| Author | Message | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 138 Registered: 5-2007 |
Is there (was there) a relationship between Jaydee and Alembic? An ex-employee? How do they compare to Alembics? | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1458 Registered: 12-2002 |
Ive heard jaydee basses..........too midranged and bottom shy! (my opinion) | ||
| dfung60
Advanced Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 352 Registered: 5-2002 |
Jaydee = John Diggins in the UK. I don't know any specific history, but I think this is more a case of "inspired by Alembic" more than any actual working relationship. If you set aside the makers who actually worked at Alembic (Irwin, BecVar, Hyak, Dolan) there are still a bunch of instruments that were heavily influenced by Alembic, with Jaydee probably the closest of all. David Fung | ||
| goop
New Username: goop Post Number: 6 Registered: 7-2008 |
I love Jaydee guitars. Definitely one of the few quality hand crafted instruments available. Why do you ask? Inspired? Perhaps, but I doubt it. Here is some insight to the origins from the Artists section of their site. I am equally appreciative of of Status guitars. http://www.jaydeeguitars.com/ro.php | ||
| grateful
Advanced Member Username: grateful Post Number: 282 Registered: 12-2004 |
John Diggins started out working for John Birch. The first actual Jaydee instrument made has bird tail piece, oval fret markers, an omega cut and a pointed headstock. Extreme influence IMHO. | ||
| karl
Intermediate Member Username: karl Post Number: 140 Registered: 7-2002 |
I vaguely remember reading an interview with John Diggins in which he explained that, when he built the first bass with what we would recognise now as a 'Jaydee shape', he had never seen an Alembic. However, the bass player for whom he built it, and who had a big hand in the design of the actual body shape, quite possibly had... So it sounds as if it wasn't an intentional resemblance to Alembic, at least not on John's part, and if anyone's to blame for the resemblance, it was probably the chap who ordered that early bass from John! Anyway, while there's definitely a passing resemblance in terms of shape, in most other respects (electronics, tone, woods, neck-body joint - while most Jaydees look like neck-throughs, they're usually cunningly-disguised set-necks - they're glued in!), they're very different beasts. I owned a beautiful GA24 for about 10 years - a great bass, with lots of mid-punch, very different to Alembic's hi-fi tone, much more 'old-school'. K. | ||
| indybass
New Username: indybass Post Number: 6 Registered: 6-2003 |
There is a nice Jaydee bass for sale at LOWDBASS. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 561 Registered: 11-2004 |
IF you want the original Level 42/Mark King sound then you need a JD Supernatural along with the old Trace Elliot Series 6 amps and 4x10 cabs. Put ultra light bass strings(90 guage E string)on it and slap to your hearts content. Early ones were battery hungry..whitecloud has some experience with them. When Mark King was seen using JD basses the sales volume escalated to the roof and he had to upgrade premises and employ more people. There is no relationship between JD and Alembic, he was an apprentice of John Birch who made instruments for Ron Wood & the late Ronnie Lane(Ex Faces) | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 440 Registered: 11-2007 |
Yes..Jaydee! Well it cant be denied that Jaydee supernatural basses are heavily influenced by the Alembic series 1. Mark king loved the look of Alembic basses but at the time they were very rare in the UK and things like the internet were the stuff of science fiction. Mark was out looking for an Alembic and came across the Jaydee bass and the rest is history! I have to admit here and now...Im not a fan. Jaydee's have (had?) a certain reputation for unreliable necks and weak electrics - but I cant honestly judge the new models being produced as I was so unimpressed by my Supernatural that I decided not to go there again! The Mark King model appeared to have a through neck- but in fact most Jaydee basses have a set neck /glue joint. Obviously the laminated neck models are more reliable however the one piece mahogany neck models suffered badly from warp/twist. I can also remember many having fingerboard difficulties! Plentiful (and certainly reasonably affordable) in the UK, Jaydee basses remain rarified and in demand beyond their British home-ground! They are great looking instruments and have a dedicated fan-base because of Mark King and his meteoric rise to bass superstardom -despite his subsequent preference for Status, and indeed Alembic, brand makes! John. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 144 Registered: 5-2007 |
I asked because I used to have Kawai and Aria basses that were copies of Alembics and I wanted to know how the Jaydee compared to both Alembics and lesser copies | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 444 Registered: 11-2007 |
IMHO Jaydee basses simply arent in the same league as Alembic basses - or many other high end "boutique" brands. Early Aria SB basses were very well made and the electrics were pretty good - great basses in my experience. Kawai? I simply dont know as I havent played/owned one. I have heard it rumoured ( georgieboy here at the club agrees from experience )that the Fernandes Alembic copies completely blew Jaydee basses away. I guess you have to make up your own mind. Jaydee basses do have a certain mystique about them and they look killer! I have a friend however who owns a Jaydee Mark King that had to have the fingerboard planed, and mine? well the neck was a nightmare - bare these things in mind! John. | ||
| fandange
Junior Username: fandange Post Number: 13 Registered: 9-2008 |
HELLO! MARK KING JAYDEES LOOK LIKE ALEMBICS BECAUSE IT WAS A WILL OF MARK KING WHEN HE DECIDED TO HAVE HIS BASSES MADE BY JOHN DIGGINS. BUT THIS ONE DIDN'T HE REALLY KNOW ALEMBIC BASSES? I DON'T THINK SO.... | ||
| bigbadbill
Senior Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 457 Registered: 10-2003 |
John, I've had two Jaydees and they were like night and day. The first was a Series 1 Supernatural that someone (not John ) had shaved the neck on and I had lots of problems with it. The second (a later MK) was a fabulous guitar, one of the best I've ever owned. Unfortunately I had to let it go soon after buying because of the weight, but it both played and sounded superb. Re the fingerboard problems, I've had exactly the same thing with Wals. And if you speak to Roger TVR about his Alembic, even the best can have problems... The guy who my first JD was built for said that John was sold a bad batch of wood (sometime in the 80s I believe) that caused some of the problems you note. Also when Mark King took off John had to get in more help in order to cope with the vast amount of orders, and I think even John admits that the quality wasn't always there at that time; he said it was a situation he hated and he is now much happier having a two man operation. The best-playing bass I've ever played was a newer Jaydee that was in the Gallery in Camden a few years back; it played beyond anything else I've ever tried, and sounded superb ( boy was it heavy though!). I've played many, many Jaydees over the years and I'd say 50% of them I haven't liked, and 50% have been great. However I would also say the same about the 70s Alembic Series basses I've played. I've played 2 I really liked, 1 of which was one of the best instruments I've ever played, and another 2 that (with all due respect!) I absolutely hated. One, in a shop in Haight-Ashbury that I forget the name of, was one of the most unpleasant playing experiences I've ever had, and yet I would never dream of painting all other Alembics with that brush, as I've played so many that are just unbelievable. The same goes for every other make; I've played horrible, horrible Wals and very nice ones. I've played many wonderful Rickenbackers and just as many dogs. Some bad experiences do not a bad brand make. Some people complain about the necks on Rickenbackers but I've never had a problem with a Ric neck in 28 years of playing, and I actually find them far more stable than any other basses, my Alembic included. I used to have more problems with my Statuses! Fandabge; Mark King had nothing to do with the look of the Jaydee as we know it. Mark's first Jaydee was bought by him in a shop in London; it was on consignment there. It had been built by John for Stanley Clarke; but apparently Stanley made it clear he didn't expect to pay for it (that's the story anyway). So John completed it and put it in the shop for sale. Mark had just received an advance and was bass-hunting; he saw the bass in the shop and thought it looked a bit like an Alembic (in his own words, his wildest dream at the time) and made an offer; the shop phoned John who accepted the offer. Mark later had input into certain technical aspects of the basses, but the look was already there before he came along (see also the posts above re the first Jaydee bass). | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 481 Registered: 11-2007 |
Bill, There is a lot of truth in what you are saying..to achieve a high level of consistancy should be the goal of any luthier producing numerous ammounts of any given model - but it isnt easy! I suppose you just have to call it as you find it regarding personal experience! I had two Rick 4001's - the stablest necks I ever owned to be honest! My Wal was in the same category..supremely stable. I have heard of a lot of very VERY big name players who hated Alembic basses - its just about personal choice really. You could probably walk into a shop with ten new US Fender basses - if your lucky one or two will be quite good, five will be average...and some unlucky or unknowledgable punters will buy the other three rubbish ones. Speaking of quality and fender in the same breath - Fender need to take a long hard look at themselves and think about why 30yr old + fenders wipe the floor with the new US (dont even mention Mex) models. Its the same thing again..getting it consistant and good! John Diggins did have a lot of problems during a period in the 80's, but thats not much consolation to the wide eyed players who saved hard to own one...to end up with lame duck basses with awful necks. I have that t-shirt and I guess I have never forgiven or forgotten! John. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 183 Registered: 5-2007 |
Thank you all for the info | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1249 Registered: 6-2002 |
Karl I have met and used John's services many times over the years and the story you recall is the closest to the one he told me personally. Jazzyvee | ||
| bigbadbill
Senior Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 462 Registered: 10-2003 |
John Have to say I wouldn't be happy either, although in a sense I did go through that with my first Jaydeee; didn't stop me getting the second though!One day (if I can get him to make me one light enough!)I'd like to have another... | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1250 Registered: 6-2002 |
I've never used a Jaydee but I doubt if they are all bottom shy, as Alvin Ewen, ( Former Steel Pulse Bassist), uses one and he is a phenomenal bass player and if he can use a Jaydee to hold down the bottom end in one of the best reggae bands around, then I doubt if all Jaydee's can be called bass shy...!!! ( in my opinion ) Jazzyvee |
