| Author | Message | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 883 Registered: 11-2004 |
Okay everyone, along with my Signature bass with two filters and Q switches, I own a Roland Cube with amp modeller selectors, then I have Zoom B1U with more amp modellers and now I have aquired a Beringher Amp Modeller/V tone stomp box. Some of you richer people have series I & II basses SF-2's and great amps SO Do you think we have too much tonal options, I mean would we ever use every concievable option at a gig or maybe in a life time?? Variety is the spice of life but too many cooks spoil the broth if you all get my drift. Which brings me to the next part..do you change your setting to suit the song when you are playing live..that is the reason why I got sacked from the 70's party band as according to the singer..I keep changing the sound..which in the end I just left it alone | ||
| gtrguy
Advanced Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 208 Registered: 9-2004 |
My Fender Precision just has a volume and tone control. Has one great sound. I have actually been giging with it lately. It's kinda fun to go back to the basics sometimes. I use an old SWR 400 with it, which has lots of EQ settings. Maybe that's coming full circle? The series instruments would make me nervous onstage at the places I play at, though others say life is too short not to. Bye, Dave | ||
| bassilisk
Junior Username: bassilisk Post Number: 13 Registered: 4-2009 |
I play a varied arsenal of basses and each has its own character. I try to optimize for the best sound I can get out of each and leave it alone for the night. Of course, this is all based on "the sound" I have in my head for what I want a bass to sound like. I consider it a baseline and work towards it within the capabilities of the instrument and my amp/speaker. For example, I don't like extreme settings - I like a solid tone that supports the bottom (after all, I am the bass player) with enough definition to let any of my forays be heard clearly. I don't tap or slap so that tonal aspect isn't addressed. Those styles have special needs that switching between them requires. Having tonal options is a wonderful thing. That doesn't mean they're all good or that you should use them all. It's like someone giving you a closetful of suits in every color. Would you really want to wear the purple one? Maybe you would - it's there if you do. What you get is the palette that lets you choose the ones that suit you best. All that versatility means the gear will allow a broad swath of players and styles to be able to find what they want. I mean, wouldn't it be great if you could buy one bass/amp/speaker that did everything? I don't think so - I'm too much of a gear head! | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1533 Registered: 6-2002 |
Too many cooks only spoil the broth only if you let them all in the kitchen to cook the same recipe at the same time.... hehehe You do raise a good point there Terry. There are so many "Toys" that we can play with, to give us a "Better" sound but in reality we probably only need to use a fraction of the sound scope available to us. I use pretty basic technology in my signal line, valve amps work for me on both guitar and bass and I tend to avoid digital effects and modelling stuff as to my ears they remove far too much of the natural sound of an instrument that i have bought specifically for it's sound. I did in a moment of personal stupidity buy a Line 6 Pro XT Live modelling pedal and have hated it ever since. But if that's what someone wants from me on a session guitar gig then I use it. For bass it's always clean. i do make tonal changes to suit the song and have found that on the gigs that I use my Europa bass, The tracks are usually fairly similar in the tone so I don't really have to change sound much. However when I have been doing gigs with my SC Signature bass, I tend to be playing Clarkee tracks where the tone can change change quite dramatically during the progress of a song and that variety in bass tone can really lift the sound of the track. Sad news about your band sacking you. It happened to me recently too, although in my defence, no-one has ever complained about my tone, my playing yes hahahaha. I guess we will both have to find bands that appreciate a wider that normal sound spectrum. Jazzyvee | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 884 Registered: 11-2004 |
jazzyvee..well the songs were not my thing at all but the money was great. He said he wanted the same tone a sort of trebly no bottom end 'cos he said it annoyed him(everything and I mean everything went thru' the PA, even in a small pub for gods sake!) So when you play 'Moaney Moaney' by Billy Idol which has a chunky tone, do use the same tone for 'Crazy Little Thing Call Loved' which to me necessitates a low rock'n'roll tone..my ears say yes but who am I to say as I have been sacked. To everyone else..we do have a myriad of gear to choose from which has its own merits and sounds and I agree with bassilisk, it would be great that one bass/amp/speaker did it all. Personally I love playing around with different settings, trouble is I never write them down and forget how I got there. | ||
| bassilisk
Junior Username: bassilisk Post Number: 14 Registered: 4-2009 |
terryc - unfortunately for you there was an AH driving the bus. I'm dealing with one right now, but he leaves me alone and I can do as I please. Don't let it get you down - trust your instincts and your ears. You will be much better served and happier in the long run. | ||
| sonicus
Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 100 Registered: 5-2009 |
Hi, terryc I feel empathy in your regard because I have been there as well. I remember all the flak that I used to get from band leaders. One of them for 14 years. The next one will be better.Perhaps you will be the band leader ! | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 888 Registered: 11-2004 |
bassilisk..definitely an AH, I really did not like the music they played, it was embarrasing at times but the money was so good, I should have left months ago but it was easy money...I am ashamed that allowed myself to play so much crap..they say there is no bad music but this was bad in my opinion. I really got paranoid about what sound he wanted and one gig I just turned up with my bass and my Zoom unit to DI into the desk, you could still hear the crap sound he was producing and get this, the drummer put ear plugs in! Sonicus..I have thought about getting a band together but it is so much hard work but I know if you don't put the effort in you don't get the rewards SO maybe I might consider this option at the end of the month. Thanks for all your support but lets get back to the 'Too Much Tone' thread, I wonder if one of us here will ever find the Holy Grail of tone?? | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 992 Registered: 4-2005 |
terryc, interesting questions. I have a good friend who is an excellent guitar player and he does not like a lot of options. He says he gets his sound/tone from the pickups, new strings, tube amp and guitar(s). He says less is more. Intriguing topic. | ||
| jos
Junior Username: jos Post Number: 11 Registered: 4-2009 |
Alembic basses have so many different great useful sounds but during a show I almost never change the sound settings, in studio yes, but live no. All the different sounds I will do with my fingers. (I play a Series I and Series II bass) I approach the instrument like an acoustic instrument and adjust the sound with my fingers. The sound changes dramatically when moving right hand from bridge position to close to the neck position. Also the use of dynamics like how hard you play changes the sound quite much. The softer you play the more low end you have but articulation is a bit better when playing harder….I play ballads softer and so on….. In general I think by not changing the sound settings too much during the show you will sound much more solid and the guy behind the mixer desk is a happier guy too not to mention the guys in the band. Stanley Clarke changes his sound all the time during a show and it sounds great. But he approaches the instrument more like a lead bass and plays on the top of the band all the time plus it’s a tenor bass that he is using 90% of the time. My recommendation is that keep it simple. | ||
| sonicus
Intermediate Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 104 Registered: 5-2009 |
Over the years I have gone through various phases where I have lugged around a large rack of various rack mount amplifiers ,signal processing gear such as 2 parametric EQ's compressor, flanger/ phaser/ chorus / noise gate /channel switching foot switch. with a stack of Alembic cabinets and more ___ And then there were years where I insisted on playing through just an 18 inch speaker in a huge refrigerator sized folded horn cabinet with just a simple minimalist amplifier and a Fender bass. And recently small easy to carry gear. ______Ultimately, much of our sound really does come from our hands. Playing really close to the bridge versus the neck position and all the other variables involved. Our Alembic instruments are even more accurate of what our hands are really doing, our strengths shine and our weakness's are revealed more so. The Bottom line is that ______________________ Our Alembics don't have too much tone because after all they are in our hands.What I say here is old news we all know this . | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 892 Registered: 11-2004 |
Sonicus..yep been there with the big gear, although the Roland is only 100W I built a 12" extension speaker so it is a mini stack, in the last band we only used the PA for vocals and they all liked my tone changes for the variety of songs we did. 60's & Motown required that lovely P bass thump, 70's required the disco bass & mid sound, 80's the EQ smiley face sound so I loved the tone changes but as jos says going thru' the PA you are at the mercy of the soundman regardless what you do. Anyway the salsa band I am in as a second band(sorry I forgot to mention that earlier) is open to all sorts of tone as we incorporate some jazz numbers too. I think I will put my energy into this band, the keys & trumpet player are great players but a little gig naive. | ||
| sonicus
Intermediate Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 106 Registered: 5-2009 |
Hi teryc, I have always been unhappy with the Bass through the PA Scenario as well and had that same experience . it was dreadful ! I have been playing more Jazz /latin as well again. For many of them I have been using the little GALLIEN-KRUGER MB150E I have 2 of them. With the ALEMBIC BASS's you have to push in the -10db input pad as not to overload the input. Good sound for a tiny little box at low volume. Also a good little recording amp . I still have kept quite a bit of my large equipment just incase I have to make a big rumble in the future. | ||
| benson_murrensun
Intermediate Member Username: benson_murrensun Post Number: 130 Registered: 5-2007 |
I think that one of the things that defines the quality of a bass is how well it responds to changes in the player's technique. Lots of knobs and switches are fine, but even more important is the instrument's responsiveness to the input it is being given. I usually set my amp for a good sound and then leave the settings alone for the entire session. Same for the bass, except for occasional tweaking of the pickup pan pot or treble output. | ||
| gtrguy
Advanced Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 210 Registered: 9-2004 |
I get louder as the night goes on so the drunks can feel my bass in their kiester more. I hate to pay sound folks money to just have them get it all set and then just sit there the rest of the night! I have actually been using a 15 inch EV stuck in the smallest plywood cab around I could find and it rocks! No ports, about a foot deep and two feet long. Of course the bigger venues I have to drag out the heavey stuff, but my back is getting old. I also play with my fingers, thumb, slap, use a pick, whatever. It's amazing what a pick can do to bring you out in the mix sometimes. Just play downstrokes and mute a little with the heel of the palm and it's instant Motown roundwound! Dave | ||
| gtrguy
Advanced Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 211 Registered: 9-2004 |
I get louder as the night goes on so the drunks can feel my bass in their kiester more. I hate to pay sound folks money to just have them get it all set and then just sit there the rest of the night! I have actually been using a 15 inch EV stuck in the smallest plywood cab around I could find and it rocks! No ports, about a foot deep and two feet long. Of course the bigger venues I have to drag out the heavey stuff, but my back is getting old. I also play with my fingers, thumb, slap, use a pick, whatever. It's amazing what a pick can do to bring you out in the mix sometimes. Just play downstrokes and mute a little with the heel of the palm and it's instant Motown flatwound! Dave | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2370 Registered: 3-2004 |
Everything has a place. I try to move my tone in the direction of the expected for various cover tunes, but maybe not all the way. Your drummer, unless playing electronic, has only one kit. If the other musicians aren't also trying to tone match from song to song, then the sonic spectrum can get screwed up. If you go to a heavily over-driven tone because the song "calls for it", the result may be the bass lost behind the guitar tone. The bass tone for the various bands you're trying to copy probably doesn't change much from song to song in that band's work. That's because it is what works in the context of the musical style and the sonic space available in concert with the rest of that band. If they had a different guitarist or drummer, they might have a different bass tone. So, if you're in a band that is going to try to match tone with covers, then go for it. If you're not, though, you have to find a great tone that sits right in the mix. Adding effects or adjusting EQ to more closely match a tune is fine as long as you don't lose the core. That's especially true in the bar band world. My job there is to groove so that people bounce around, have fun, and get thirsty. That's much more important than a perfect rendition of a song, and a meaty core to the tone is one of the keys. I walk a fine line in a three piece band plus vocals. I like to mix up the tone a bit here and there so all the songs don't sound the same, but you can't go too far afield with no other support. By the way, I generally plug into a Bass Pod XT and use the modeling features. I don't use heavy effects from the Pod, just a little light chorus on some tones and an external EH POG here and there for octave up effects. -bob | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 895 Registered: 11-2004 |
bsee..that is what I was doing, nothing extreme as those crap tunes didn't require it but to give a little authenticity to the song, I re programmed my Zoom unit so it was a 'scene shifter'..used it as a tone changer but he still complained. To be honest I was past caring after 10 months..maybe he did me a favour!! | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2371 Registered: 3-2004 |
We "do what we want" as far as tone goes, but we all care. If it sounds good to me in the basement, I then try to listen to the playback with a better mix and see if it still sounds good to me. If we don't all love it, like it, or at least think it's workable, I'll move toward a more generic "good bass tone". At that point, we're ready to lay it down in public. If all the musicians aren't happy, then you don't have a band and it's time to move on. No fault, just creative differences. | ||
| gtrguy
Advanced Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 212 Registered: 9-2004 |
I find bands are just like dating, when it doesn't work out find a better looking one! but then I always was a shallow sort of guy! Bye, Dave | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 441 Registered: 5-2002 |
When using tone shaping tools, I find that it really helps to have a sonic goal in your ears before you even touch a knob. Then, the knobs that remain untouched after a few month can be removed from your rig and you won't even miss them! Edwin | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 334 Registered: 12-2004 |
If you have a set tone in mind and you're not just dicking around constantly (while on stage) there is nothing wrong with changing it up. Anyone who thinks otherwise has no idea what they are talking about. That's like demanding the guitar player use only one patch for everything or the keyboard player only using the "rock and roll piano" for everything... Sure you *could* get away with that all night long if you absolutely *had* to. But why when you've got the tonal options at your disposal? The stage isn't a place to be searching however. You need to have the sound in your mind and a pretty good idea how to get it (and then correct for the room) otherwise you are going to annoy your bandmates. And possibly the audience... but odds are they don't notice and don't care. | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 450 Registered: 2-2003 |
"the audience... but odds are they don't notice and don't care." I've always supected that if they don't know, then you've done your job well. I also suspect that if you weren't there you'd be conspicuous by your absence... JP | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 901 Registered: 11-2004 |
I have (along with many of us here)experienced two types of audience. The first..they don't care what sound is there because they are out on a Friday/Saturday night, to have a few beers, maybe get drunk and party/dance to a band then fall asleep in the chair when they get home. The second..the musos gig, usually mid week, where other musicians go to hear something more credible and see what the band are playing, what gear they have, how good they are and finally enjoy what is being done and maybe do some of the songs they have seen performed in their own band. For the first..the perfect tone is not important, maybe neither is super accurate playing either. The second..well that can be quite unnerving but if you sound great, play great then you usually get some very nice comments about the gig. | ||
| oujeebass
Intermediate Member Username: oujeebass Post Number: 159 Registered: 10-2002 |
There is a thing I call "inspiring tone". I tend to stumble across it. It depends on things I can't identify. The instrument seems to lock in with the amplification and kind of plays itself. I have been called loud before. I figure that is just me trying find that tone. It ends up just trying hear what's going on. | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 693 Registered: 11-2007 |
This thread sums up my philosophy - how many different sounds does a bassist need live?? (at volume) and how many of these HI-FI tones actually really work well?? Thats why I use my Fender Precision all the time nowadays. Combined with a good amp/pre-amp it fits my every need for gigging/rehearsal! John. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2276 Registered: 10-2002 |
"how many different sounds does a bassist need live?? (at volume) and how many of these HI-FI tones actually really work well?? " In my case, lots. That's why I haven't used my fender precision for gigging or rehearsing since I got my first alembic in 1996. I think, as Alembic players we're very lucky to have a huge tone palette at our fingertips. Every time I've seen Yes, Chris squire changed basses frequently through his set whenever he wanted a markedly different tone, as did Hutch Hutchinson when I saw Bonnie Raitt in Glasgow a few years ago. Maybe if they played Alembics their techs wouldn't be so busy ;-) Graeme. | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 795 Registered: 8-2005 |
Well.........I haven't used my Series bass live for a while. I used my Curbows...great for the places we play (dangerous!) As from Saturday past, I took my 75 P bass out for the first time. 4 very usable sounds......all great!!! A joy to play that bass. For what we play, I don't need anymore than that....at the moment. Oh........and that wonderful Fender P bass sound. G | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 796 Registered: 8-2005 |
So, I have to agree with gtrguy and white cloud. My Curbows have more treble/bass etc, but IMHO, unless you play jazz/fusion/solo stuff, 4 or so tones are enough to play cover material. Don't get me wrong!.......if I could take my Series to every gig, then I would.it's just that at some gigs we play, you'd end up bringing her home in pieces. I'm a believer in the fact that, if you drop a Series on the floor, then you end up with the headstock removed. With a P bass.you can play cricket with it before the gig....bat beer bottles during the gig, and crush heads after the gig.......if need be..and it still sounds great After all that......I miss my Series at gigs! | ||
| bassilisk
Junior Username: bassilisk Post Number: 16 Registered: 4-2009 |
"Every time I've seen Yes, Chris squire changed basses frequently through his set whenever he wanted a markedly different tone, as did Hutch Hutchinson when I saw Bonnie Raitt in Glasgow a few years ago. Maybe if they played Alembics their techs wouldn't be so busy" It's much easier to pick up another bass with the tone you want out of it all set up than to twiddle around recalibrating parameters between songs. Unless you have presets in your amp with a controller (like a footswitch) it can be a real pain to do it in a timely way. It's that very reason I own a number of different basses - they each have something I want already cooking with minimal tweaks. Now, I can't afford to have a tech handing me one of a dozen different basses, but if I could that's the way to go IMO. So, I take whatever I bring and get the best "tone in my head" approximation and usually leave it alone other than minor adjustments. We do all covers, but nothing requiring extreme tone changes. Solid and tight makes it for me because I feel I'm presenting my version of the tune - we're not a tribute band requiring an exact replica. I've also found that it's a combination of factors that determine your tone for the night. My constant is the amp - otherwise it's bass and venue that drive the tone I'll get. I definitely have my favorite rooms that always sound good regardless of what I bring. But in some places, particularly catering halls that are full of marble and/or mirrors and/or high ceilings a lot of the control I'd like to maintain goes out the window. It can be a real bear just staying out of the mud and boom at a volume that doesn't kill the audience and still sound musical. We don't reinforce so it's stage volume only. A combination that sounded like bass manna one night can be unrecognizable the next - it's just the way it is. | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 696 Registered: 11-2007 |
I have been to many Yes shows and admitedly Chris Squire does change basses often (not as often as Steve Howe changes guitars though!) BUT To me, in those large venues, at very high volumes it always struck me that the bass sound doesnt really actually change all that much! In fact I have, like all of us here seen many of the great bassists of our time live in large venues and to be honest it hasnt mattered much what bass they were playing. And lets face it Chris is a bit of a poser (quite rightly so!) I feel that high end basses like Alembic really come into their own in the studio in a practical and effective way more so than in large venues. John. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 497 Registered: 10-2006 |
"...all of us here seen many of the great bassists of our time live in large venues and to be honest it hasnt mattered much what bass they were playing" Pardon my beg to differment, John, but I can definitely say that Phil Lesh's tone varied vastly between the osage orange Alembic, the Irwin and the Modulases (Moduli?) (and, to my ear, each change was not just a change, but a signifigant step down in tone. Phil, it would seem, disagrees) Got to agree on Squire, though - the one time I saw them, he switched constantly & I heard no change; I think it was mostly just for the spectacle of the basses coming up out of the floor. Peter | ||
| sonicus
Intermediate Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 117 Registered: 5-2009 |
I remember back in the 1970's the "LIVE SOUND" of Jack Casady's ALEMBIC # 1 !!!!!!!!!!!! Such a sound !! I saw many live shows where he played that Bass . Tone in Technicolor !!!!!!! A movie for your ears!!!!! | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 697 Registered: 11-2007 |
Cozmic of course you can beg to be different - its only my opinion and every player here will have their own thoughts!!! I am just calling it by my own personal experiences. I generally have a great ear for tone and nuances. Its easy to appreciate fine instruments when recording etc but in large venues at high volumes it can be much harder to pick out the finest basses finer details imho. I have extensively played Alembic, Wal, Vigier, Status, Jaydee etc etc etc but at high volume I often thought their finer details tonally were wasted live at high volume out front! Thats why I now just employ the "here it is - come and get it" Precision!!! John. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3929 Registered: 7-2004 |
As a non-bass player who is very familiar with Phil Lesh's live tone over an almost 40 year period, I can definitely hear a difference in tone between his different basses, even at very high sound levels. His Modulus basses were very bassy. It was almost as if you "felt" the bass, rather than "heard" the bass. I much prefer his Alembics where the bass notes were clear and distinct. I like the current Ritter's tone better than the Modulii but it's no Alembic. Bill, tgo | ||
| sonicus
Intermediate Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 118 Registered: 5-2009 |
Yes Bill I agree! I like Phil's Alembic and Alembic Modified Bass's best. | ||
| benson_murrensun
Intermediate Member Username: benson_murrensun Post Number: 131 Registered: 5-2007 |
I know I'm going to really step in it big time with this musing: I have a Ritter, a Modulus, and an Alembic. I wonder how many of us could pick out the Alembic in a blindfold test of listening to the same tune played three times exactly the same, but on the different basses. I bet that most of us would hear a difference between them, but could we pick out the Alembic from the rest? Comments? | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 454 Registered: 2-2003 |
"could we pick out the Alembic from the rest?" Now that would make an interesting experiment!!! JP | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2505 Registered: 2-2006 |
I'm with you 100% Bill. A while back I went to see one of our Alembic brothers play. The non-Alembic bass he played most of the night sounded real good. Of course he is a real good player too. But when he played his Series 2 for a few tunes it was like night and day. Still had an awesome bottom end, fat and punchie, but you hear every note. Very crisp, clean and cut through the mix incredibly. It's like driving a new Camaro, you think WOW this is great, then you get to drive a Ferarri and ....well ya know.... OO | ||
| jos
Junior Username: jos Post Number: 12 Registered: 4-2009 |
In my opinion the Alembic sound is really special and is technically on another level than most of the other basses on the market today (mostly series basses) but also other Alembics. The thing is that Alembics can be used in so many different ways. If you play an Alembic with an amplifier that cannot produce high frequencies and the speakers are limited with producing the low end then Alembic will sound good but sounds a bit like a Fender. It does not sound like night and day comparing to other basses. For me Alembic gives possibilities, it can sound like any bass but at its best its unbeaten. I have an experience from last week when a friend wanted to listen to my Alembic Series bass. I took my bass to his place he did have an old Hartke amp and Hartke speakers to test the stuff with. After testing he told me its good but not that different from his bass. He thought the difference would have been bigger. I took my stuff from the car F-1X with power amp and great speakers the sound suddenly cleared up and sounded BIG like a house!! He was just with his mouth open for an hour or so……. Now we have to remember do we need all this? I do agree that many of the gigs we all do; do not necessarily require all the great features that an Alembic has. Many times it’s simpler and safer to use something else that is good as well, like Fenders or what I use sometimes is my Fodera (simple to use and sounds good too) or something else. If you want to sound like Jaco, and nothing else, you will probably not need an Alembic for that. Of course you can get that sound from the Alembics too or at least very close but that kind of sound do not require Alembic. I have experiences from both rehearsals and studio when other musicians are really blown away by the sound of Alembic. I have to admit that sometimes it can be the opposite as well like people get scared when they see an Alembic they want to see a regular bass. (This is mostly psychological but we do not have the time to argue and the guy who pays is the one we have to listen to) When Stanley Clarke uses something else than Alembic he does not sound they way we want him to sound and he knows that too…. Alex Blake a great bass player who did use Alembic for many years in the -70`s and -80`s lost his sound completely when he changed to Ibanez. I did see him play with Manhattan Transfer in the early -80`s and he did have one of the greatest bass sounds at that time (Alembic Series I) Jimmy Johnson sounds soo good with the Alembic his sound is huge……. | ||
| sonicus
Intermediate Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 120 Registered: 5-2009 |
Jos I enjoyed reading your posting. | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 699 Registered: 11-2007 |
I agree with one thing for sure - the Series sound is on a different planet from most things and most certainly on a different level from all other Alembic basses! Thats the thing, perhaps we should be more specific when talking about topics like this...we should really state that "Series Alembics sound the best" and not just say "Alembics are best" Have to agree with Jimmy Johnsons sound - incredible tone! John. | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2507 Registered: 2-2006 |
Oh I don't know John, while I agree that the Series are on a different level than Alembics other instruments, (I hear they make guitars too, eh Bill) their non-Series instruments are IMHO on a different level than other makes. My MK basses, even the one with Europa eletronics, sound SO much better than my other basses. And they play so well. Let's not forget the feel and playability either. I have owned and still have some other brands, while they are good they just don't cut it for me anymore. And for how they feel and play is the most important. As Jos said, the instruments sound will be affected greatly by what it's played through. I can get a good sound out of any bass, granted not as good as my Alembics, BUT I can't make any of my basses feel as good as my Alembics. OO | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 456 Registered: 2-2003 |
When I bought my Rogue 5 the shop employee was incredulous when I told him I didn't want to plug it in. It's an Alembic, I know it will sound good, but how does it feel? Good enough to take it home! JP |
