Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: rklisme on October 20, 2004, 05:27:18 PM

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: rklisme on October 20, 2004, 05:27:18 PM

Hey Guys just a few pics of me at AlembicWorld today. Got a chance to see some cool basses as always and have Ron do a quick repair as well.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/13576.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/13577.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/13578.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/13579.jpg)
  Rory

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: echo008 on October 20, 2004, 06:55:22 PM

Oh my !!!!
thanks for the pics  
is that your bass you are holding in the last one?
 - Tom

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 20, 2004, 07:02:12 PM

That is a question that should not be answered just yet....

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: echo008 on October 20, 2004, 07:22:18 PM

Hi...
OK I wont push the issue but now Im really curious!!!  
 - Tom

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: 811952 on October 20, 2004, 07:39:07 PM

Holy crap!  Man, I LOVE this site!
John

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: rklisme on October 20, 2004, 08:12:47 PM

Hey Guys
 
Here is a breakdown of the pictures that I posted.
1. Me holding the neck for my new 6 string project.
2. Fretboard for my 6 string with amber LED's
3. I tried to capture a few of the members projects for those of you who can't get enough pics
4. Me holding Stanley Clarke's new bass that will be presented to him this Friday at his concert in San Francisco. Please don't tell him though, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 20, 2004, 08:15:45 PM

Rory!!!!  Didn't they tell you not to publish that pic until the bass was delivered???  I was sworn to secrecy when I was out there in July.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: rklisme on October 20, 2004, 09:05:48 PM

Bob
 
It is cool, I asked before I even took the picture. I am sure he must know by now or they would have given me the same warning. Like you I knew about it and had seen it prevously and never mentioned it. Thanks for keeping me on my toes though. Good looking out!
 
Rory

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 20, 2004, 09:16:14 PM

And doesn't it have the most perfect neck ever found on a bass?

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: palembic on October 20, 2004, 10:26:12 PM

***sigh*** and even Rami's new fretless is still hanging there ...that brother must have been eten all his fingernails by now!
Hang on there brother.
 
Rory ...you remind me at the look of my children -when they were younger- coming into a toy store.
 
Paul the bad one

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: kungfusheriff on October 20, 2004, 11:07:59 PM

Me holding Stanley Clarke's new bass that will be presented to him this Friday at his concert in San Francisco. Please don't tell him though, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!
WOW! Well worth the wait, and the David Duchovny-like mutterings in the Club (laughing).
If anyone handed ME a bass like that and said, Here, this is yours now I'd probably need a paramedic. Then again, I've never one a poll, let alone many.
Outstanding.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 21, 2004, 02:29:28 AM

I am hoping/suspecting that it will be detailed as the November featured custom now that it is finally being delivered, so I will let you wait another two weeks to hear details about the construction.  It is an absolutely fabulous instrument with no equal.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: keavin on October 21, 2004, 05:11:23 AM

that is so intresting the last time ive been to heaven(alembic)was 23yrs ago,question, does stanley has one of those 25th anniv basses too?.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: David Houck on October 21, 2004, 07:31:21 AM

The look on your face says it all!!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: geddy on October 21, 2004, 09:59:02 AM

I heard that this is the one and only bass alembic has ever given away. Seems a fitting tribute!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: jeff on October 21, 2004, 10:23:04 AM

Susan mentioned this bass to me several months ago while my quilted coco bolo bass was being born.  Looking at that inlay, it is easy to understand why Stanley's bass took longer to build.  Rory, you are one lucky dude to have even held that bass, and you have a picture to prove it!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: wideload on October 21, 2004, 11:28:52 AM

Great pics! My son and I were there last week, and I imagine I was a blithering idiot to those in the know. The only thing I could think to play on Stanley's bass was I/V ala Waylon Jennnings (since I knew THAT would never happen again on that instrument!). By the way, Rory, should they have let you hold that bass, what with a screen name of reckless me?  
By the way, when I left for my trip, my wife didn't say Have a nice time, Drive safely, or I'll miss you today. Just DONT BUY ANYTHING!
 
Larry

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: wayne on October 21, 2004, 02:46:42 PM

My wife was with me when I visited.  She kept repeating that phrase like a mantra - with an emphatic NO!! thrown in every now and again.
 
C-Ya...............wayne

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: rklisme on October 21, 2004, 04:17:05 PM

Hey Guy's  
 
I can not tell you how beautiful an instrument it is, words can't begin to describe it. I can only hope that some Stanley Magic dust rubbed off on me during the process. The look on my face was one of pure fright and joy at the same time. One side of the brain was saying, I can't believe I am holding Stanley's new bass the other side of the brain was saying,  You better not drop this bass dummy! Valentino sent me to lunch after holding the bass I think he could tell that I was moments away from passing out! I needed to nourish myself and slow my heart rate. As always good to share my Alembic moments with all of you!
 
Rory

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: tom_z on October 21, 2004, 04:32:13 PM

Rory - that's priceless!!!!! I'm laughing out loud in my office and my coworkers are wondering if I'm insane. Thanks for the laugh.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: pace on October 21, 2004, 04:52:52 PM

Thanks for the recon photos Rory!!! I was hoping to spot pieces of my instrument~ no luck....  Do you recall a 7piece purpleheart/ebony core and some flame maple SC wings?!?!? lol....  
 
Is that a vermillion tribute on the wall behind Marc's simple bass??? Gawd what a wonderland.....

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 21, 2004, 05:28:02 PM

When I finished my tour back in July, we went back to the entry area where there were over a dozen instruments on the walls, tables and couches.  Val handed me that bass and asked me what I thought, then told me what it was after a couple minutes of noodling and commenting on how wonderfully it played.  I should have known, but I didn't think about it until I was told.  It was quite the experience, and a million different thoughts were spawned.  
 
Forget about the inlays.  Forget about the pretty wood top.  That is the finest playing/feeling bass on the planet.  If I decide to go back to playing a four instead of a five, I will order an instrument with a clone of that neck.  It should almost remain on display at the factory forever so that everyone has the opportunity to stop by, touch it, and be inspired.  
 
I hope he loves it as much as I do and starts using it at shows.  If he does, I'll be extra interested in catching him if he's playing in the area.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: susan on October 21, 2004, 07:46:31 PM

In one sense we are giving it away in another sense it's payment/ reward for all he has given us, inspiration, loyalty and beautiful music. He's earned this tribute and I hope tomorrow night when he recieves it, he'll be delighted with the surprise since he has no idea of what it looks like wood wise or the elaborate inlay.  He's never played one with the ebony lams as yet and that should be interesting for him as well.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 21, 2004, 08:04:37 PM

Susan, we'll all be dying to hear his reaction, especially those of us who have seen it in person!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bob on October 22, 2004, 01:08:41 AM

What a coincidence - I just got back from another SF JazzFest concert tonight, was thinking on the way up that maybe I should see whether there were any tickets left for Rite Of Strings (sorry, gang, I've always wanted to see Stanley on upright...).
 
Anyway, looks like there are still some tickets left, so maybe I'll head up there. I also got to see the instrument, maybe around March? Didn't have any strings at the time, but I doubt I would have played it myself even if it did. Yeah, it's a beauty.

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: keavin on October 22, 2004, 04:31:55 AM

that dragon inlay,is it mother of pearl, or is it silver? whatever it is it's very stunning!

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: gare on October 22, 2004, 06:37:47 AM

Rklis..thx for the pix. Mr.Clarks new axe is beautiful. Look forward to seeing the specs on it.
Your instrument looks interesting, I also look forward to seeing its incarnation. It's looking a bit like a Steinberger right now tho huh..
 
G

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: gare on October 22, 2004, 07:25:09 AM

Rklis..thx for the pix. Mr.Clarks new axe is beautiful. Look forward to seeing the specs on it.
Your instrument looks interesting, I also look forward to seeing its incarnation. It's looking a bit like a Steinberger right now tho huh..
 
G

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: pookeymp on October 22, 2004, 08:58:37 AM

Wow...that's a beautiful instrument, and I'm sure the pics don't do it justice.
 
Can't wait to see the specs on this baby.
 
Mikey/

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 22, 2004, 09:22:59 AM

Mikey, you're right.  The top wood is pretty dark, so it's very hard to capture the figuring in a photo.  As for specs, it's really a reachable instrument in terms of building one that would play similarly.  If I remember correctly, over half the cost associated with this bass is in top wood upgrades and inlays.  In terms of creating a player's version, the only things that are really different from an SC deluxe are the narrower neck dimensions, ebony neck laminates and electronics/pickup locations (which seemed to be stock S2).
 
Keavin, I suspect that the dragon has a bunch of materials involved including abalone and golden MOP.  Unfortunately, my hand is covering the dragon's face in the pic I have and I remember a lot of detail there that would have to include a variety of materials.  I am not sure if it is a 'standard' dragon, but I remember seeing a description of the materials used somewhere on the Alembic site.
 
I am still hoping/suspecting that they have done a thorough photo essay on it, including taking the time to capture the beauty of the top wood, and that this bass will be the November featured custom.  Either that, or they make it a one-time special featured custom for the ages.
 

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bigredbass on October 22, 2004, 11:52:46 AM

Bob, I saw the lucky recipient on a PBS Newport Jazz show playing solo upright . . . . it was just as terrifying as his usual MO.  
 
J o e y

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: bsee on October 24, 2004, 02:53:15 PM

So what's the deal, Alembic peoples????  Did Stanley's eyes pop out of his head or what?  Did you get the bass to him before the gig, and did he play it?   Are we going to get a full photo essay?

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: kmh364 on October 25, 2004, 05:35:16 AM

Pix and a write-up would be nice. Like Mica really needs another job to do, LOL!
 

Title: Trip to Alembic.
Post by: mica on October 25, 2004, 05:00:56 PM

Put 2 pics in the  Showcase - Artists (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8240) section.  
 
(Message edited by mica on October 25, 2004)