| Author | Message | ||
| emjay
New Username: emjay Post Number: 10 Registered: 3-2005 |
I always wanted an Alembic, ever since I heard Jack Casady play one. After not playing with a band for quite a while (like, 25 years!!!), I decided to spring for one - just to help strengthen the motivation to get back into the game. Three weeks before this gig at Carlin Park in Jupiter FL, I bought this bass from Steve at SuperBass (one hell of a nice guy, by the way). So, this was the first time I ever played an Alembic in public. I tell you, I was never so happy with my sound! It seemed the louder I cranked it up, the better it sounded. For anyone who's interested, here's the setup I used: The SWR SM-500 was at about max volume with 75% gain. Bass EQ was up, treble EQ down or flat, transparency mid, Bass volume 75%, treble volume 40%. I ran the speakers in stereo with 1 Eden 2X10 split to one side and another 2X10 stacked on an Eden 15. On the Essence, I had the pickup pan towards the neck pickup about 75%, volume was 75%, Q-switch was set flat, and the treble was about 30%. No effects - that's it. This bass can sound so bright, that it was difficult finding that deep, round piano-like resonance with just the right amount of attack; but I found these settings worked for me. I know the pictures ain't too special, but I just thought I'd share baby's first time outside anyway! I had a blast, and now I know first hand why the Alembic bass is a legend in music. Please excuse the partial frontal nudity in the last pic - it was a hot day in Florida...       (Message edited by mica on April 29, 2005) | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 11 Registered: 3-2005 |
Thanks, Mica! Sorry for the trouble, it looks much better now. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 434 Registered: 7-2004 |
Michael: Welcome to the club and enjoy your new bass. We don't get too much nudity around here - hubba hubba! LOL. Bill, the guitar one | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1665 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nice Maple Essence! I have an all Maple Essence too (actually Mica has it!), and it does have a very nice tone. Did the drummer get enough sun?? | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 240 Registered: 11-2004 |
I love seeing the proud Papas and Mamas (there are a few around here) with baby's first gig. Shirts off and too much sun? Wow! We in Colorado just got another dumping of snow last night. Rich | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 12 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hah! Yeah, Kenny likes it hot. Even when we took a break, he sat out in the sun!!! Ex NYFD, that boy. After living there for most of your life, you need all the sun you can get. I know - I lived there too! Thanks to Steve at Superbass.com, the 1994 Essence was in beautiful shape. Just a few understandable dings after so may years - just like me. I've yet to use the hipshot d-tuner it has in a practice session. Seems that when I set it back to "E" after swinging it down, it always goes back sharp; so I haven't risked it. By the way, the TI roundwound strings I put on this bass sound awesome! | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 13 Registered: 3-2005 |
Sorry Steve, That was superbass.NET! | ||
| jazzyvee
Intermediate Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 200 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey, your guitarist looks like he is using a Fender Strat Ultra with the lace pickups...... ?? If it is, it;s the same model and colour( antique burst with an ebony fretboard) as the one I use as my main guitar, a cracking instrument. I hope you and your alembic have a long and happy future together. You will cry if you have to sell her... :-) | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 14 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi JV, All I know is that it's a strat - I'm just a dumbass bass player. I'll ask him, though. I'm never going to sell this bass unless the arthritis in my wrists gets unbearable! Dave, Rich, Bill, thanks for your encouragement - and Rich, to avoid the snow you can always move to sunny Florida like I did, and get directly hit by two 'canes in two months. | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 241 Registered: 11-2004 |
Emjay, I've been to Florida about 15 times in the 70s and 80s. And yes I was chased out by a hurricane once. I was in Kissimmee and it was just north of Miami heading north. I remember the horizontal rain coming "down" harder than I had ever seen. I was thinking, if this is what it is like with the hurricane 200 miles away there's no way I'm sticking around for the real thing. Thanks for the tip but I'll take the snow and 40 below anytime. Oh, did I forget to mention the high humidity and the Palmetto bugs as big as a Series bass pickup. Don't take me too seriously. I'm not really putting down your state. I know plenty of people who can't stand Colo winters and wish they were in the South. In the Colo high country we have 4 seasons: Almost winter, winter, still winter kind-of, and road construction. Rich | ||
| keith_h
Junior Username: keith_h Post Number: 37 Registered: 2-2005 |
Rich, Those Front Range 60-80 mph winds blowing dirt off of the barren wheat fields aren't exactly for the light hearted. After living there it finally made sense why they used pea gravel to sand the roads. I've been through several hurricanes by the way. Keith | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 718 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hi Jeff, hello from Jacksonville. Last season was a bitch. After the first three, my Debra and I decided to ride the last one out in San Francisco. Sam | ||
| edwin
Member Username: edwin Post Number: 63 Registered: 5-2002 |
May 1st and it's still snowing here in Boulder! A good excuse to hunker down with Series I! Edwin Actually, down here it's not so bad. More like thick rain. Up in the mountains it's probably a different story, but I am pretty ready for spring. Keith is right,those winds are no joke. | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 16 Registered: 3-2005 |
Sam, is Debra your wife or the name of your axe? :-) Just so happens my wife's name is Deborah. I can imagine that with a Series I could almost be tempted to hunker down for a hurricane, Edwin - except the power will definitely go out and I don't have a generator. Even if I had a generator, I'm not sure I could play over the howling wind. Yup, I'm with Sam - nix the hunker down option. Last year I ping-ponged all over the state; but wound up in Naples for Frances and Jeanne for both storms. I was sitting at a bar watching my town (Juno) get slammed on TV. Did Jacksonville get any direct hits? If we have another season like last year, I just may move to Colorado. San Fran is a beautiful city; but I wouldn't want to fall into the ocean with the "big one". | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 719 Registered: 11-2003 |
Debra is my wife. Thankfully my area of town didn't get a great deal of damage, trees down, power outages, that kind of thing. My house was about 30 hours without power. No loss of life or significant structural damage that I noticed. Some nearby areas weren't so lucky and there was at least one related tornado. Does your band travel much or have a web site? Next time I'm in South Florida I'd like to check ya'll out and feel free to give me a shout if you make it up this way. Sam | ||
| edwin
Member Username: edwin Post Number: 66 Registered: 5-2002 |
I might be headed so So Florida between June and July.Maybe an Alembic gathering could be in the offing. It will be my first time the great state of Jaco and Key Largo, mixing the Bacall look with the undercurrent of mob perambulations........ Truth is, I've never been. Looking forward to it. where's that delightful club that Armand and Starina are....................... Edwin never post after percodans. (%#e&*&^%$%$ tooth!) | ||
| smokin_dave
Advanced Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 219 Registered: 10-2002 |
I have played south Florida before(Key West)and one of these days,I will be living there somewhere in the Keys.I loved the place from the moment I set foot there.It is seriously calling my name and Hurricanes be damned.I love your Essence by the way Emjay.Enjoy. | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 247 Registered: 11-2004 |
This is how you should dress for an outside gig on May 11 in Colorado. It only snowed an inch and wasn't all that cold so I guess spring must be here already. Rich (Edit - Picture posting problems. Sorry, everybody.) (Message edited by richbass939 on May 12, 2005) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1706 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here's Rich's pic:  | ||
| keith_h
Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 54 Registered: 2-2005 |
And my tomatoes are already in flower and the beans and cucumbers are up and growing. :-) The picture reminds me of talking to my sister, in Montana, on her birthday when she said she "needed to go outside to cover the garden and save her vegetables". It was the middle of August and they ended up with 6 inches of the white stuff. Keith |
