Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: Dustyrider on August 13, 2019, 01:40:39 PM
-
Hey Guys,
David here, I love blues jazz, classic rock and Christian music....and I am looking into getting a high end bass. Came across Alembic, and they sound very interesting. Currently own a P-Bass. Anyone near northeast PA? Can help guide me, or let me hear the actual tone? I have heard that the Tone of Alembic might not be what I am looking for :)
Thank You!
-
HI David!
Welcome.
I have a whole bunch of demo videos of various Alembics that we have had over the last several years.
I started doing these demo's as a way to help people actually hear the tone.
Most are done with an iPhone so the audio quality isn't what it could be if it were recorded direct into a recording rig but I think they are decent enough to demonstrate the overall tone.
Here is a link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd8cEYg7LJo6vJi8HPwzYiQ/search?query=alembic
I also play once a month with the Praise team at my Church and I usually use an Epic 4 string. Sounds great and cuts through the mix.
Last week, I used a Spoiler. I have also used my MK Deluxe 5 and loved it but the weight on that one is a little much for me at nearly 12 lbs so I usually play the Epic because it is right around 9 lbs.
I have tried playing other basses as well there but I always come back to Alembic because of the tone and clarity and the way they cut through the mix. I recently tried one of my passive basses and I just wasn't happy so I ended up going back to the Epic that I had fortunately brought along just in case.
The great thing about Alembic basses is that you can dial in a great number of tones. I would be very surprised if you were not able to get the tones you desire out of pretty much any model. As you probably know, the pricier they are, the more tone control you have.
I personally prefer the Signature electronics and find that I am able to get all the tones I desire relatively quickly.
-
Thank you soo very much for that reply! I will check it out!
-
Hi David; welcome to the board! If you are just hearing about Alembic, you may or may not know that Alembic has a long and rich history; and if you aren't familiar with that history, you can read it here: http://alembic.com/family/history.html (http://alembic.com/family/history.html)
We also have a section here on the board where members post pics of their Alembics, and you'll find lots of great examples of the different models: http://club.alembic.com/index.php?board=675.0 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?board=675.0)
And I imagine you've already checked out the main site and perused the pictures there: http://alembic.com/index.html (http://alembic.com/index.html)
Enjoy!
-
Thank you soo very much for that reply! I will check it out!
You are very welcome. Happy to help. If you have any questions about a specific model don't hesitate to ask. There is more than a wealth of information and experience here.
-
Thanks everyone! this is really feeling like a family!!!!
-
Here’s a quote to keep in mind from Henry Royce ( Of Rolls Royce fame) that has proved true to me over my 25 years of Alembic ownership: “ The Quality Will Remain Long After The Price Is Forgotten”
-
David.
This IS a great family environment.
Alembic basses are extremely versatile tonally as J9 mentioned. The clarity statement of these basses is true also, so much so that putting a set of flatwounds on them is not unheard of and encouraged! :D
Hand in hand with the clarity comes a slight learning curve as these instruments will expose any sloppy/ lazy playing habits that we all acquired on past instruments... but fret not! These basses also are designed so well that they are a breeze to play, in fact a friend of mine (whom always asks to play my Distillate when we jam) declares that it is sooo nice that it nearly “plays itself”.
-
Have some recordings of my Series 1's here on soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-598105611
-
WOW!! OK !!
Now as of 7:30 EST I have to change the title of this thread... I AM an owner! Bought a maple top fretless (As I was told in this thread to "fret not" LOl... Got it off ebay, with great advice from people in this thread, as well as Mica...TY TY TY!!!!!!!
Pics to follow! :) :) :)
-
WOW!! OK !!
Now as of 7:30 EST I have to change the title of this thread... I AM an owner! Bought a maple top fretless (As I was told in this thread to "fret not" LOl... Got it off ebay, with great advice from people in this thread, as well as Mica...TY TY TY!!!!!!!
Pics to follow! :) :) :)
Excellent! I assume you are talking about this beautiful Essence.
Looks like the seller didn't provide much info.
I can only assume that you will be very pleased.
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3QoAAOSwAitdGSYa/s-l1600.jpg)
-
Congratulations & Compliments. :)
Mica's the Best.
-
Hi Dustyrider, I have a dedicated facebook page just for members to post sound/video clips of various basses and guitars so that players like yourself get a chance to hear how magnificent and diverse these basses sound in the hands of players like us.
The Sound of My Alembic (https://www.facebook.com/groups/627214200803337)
Enjoy the bass and we all would love to know how you get on with it.
-
That is stunning!
-
The great thing about Alembic basses is that you can dial in a great number of tones. I would be very surprised if you were not able to get the tones you desire out of pretty much any model. As you probably know, the pricier they are, the more tone control you have.
I personally prefer the Signature electronics and find that I am able to get all the tones I desire relatively quickly.
This^
-
WOW!! OK !!
Now as of 7:30 EST I have to change the title of this thread... I AM an owner! Bought a maple top fretless (As I was told in this thread to "fret not" LOl... Got it off ebay, with great advice from people in this thread, as well as Mica...TY TY TY!!!!!!!
Pics to follow! :) :) :)
Anxious for pics (front AND back please) and a brief story of your first impressions of playing it! :D :D
-
Such great, supportive comments.. I will receive my new axe this Saturday.. baited breath!
-
We love members to have great alembic experiences especially first timers. This is one of the many reasons you will get to love this forum. When anyone gets their first alembic and shares it here, its like a new birth into this global alembic family.
I just read that back and it sounds like i’ve been watching a woodstock documentary, well yes i did last night so i better go tree hugging this afternoon. ::) 8) ;D
Great catch Dustyrider, and as someone here told me years ago. Plug it in, turn the filter fully open, turn the volume up and hit the open A string!!!
-
I will post a photo, but I am having trouble doing so. How do you post a large photo file on this site?
-
I will post a photo, but I am having trouble doing so. How do you post a large photo file on this site?
There is a size limit for photo attachments. I always forget what it is so a while back I found the info below and saved it for future reference. If you are using a Mac you can resize your images using preview, haven't owned a PC isince the mid-90s so no idea whether the OS comes with photo editing software. Much more control if you use Photoshop, first reduce the pixel count using Image/Image Size then use File/ Save for Web and Devices which will further reduce the file size as it saves the resulting jpeg file.
"First reduce the physical size; the maximum height is 1,200 pixels and the maximum width is also 1200 pixels. Next is reducing the file size; the maximum file size if 500kB, and no more than 10 attachments per post."
-
One quick way I've learned to resize pictures for posting here... send them to yourself by text message. My phone automatically resizes them, usually well below the limit. ;)
-
Ok..Thanks J9 for the original eBay pic...but, (and I am soo proud) here it is in MY home, with her two sisters....(Honey and Holly) She is yet un-named.. :)
-
Nice!
-
:)
-
Nice!
I had Honey’s twin (assume that is the maple necked one?). I traded the neck for my first six string. Yes, just the wonderful maple neck!
Paul (I did stupid stuff when I was younger... now I do things of ‘questionable intelligence’)
-
Honey is a great bass, real workhorse!!! And yes, she is the maple necked P-Bass!