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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2005 » Archive through October 17, 2005 » Archive - 2004 » Archive through October 31, 2004 » Trip to Alembic. « Previous Next »

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rklisme
Intermediate Member
Username: rklisme

Post Number: 128
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 5:27 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Guys just a few pics of me at AlembicWorld today. Got a chance to see some cool basses as always and have Ron do a quick repair as well.
Hocky Stick
Fretboard Amber LED's
Rami's Custom with others
Stanley's Bass

Rory
echo008
Intermediate Member
Username: echo008

Post Number: 121
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 6:55 pm:   Edit Post

Oh my !!!!
thanks for the pics :-)
is that your bass you are holding in the last one?
- Tom
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 359
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 7:02 pm:   Edit Post

That is a question that should not be answered just yet....
echo008
Intermediate Member
Username: echo008

Post Number: 122
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 7:22 pm:   Edit Post

Hi...
OK I wont push the issue but now Im really curious!!! :-)
- Tom
811952
Advanced Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 298
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 7:39 pm:   Edit Post

Holy crap! Man, I LOVE this site!
John
rklisme
Intermediate Member
Username: rklisme

Post Number: 129
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 8:12 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Guys

Here is a breakdown of the pictures that I posted.
1. Me holding the neck for my new 6 string project.
2. Fretboard for my 6 string with amber LED's
3. I tried to capture a few of the members projects for those of you who can't get enough pics
4. Me holding Stanley Clarke's new bass that will be presented to him this Friday at his concert in San Francisco. Please don't tell him though, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 360
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 8:15 pm:   Edit Post

Rory!!!! Didn't they tell you not to publish that pic until the bass was delivered??? I was sworn to secrecy when I was out there in July.
rklisme
Intermediate Member
Username: rklisme

Post Number: 130
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 9:05 pm:   Edit Post

Bob

It is cool, I asked before I even took the picture. I am sure he must know by now or they would have given me the same warning. Like you I knew about it and had seen it prevously and never mentioned it. Thanks for keeping me on my toes though. Good looking out!

Rory
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 361
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 9:16 pm:   Edit Post

And doesn't it have the most perfect neck ever found on a bass?
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 1715
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 10:26 pm:   Edit Post

***sigh*** and even Rami's new fretless is still hanging there ...that brother must have been eten all his fingernails by now!
Hang on there brother.

Rory ...you remind me at the look of my children -when they were younger- coming into a toy store.

Paul the bad one
kungfusheriff
Intermediate Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 184
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 11:07 pm:   Edit Post

"Me holding Stanley Clarke's new bass that will be presented to him this Friday at his concert in San Francisco. Please don't tell him though, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!"
WOW! Well worth the wait, and the David Duchovny-like mutterings in the Club (laughing).
If anyone handed ME a bass like that and said, "Here, this is yours now" I'd probably need a paramedic. Then again, I've never one a poll, let alone many.
Outstanding.
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 362
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 2:29 am:   Edit Post

I am hoping/suspecting that it will be detailed as the November featured custom now that it is finally being delivered, so I will let you wait another two weeks to hear details about the construction. It is an absolutely fabulous instrument with no equal.
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 498
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 5:11 am:   Edit Post

that is so intresting the last time ive been to "heaven"(alembic)was 23yrs ago,question, does stanley has one of those 25th anniv basses too?.
davehouck
Senior Member
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 945
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 7:31 am:   Edit Post

The look on your face says it all!!
geddy
Junior
Username: geddy

Post Number: 26
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 9:59 am:   Edit Post

I heard that this is the one and only bass alembic has ever given away. Seems a fitting tribute!
jeff
Member
Username: jeff

Post Number: 73
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 10:23 am:   Edit Post

Susan mentioned this bass to me several months ago while my quilted coco bolo bass was being born. Looking at that inlay, it is easy to understand why Stanley's bass took longer to build. Rory, you are one lucky dude to have even held that bass, and you have a picture to prove it!
wideload
Member
Username: wideload

Post Number: 60
Registered: 6-2003
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 11:28 am:   Edit Post

Great pics! My son and I were there last week, and I imagine I was a blithering idiot to those in the know. The only thing I could think to play on Stanley's bass was I/V ala Waylon Jennnings (since I knew THAT would never happen again on that instrument!). By the way, Rory, should they have let you hold that bass, what with a screen name of "reckless me"? :-)
By the way, when I left for my trip, my wife didn't say "Have a nice time", "Drive safely", or "I'll miss you today". Just "DON"T BUY ANYTHING!"

Larry
wayne
Intermediate Member
Username: wayne

Post Number: 115
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 2:46 pm:   Edit Post

My wife was with me when I visited. She kept repeating that phrase like a mantra - with an emphatic "NO!!" thrown in every now and again.

C-Ya...............wayne
rklisme
Intermediate Member
Username: rklisme

Post Number: 131
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 4:17 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Guy's

I can not tell you how beautiful an instrument it is, words can't begin to describe it. I can only hope that some Stanley Magic dust rubbed off on me during the process. The look on my face was one of pure fright and joy at the same time. One side of the brain was saying, "I can't believe I am holding Stanley's new bass" the other side of the brain was saying, " You better not drop this bass dummy!" Valentino sent me to lunch after holding the bass I think he could tell that I was moments away from passing out! I needed to nourish myself and slow my heart rate. As always good to share my Alembic moments with all of you!

Rory
tom_z
Member
Username: tom_z

Post Number: 51
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 4:32 pm:   Edit Post

Rory - that's priceless!!!!! I'm laughing out loud in my office and my coworkers are wondering if I'm insane. Thanks for the laugh.
pace
Member
Username: pace

Post Number: 63
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 4:52 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks for the recon photos Rory!!! I was hoping to spot pieces of my instrument~ no luck.... Do you recall a 7piece purpleheart/ebony core and some flame maple SC wings?!?!? lol....

Is that a vermillion tribute on the wall behind Marc's "simple" bass??? Gawd what a wonderland.....
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 368
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 5:28 pm:   Edit Post

When I finished my tour back in July, we went back to the entry area where there were over a dozen instruments on the walls, tables and couches. Val handed me that bass and asked me what I thought, then told me what it was after a couple minutes of noodling and commenting on how wonderfully it played. I should have known, but I didn't think about it until I was told. It was quite the experience, and a million different thoughts were spawned.

Forget about the inlays. Forget about the pretty wood top. That is the finest playing/feeling bass on the planet. If I decide to go back to playing a four instead of a five, I will order an instrument with a clone of that neck. It should almost remain on display at the factory forever so that everyone has the opportunity to stop by, touch it, and be inspired.

I hope he loves it as much as I do and starts using it at shows. If he does, I'll be extra interested in catching him if he's playing in the area.
susan
Moderator
Username: susan

Post Number: 79
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 7:46 pm:   Edit Post

In one sense we are giving it away in another sense it's payment/ reward for all he has given us, inspiration, loyalty and beautiful music. He's earned this tribute and I hope tomorrow night when he recieves it, he'll be delighted with the surprise since he has no idea of what it looks like wood wise or the elaborate inlay. He's never played one with the ebony lams as yet and that should be interesting for him as well.
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 371
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 8:04 pm:   Edit Post

Susan, we'll all be dying to hear his reaction, especially those of us who have seen it in person!
bob
Advanced Member
Username: bob

Post Number: 345
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 1:08 am:   Edit Post

What a coincidence - I just got back from another SF JazzFest concert tonight, was thinking on the way up that maybe I should see whether there were any tickets left for Rite Of Strings (sorry, gang, I've always wanted to see Stanley on upright...).

Anyway, looks like there are still some tickets left, so maybe I'll head up there. I also got to see the instrument, maybe around March? Didn't have any strings at the time, but I doubt I would have played it myself even if it did. Yeah, it's a beauty.
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 502
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 4:31 am:   Edit Post

that dragon inlay,is it mother of pearl, or is it silver? whatever it is it's very stunning!
gare
Member
Username: gare

Post Number: 67
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 6:37 am:   Edit Post

Rklis..thx for the pix. Mr.Clarks new axe is beautiful. Look forward to seeing the specs on it.
Your instrument looks interesting, I also look forward to seeing its incarnation. It's looking a bit like a Steinberger right now tho huh..

G
gare
Member
Username: gare

Post Number: 68
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 7:25 am:   Edit Post

Rklis..thx for the pix. Mr.Clarks new axe is beautiful. Look forward to seeing the specs on it.
Your instrument looks interesting, I also look forward to seeing its incarnation. It's looking a bit like a Steinberger right now tho huh..

G
pookeymp
Intermediate Member
Username: pookeymp

Post Number: 177
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 8:58 am:   Edit Post

Wow...that's a beautiful instrument, and I'm sure the pics don't do it justice.

Can't wait to see the specs on this baby.

Mikey/
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 373
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 9:22 am:   Edit Post

Mikey, you're right. The top wood is pretty dark, so it's very hard to capture the figuring in a photo. As for specs, it's really a reachable instrument in terms of building one that would play similarly. If I remember correctly, over half the cost associated with this bass is in top wood upgrades and inlays. In terms of creating a player's version, the only things that are really different from an SC deluxe are the narrower neck dimensions, ebony neck laminates and electronics/pickup locations (which seemed to be stock S2).

Keavin, I suspect that the dragon has a bunch of materials involved including abalone and golden MOP. Unfortunately, my hand is covering the dragon's face in the pic I have and I remember a lot of detail there that would have to include a variety of materials. I am not sure if it is a 'standard' dragon, but I remember seeing a description of the materials used somewhere on the Alembic site.

I am still hoping/suspecting that they have done a thorough photo essay on it, including taking the time to capture the beauty of the top wood, and that this bass will be the November featured custom. Either that, or they make it a one-time special featured custom for the ages.

bigredbass
Advanced Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 329
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 11:52 am:   Edit Post

Bob, I saw the lucky recipient on a PBS Newport Jazz show playing solo upright . . . . it was just as terrifying as his usual MO.

J o e y
bsee
Advanced Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 377
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 2:53 pm:   Edit Post

So what's the deal, Alembic peoples???? Did Stanley's eyes pop out of his head or what? Did you get the bass to him before the gig, and did he play it? Are we going to get a full photo essay?
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 629
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 5:35 am:   Edit Post

Pix and a write-up would be nice. Like Mica really needs another job to do, LOL!

mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2030
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 5:00 pm:   Edit Post

Put 2 pics in the Showcase - Artists section.

(Message edited by mica on October 25, 2004)

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