Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Introductions => Topic started by: HipUncle on February 11, 2020, 08:39:15 PM

Title: New owner here
Post by: HipUncle on February 11, 2020, 08:39:15 PM: Hi all,

Thought I'd introduce myself, I am now an Alembic owner, having purchased this amazing brown bass off of reverb: https://reverb.com/item/26954892-alembic-stanley-clarke-signature-brown-bass-natural-flamed-walnut-w-ebony-and-led-s-old-price

Bass was my first serious instrument, and in my teens I idolized Stanley Clarke, and learned every track off his first solo album, while teaching myself to slap and pop. Then I toured on bass in my 20's, but the last *ahem* 30 years I'd been concentrating on guitar. But I never completely gave up on the bass...I was really good at it, and it was fun. I've done a lot of bass work on recordings since then, but not any live work on bass.

So I found myself playing bass at a jam session during the last NAMM show in Anaheim on an Ibanez Mikro Bass, and just having a total gas playing it! It's small, 3/4 scale (I think 29 inches or so), and it was just so easy to play, and it didn't even sound half bad. And the low string tension made even extreme vibrato easy. Afterwards I started thinking about how I've always wanted a short scale bass, because they're so easy to play during those moments when you want to display some level of virtuosity. And after all these years I realized that my technique is at a point where I can wantonly shred a small scale bass.

So I searched for pro quality short scale basses, really scouring the web. I came up with a couple of custom builders who seemed promising at under $5K, but this nagging thought kept coming back to me...that what I truly wanted was a Stanley Clarke model Alembic. Truly, it's what I've always wanted, but somehow it wasn't realistic. But this time was different...because somehow, for no good reason, I just happened to have Alembic-level cash sitting in my checking account with nothing better to do. BTW, I'm pretty sure my mousing finger is sprained from the recoil of clicking that buy button!

I cannot wait until it arrives...let the games begin!

-George
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: elwoodblue on February 11, 2020, 08:46:58 PM: How exciting! I think you made the right decision ;)

There's a few guitar players here too, so don't be shy with the skinny string discussions.
Have you played an Alembic before? Looking forward to your impressions.

Welcome and Congrats!
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: soflbass on February 11, 2020, 09:03:15 PM: Congratulations! Hoping it meets all of your expectations, but confident that you will not be disappointed.
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: jazzyvee on February 12, 2020, 12:07:10 AM: welcome to the forum George. An Stanley signature is a great entry point into the alembic sound, speaking from my own experience. As was told to me when i bought an alembic from a member here, turn everything on the bass on full turn the amp up and hit an open A.
I look forward to reading about your experience with this bass and we are all here eager to answer your questions and share your joy.
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: David Houck on February 12, 2020, 07:15:28 AM: Welcome and congrats!
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: mario_farufyno on February 12, 2020, 09:40:32 AM: Welcome George, and don't forget to take some time to learn how Alembic electronics work (there are several articles written about that at this club, check them out). You'll be amazed by how many tones you will be able to get and how apart from other systems your new Bass is.
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: keith_h on February 12, 2020, 01:46:17 PM: Congratulations and welcome to the Brown Bass club. My BB was my main bass for many years up until I ordered a small body, short scale Series 1. I still use it for those times when a warmer, woody tone is needed or for things like open mics where I don't want to drag along the DS-5. If you have the opportunity you should check out stereo mode through two amps as it really opens the bass up and is about as close to a Series instrument as you'll get on a non-Series bass.
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: edwardofhuncote on February 12, 2020, 02:14:13 PM: Congratulations & Compliments! Hard to go wrong with that choice. Welcome to the Alembic Club. :)
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: rv_bass on February 12, 2020, 07:55:09 PM: Beautiful bass! Congrats and welcome :)
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: pauldo on February 14, 2020, 10:31:00 AM: Wow! Nice one.
As others said, your bass playing world is about to experience a huge shift.

Paul (who recognizes the remarkable coincidence of listening to East Bay Funk and then seeing a post by HipUncle from The Bay)

Someone get me a horn section! ;D
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: StefanieJones on February 22, 2020, 10:46:19 AM: Beautiful Bass! Congrats and welcome ^^
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: edwin on April 03, 2020, 06:36:29 PM: I had a short scale Series I that I sadly had to sell after my son suffered serious brain trauma at his birth (he's amazing now, the smartest kid you'll ever meet), but my #1 player is still related: a '67 Guild Starfire with Alembic Series II and hardware.

Short scale is awesome! Welcome to the club!
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: senmen on April 04, 2020, 01:55:43 AM: Welcome to the club and congrats to the brown bass!
Have fun.

Greetz
Oliver (Spyderman)
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: ed_too on April 04, 2020, 04:18:56 PM: Hi
I just looove my BB and I bet you will too. At some point think about an F-2B preamp just to open her voice. Then you might start thinking about an SF-2 Superfilter (just because). Although you don't really need the F-2B or the SF-2, the BB is plenty!

Be well

Ed
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: KR on April 04, 2020, 06:20:21 PM: Welcome George. Those short scale basses sound great... Have fun.
Keith
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: sonicus on April 05, 2020, 12:55:03 AM: Welcome to our little corner on the www. :)
Title: Re: New owner here
Post by: claus on April 26, 2020, 03:17:41 PM: Hello George,

welcome!

I´am new here too and still have to introduce myself in the News section of the Club.
What a wonderful instrument! Bass Central sold really some very nice alembics this year!
I purchased a short scale from them in February and came along very well with Beaver.
A really nice guy and great bass player.
Have a good time in the Club!

Best regards from Germany!

Claus