| Author | Message | ||
| malthumb
Intermediate Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 105 Registered: 5-2002 |
I was just watching an old video tape of a Kool & the Gang concert where Kool is playing his quilted maple Series I. On a close up, it looked as though it was a carved top bass, as opposed to the usual hippie sandwich. Anybody know if this is truly the case? | ||
| davehouck
Intermediate Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 158 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here's the only picture I could find. It's a brief film clip from Top of the Pops. http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/artists/k/kool_and_the_gang/video/kool_and_the_gang_ooh_la_la_la.ram | ||
| dannobasso
Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 92 Registered: 7-2002 |
A friend of mine provided a "rig" for Kool Bell at the Garden back in the day. It consisted of 2 stacks. Double 18, double 15 and lens horn on each side of the stage powered by 4 BGW 1200's. Big Bottom! | ||
| dela217
Intermediate Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 198 Registered: 6-2002 |
I could be wrong, but I think he owned an Oasis bass. Oasis basses and guitars was made by someone by the name of Gary Cooper. I think he was "an ex Alembic employee" too. The Oasis bass had the same body style. I think he liked the style so much that he had Alembic make a bass with that body. At least that is the way I heard it. | ||
| senmen
Member Username: senmen Post Number: 70 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Guys, I just saw an old concert of the Gang just two nights before on german TV (Musikladen). There Kool played a double cut Alembic bass. This was long scale and a symmetrical double cut like the Stanley Clarke models. The body was very thick and had an incredible curly maple top. The Oasis bass Dela talked about before stood aside during this gig. Many greetings Oliver Baumann | ||
| malthumb
Intermediate Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 106 Registered: 5-2002 |
Senmen, i think we watched the same video. Mine was also a Musikladen performance. In a couple areas I could see what looked like a twin to the bass Kool was playing sitting in a stand off in the wings. | ||
| bishopqdog
Junior Username: bishopqdog Post Number: 27 Registered: 7-2003 |
thanks for that footage. That was a blast from the past! | ||
| labes3
New Username: labes3 Post Number: 1 Registered: 9-2005 |
the bass robert(kool)bell is using is indeed his alembic the one on the stand is the oasis,i played both when the band i was with at the time shared de-lite studio with them.the oasis was a fine bass and well crafted but i dont recall who he said the builder was.his alembic is almost an exact mate to the one owned by mike(sugar bear)forman of philly international fame. at the time i was using a alembic modified fender jazz bass done for me at "my fathers workshop" in the 70's it served me until i got an alembic later in my career | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2370 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks for the info Moises, and welcome to the group! I don't recall it being mentioned before that Mike Forman played an Alembic. I guess he did both guitar and bass sessions. Any idea what recordings he used the Alembic on? | ||
| labes3
New Username: labes3 Post Number: 2 Registered: 9-2005 |
thanks dave ,from what i understand from sugar bear when he invited me to test drive his alembic on a weekend we were both off he told me that the techs at sigma sound studios were having problems recording the bass. i attribute this to their unfamiliarity with the basses capabilities and controls.trust me they learned but later.i do belive that he did use it on some philly international recordings before his tragic death i'll check with some of his session mates and get back to you .by the way i let go of my alembic back then because the producers at that time wanted the "fender" on r&b recordings. they wouldnt let me use my rickenbacker much less the alembic thank god times change | ||
| foth
Junior Username: foth Post Number: 34 Registered: 12-2004 |
Gary Cooper built the bass for Kool Bell in 1973. It was his first production instrument under his Oasis brand. I bought his first production guitar at the same time. It was a semihollow, with stereo low impedence Bartolinis. The Oasis company lasted 3 or 4 years, I think, though Gary continued to make special-order instruments under that name until his passing about 5 years ago. He worked as a guitar tech in the Sacramento area for 25 years after his Oasis venture and was a real treasure to musicians living in the central valley of California. | ||
| labes3
New Username: labes3 Post Number: 3 Registered: 9-2005 |
thank you for the info foth im trying to catch up with robert bell and see if he still owns the oasis bass and if so i'll post a picture. i think a lot of alembic fans would recognize the quality in craftmanship put into this bass. by the way ,dave im still on finding what specific songs "bear" used his alembic on with philly international.so far ido know he used it on dedicated MFSB albums after anthony jacksons famous "Money" and "Got to give the people what they want" sessions for the O-Jays.these two songs were important because after these historic sessions philly producers at the time started to give us bassists more leeway as far as our input when it came to the sound of the bass on their recordings.hey dave do you know if tony jackson ever owned an alembic? | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2385 Registered: 5-2002 |
I don't know. But I did do a search and came across and old Bass Player article that, though it didn't answer the question, was pretty interesting reading. | ||
| 88persuader
Intermediate Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 155 Registered: 5-2004 |
Dave that was a great article ... very interesting! | ||
| labes3
New Username: labes3 Post Number: 4 Registered: 9-2005 |
dave when it comes to reserch you are the master .write a book ! or i'll pick your head and write it myself (giving you appropriate credit of course) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2393 Registered: 5-2002 |
LOL!!! Thanks! It's just that I prefer to spend inordinate amounts of time doing stuff related to the board rather than doing actual work. | ||
| jacko
Advanced Member Username: jacko Post Number: 339 Registered: 10-2002 |
LoL aswell! I prefer to spend inordinate amounts of time reading the stuff you've done on the board rather than doing actual work. Graeme | ||
| jacko
Advanced Member Username: jacko Post Number: 376 Registered: 10-2002 |
There's a picture of Kool playing what looks like an alembic in the Funk bassist special from Bass Player. It has all the correct electrics and the tailpiece and bridge look right - what it doesn't have is a truss-rod cover. I'll scan the pic tonight and post it tomorrow. Graeme | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 635 Registered: 6-2002 |
Alembics didn't have truss rod covers until 77 or 78 or thereabouts, so that would make sense. | ||
| jacko
Advanced Member Username: jacko Post Number: 378 Registered: 10-2002 |
As promised...  Graeme BTW. the article states his current weapon of choice is a Zon Sonus! | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 651 Registered: 6-2002 |
Body shape brings back memories of Keavin's old #16 (or was it #12?). It certainly looks more "fresh, exciting" - oops, didn't I just quote Mr Kool himself? |
