| Author | Message | ||
| joebassman
New Username: joebassman Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2009 |
Hi: I'm a retired person who took up the ecectric bass about 6 years ago. I purchased my Alembic from someone who was selling it on E-bay. I actually went to the seller's house in Encino, Ca. as he lived within 30 miles from my place. I was told that the bass was an 83 Spoiler. I play with a senior group where we perform for mostly other seniors. However, I also play with a combo group where we play out of the fake books and Abersold books. I would appreciate it if anyone can give me advice as to what make and type of bass strings would be best for playing on a 83 Spoiler and give me a good "walking bass" sound.  | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1431 Registered: 2-2005 |
Welcome Joe, If you are not looking for a lot of brightness or planning on do any slapping you might want to use a try a flat wound string. Two popular flat wound brands around here are D'Addario Chromes and Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats. If you would like something in between you could consider a ground round wound such as the GHS Brite Flats. Someone else will chime in on the length but I would suggest long scale strings even if yours is a 32" (medium) scale neck. Alembics require a longer string due to the additional length added by the tail piece. Keith (Message edited by keith_h on November 08, 2009) | ||
| pauldo
Advanced Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 331 Registered: 6-2006 |
Yo Joe! Welcome to the club. Keith pretty much hit it on the head with string choices. Looks like there are tape wound strings on your gourgeous looking Spoiler in the picture - are those not 'warm' enough? | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8942 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Joe, welcome to the board and congrats on the Spoiler! Very nice looking top! I agree that Keith's made some good suggestions as a starting point on strings. Your bass appears to have been repaired around the quarter inch jack. Someone probably stepped on a cable while it was still plugged in and cracked the top around the jack. It appears to be a nice looking repair though. I used to have a Koa topped Spoiler that was very comfortable to play and had a very nice tone; they're great basses! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2488 Registered: 10-2002 |
Nice bass Joe. Welcome to the club from Scotland. I have LaBella deep talkin flats on my Kelly dragonfly and it almost sounds like an upright. Pauld, those strings could be DR black beauty roundwounds - I have DR coloured strings on all my Alembic basses and love them for their brightness ;-) Graeme | ||
| joebassman
New Username: joebassman Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2009 |
Hello, and thanks to all who responded to my question. I am going to take Keith's advice and install Thomastik-infeld Jazz flats. Pauldo, what good eyes you have. Yes the stings on the bass now are a very old set of Rickenbacker "electro" flat wound. I didn't like them at first, but getting to like them more. I originally had on a set of Rotosound "Spacers" which were round wound, I believe, and liked them. However, Rotosound no longer makes them because they told me they were too expensive to make. There is a very different feel between round and flat wound strings. It took me awhile to get used to the new feel. Now there must be a reason for Thomastik flat wound strings being so much more expensive than other flat wounds. Well, I'm going to find out if that is true. Again , thanks for your help. | ||
| mario_farufyno
Advanced Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 357 Registered: 9-2008 |
To get a more "uprighty" sound I would try Tapewound Flats (those with black nylon tape winding). I had a Carvin semi-acoustic fretless bass strung with those and it sounded as close to an upright as an eletric bass could get (something like an EUB). That is a try. I also noticed that soloing the Neck PU gives me a great woody tone very suitable to get an Upright tone on my Rogue (specially with the Q switch on though). |
