| Author | Message | ||
| Googe Endeveronte (goooge)
Junior Username: goooge Post Number: 24 Registered: 8-2002 |
from Terrapin Station Concert Alpine Valley Ampitheatre:  | ||
| Donald Pasewark (pasewark)
New Username: pasewark Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2003 |
Here is a pic of Phil and this bass. Circa 9/2/78  | ||
| Donald Pasewark (pasewark)
New Username: pasewark Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2003 |
Heres another photo from my files . . . .  | ||
| Donald Pasewark (pasewark)
Junior Username: pasewark Post Number: 16 Registered: 4-2003 |
By the way, the triangular blue sticker is the Apollo 8 mission insignia. I'd love to know what all the knobs do. This is a Quadraphonic bass, right? (Message edited by pasewark on April 04, 2003) | ||
| keavin
Junior Username: keavin Post Number: 48 Registered: 12-2002 |
now thats a real alembic!!!!! | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 256 Registered: 7-2003 |
No kidding, Keavin! I saw the Godfather at the pictured Alpine Valley event. It was SORELY in need of a cleaning and other TLC!! Sad, for a bass that sounds so magnificent. Bill | ||
| keavin
Member Username: keavin Post Number: 97 Registered: 12-2002 |
phil,s ritch,what does care! i wonder does he still own the god father?, it resembles mine alot #12, w/all those knobs,(i caLL mine the god mother),because of the sweet sound, and the big butt! | ||
| keavin
Member Username: keavin Post Number: 98 Registered: 12-2002 |
phil,s ritch,what does care! i wonder does he still own the god father?, it resembles mine alot #12, w/all those knobs,(i caLL mine the god mother),because of the sweet sound, and the big butt! | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 258 Registered: 7-2003 |
I assumed Phil still owns it, since the event the picture was taken at was a Dead Show. Plus it was exhibited along with other Dead stage memorabilia (including many items I assume were designed and or built by Alembic in the day). It was pretty obvious the poor puppy hadn't been played in some time, though. | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 259 Registered: 7-2003 |
I assumed Phil still owns it, since the event the picture was taken at was a Dead Show. Plus it was exhibited along with other Dead stage memorabilia (including many items I assume were designed and or built by Alembic in the day). It was pretty obvious the poor puppy hadn't been played with in some time, though. | ||
| edwin
Member Username: edwin Post Number: 72 Registered: 5-2002 |
It seems that there might be a chance for us mortals to play this bass. From Phil's website: Hopefully, that will happen in early October, when I'm planning a special Phil Lesh University (PLU) Wolf benefit. We are looking to have classes on improvisation and jam sessions with participants playing with me and the band. PLU will be open to all musicians including bass players. I am having my old bass "Big Brown" tuned up especially for PLU. There will also be tickets available for people who want to watch the classes, enjoy a BBQ with the band and watch the evening performance by Phil Lesh & Friends and Family. Check back later for more info. Good luck! Edwin | ||
| dubstar
New Username: dubstar Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2005 |
He played it last night...sick show http://http://www.philzone.org/discus/messages/2/246743.html?1132762505 http://www.philzone.org/discus/messages/2/246959.jpg (Message edited by dubstar on November 23, 2005) (Message edited by dubstar on November 23, 2005) (Message edited by dubstar on November 23, 2005) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2630 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks for the news; and welcome to the group! Here's a link that works a little better. There are several pictures of the bass in the thread. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1157 Registered: 4-2004 |
apparently phil needs help remembering what does what  i think there is a close up somewhere on the www | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 852 Registered: 12-2002 |
Poor Phil, He Looks Totally Lost with all those knobs..............Just play the freakin Bass line! | ||
| applejuice
Junior Username: applejuice Post Number: 41 Registered: 1-2006 |
When I saw Phil in december 2005, I think he played this bass once. It was the only time the bass actually stood out from the rest of the music. When he was playing the Modulus 6 string basses, I heard nothing. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1172 Registered: 4-2004 |
i dont know his problem is and i am guessing its the speaker set up or whatever because it sounds good on sdbds etc but live unless youre really close in my eyes it sounds like poop muddled and toneless not clear at all and someone should drag him by his neck over to sit with susan.... | ||
| pasewark
Junior Username: pasewark Post Number: 42 Registered: 4-2003 |
Both the modified Starfire and the modified EB0 that Phil had in the early 70s had very distinct tone. It's a tone I wish I could get even today! Check out the GD 4-29-71 Fillmore show, you'll see what I mean. | ||
| albrecht
Member Username: albrecht Post Number: 55 Registered: 8-2005 |
thanx for that pix - what a bass! how to find close-ups would be appreciated...and I īd love to here that sound...again...Dickīs Picks 35 - ahhh, so sweet! | ||
| crobbins
Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 79 Registered: 6-2004 |
What's the wiring setup for that bass? | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 267 Registered: 5-2002 |
It's at the core, a Superfilter. There are descriptions of this on the regular Alembic site. Edwin | ||
| jseitang
Advanced Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 225 Registered: 6-2002 |
playing a gulid starfire with hagstrom pick ups, with a superfilter with a f2b comes pretty darn close to phils tone from that era. | ||
| albrecht
Member Username: albrecht Post Number: 58 Registered: 8-2005 |
Hi, and I agree with "jseitang" - pretty darn close! I acheive it with a DARK STARīd De Armond Starfire, superfilter+F1-X. The pickups built by good man Fred Hammon are essential...(Hagstroms on steroids). And donīt forget to use a pick. Happy New Year to all Alembicians! | ||
| marshking710
New Username: marshking710 Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 |
yo albrecht, where's you find a de armond starfire. i've been looking and can't find one anywhere. | ||
| albrecht
Member Username: albrecht Post Number: 59 Registered: 8-2005 |
hi marsh-king, they often appear on the Swedish market, like this example: http://www.blocket.se/vi/15470075.htm?ca=10_s I bought my bass from the US, it was one Fred Hammon had used for testing his Dark Stars. itīs one awesome bass with wicked pickups! | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1857 Registered: 6-2002 |
I found this link to a video with Phil playing the starfire ( i think). I've been looking around for some Dead video's to see if I like any of their music. I really don't know anything about them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBAuaJKMOTg You may enjoy this anyway. Jazzyvee | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 95 Registered: 10-2008 |
Anyone played one of these?: http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/produkt.php?katID=22043&cl=EN I have a suspicion that this would be a great starting point for building a modern version of this bass. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 496 Registered: 5-2002 |
That looks like a very cool bass, but one thing that sets it apart pretty greatly is the fact that it's a long scale. The Guilds are short scale basses and I think there's really something to the tone of a short scale. Still, I've to try out one of these Warwicks!  | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 734 Registered: 5-2009 |
  I sold this Bass in 1978 But I still have another in mahogany that also has Alembic Modifications that I have owned since 1974 I will post some pics of it latter because I just lemon oiled the finger board and I am about to put on some NEW Pyramid Gold flat wound strings on it .I took it up to the 'Mother Ship " not that long ago to show.It has a very rare Alembic tail piece that was installed at the old 60 Brady St. Alembic location for me .Pics will follow of the one that I still have when I restring it . | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1004 Registered: 6-2002 |
I'm looking forward to seeing it Wolf, ...pretty dang cool : ) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9125 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nice picture Edwin! | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 505 Registered: 5-2002 |
That was a fun day. Our set at High Sierra in 2007. It was about 115 degrees out. We did a 3pm set the next day that felt even hotter. Great festival, though! | ||
| dluxe
Member Username: dluxe Post Number: 83 Registered: 11-2009 |
Happy 70th Birthday Phil Lesh!! | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 788 Registered: 5-2009 |
Happy Birthday Phil Lesh . Thanks for the inspiration ! | ||
| pasewark
Junior Username: pasewark Post Number: 46 Registered: 4-2003 |
The Birthday show was a lot of fun! One of the standouts for me was Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) sang Pigpens "Two Souls in Communion". The show went from 8pm to 2am. I'm still tired! | ||
| jakebass
Intermediate Member Username: jakebass Post Number: 111 Registered: 7-2007 |
A guy on Basschat UK has added some pics of this gear and a few of the Deads' stage rig some pics are duplicated but I figured you guys would find the thread interesting so here's a link. http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=84262&st=0&gopid=804847&#entry804847 Jake | ||
| pasewark
Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 55 Registered: 4-2003 |
I would love to see a diagram on the Godfathers knobs, which does what? Is that posted anywhere? | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1054 Registered: 5-2009 |
Here is the promised quick pic of my remaining Guild Starfire taken in my cramped messy control room.  | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1055 Registered: 5-2009 |
Here is another shot ! __________ Fine Alembic Custom Brass Work!  | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 656 Registered: 5-2002 |
Very nice! I've never seen a tailpiece like that before! Do you know the year of the bass? I like the Studer, too! | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1057 Registered: 5-2009 |
I was given a choice of various tailpiece designs when I took this Bass to Alembic at the old 60 Brady St. location for bridge & tailpiece replacement back around 1974 or so. This is the one that I picked. Look at the one on Alembic #72-01 , similar with out fine tuners ? I think this Bass was originally a single pickup model from 1965. I have had it since 1973. It originally had 2 Guild/ Hagstrom pick ups on it when I bought it . The experimental HI-A pickups were added after the Alembic modifications. (Message edited by sonicus on June 09, 2010) | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 733 Registered: 10-2006 |
Very nice - but I think we may need a better shot of the picture behind the rack...... Peter | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1060 Registered: 5-2009 |
Thank you Edwin & Peter! Peter _ lol_____ That is an old painting that my Wife painted in "Art School", Many years ago______. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2104 Registered: 6-2002 |
Here is a clip of it live.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2IDtMy-ca8 Jazzyvee | ||
| chuckc
Member Username: chuckc Post Number: 84 Registered: 7-2004 |
I always thought that Lesh's bass line from David Crosby's solo album was hauntingly beautiful. This had to be "The Godfather" back then, 1971 release date. Of course, Jerry Garcia's pedal steel isn't too shabby either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCcBQgTxGBo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9557 Registered: 5-2002 |
Cool video! Thanks Jazzyvee! | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 1120 Registered: 1-2005 |
This picture came up in a slideshow on dead.net/ in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Europe '72 shows. Unfortunately I can't find a link to the slideshow anymore. You can't see the lower bout but doesn't it look like the Godfather, perhaps in a slightly earlier incarnation?  | ||
| pasewark
Intermediate Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 148 Registered: 4-2003 |
You can see a bit of the rail and the foil covered hum cancelling pickup. So it is indeed the godfather. Just not sure if its fully quad yet. I'd love to see a build history on this bass! | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1185 Registered: 5-2002 |
It's definitely the Godfather and it is definitely Europe, I think the Bickershaw festival. Same venue as the photo below.  Aside from the 2 pictures on the history page, I don't think there's much detail about the construction history. However, I think that the quad pickup went in when the rest of the big overhaul happened. I think that's the quad pickup in the middle, although I could be wrong. If you look at pictures of it, it definitely seems like there are 4 distinct coils in there. http://www.hollowbodybass.com/wp-content/uploads/original-alembic-starfire.jpg | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 1121 Registered: 1-2005 |
That picture is awesome - most likely the same bass, most definitely the same sweater! | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1188 Registered: 5-2002 |
OK, I have discovered that the bas fully quad at the time of these pix. I was listening to the Dark Star from 3/23/72 and there are some areas where the strings are coming from different parts of the stereo field. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1218 Registered: 5-2002 |
There are some great pictures of this bass under construction in the latest issue of Fretboard Journal that feature Rick Turner looking quite young indeed. | ||
| wfmandmusic
Junior Username: wfmandmusic Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2012 |
OK, I have discovered that the bas fully quad at the time of these pix. I was listening to the Dark Star from 3/23/72 and there are some areas where the strings are coming from different parts of the stereo field. Edwin, I believe you are correct. Ken | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8507 Registered: 6-2000 |
 What I didn't put in the callouts were the trimpot gain controls for the bass and treble pickups. I made this in about 10 minutes, and so it's as good as I could make in that short time. We were worried from some stuff we heard that someone had been inside this bass, but when we opened it up, nearly all the solder joints were clearly done by my dad, Ron Wickersham. We're going to have the bass back again in the near future to finish the documentation of it. The low pass filters go really really low, like you can make the E string almost disappear if you set it right (or is it wrong?) Anyway, there is a lot under the hood! | ||
| stephenr
Member Username: stephenr Post Number: 73 Registered: 9-2014 |
Thanks Mica! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8508 Registered: 6-2000 |
Oh yeah, I didn't callout the little mini toggle above the master volume, as it isn't connected now. It was a master volume mode switch, where Phil could have the master volume set anywhere he wanted, but then flip the switch and have it go to the maximum volume. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2009 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks, Mica! I have to say that it sounded really good on the vid from TXR. Even aside from filter settings, it's got a great tone. What you guys do electronically is obviously cool, but I think the physical mods you've done have really brought the tone alive. | ||
| moonliner
Advanced Member Username: moonliner Post Number: 313 Registered: 12-2004 |
That's great! That's the bass that is responsible for my obsession with Alembic. So nice to see it cleaned up and looking so good. | ||
| jseitang
Advanced Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 345 Registered: 6-2002 |
amazing. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 6051 Registered: 7-2004 |
Always loved the Apollo 8 sticker. Bill, tgo | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 507 Registered: 6-2012 |
Fascinating info - thanks for pulling back the curtain on a mystery that has confounded me for 40 + years. I first saw this bass in the photo booklet that was inside the 3-record "Europe '72" package. Hearing it on record and seeing it in those photos was a mind blowing experience for a 12-year old budding musician. Up to that point, the most knobs I'd seen on a bass was four and many of the recorded bass tones that I'd heard sounded like mud. I've always wondered what functions all those knobs control - and now I know! | ||
| dead_head
Member Username: dead_head Post Number: 87 Registered: 5-2014 |
It looks fantastic! Enjoyed hearing it in the TXR video. Hope we get to see and hear more about this beauty in the near future... | ||
| pasewark
Advanced Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 262 Registered: 4-2003 |
My favorite bass of all time.  ! Mica, Thanks for the diagram. It's all crystal clear to me now! Not really I have a ton of questions. | ||
| 5a_quilt_top
Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 510 Registered: 6-2012 |
From "back in the day":  I'm guessing that this pic was probably taken shortly after "Big Brown" was originally first delivered to Phil. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 2012 Registered: 5-2002 |
It looks like it's prior to the addition of a couple of knobs. CVQ? | ||
| pasewark
Advanced Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 263 Registered: 4-2003 |
Still has the full tail piece too. |
