Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: moongerm on February 17, 2018, 07:14:06 AM

Title: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 17, 2018, 07:14:06 AM
So far I have only seen the EVH 25" scale Piccolo Bass build. http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/3287.html?1043886558


Have there been any others?



Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: rv_bass on February 17, 2018, 07:47:26 AM
I think there have been versions using the Darling body and have various electronics.  Here’s apparently one on Pinterest:

https://www.google.com/search?q=alembic+piccali+bass&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#imgrc=h4Djv6tGXriQwM:


Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: FC Bass on February 18, 2018, 03:38:37 PM
Edwin (EVH) also has one in the modern EVH shape, they were made for his daughters :-)
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mario_farufyno on February 19, 2018, 06:13:58 AM
Ooh, I'd love to hear it!
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 20, 2018, 07:13:23 PM
Likewise, I wonder if there are any more?
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: FC Bass on February 20, 2018, 07:41:20 PM
I'm pretty sure they're on this recording:
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mica on February 21, 2018, 11:11:27 AM
What's your definition of a piccolo bass?
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mario_farufyno on February 21, 2018, 06:52:34 PM
isn't picolo a bass tuned one octave above regular bass?
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 22, 2018, 07:13:53 PM
Yes one octave up from a typical E, A, D, G bass guitar tuning.
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 22, 2018, 08:21:38 PM
The Piccolo an Octave up in addition to the Tenor A, D, G, C tuned basses from what I have always known, were both Stanley's ideas. I am sure most here know this already and.... some may have even seen his Piccolo bass lowered from the ceiling at his shows in the 70's (from what I heard).   

Here is the brief story from Carl's site for anyone interested in the history: Stanley owns two Carl Thompsons, both piccolos. One is a 34" scale (the first piccolo ever), and the second is a 32" scale. When the first bass was being made, Stanley was so excited, he told Carl to bring it over the minute it was completed. Carl Thompson ended up hand delivering to Stanley at 3:00 in the morning! The second bass has a more interesting story. Stanley had just accidentally broken the headstock on his CT, and it could not be fixed before his next recording session. Carl was working on a 32" scale short bass at the time, and offered to lend it to Stanley. He modified the nut, finished it up quickly and gave it to Stanley.

One of the two piccolo basses mentioned above were used on 3 tracks on School Days.  I believe it is used on this track, more recent than School Days, Just Cruzin:    [/size][/font]

I have only heard piccolo bass tracks (from Stan and others, Brian Bromberg) with non-Alembic electronics/basses. I am curious to hear and see what it is like on an Alembic.
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mica on February 23, 2018, 01:00:25 PM
I was searching for your definition including scale length because over the years, I have heard people refer to any tuning higher than a standard EADG as piccolo, so I wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing. I don't have a tally of how many piccolo basses we've made, but my quick brain-index search says there are least 25 I can think of off the top of my head. These days it's one every year or two, we make more baritone guitars. Edwin has the shortest scale one, but we've made them up to 34" scale length.
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mario_farufyno on February 23, 2018, 06:52:16 PM
Oh, guys, have to share... Stanley playing Quiet Afternoon on the Carl Thompson. Lovely.

Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 24, 2018, 06:07:07 AM
Thanks for sharing Mica. Hopefully someone one day will post what one of those Alembic piccolos sound like :).

Regarding the Tenor bass, did Alembic make the first ever A, D, G, C Tenor bass for Stanley?  If so when was that, 70s or 80s?


Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: moongerm on February 24, 2018, 06:09:37 AM
Mario, yes what a great tune and arrangement!. Lovely indeed.
Title: Re: Alembic Piccolo Basses
Post by: mario_farufyno on March 01, 2018, 02:37:31 PM
Flip, thanks!