| Author |
Message |
poor_nigel
Member
Username: poor_nigel
Post Number: 55
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2004 - 11:52 pm: |  |
"MISCELLANEOUS
Free for all area - talk amongst yourselves"
Seems to me you can pretty much type what cha want, and post pics of what is interesting to you in this category. I like this category best, just for that reason, so get down with your bad selves. |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 307
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 5:13 pm: | |
I'm not the biggest P Bass fan, but this one was just so cool! '78 Antigua fretless!
 |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 308
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 5:21 pm: | |
Early 70's ('72 or '74 I believe) Fretless P Bass. Had it forever!
 |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1125
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 12:28 am: | |
Brother Rami,
really the Antigua I really like. I had the JB Antigua with the maple/whiet blocks neck.
For one or another reason I always liked the fretless-maple necks. Just for the looks I guess because I don't know the sound of theat neck versus the more "classic" Rosewood or Ebony neck.
How DO it sounds??
Anyway ...really nice Rami!!
Paul the bad one
BTW: I didn't know you were into the P's ...I thought it were just JB's?? |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 309
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 6:22 am: | |
Hi Paul,
Those are my only Precision Basses. I got them because they were the only fretless basses Fender made at the time and the only ones I could afford (I had them a VERY long time). They've since become great collector's Basses - Who knew? I really dig them because they're so unusual.
Here's my Antigua Jazz Bass - also a '78. Not in as good condition as the Precision, but great playing nonetheless.
 |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1129
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 6:32 am: | |
Now Brother Rami ...to tell you a secret ..what a "wild dream" for me should be is the "antigua" JB with the P fretless maple neck ...
***sigh***
Paul the bad one |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 310
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 6:39 am: | |
I've thought about it too Paul... But the Jazz Bass has a 3 bolt neck and the Precision has a 4 bolt neck...
***sigh***
Rami |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1130
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 9:44 am: | |
Rami ...now you saying this.
The inconvenience about that Antigua JB I played was ...the neck-nody joint (? I dunno if that's the right word). It was the 3 bolt neck with 1 special bolt where you could change the "tilt" of the neck versus the body. I discovered that there was always that slight movement (left/right???) of the neck resulting the strings not having the 90° angle with the frets ...with an "untunable bass" as a consequence.
Paul TBO
Sorry to insist a bit but do you are happy with the sound of the maple fretless on your P's? |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 311
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 12:02 pm: | |
Hey Paul,
I agree with the next joint/alignment problems that plague Fenders. Mine are generally ok.
I actually like the Maple fretless sound - my first fretless ever was a Rosewood P Bass. I found the sound was a little muddy - lacking definition. The Maple Fretless' sound crisper - clearer. They're actually alot of fun to play.
It wouldn't be fair to compare them to my Alembics though, because they're in a completely different class. Of course Alembics sound infinitely better. So when I play fretless, it's my Alembics that I grab first.
Cheers,
Rami |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1134
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 12:28 pm: | |
Rami,
funny that -when I was in for a new bass before my Alembic Era- people said to me that Maple-fretless was a "not done"
ts-ts-ts.
Now you see what one can learn in a club like this.
How Rami ...I know you are a Alain Caron fan: take a peep at the website of a French friend of mine (bass teacher)
http://brunochaza.free.fr/
I think there is a lot of stuff to pick-up for a player in your league ...as far as I'm concerned ...well ...you know ...I'm merely into the "bom" stuff LOL
Paul TBO |
mica
Moderator
Username: mica
Post Number: 1464
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 2:55 pm: | |
I hope this isn't going to be too mean to Rami, but our distributor in England has been after us to make him some Jazz style Alembics. Here's the first two that he'll be picking up on Sunday:
Beyond custom! |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 312
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 3:46 pm: | |
Oh My God Mica - I LOVE them!!!
The ultimate retro/modern Jazz Bass. What are their specs??? Master vol, tone, pan and 'Q' switch???
Nice!
Rami |
smokin_dave
Member
Username: smokin_dave
Post Number: 93
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 4:48 pm: | |
WOW,HOLY SMOKES.I played a jazz for 10 years before my Epic came along.I REALLY like those two basses and I would love to play an Alembic/jazz some day.That 5 has really got me thinking about a custom.Way to go Alembic. |
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil
Post Number: 362
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 4:53 pm: | |
Hello Rami,
Yes, those are the controls, however the arrangement requested, front to rear, is as follows: pan, volume, filter, q switch. Tried both, of course, ...they sound like Jazz basses on steroids (without the side effects, plus as Susan pointed out, they are legal).
Valentino |
bob
Intermediate Member
Username: bob
Post Number: 158
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 11:26 pm: | |
"Tried both, of course..." Cute, Val, I hope it wasn't too much of an imposition... I know, it's just a job, somebody's gotta do it.
You guys are too much. These are through-necks, with veneers! What did you do about the dead spots??? |
mica
Moderator
Username: mica
Post Number: 1471
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 11:34 pm: | |
Rami, the bodies are Ash of course, you can probably tell the 4-string has a Walnut top and the 5-er a Quilted Maple top with Cherry Sunburst finish. Both are Maple neck through with Ebony fingerboards. The whole time we were makign these I was chanting, "I bet Rami would like these."
Oh and Bob... you can custom order the dead spots if you really miss them, just name the desired frequency. Wasn't there a thread somewhere with funny features? |
bob
Intermediate Member
Username: bob
Post Number: 159
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 11:55 pm: | |
Well of course you could order custom dead spots - what was I thinking?
Though actually, I've never owned a Fender, and I also suspect that designing in custom dead spots would be prohibitively expensive - much more difficult than any of us could truly comprehend... My guess is you just have to get lucky :-) |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1142
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 6:18 am: | |
***sigh***
In a couple of months the following sentence will become clear:
"beaten in the last straight line".
Although ...I'm gonna try to be a good looser: congrats to the Alembic crew ...THIS ARE ABSOLUTELY GREAT ...especially the fiver.
Paul the beaten one |
beatlejuice
Junior
Username: beatlejuice
Post Number: 16
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 7:05 am: | |
Having long been a fan of Jazz basses, I definitely give both of those a major league seal of approval."Oh my God".... "Wow,Holy Smokes"...I think those comments sorta some it up quite nicely.
Bill(the drooling one) |
effclef
Member
Username: effclef
Post Number: 51
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 7:09 am: | |
Valentino/Susan, what makes these legal? The body shape is very close to the Jazz but I heard way back that it was headstock shape that really made things legal. Is that true? I mean, obviously there are so many differences between any Alembic and any Fender, but I am curious what the actual point of law is.
I can just imagine someone in Court plugging one in and saying, "see? This can't be a Fender!"
:-)
I am also curious what the approximate price of one of these would be.
EffClef |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 308
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 2:29 pm: | |
Wow! Those are really cool. If I were to order one, I would change a few thing though. I would like the crown headstock. Small body style, medium scale, Series 1 electronics, etc....
You know what I like! |
poor_nigel
Member
Username: poor_nigel
Post Number: 60
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 2:40 pm: | |
OK, you got me. I very seldom laugh out loud, but that did it! Thanks Dela. |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 313
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 2:44 pm: | |
Hey Andy,
The only Fender-ish thing about these Basses are the basic body and pickup shapes. Everything else; design, construction, electronics and of course, quality, are pure Alembic. Don't expect any similarity in sound either. So don't look for any other Fender influences other than the purely cosmetic - you wouldn't want Alembic to lower their standards would you?
I think it's only the headstock that is copyrighted - which is a shame because it would really complete the look. I'd add Abalone block inlays as well.... Oh hell, just make me an Ebony and Purpleheart one... 6 strings...36" scale............
Rami |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1149
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 4:58 am: | |
Ai ...I believe he (Rami) actually MEANS this people! |
1stbass
Junior
Username: 1stbass
Post Number: 20
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 5:36 am: | |
Mica,
These are great, I'am with Rami block abolone inlays.
So how long is the waiting list? |
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil
Post Number: 365
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:33 am: | |
The waiting list wouldn't be any longer than it is for any other Alembic (except series instruments & classico). The block inlays might lenghten the process by a week or so. Therefore, provided that no time-consuming options are selected, one could be had in 2-3 months from the time it gets finalized.
Valentino |
bassman10096
Advanced Member
Username: bassman10096
Post Number: 209
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 3:48 pm: | |
That five string would look great in tobacco burst with MOP block inlays, med scale and Europa electronics. Just a silly question: would the will real MOP inlay blocks hold up as well as the pearloid blocks Fender put in my old Jazz?
Bill
(Message edited by bassman10096 on March 07, 2004) |
alembic76407
Advanced Member
Username: alembic76407
Post Number: 266
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 4:02 pm: | |
do these two basses have a model name yet?
and what kind of price tag are we looking at.
How about a contest, Name the bass.
winner get one of those new straps (or a t-shirt) |
rami
Advanced Member
Username: rami
Post Number: 317
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 4:45 pm: | |
As nice as those Basses are, I firmly believe that the most beautiful Alembics are the original designs of Susan. I don't think I'd really want to see Alembic Fenders. Let's just call these one time custom order Basses rather than a new line.
I still think the Excel and Rogue are the most beautiful Alembic body shapes - much nicer than any Fender design.
Rami |
bracheen
Advanced Member
Username: bracheen
Post Number: 281
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 5:13 pm: | |
I agree with Rami. These two are very nice but if someone is wanting a high end Jazz, well, that's what Lakland and Sadowski are for. Let's let Alembic be Alembic. One of a kind top shelf instruments that the other guys want to imitate.
Sam |
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil
Post Number: 367
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 5:51 pm: | |
I believe the basic model those basses were started from was the Essence with a 'q' switch added. I do not know yet what, if any, extra charge there is on this body style. A 4 string Essence with a 'q' switch would start at 3875$.
I don't think this will be a new line, so it's very likely that they will just go down in the records as 'custom' instruments, but on the other hand I doubt this will be the last time we build one of these.
After all this is not the first time Alembic has paid homage to another manufacturer's design, building its version of a classic, like with the Exploiter, or the Flying V; recently we made an Alembic version of a telecaster guitar; and I'm sure there are more I'm not aware of.
Valentino |
1stbass
Junior
Username: 1stbass
Post Number: 22
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 4:03 am: | |
Val'
are there any photo's of the Alembic telecaster?
I love to see that.
Doug |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 309
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 6:00 am: | |
I find the Alembic instruments that are inspired by more conventional makers kinda interesting. For my taste though, I prefer Susan's original designs.
Dave Torbert from The New Riders Of The Purple Sage had an Alembic bass that looked like it was inspired by a Les Paul. He had a GREAT tone. I'll bet he was using Pyramid strings. Good stuff. Anyone have better pictures of this bass?
(Message edited by dela217 on March 09, 2004) |
dean_m
Advanced Member
Username: dean_m
Post Number: 283
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 8:17 am: | |
Oh my Gawd, these are wicked cool. (HA!! just a little Bostonian from the other thread)
Seriously though. I really do love the idea and the look. These would really work here in the NE area seeing how it's sort of a Fender type of area especially NY and Boston.
One of the reasons (among many) why I bought my Elan and Orion was that they were the closest thing to a Jazz. As much as I do agree with Sam and Rami about letting Alembic be Alembic, I really do like these.
Val, could these be done as set-necks also?
Peace,
Dino (Paul The Fake One) |
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil
Post Number: 368
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 9:12 am: | |
Of course Dino, set neck would be no problem.
Doug, I believe Mica took some pictures of that guitar, I'll ask her if she has any to post.
Valentino |
stevec77
New
Username: stevec77
Post Number: 10
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 9:41 am: | |
I just bought a '78 Fender jazz bass and want to restring it with Rotosound long scale round wounds (.45, 65, 80, and 105) but the tuning post for the E string is so close to the nut that the string starts to wrap onto the post all the way past the blue buffer material to the "speaking" portion of the string. This only happens with the E as the post for the A, D, and G are progressively further away from the nut. Looks like if I used a medium scale string the blue buffer wouldn't even make it past the nut. Is it the worst thing if a portion of the "speaking" part is on the post? What scale strings are you using? medium? long? |
dean_m
Advanced Member
Username: dean_m
Post Number: 285
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 10:53 am: | |
Uh OH!!!!
Hey Brother Paul TBO, got any stockings left?
Now I'm in trouble. How can I okay this with senior management?
Sorry kids, forget about the addition to the house, daddy's buying an new bass. Boy am I in trouble.
Thanks Guys!!!!
Dino |
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic
Post Number: 1153
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 1:39 pm: | |
OK ...I'll lend you the black ones!!!
They just came out of the washing machine.
However: having these basses with set necks COULD justify you selling the basses you have ...or selling your special Dino-autographed Warwicks LOL
PTBO |
davehouck
Senior Member
Username: davehouck
Post Number: 425
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 2:20 pm: | |
Michael; this may be where you found your picture, but just in case here's a link. They are not as good as your picture, but go here:
http://www.nrpsmusic.com/gallery.html
and click on the Felt Forum link and the Thanksgiving link.
Also check out the Alembic guitar Dawson is playing in the April 14, '74 link. |
davehouck
Senior Member
Username: davehouck
Post Number: 426
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 2:27 pm: | |
Steve; I would think that as long as the thread isn't on the nut it shouldn't effect the sound produced by the string. I believe the only function of the thread is to help keep the metal wraps from unwrapping. |
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