Author |
Message |
oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam
Post Number: 354 Registered: 7-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 4:23 pm: | |
June 25, 2009 Five years ago today Michael Jackson died. It's also the day I took delivery of "Mary", my Mark King Signature Deluxe, at the factory. It seems like only yesterday.... More about "Mary" here: http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_maryswish.html |
rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61
Post Number: 1251 Registered: 2-2011
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 7:09 pm: | |
Sam, I have been admiring your beautiful bass for years, but never knew the story of how you got it until now. What a wonderful tribute to your loving mother! I'm sure she smiles every time you play your bass! Happy birthday "Mary!" |
davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck
Post Number: 11395 Registered: 5-2002
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 7:11 pm: | |
I love that bass! |
moongerm
Junior Username: moongerm
Post Number: 21 Registered: 8-2013
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 7:23 pm: | |
Many blessings! Touching story and a beautiful bass! |
oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam
Post Number: 355 Registered: 7-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 9:24 pm: | |
Rusty, Dave and Brian Thanks for the kind words, guys! Rusty, I saw your bass while at the mini-gathering and I purposefully DID NOT photograph it because you need to see it in the flesh --er, wood -- for yourself. You are a lucky man, indeed! Dave, it was a pleasure meeting you in person a few years ago at our gathering. And you made my bass sing in ways that I cannot. Brian, OMG! I remember Piktor's Metamorphosis when it first came out in 1976 (I'm 59). Thanks to you, I'm listening to it now and it still KILLS! I will definitely check out your band. Double thanks. |
rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61
Post Number: 1252 Registered: 2-2011
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 10:05 pm: | |
Glad you like my bass Sam! We are flying out next week to see it "in the wood!" Mica sent me pictures of the new inlays this week & they look great! I can't wait to see them in person! |
oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam
Post Number: 356 Registered: 7-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 11:35 pm: | |
Well, Rusty, your bass has so many well thought-out features that it makes for a great synergistic whole. I told Mica I think knobby headstocks are a really elegant, under-the-radar touch. The inlays are the icing on the cake. You might want to sit down and have a little talk with your other basses, though, just to nip any possible sibling rivalry in the bud cuz' they might be more than a little jealous. And between you and Jazzyvee's arsenal, I'm becoming more and more enamored with the Europa shape.... |
rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61
Post Number: 1253 Registered: 2-2011
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 12:53 am: | |
Thanks Sam! I have loved the Knobby headstock ever since the first time I saw one! I like the old school look of them. I wasn't sure how it would look on a Europa, but I love it! My biggest fear when I commissioned the Europa build was that I wouldn't want to play my SCSD after getting it, & the more I see the progress on the Europa build, the more that fear is amplified! Jazzyvee is responsible for me falling in love with the Europa body. When I saw his blonde Series II, I instantly loved it! He sent me a video of you playing it at the last Gathering & the tone is incredible! |
pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo
Post Number: 1194 Registered: 6-2006
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 3:15 am: | |
Sam, now knowing the history of Mary has elevated her beauty. Very nice, |
oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam
Post Number: 357 Registered: 7-2008
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 3:33 am: | |
Rusty, the knobby headstock is sublime! It imparts a "middle earth"/wizard's sceptre vibe and streamlines the whole shape of the bass in a very unique way. I love the medieval look of Bill's elongated 12-string headstock. That blonde Europa played like a dream and since I never use a strap, it balanced perfectly when I was sitting down.... I only own one Alembic, so I can't really speak to whether or not one might wind up being neglected. I guess to keep things fresh you could experiment with altered tunings and/or flat-wounds on the SCSD, but since these basses have different woods and electronics I imagine they'll naturally sound different enough that they can't really be redundant (how can any Alembic be redundant?). |
oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam
Post Number: 358 Registered: 7-2008
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 3:38 am: | |
Thanks, Paul! |
moongerm
Junior Username: moongerm
Post Number: 22 Registered: 8-2013
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 9:26 am: | |
Pleasure to meet you Sam! |
rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61
Post Number: 1255 Registered: 2-2011
| Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 4:56 pm: | |
Sam, are you saying that Gandalf would have played a Knobby? LOL! I could see that! Jazzyvee also told me that the Europa is well balanced, so that is good. My SCSD is a short scale 4 string & the Europa will be a long scale 5 string so 2 very different basses. I'm hoping to share equal time with them once I get comfortable playing the 5 string. |
mario_farufyno
Senior Member Username: mario_farufyno
Post Number: 1053 Registered: 9-2008
| Posted on Friday, June 27, 2014 - 6:48 am: | |
I'm being repetitive, but each Alembic I saw today is taking my breath away... |