| Author | Message | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hello all! Here are some shots of my first Alembic, P.H.I.L., which stands for Purple Heart Incredible Looking.       | ||
| richbass939
Intermediate Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 197 Registered: 11-2004 |
Well kids, purpleheart ain't just for racing stripes. That's absolutely beautiful. Welcome to the club. Rich | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1554 Registered: 5-2002 |
Wow!!! Welcome to the group! | ||
| lbpesq
Advanced Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 385 Registered: 7-2004 |
Phil: Welcome to the club. Your bass is aptly named - "Incredible Looking" indeed! (And you can never go wrong around here with names like "Phil", "Stanley", "Jack" or "John"). May you play it for many years to come and make some wonderful music. Bill, the guitar one | ||
| rklisme
Intermediate Member Username: rklisme Post Number: 190 Registered: 5-2004 |
Phil What an awesome looking bass! I know you are very proud of this one. Enjoy and welcome to the club. Rory | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 88 Registered: 12-2003 |
hi phil very hot bass! does p.h.i.l. have a mahogany core? play it in good health marc | ||
| dubalbal
Junior Username: dubalbal Post Number: 40 Registered: 10-2004 |
Hi Phil , Congratulations , i'had never seen a " full " purpleheart bass before . Very nice choice , and if it sounds how it looks...what a fantastic time you must have!!! ALAIN | ||
| malthumb
Advanced Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 319 Registered: 5-2002 |
Cool name.....Great bass! Peace, James | ||
| the_mule
Senior Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 463 Registered: 1-2004 |
Wow! Seriously, one of my favourite Alembics in this entire Club. Purpleheart body and top, must sound amazing. And very clean and classy looking indeed. Enjoy! Wilfred | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 89 Registered: 12-2003 |
oops! i see that the body is obviously purpleheart don't know what i was thinking except that it's a beautiful bass marc | ||
| rraymond
Intermediate Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 169 Registered: 6-2002 |
WOW is right! Congrats on a beautiful bass! Enjoy, Reid | ||
| davr35
Junior Username: davr35 Post Number: 28 Registered: 12-2004 |
Great bass.... I was thinking of doing the same thing except in vermilion I wonder if they can do vermilion neck stringers? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 458 Registered: 7-2004 |
My custom Further will have vermilion neck lams and a vermillon core. What can't Alembic do? Bill, tgo | ||
| alanbass1
Member Username: alanbass1 Post Number: 67 Registered: 4-2005 |
Great bass and great natural colour. Enjoy | ||
| hasadari
Junior Username: hasadari Post Number: 27 Registered: 6-2005 |
Awesome color. | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 5 Registered: 12-2004 |
I just realized it’s been 10 years since I posted any images of my 4 string companion, so hey, why not post some new images to show how the wood looks after all these years and share a couple stories. My bass currently has 2 fatboy pickups, 3 position Q switches, and I’ve been using DR Sunbeams for the past few years, which balance so well sonically with all that dense maple and purpleheart. I’m really glad I went full on purpleheart back then, because I was originally just going to go with a mahogany body to save a little weight and cash. But after a couple weeks of placing my order I was sitting at work, and I was like “What am I doing? I want the purpleheart in the neck and top for its looks and tonal properties, so why didn’t I just spend a few hundred more and go all the way?” So I call up Alembic, Valentino answers, and I say, “Valentino, I made a mistake. Is it too late to fix it?” We talk for a few minutes, and he tells me to hold on a sec, and after a couple minutes he comes back from the factory and says, “Well, your bass is actually being clamped and glued right now, but if you really want to, we’re willing to start another if you’re willing to pay the purpleheart body upgrade cost plus $50 for the blank that we’re going to lose.” So I immediately said without any hesitation, “yes”, and it was the best musical decision I’ve ever made. Every time I open that case and pick it up, I’m so glad I chose Alembic and went crazy with the purpleheart. And here’s another story that always makes me smile. A couple years back, I ordered the second fatboy pickup, and somehow I ended up with one of the black engraved “Alembic” casings instead of the gold script. I tried it out for a day or so, and then I was like, “eh, I really wish I had matching gold script”, thinking they changed the design over the years or something. So I emailed Mica, and asked if it would be any trouble if I could get a gold script pickup. She replied back, and was like, “How did you get that one? We don’t usually ever send those out?” So she sends out a new one, and tells me to send the other back whenever I get the replacement installed, and they’ll pay me for the shipping. A few days later, I get the replacement pickup, and a handwritten note that says, “Hi Phil, Enclosed please find replacement pickup and $5.00 for returning the wrong pickup back. Best Regards, Mica”. I just sat there smiling for about ten minutes, and I thought “Man, what an awesome personal touch. What other company in this day and age still does things like that?” I’ve still got the note and the 5 singles in my case. On that note, enjoy the photos, which I will be posting right after this. It’s always hard for me to get an accurate representation of the wood because it looks totally different with indoor and outdoor lighting. It seems to be magenta skewed in natural light, and more plum indoors so I tried to do a range. | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2004 |
(Message edited by phil on March 27, 2015) | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2004 |
(Message edited by phil on March 27, 2015) | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 8 Registered: 12-2004 |
Apparently I am very rusty at this and double posting things... I'll start with a 2005 photo of the back of the bass, which I was amazed to find while looking through the body woods section of the site one day. It's interesting how the left side had that lighter streak, and the left stringer was a little lighter too. But now, everything has blended really nicely. The rest of the photos will be from 2015. | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 9 Registered: 12-2004 |
Apparently I am very rusty at this and double posting things... I'll start with a 2005 photo of the back of the bass, which I was amazed to find while looking through the body woods section of the site one day. It's interesting how the left side had that lighter streak, and the left stringer was a little lighter too. But now, everything has blended really nicely. The rest of the photos will be from 2015. | ||
| mtjam
Advanced Member Username: mtjam Post Number: 282 Registered: 11-2011 |
Nice looking bass, Phil! Pretty cool to see how the purpleheart has changed over the years. I recently found out I have purpleheart Series 1. Before Mica looked up my serial number, I thought it was walnut because the wood had darkened so much. I wish I had pictures of my bass when it was new. Thanks for sharing! | ||
| enzo
Senior Member Username: enzo Post Number: 444 Registered: 4-2009 |
P.H.I.L. also means Phil Has Incredible Luck…..to own such a beautiful instrument. Looks stunning! You mentioned the weight, how heavy is it? Just curious as this is the first time I see one like it. | ||
| dead_head
Member Username: dead_head Post Number: 80 Registered: 5-2014 |
Looks beautiful, Phil! | ||
| phil
New Username: phil Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2004 |
I've only ever weighed it on a bathroom scale by weighing myself with and without the bass so it's not the most scientific method, but the average is pretty much right around 11.5 pounds. The weight is definitely one of the most commented on things when someone picks it up, but I'm an at home/bedroom bassist so I just go from sitting to standing when I need to get circulation back in my leg. I knew going in that it would be a heavy wood choice, but I wanted something heavy/dense so I'd have a tone monster at my fingertips. And if I had it to do over again, the only thing I'd change would be to have the neck a 50/50 purpleheart/maple mix to get even more purple goodness in there. | ||
| enzo
Senior Member Username: enzo Post Number: 446 Registered: 4-2009 |
I'm also in the same category of players and totally understand your choice. If I was an active musician, meaning with regular live performances, I would be able to play only basses not over 8 lbs due to back pains I've been dealing for years, but nothing would stop me from owning a couple Alembics  | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 2036 Registered: 7-2007 |
What a beautiful bass and a couple of great stories about P.H.I.L.! |
