk, and the neck is maple with 2 walnut pinstripes. Fingerboard is of course ebony.The inlays are abalone with stering silver surrounds. The whole bass looks great under stage lights. G | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1792 Registered: 7-2004 |
George: Are you sure about the birch? My '76 Series 1 guitar has a neck made of walnut and beech. I don't think I've heard of an Alembic using birch - does birch work as a guitar wood? Bill, tgo | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 902 Registered: 2-2006 |
I would think that as accents Birch would be OK as guitar wood. I used to have an old set Pearl drums that were Birch and they really "barked".  I've heard though that Birch is a real Beech to work with.  OH Yea, Happy Turkey day everyone. | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 128 Registered: 10-2005 |
Hey Robbie, I love the acoustic sound of my Epic too. Lots of midrange warmth. Hey, the birthmark looks kinda like a crazy squirrel grabin' for the low B string! Wild! Kris | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 31 Registered: 11-2006 |
Good call Kris, it does look like a little squirrel!, - its like staring at the clouds...you end up seeing many different images in the grain of the maple,lol & Kris , as another player who clearly has both fretless and fretted instruments - do you consider yourself more one than the other? (more fretted than fretless or vice versa) or not? Thanks for the lowdown george - she's amazing, Ill bet she's nice and light to hold aswell! | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 130 Registered: 10-2005 |
Robbie, I started on fretted for years then got the famous John Judge doubleneck and had to learn fretless. It was love at first bite. The way the fretless sings and moves is really not like fretted bass at all. I find myself playing my fretless Epic every day, and my fretted basses maybe once a week. So I must confess fretless has a special place in my heart. For gigging though, a fretted bass is a must, and the fretless is reduced to a bonus. I have not had the guts to gig fretless only yet. I guess it depends on the venue and type of music really. Kris (Message edited by keurosix on November 23, 2006) | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 33 Registered: 11-2006 |
Yep, Im glad I started early on the fretless ( by chance as the only alembic i could find at the time was fretless!) But it still took me about 4 years until I was confident on the blank board...happy hours learning though! Now Its kind of the fretted thats the party piece for me - when some fast slapping funk or primus riffs are required, But I dont have a fretted Alembic so its not like my fender can out do the fretless at any tonal level.y'know, - if i had an alemic with frets things could change... I tend to try compositions and riffs on both fretless and fretted to see which I can get the most out of,what bass siuts the thing best. Do you still have that double neck K? | ||
| tbrannon
Advanced Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 242 Registered: 11-2004 |
Robbie- I'm pretty sure this is the doubleneck Kris used to own. Beauty eh? | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 34 Registered: 11-2006 |
Unbelievable!, cool alembic logo on the body join, and amazing top! - I wonder how heavy it is? That 4 fretless neck looks so slinky - luv it.. | ||
| keurosix
Intermediate Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 131 Registered: 10-2005 |
Yup, That's the one! I weighed it and found it to be about 28 pounds U.S. if memory serves me right (Sorry, I don't have my converter in front of me for Kgs). It is really slinging 1 3/4 basses on at once, and series 2 basses at that! Christian now owns her, and has named her peggy after a John Entwistle tune he is fond of. He would know the exact weight. It is an outstanding example of how beautiful and how custom an Alembic can really be. While the fretless sounded fantastic, it really shines on the octave neck where there are custom electronics - series parallel switch, and a special stereo blend position which separates bass pair strings from the treble pair strings to the pickups for true stereo separation. A real incredible sound to hear! Kris | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 35 Registered: 11-2006 |
Yeah It must be individual and quite unique sounding on that 8str neck, & glad to hear it found a loving home, cant be many of those floating about! - Worth building up those muscles to play!lol | ||
| tbrannon
Advanced Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 244 Registered: 11-2004 |
Robbie- If you're interested in how they sound, check this doubleneck that a forum member recently won on eBay. Cool sound clips and I love the bird tailpieces on that doubleneck. | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 36 Registered: 11-2006 |
Another Great double neck example toby, the curvey spikes on the upper horn are so cool! - If I ever scratch the beans required to get Mica&co to build me a bass I'd want a proper scroll horn on it! -  Kinda like that | ||
| georgie_boy
Intermediate Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 141 Registered: 8-2005 |
hi Robbie Thanks for the compliment., but NO she is not light to hold, but I use a 4" STRAPP with her and she is not too bad. Bill I have the build card in front of me, and it says Koa and Birch core. If you like, I can scan it and send it to you George | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1794 Registered: 7-2004 |
George: Not necessary, I believe you. That's cool, I've heard of birch (bark) being used to make canoes, but not guitars. I like it! Bill, tgo | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 37 Registered: 11-2006 |
Interesting george, I wonder how the wieght compares with my Epic which i find real heavy, with lots of weight in the neck...so it can be hard to balance without a good strap and some tweaking - How long have you had your alembic george? Did you get it from USA or over here in UK? | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 38 Registered: 11-2006 |
Id never heard of birch in guitars either Bill...and Ive looked at hundreds of Alembics - It has to be quite a rare wood type? - makes georges bass that bit more special. (more special than Series 1 alembic!LOL) Rob | ||
| jet_powers
Advanced Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 305 Registered: 2-2003 |
I have an old Seagull acoustic guitar that is made from birch. Probably built in 1980, it has a serial number of 973. For a cheap guitar it actually sounds pretty good.... JP | ||
| robbiebassepic
Junior Username: robbiebassepic Post Number: 41 Registered: 11-2006 |
Yep, they'er usin some crazy woods for cheap guitars these days - I seen one thats made almost totally out of little strips if bamboo!! all glued together! |
