I hope this will be a kind of fun but interesting thread as it is really a complex question.
So to make life easier, let's "remove" the cost factor out of the way and take it that you can afford the instrument without any difficulty, so that we can focus on the instrument of desire. It's not a dreaming for now scenario so excluding custom orders here too.
In it's simplest form it's this. A bass that you really desire appears on the market, how would you decide not to acquire it?
Let me set my own position.
There are a couple of basses that i would love to own.
- Pierre Yves -Blackwood bass.
- A Series II 5 string Europa in Vermillion on sale here in London UK.
Pierre Yves bass - would be good one for me as it has features I prefer like dark wood top and back, side leds, thick maple accent, pickup right up by the fretboard and it has an amazing sound. The position of the controls are not standard but I could get used to that.
Why don't I buy it, well I more or less only use a 5 strings for gigging and rarely use a 4 string exclusively, plus I already have a series shortie that has not seen much gig action in recent years.
The series II, I thought hard about this one and I was seriously considering acquiring it, knowng it would sound great. But what stopped me was the answer I found to this question.
What tones do I "need" that my current suite of alembics cannot provide?
Answer: None!
Doesn't mean I don't want those two just that I won't buy them. ..... I hope.
Jazzy,
I just emailed back and forth with a bassist in London who is looking at that Series II. It would be his first Alembic - and a big leap - so we'll see what happens.
You can't really take $$ out of the equation, especially when talking about these instruments. But I think you said it best - "what am I missing that I don't already have?" That's a good way to look at it.
You know I've been stuck on the Series sound since 1975 and I haven't bought a bass since 1989 (not the best customer!). I like the sound I hear every time I plug in so I never feel like I'm missing anything.
But I understand it's easy to fall into "collector mode". I have many friends who have MANY instruments. How many telecasters does Vince Gill have? Yes, he deserves ALL of them but ... why? He sounds great on whatever instrument he picks up. :)
Jimmy J
Love this thread-will follow the rules, but the money is something!
Both beautiful options!
I try to keep a rule of 10 basses at any given time.
More than that, and one just wont get any play.
That said, when I do get 11 or 12 ( currently, including restoration...yikes) it becomes clear which need to be passed to another.
A more simple answer would be - my wife!
Her quote, "how many do you NEED?"
and a song lyric of 'Society' by Eddie Vedder,
"When you want more than you have-
You think you need"
If I just use the criteria of "what am I missing":
A 4-string long scale Series I fretless with side LEDs (I already have a fretted, I suppose I would give that up for a similar bass with side LEDs)
A Classico.
I've thought about a Series II, but it feels like the variable Q would make "repeatability" of tone an issue.
I'm a greedy bastard, so if the money is not a factor, I'll just buy whatever interests me. ;D
Takeo
QuoteIf I just use the criteria of "what am I missing":
well i'm "missing" a 5-string long scale unlined fingerboard neck LEDs stereo fretless (SI, SII or anneversary ) for aboot the last 3-4 years now. i've got a 5-string essence fretless with a FretFX strip that's gonna hafta be its place holder because it hasn't popped up since i started searching and i'm pretty sure i'm gonna kick the bucket before one does.
i've taken myself outta the bass market since the dragonwing showed up. that makes 5 alembics in my stable (2 fretted 5-strings, 1 4-string fretless, 1 5-string fretless and the DW). i'm 70 years old. still performing. it's getting to be major brain damage just deciding which basses to take along for a show. i've imposed a 2-bass limit just becasue i don't wanna hafta transport my grear in an armored van and our stage is already overflowing with my bandie's instrument collections.
i live in a 500 ft
2 townhome with a golden retriever.
so i'm at the point where
nothing could make me pull the trigger. again. and again.
Interesting question!
Like Jimmy said, you can't take money out of the equation with these expensive high end basses. It's not only if you can afford it but mainly do you want to spend that much on a bass or guitar? That's very personal of course.
My main consideration is always 'will it bring me something that I don't have already?' and 'do I have a purpose for this bass?'. Each bass (not only Alembics) I have serves a different purpose. One is 4 string, one is a 6 string. Then I have fretless 4 and 6, tenor tuning fretted and fretless. And for recording I also want a bass with a totally different sound than the rest of the herd, say a jazz bass. This way you still have quite a few basses but more from a players perspective instead of a collector. Over time every bass gets about the same amount of playing time. They all need attention. 😀
You've wanted Pierre-Yves' Blackwood short-scale for as long as I've been here Jazzy. You have a trio of Europa Series 5's
So make it a trio of short-scale Series. Tune them all different. 8)
See...? I didn't have any trouble with the conditions at all. ;D
I've owned a few Alembics over time, mostly Series instruments, which is the sound I like. I also prefer Series I and four strings. There is just one of all of those that I would like to have back.
That said, I'm now down to only what i think I need:
Basses:
1. Series I fretted long scale four string
2. Series I fretless long scale four string
3. Series I fretted short scale four string
4. (Series I fretted long scale four string that I will likely sell)
Guitars:
1. Series I long scale standard point
2. Series I short scale SC
If I have a chance to buy back the one previously mentioned, that will be it.
That covers everything and that's all I need. 😊
My only remaining Alembic "want" is a fretless and it's painfully low on the list of priorities. Painfully low. I've not had a gig where I wanted a fretless for ~20 years. I've had a G&L Kiloton fretless for a couple years and I've barely touched it; currently selling it actually. For no other reason than I don't play it, at all, and I figure some G&L fanboy out there might be on the hunt since G&L is out of business.
If I were just picking up Alembic basses for the sake of, I'd want to add:
- Series I electronics but on something like an Orion, Europa, or Elan body
- Dragon Wing with Signature or better electronics
- 8-string triple omega with Signature or better electronics
- an <anything> with the Exploiter body shape
All would be fun. All I do not have a use case for right now. At some point I may jump off the cliff and order a Series I Dragon Wing.
Well.....as you can see in my signature, I have pretty much most options. Heck the 2 doublenecks have 4 different types of necks! I have no 5 string Alembics...no desire. For electronics, I still want a Series II. Kinda have a lead on one but still waiting. It would be nice to have a COTM Series II 6-string. I want the last remaining Spyder. The 4-string Cone headstock. I feel the need to have all three versions. Not necessarily an Entwhistle fan but an admirer of the body shape & appointments. There are 49 of those Spyders out in the wild but do not know the split of cone to vee headstocks.
I suppose I still want a stand-alone Series I too. The double necks are kinda impractical for a 66 yo back. I feel like my "wish list" will come to me eventually. After purchasing Goliath I was approached by a couple tempting sellers. The only remaining non-Alembic desire is the Lemmy Kilmister Rickenbacker. Only 60 made.....one is currently on Reverb. I guess in the end I'm disqualifying myself because price IS a barrier for me.
Quote from: briant on Yesterday at 04:47:18 PMMy only remaining Alembic "want" is a fretless and it's painfully low on the list of priorities. Painfully low. I've not had a gig where I wanted a fretless for ~20 years. I've had a G&L Kiloton fretless for a couple years and I've barely touched it; currently selling it actually. For no other reason than I don't play it, at all, and I figure some G&L fanboy out there might be on the hunt since G&L is out of business.
If I were just picking up Alembic basses for the sake of, I'd want to add:
- Series I electronics but on something like an Orion, Europa, or Elan body
- Dragon Wing with Signature or better electronics
- 8-string triple omega with Signature or better electronics
- an <anything> with the Exploiter body shape
All would be fun. All I do not have a use case for right now. At some point I may jump off the cliff and order a Series I Dragon Wing.
I hope you don't choose the latter, as i can assure you jumping off a cliff with a single dragon wing won't go well my friend. Please get 2 so you can glide safely😂