Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: hodge on November 29, 2007, 07:16:05 AM
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are there any players out there, with any information of the above basses.thanks..
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I don't have a Stingray (used to own a late 70's Stingray but it was trashed before I got it)but I do have a Sabre Fretless I bought new in late 1978. Great bass.
What kind of info are you after?
Olie
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/46235.jpg)
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Stephen,
A bit of information...
http://www.howtoslapbass.com/1980-stingray/ (http://www.howtoslapbass.com/1980-stingray/)
http://www.ggjaguar.com/stingray.htm
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Great basses, electronics are not as subtle as Alembic systems(although they may be better now).
Solidly made and played by so many great players, Bernard Edwards used one on all the Chic records, in fact he never changed the strings on his for years..
A classic instrument
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Great basses.
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The ole Stingray. Chris Hooks, who is a member here swears by the things and I tend to lean towards the late 70's models myself. It just seems like the new models are too bright but they sure do have a hell of growl to them.
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Had a Stingray back in the day. Very good sounding reliable bass..kind of like a muscle bound supercharged 70's precision. Recorded very well. Not a vast range of tones like an Alembic, but BIG sound all the same!
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Hey, Stephen!
I have 2 StingRays, a 2000 model 5-string my Honey bought me for my 40th, and a Transition Stingray 4 I bought new in 1986. Has an Ernie Decal on the headstock, but everything else is original MusicMan parts, even the neck and body were probably leftovers. Thay ARE wonderful basses. My Excel is sorta like a MM, on Steroids! They're Solid, great sounding, and WORKHORSES. They sound big, full, can be real bright, and clear. I still use the pair probably 80% of the time for gigs. Gonna be tough to put 'em down when the new baby arrives
Nice Bass, Olie!!
Mike, Tho
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did somebody say stingray??? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OEtNg_QTi8o (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OEtNg_QTi8o)
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Here's mine, a 1996 20th Anniversary edition.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/46260.jpg)
I've owned several Stingrays, including a Stingray 5. This is the only one I kept. All the rest I traded up for Alembics.
Rami
;)
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Beautiful bass, looks like a funk machine!!Wonderful figure on that maple top wood! I always prefered maple finger board on stingrays as well. Sweet
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It definitely sounds great! I have a soft spot for these limited edition instruments - I also have limited anniversary Fenders and Gibsons. They're the ones worth keeping. They hold their value as well.
Rami
;)
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Yes, absolutely agree!
What is your personal favourite amongst your collection Rami?
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I have a '78 or 79 Stingray that I bought at Valley Arts in Los Angles in 1979. I love it, and used it for everything under the sun until I got my SJ a couple of years ago.
Great sound, great balance, a bit of a battery hog it seemed to me, but it's a great bass.
Rick
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My all time favorite Bass. We go back a long way together so it's the one I'm most attached to. I think she's an '81 or early '82. Super rare.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/46322.jpg)
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Wow, I have never seen a Fender jazz quite like that one! The gold hardware is super cool.
Fenders are due a lot of respect, in my mind they set the precedent by designing and building the first real factory basses! Lets face it most basses to this day are still merely variations of the Fender theme!
I look upon Alembic in the same way..The Alembic was, and still is, the first serious custom handmade active bass. It could be argued that everthing handmade since is a variation on the Alembic theme!
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Here's my current #1, a Y2K natural finish StingRay5. Best Present I ever got Thanks again, Honey!! Now if I can talk her into a new Series 2 for that upcoming 50th...
BCooool, Mike, Tho
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Ever since I saw this:
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_alembird.html (http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_alembird.html)
It re-ignited my interest in the Gibson Thunderbird. My biggest issue with the T-Bird is the difficult access to the upper frets. I manage by modifying my technique. I think for a passive Bass, it's one of the best sounding ever. Great sustain, big powerful tone and super solid fundamental. I especially love the super tight string tension.
I think it's overpriced, but awesome nonetheless.
Rami ;)
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I agree Rami, I think that Gibson basses on the whole are overpriced. I was never a fan of them, much preferring Fender and Rickenbackers.
Dont get me wrong, I always loved the look of them, but often found the sound quality to be poor.
I have to say though that the thunderbird IS the best sounding Gibson bass! And that custom on the link looks AWESOME!
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I dreamed of a Thunderbird as a kid. First time I strapped one on, I realized why you see a picture of one when you look up 'neck dive' in Webster's. What a joke. Remember kids, to paraphrase a way overworked slogan, Only good is Gibson enough! The beginning of a dynasty that included various and sundry monstrosities like EB3's, Grabbers, and RD Artist (!) basses.
Not to metion wrecking Steinberger, Tobias, and Trace Elliott.
J o e y
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Does It Really Happen?, by YES, is a prime example of stunning Thunderbird bass tone. Release, Release is another great tune that showcases all that is good about those basses. Of course, Chris Squire and a new set of Rotosounds being recorded by Eddy Offord might have something to do with it as well...
I had a '76 Thunderbird, that was a beautiful instrument, albeit heavy and neck-dive-y. It sounded great played alone, but I could never get it to cut through to my satisfaction in a band setting, and ended up not owning it (and apparently not missing it either) at some point.. I'd love to have it back, of course, if for no other reason than nostalgia..
John
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Oh, and Joey, I *LOVED* those RD Artist basses! Yeah, they were back-breakers in the most literal sense, with necks as big as fence posts, but they sounded great!
John
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It's definitely not for everybody, but I've grown to appreciate it nonetheless. Unfortunately, Gibson doesn't put as much effort to designing Basses as they do Guitars, and anything successful (such as the Thunderbird) seems to happen by accident.
I like the 9 piece Mahogany and Walnut neck that gives it stability and strength. Tonally, it's warm and deep with super sustain.
Great Bass, a little esoteric though. I love it.
Rami
;)
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Gibbies ...
I have a '77 RD Artist, '81 Victory Artist, '87 Thunderbird, and a '74 Ripper.
The RD is in a class by itself, way ahead of its time. Neck is chunky, but it's fun to play. Very bright (I guess Maple body/neck will do that), but I like bright. The Thunderbird is the exact opposite. Dark, unless you eq the snot out of it. Great neck, lousy upper fret access. The Victory weighs a ton, but surprisingly balances well on a strap and is not an issue. Lots of nice tones, too. The Ripper is the total surprise; nice neck, light, and cool, vintage tones. The rotary switch is a bit limiting, but I love jamming to vintage Chigago on it (I remember the Gibson ad with Peter Cetera from the '70s).
Gibbies are underrated in many ways, IMHO. They're not the greatest, but they certainly have their merits.
Alan
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Here, a disclaimer in the interest of full disclosure: I bought, brand new, back in the day, a natural-finish Ripper and a sunburst RD Artist.
There, I confessed it in public.
Where's the Excedrin?
J o e y
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I think it's amazing that Mr. Fender's MusicMan four was widely accepted in its' original time, and that 25 years later, the StingRay Five is THE defacto five string for LOTS of guys.
It's always interesting that these basses, the 'update' of his original designs, could be simultaneously so successful while the original Jazzes and Precisions were/still selling like hotcakes.
J o e y
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I had a Stingray 5. I loved the quality but there were things about it that I didn't like. It had a bit too much midrange for my taste and I found the B string a bit floppy. I also wasn't crazy about that large pickguard.
Although the guy who I sold it to was SO in love with it, I got back almost the full price I bought it for. I say good for him and I wish him many, many years of enjoyment with it. A great Bass to be sure, but not for me. I put the money toward an Alembic Excel 5 Vermillion top with upgraded electronics.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/46361.jpg)
Now, that's more like it!
Rami ;)
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NOW THAT IS DEFINITELY MORE LIKE IT!!!!!!!
I LOVE IT
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I love the Ripper. I used one on loan for some sessions in the late 70's, when I was having trouble getting the sound the client wanted on my Les Paul bass. I fell in love with it - great, clean, versatile sound, nice to play.
Rick
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Hey Rick,
There's a cool '75 fretless Ripper for sale here:
http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm?sector=user&page=products&MMID=9 (http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm?sector=user&page=products&MMID=9)
At $795, it's alot more reasonable than what any other similar era Bass sells for.
Rami
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I should make a slight correction. This Bass should be up there on my list of all time favorite Basses as well. This was my first ever Alembic and what made me fall so in love with all Alembic products and the wonderful people who make them.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/46442.jpg)
Still the best sounding and growliest fretless in the world - If Jaco was still around, I think he'd love it too.
Rami
;)
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thanks to everyone, for their input regarding the pre ernie ball stingray.
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Hey, Hodge!
Glad you found the info helpful ;]
Have fun! Mike, tho