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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2009 » Archive through September 18, 2009 » Beater Bass? « Previous Next »

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glocke
Senior Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 635
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 6:01 am:   Edit Post

Anyone here use a beater bass for certain gigs? If so what is it?
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 819
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 9:21 am:   Edit Post

I love thrashing around my old G&L L-1000,
I ended up putting a SB-2 neck on it,
No fears of a ding or two...those bass MFD pickups are great.
afrobeat_fool
Member
Username: afrobeat_fool

Post Number: 73
Registered: 7-2009
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 10:41 am:   Edit Post

Kramer DMZ 6000B. Indestructable.You can drive a truck over those aluminum necks. I jacked some bartolini pickups in her. I got maybe 250 into that bass, total.
glocke
Senior Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 636
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 11:08 am:   Edit Post

I really dont have one but have been giving it some thought. Part of me is thinking that I may as well enjoy my alembics no matter what the gig is like while I am still young and capable of enjoying them, but I also recognize that some gigs may not be ideal for them.
dannobasso
Senior Member
Username: dannobasso

Post Number: 1091
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 11:13 am:   Edit Post

Funny, Alembics have been my only gigging basses for 25 years now. I suppose my first Excel would fit if I had to feel the least pain if something happened to it.
briant
Advanced Member
Username: briant

Post Number: 361
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 11:44 am:   Edit Post

An Essence.
jagerphan84
Advanced Member
Username: jagerphan84

Post Number: 287
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 12:21 pm:   Edit Post

I think this would qualify.

fender1
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 1048
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 4:24 pm:   Edit Post

Guild Burnside "The Lance" with Alembic Pickups (as seen in profile photo with Alembic basses and guitar_
dnburgess
Senior Member
Username: dnburgess

Post Number: 646
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 4:15 am:   Edit Post

I just picked up a NOS superseded Ibanez Iceman (white). I've always liked the shape and figured it will make a good beater. I think the pickups are a little week - so I'll probably put in something gruntier - but otherwise its fun.
georgie_boy
Senior Member
Username: georgie_boy

Post Number: 923
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 6:00 am:   Edit Post

My Cort Curbow bass!!!
Brilliant............if it gets trashed...........so what!!!
Great bass though!!

G
georgie_boy
Senior Member
Username: georgie_boy

Post Number: 925
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 6:18 am:   Edit Post

By the way.,
I've got a fretless version as well!!

My other Beater.................my 1975 Precision bass..........all beat up, so no probs if it gets a few more dings!!

Great sound though!!
I've never taken my S1 out for close on 2 years now......just frightened I suppose!
georgie_boy
Senior Member
Username: georgie_boy

Post Number: 926
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 6:22 am:   Edit Post

Now that I've looked back, I think Glocke's post 636 makes the most sense!!
I bought her to play.............worried myself sick at the start, then started playing Redneck gigs.
My other basses have been fine!!....so why not my S1??

Thanks Glocke!!......sound advice!
sonicus
Advanced Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 268
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 7:41 am:   Edit Post

My 1971 Ash body maple neck Fender Precision. I don't play it much anymore so it just hangs out and sleeps most of the time. It got played more when I was a poor young man. If it could talk it would have a few wild stories to tell from three decades ago about me! LOL_________
eligilam
Intermediate Member
Username: eligilam

Post Number: 198
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 3:19 pm:   Edit Post

The "Barn Bass": a crapped out early-80's Memphis P-Bass copy that was actually the first bass I ever played. It's been "promoted" to the axe I play in my jam space (which is actually an old barn I'm trying to convert)...good for smashing mice with between tunes.
peoplechipper
Intermediate Member
Username: peoplechipper

Post Number: 144
Registered: 2-2009
Posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 12:02 am:   Edit Post

MMMM! smells like dead rodent!!! Nice!!!
I guess I don't have a beater, I have my Fernandes series 1 copy, but my Distillate is so reliable I don't even take the backup to gigs anymore, just fresh batteries...I used to have a Hagstrom and a Fender musicmaster(1974,first year early one) but sold them-just too plunky in comparison....Tony
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1625
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 2:43 am:   Edit Post

I've not heard the phrase " Beater Bass" before. hahaha I'll remember that.
In the past I did buy a Parker Fly guitar to take on the road touring but realised it wasn't up to scratch and sold it.

For most reggae gigs I tend to take my maple necked USA strat which is perfect for that music. If it's anywhere I wasn't sure of relating to secure back stage area's etc I would take my Rob Williams Strat so I guess that would loosely be descrived as my current guitar beater.

For bass I don't have a beater as they are all alembics, however if push came to shove It would be my Elan 4... ( But don't tell Mica)

Fortunately I haven't done any gigs where I need a beater for a long long time.

Jazzyvee
toma_hawk01
Intermediate Member
Username: toma_hawk01

Post Number: 127
Registered: 7-2009
Posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 3:40 pm:   Edit Post

This is a great thread...

I think the context is rooted to the "second" or "third sting" basses that are riding the pine -- "the bench" if you will...

However, when the time comes, and all gloves are off, and you feel like beating the heck out of a song with the most emotional veracity, and you aren't afraid of the results and after effects of of the bass, when you are done, then and only then, this bass is to be used.

Kinda like Hendrix setting his least favorite Fen___ on fire.
howierd
Member
Username: howierd

Post Number: 95
Registered: 8-2004
Posted on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 - 10:38 am:   Edit Post

My 77 series I is the only bass I play. I've played it almost everyday since 1978 and will probably be the only one I'll ever play. My current guitar player is always asking me when I'm going to get a Fender.

Howierd
gtrguy
Advanced Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 244
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 - 2:54 pm:   Edit Post

I gig with a Yamaha TRB-4P that shows it's age. however, it sounds fantastic. I also have a Mexi P bass and a Fender Prodigy bass that I'll drag to a gig or jam on occasion.

Bye,
Dave
gare
Senior Member
Username: gare

Post Number: 458
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 9:39 am:   Edit Post

I used to use a Mexican Jazz bass, but replaced it about a year ago with a Lakland 44-01, great neck and flexible electronics. And lighter than the Fender. It's become my primary gig bass..some of the places we play the crowd gets a little frisky after a few pops and decide to join the band..just add beer !

Gary
pauldo
Advanced Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 253
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 6:53 pm:   Edit Post

Well - I'm not gigging now so nothing to beat on.
But my trusty old Frankenstein used to always come to gigs with me in the past (but so did my Distillate) - Frankenstein is fretless.
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 826
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 10:05 pm:   Edit Post

Those orange knobs look sooo right.

Here's my L-1000/SB-2 hybrid:
toma_hawk01
Intermediate Member
Username: toma_hawk01

Post Number: 142
Registered: 7-2009
Posted on Friday, August 28, 2009 - 10:13 am:   Edit Post

The black bass is a 1981 Ibanez Roadstar. My future plans are to re-route it for Alembic pickups and controls.

I guess you could say, this bass "was" my beater bass. Hopefully, I could restore it back better than when it was brand new.

So far, I replaced the bridge. I would love to get an Alembic chrome bird to go along with it...

My Shorty on the other side, just sits like Bruce Lee in the background with striking confidence and support until I get my beater back online.

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