Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: glocke on August 23, 2009, 06:01:49 AM

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: glocke on August 23, 2009, 06:01:49 AM

Anyone here use a beater bass for certain gigs?  If so what is it?

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: elwoodblue on August 23, 2009, 09:21:06 AM

I love thrashing around my old G&L L-1000,
I ended up putting a SB-2 neck on it,
No fears of a ding or two...those bass MFD pickups are great.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: afrobeat_fool on August 23, 2009, 10:41:44 AM

Kramer DMZ 6000B. Indestructable.You can drive a truck over those aluminum necks. I jacked some bartolini pickups in her. I got maybe 250 into that bass, total.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: glocke on August 23, 2009, 11:08:19 AM

I really dont have one but have been giving it some thought.  Part of me is thinking that I may as well enjoy my alembics no matter what the gig is like while I am still young and capable of enjoying them, but I also recognize that some gigs may not be ideal for them.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: dannobasso on August 23, 2009, 11:13:14 AM

Funny, Alembics have been my only gigging basses for 25 years now. I suppose my first Excel would fit if I had to feel the least pain if something happened to it.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: briant on August 23, 2009, 11:44:21 AM

An Essence.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: jagerphan84 on August 23, 2009, 12:21:11 PM

I think this would qualify.
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/69140.jpg)

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: 57basstra on August 23, 2009, 04:24:31 PM

Guild Burnside The Lance with Alembic Pickups (as seen in profile photo with Alembic basses and guitar_

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: dnburgess on August 24, 2009, 04:15:59 AM

I just picked up a NOS superseded Ibanez Iceman (white). I've always liked the shape and figured it will make a good beater. I think the pickups are a little week - so I'll probably put in something gruntier - but otherwise its fun.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: georgie_boy on August 24, 2009, 06:00:19 AM

My Cort Curbow bass!!!
Brilliant............if it gets trashed...........so what!!!
Great bass though!!
 
G

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: georgie_boy on August 24, 2009, 06:18:00 AM

By the way.,
I've got a fretless version as well!!
 
My other Beater.................my 1975 Precision bass..........all beat up, so no probs if it gets a few more dings!!
 
Great sound though!!
I've never taken my S1 out for close on 2 years now......just frightened I suppose!

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: georgie_boy on August 24, 2009, 06:22:15 AM

Now that I've looked back, I think Glocke's post 636 makes the most sense!!
I bought her to play.............worried myself sick at the start, then started playing Redneck gigs.
My other basses have been fine!!....so why not my S1??
 
Thanks Glocke!!......sound advice!

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: sonicus on August 24, 2009, 07:41:31 AM

My 1971 Ash body maple neck Fender Precision. I don't play it much anymore so it just hangs out and sleeps most of the time. It got played more when I was a poor young man. If it could talk it would have a few wild stories to tell  from three decades ago about me!  LOL_________

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: eligilam on August 24, 2009, 03:19:13 PM

The Barn Bass:  a crapped out early-80's Memphis P-Bass copy that was actually the first bass I ever played.  It's been promoted to the axe I play in my jam space (which is actually an old barn I'm trying to convert)...good for smashing mice with between tunes.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: peoplechipper on August 25, 2009, 12:02:22 AM

MMMM! smells like dead rodent!!! Nice!!!
I guess I don't have a beater, I have my Fernandes series 1 copy, but my Distillate is so reliable I don't even take the backup to gigs anymore, just fresh batteries...I used to have a Hagstrom and a Fender musicmaster(1974,first year early one) but sold them-just too plunky in comparison....Tony

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: jazzyvee on August 25, 2009, 02:43:03 AM

I've not heard the phrase  Beater Bass before. hahaha I'll remember that.
In the past I did buy a Parker Fly guitar to take on the road touring but realised it wasn't up to scratch and sold it.
 
For most reggae gigs I tend to take my maple necked USA strat which is perfect for that music. If it's anywhere I wasn't sure of relating to secure back stage area's etc I would take my Rob Williams Strat so I guess that would loosely be descrived as my current guitar beater.
 
For bass I don't have a beater as they are all alembics, however if push came to shove It would be my Elan 4... ( But don't tell Mica)
 
Fortunately I haven't done any gigs where I need a beater for a long long time.
 
Jazzyvee

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: toma_hawk01 on August 25, 2009, 03:40:05 PM

This is a great thread...
 
I think the context is rooted to the second or third sting basses that are riding the pine -- the bench if you will...  
 
However, when the time comes, and all gloves are off, and you feel like beating the heck out of a song with the most emotional veracity, and you aren't afraid of the results and after effects of of the bass, when you are done, then and only then, this bass is to be used.
 
Kinda like Hendrix setting his least favorite Fen___ on fire.

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: howierd on August 26, 2009, 10:38:31 AM

My 77 series I is the only bass I play. I've played it almost everyday since 1978 and will probably be the only one I'll ever play. My current guitar player is always asking me when I'm going to get a Fender.
 
Howierd

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: gtrguy on August 26, 2009, 02:54:34 PM

I gig with a Yamaha TRB-4P that shows it's age. however, it sounds fantastic. I also have a Mexi P bass and a Fender Prodigy bass that I'll drag to a gig or jam on occasion.
 
Bye,
Dave

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: gare on August 27, 2009, 09:39:53 AM

I used to use a Mexican Jazz bass, but replaced it about a year ago with a Lakland 44-01, great neck and flexible electronics. And lighter than the Fender. It's become my primary gig bass..some of the places we play the crowd gets a little frisky after a few pops and decide to join the band..just add beer !  
 
Gary

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: pauldo on August 27, 2009, 06:53:24 PM

Well - I'm not gigging now so nothing to beat on.
But my trusty old Frankenstein used to always come to gigs with me in the past (but so did my Distillate) - Frankenstein is fretless.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/69403.jpg)

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: elwoodblue on August 27, 2009, 10:05:02 PM

Those orange knobs look sooo right.
 
Here's my L-1000/SB-2 hybrid:
 (http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/69422.jpg)

Title: Beater Bass?
Post by: toma_hawk01 on August 28, 2009, 10:13:30 AM

The black bass is a 1981 Ibanez Roadstar. My future plans are to re-route it for Alembic pickups and controls.  
 
I guess you could say, this bass was my beater bass. Hopefully, I could restore it back better than when it was brand new.
 
So far, I replaced the bridge. I would love to get an Alembic chrome bird to go along with it...
 
My Shorty on the other side, just sits like Bruce Lee in the background with striking confidence and support until I get my beater back online.  
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/69512.jpg)