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emjay
New
Username: emjay

Post Number: 10
Registered: 3-2005
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 8:15 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 12:09 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks, Mica! Sorry for the trouble, it looks much better now.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 434
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 12:27 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 1:12 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 1:18 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 1:28 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 2:41 pm:   Edit Post

Sorry Steve, That was superbass.NET!
jazzyvee
Intermediate Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 200
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 1:40 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 2:10 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 6:00 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 11:38 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 5:59 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 4:22 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Monday, May 02, 2005 - 8:43 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 5:49 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Tuesday, May 03, 2005 - 10:36 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 2:42 pm:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:49 am:   Edit Post

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
Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 9:19 am:   Edit Post

Here's Rich's pic:
keith_h
Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 54
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 9:57 am:   Edit Post

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

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