Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: tmoney61092 on October 27, 2008, 09:54:23 AM

Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on October 27, 2008, 09:54:23 AM
this is addessed to Mica mostly but if anyone can give me some info on that'd be awesome.
 
what are the controls? or just the specifications on it?
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: FC Bass on October 27, 2008, 11:17:00 AM
That's an Elan ;-)  Here are some pics:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/57807.gif)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/57808.jpg)
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on October 27, 2008, 11:26:19 AM
YES!!! thats it, do you happen to know the specifications of it?
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: FC Bass on October 27, 2008, 12:10:12 PM
No, but I'd like to know also :-)
My guess is: All Maple (except for the Ebony fretboard) Volume, Volume, Volume, Filter and maybe a Q-switch...
This one was used during the '88/'89 Damaged Justice tour along with a 4 string JJ Persuader and 2 (I think) Wall basses (4 and 5 string)
I think this bass was also used in the early 90's Wherever We May Roam tour.  
From the Nowere else to roam tour (started in '93) he only used Series II basses if I'm not mistaken.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: mica on October 27, 2008, 08:40:31 PM
Flip is mostly right about the basic specs. It's an Elan body shape. I'm pretty sure this has a Maple and Purpleheart neck that's clear satin finish on the back of the neck only. The bass is painted in Almost Black a color we originally made for Jason that would appear black on stage, but up close, would reveal a killer Flame Maple top.
 
We made him several similar basses. These were later converted to Series II electronics with lots of work.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: FC Bass on October 27, 2008, 09:29:25 PM
Thanx Mica!
 
Forgot about the Purple heart lams, they're clearly visable on the vids.
Was the Persuader also a custom order and later converted? (If I may ask) One of his S II Spoilers does seem to have the same headstock veneer.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: briant on October 28, 2008, 11:03:52 AM
I knew Jason used at least one Alembic bass back in the late 80's and early 90's but I had no idea that he used them exclusively on any tour.
 
I know later he went with all Sadowsky basses.  I believe the story goes that he ordered/paid for 8 and they gave him 9 - such a deal. :-)
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on October 28, 2008, 01:45:03 PM
thank you all for the info, this is exactly what i was wondering, i love this website so much, one more question for Mica, does Newsted still stay in contact? how would it cost for a replica of this bass?
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: alembicfan on November 05, 2008, 10:51:13 AM
hy there! Got 2 cool pics of this bass
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/58097.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/58098.jpg)
  (Message edited by davehouck on November 19, 2008)
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on November 05, 2008, 01:44:16 PM
God, that bass is amazing, i hope that one day i will be able to have professional videos of me playing a bass that incredible, but Mica, how much would it cost for a similar one?
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: alembicfan on November 06, 2008, 09:51:02 AM
Think it\s the same bass,converted to series 2 electronics and with black tuners now
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/58140.jpg)
 
(Message edited by davehouck on November 19, 2008)
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on November 06, 2008, 02:28:44 PM
no, that's a different bass, that one has to soapbar and a dumby pickup in between them, but still, i love the Alembics that Jason used
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: FC Bass on November 06, 2008, 09:52:53 PM
I think alembicfan is right, thanx for the pics!
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: Bradley Young on November 07, 2008, 10:57:36 AM
Yeah, it's the same bass, it was converted (at significant pain, as I remember it being told) to SII electronics.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on November 07, 2008, 11:47:21 AM
so..... he had the 2 jazz pickups and the precision pickup replaced with 1 dumby and 2 soapbars?
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: briant on November 09, 2008, 11:05:23 AM
so..... he had the 2 jazz pickups and the precision pickup replaced with 1 dumby and 2 soapbars?
 
To quote Mica from EARLIER IN THIS THREAD:
 
We made him several similar basses. These were later converted to Series II electronics with lots of work.
 
If you're THAT into this bass and really want to know cost: call Alembic.  They won't bite.  I used the custom quote generator and came up with $9000 retail - but that isn't taking into account the custom electronics.  I started with a Rogue and modified it accordingly to the specs posted above.  That's also pre-Series II conversion which would add $6700 *just for the electronics*.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: hydrargyrum on November 15, 2008, 09:19:37 AM
Don't forget the dealer discount.  You'll save significantly by not ordering direct from Alembic.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: blackelan on January 22, 2009, 08:44:45 PM
In case anyone is wondering that is a rubber dam around the pickups on the Series converted Elan. Jason was known to sweat alot and Alembic had to make him a dam to prevent his sweat from shorting out the electronics.
Title: Jason Newsted's(Metallica) Europa with 3 pickups
Post by: tmoney61092 on January 27, 2009, 04:58:10 AM
hahahaha, that is pretty gross, but it shows how into his music that he gets
 
~Taylor