| Author | Message | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 222 Registered: 7-2002 |
Well, I really thought that my first Series bass would be the one that I am waiting to be born later this year, but when this lefty came along with a GRAPHITE NECK!!, and a sweet price to boot, I just had to go for it ! Mica tells me that there are only about fifty of these basses in existence. What are the odds that I'd find a Lefty? I'd be crazy to pass it up,(although my wife thinks I'm crazy for NOT passing it up!)I am still in shock over this bass! It has such a full tone and it plays like "BUTTA". But enough talk. Here's my feeble attempt to capture the beauty of this wonderful instrument!      Insane quality Birdseye! I have more pics but I must figure out how to reduce them in size since they are over the limit. (Message edited by davehouck on August 07, 2005) | ||
| the_mule
Senior Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 540 Registered: 1-2004 |
Wow, that's without a doubt the most stunning piece of birdseye maple I've ever seen, fabulous bass! I'd love to see a picture of the back (exciting to see the marriage between graphite and wood). Enjoy! Wilfred | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2164 Registered: 5-2002 |
Very nice!! | ||
| darkstar01
Junior Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2005 |
I'm definitely not a fan of Birdseye, but that piece makes me think otherwise. Beautiful!!! Austin | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 432 Registered: 6-2002 |
Congratulations, Another absolute beauty! and I spy a beatle-bass peeking around the back, if I'm not mistaken.  Mike | ||
| tom_z
Intermediate Member Username: tom_z Post Number: 163 Registered: 7-2004 |
What a beautiful piece of Birdseye (very bubbly) and a nice lefty score. The last photo looks like a great big Series-shaped glass of lager. Yum! Tom | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 223 Registered: 7-2002 |
Thanks everyone! I still can't believe how fortunate I was to obtain this bass. I will make another attempt to post the pictures of the back side. Also I've noticed that the headstock seems to be closer to the small K headstock, and this was 1980!? And yes Mike That's a Beatle bass though just a Rogue. I have often wondered if the the Hofner was really worth all the money. In fact I think I will pose that question in the Misc. section to see if anyone has ever compared the two.    (Message edited by davehouck on August 07, 2005) | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 534 Registered: 6-2002 |
Good grief! That is a GREAT find. Congrats! | ||
| kungfusheriff
Advanced Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 350 Registered: 8-2003 |
Welcome to a very small club. That's lovely, did she come to you from Los Angeles? (Message edited by kungfusheriff on August 08, 2005) | ||
| 88persuader
Intermediate Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 140 Registered: 5-2004 |
Wow it's a beauty! It amazes me how Alembic "married" the neck to the body! If I'm not mistaken the Modulus company made the graphite necks for Alembic early on. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) Recently I picked up a used Modulus 5 string fretless to add to my collection (Of course my Alembic is still my favorate!) and I have to admit I love the graphite neck. Solid as a rock! However it's bolt on, not "neck through." And last week I played an outside daytime gig in the blistering New Hampture summer sun (talk about sun stroke) and it was nice to know the heat and sun wasn't going to hurt the neck. I wasn't going to bring out my SC in that heat! Does anyone know if Alembic still offers graphite necks on a special order? Anyway I'm rambeling here .... Michael looks like you found yourself a beautiful and very unique Alembic there. Congradulations! Ray | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2173 Registered: 5-2002 |
Ray; no, they don't offer the graphite necks any more. Go here to read a very in-depth discussion on that topic. | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 225 Registered: 7-2002 |
To answer your question Shawn, It is the same one that was offered here several months back and then on Ebay and yes, the bass did come from Los Angeles, but I can't give this person a recomend to my fellow club members because the person who sold me the bass misrepresented the condition of the instrument saying it was checked out and found to be 100% by his personal "guitar tech" and then played dumb when I called him on it. It has an electronic issue that only a deaf man wearing earplugs, sealed in an anechoic isolation chamber at the bottom of the Mariana's Trench could miss. However, I did get it for a decent price and Alembic is helping me to work through the issue at a reasonable cost. If anyone wishes to avoid this same situation in the future, email me for more details. That said, this bass has a wonderful tone, full, punchy, warm and clear all at the same time! I own three other Alembics,which are all delightful instruments in their own right, but I have to tell you that you haven't lived untill you've had a series bass in your hands!! I don't know what they do that sets this model apart from the others (we're talking playabilty here, not the obvious electronic differences) but this has also happened to me in the past whenever I had the brief opportunity to play a series bass; It's as if the bass was personally designed for me! The neck just seems to melt into my hand and I can do things on this bass that I can't do on any other! An epiphany! A religious experience! P.S. Obviously, I like 'em! Mike | ||
| kungfusheriff
Advanced Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 351 Registered: 8-2003 |
That neck is incredible, isn't it? After owning mine for a year, I look at and try other basses but... Does it have an ebony or phenolic fingerboard? Mine, I was surprised to learn, has the latter, so I've been using flats because I'm scared to refret. Ditch the D'Addarios on general principle anyhow...if you like rounds try Alembic blue silks or DRs. Mind running an experiment? (Message edited by kungfusheriff on August 09, 2005) | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 227 Registered: 7-2002 |
The fingerboard appears to be phenolic. What sort of experiment do you have in mind? | ||
| kungfusheriff
Advanced Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 353 Registered: 8-2003 |
I'm very instigued by the relative dynamic capability of graphite and wooden necks--I've found I can lay into a wooden-necked bass fairly hard and hear a corresponding dynamic response, at least acoustically, but rather than roar graphite-necked basses seem to have a dynamic ceiling; if your attack exceeds the ceiling all you get is 'clank.' Clear as mud, right? If you wouldn't mind, try setting the action to a medium height and pounding on the sucker to see how she reacts. Should be a perfect post-commute Friday afternoon exercise. (grin) | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 228 Registered: 7-2002 |
Interesting that you mention this. I have noticed a difference in response with the graphite neck especially on a gig but it has not really crystalized in my mind as to the cause untill reading your post. I was thinking the extra low action was creating this effect but know I believe you may be right about the graphite. I have noticed that diggin in doesn't seem to produce anymore response from the instrument, especially on the higher strings. I originally thought it was because of the fairly closed filter settings I was using. To compensate for this peceived effect I've raise the treble side of the pickups a bit which seems to help but you're right; It almost seems like hitting a brick wall, limiting kind of thing! In a way, I've used this to my advantage; the bass sounds best to me with moderate to light technique which I normaly play with but there are nights when competing with my drummers (Roland V-Drum)monitor volume and my guitarists volume, who by the way also runs the board from stage ( what were we thinking letting the guitarist run sound?!) that I tend to dig in too much for my chops own good. In order to keep from hitting that ceiling I've trained myself to stay relaxed the whole night in the face of the natural tendency of the others to turn up. | ||
| 88persuader
Intermediate Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 143 Registered: 5-2004 |
Personally I find if i DIG in too much I get that painful "clicking" from the string slapping the neck or fret. When i run through the front end (3 way) it can clip the tweaters and cause PAIN to the crowd. So I've trained myself to always play short of this click point and probably because of this haven't really experienced the different dymanics you're talking about. Also I own many different brands including of course Alembic and my only graphite neck is on my Modulus 5 string fretless. So regardless if it were a wood or graphite neck the bass is a total different animal than my other basses so I really can't compair apples to apples here. For all i know the difference could be the neck length, pick-ups, preamp, manufacturer, strings, the fact it's fretless, you name it! I'd LOVE ... LOVE to be able to put a wood neck and graphite neck bass of the same type side by side to see the difference apples to apples. If anyone has had this chance please chime in with your opinion. Regardless i have to admit, even though I consider myself an Alembic man I love my Modulus. | ||
| kungfusheriff
Advanced Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 354 Registered: 8-2003 |
Aha! I never warmed to Mods but used to have a fretless Steinberger strung with flats that had the same dynamic quirk...thanks for the confirmation! I've found my Alembic gets the best response with a relatively low action, and outside of this range the signal is weak and the tone poor. Within the target range, though, I can control a pretty wide dynamic range with relatively small changes in attack...I don't have to lay into the bass noticably harder, but the dynamics are there so long as I stay below that 'ceiling.' This is so frustrating to vocalize and so easy to demonstrate...busy this weekend? LOL | ||
| crazykiwi
Junior Username: crazykiwi Post Number: 40 Registered: 10-2005 |
I've found that the symptoms described have arisen from a mis match between the colouring of the amp and the tonal characterstics of the bass. My Modulus Q5SS lacked projection and especially low mids when I played it though my Eden WT800 and 2x10" cabs. However, I tried it through an SWR SM400+ Goliath at the Bass Centre once and it sounded very full and projected well. Same for when I tried it through a GK RB400 combo. I've had similar issues between other basses (graphite and wooden necked) and amps too. Fender pbass+ampeg+810, MM Stingray+Boogie+4x12", Smith+Eden+410", Status+Trace+410, Fender Jazz/Modulus+SWR+goliath etc. My Alembic sounds good through anything however! |
