Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: alemboid on October 28, 2022, 12:26:04 AM
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So, am I the only one that seeks out music where I can listen to Alembic basses being played? Example - I listen to Stanley Clarke, Alembic era Level 42, Alembic era The Who, anything where there is an Alembic bass being played. I just can't get that tone out of my head!!!
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I'm sure you have a lot of like minded club members. Don't forget Nazareth! Others will chime in with additional selections.
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David Hood of Muscle Shoals used an LSB Series 1 as his main bass from 1976 til the mid 80's.
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David Hood of Muscle Shoals used an LSB Series 1 as his main bass from 1976 til the mid 80's.
You posted before I could! Tons of material with that guy.
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Well I don't think I really sought out music just because alembics were being played. I really found out afterwards. I am a big fan of Stanley Clarke so bought his albums and that is most of what I am used to in terms of the alembic tonal spectrum.
I wasn't aware of anyone playing more than 4 strings until i joined here and found out about Jimmy Johnson and Phil Lesh.
Even though I have a few Allan Holdsworth albums, i didn't know enough back then about the alembic tone when used as a supporting tone in a band rather than an up front band leader tone like Stanley to recognise it on recordings. (Sorry Jimmy J). These days it may be different as I play them and have a better grasp of what to listen for. However I would like to find recordings with alembic guitars. Any suggestions
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David Bowie was backed by Carlos Alomar on an Alembic guitar. John "Marmaduke" Dawson used an Alembic guitar with the New Riders of the Purple Sage. And, of course, Jerry Garcia played an Alembic guitar, "Wolf", thought it sported non-Alembic pickups and electronics.
Bill, tgo
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Been a fan of Fleetwood Mac and specifically John McVie for 40 of my 53 years. Alembic, having played a key role in that sound... it's kinda'-sorta' part of the story of how I ended up here.
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Been a fan of Fleetwood Mac and specifically John McVie for 40 of my 53 years. Alembic, having played a key role in that sound... it's kinda'-sorta' part of the story of how I ended up here.
I’ll second the Mac! So great.
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Phil…I’ll stop there :)
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REO Speedwagon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live:_You_Get_What_You_Play_For
Greg Philbin is seen on the cover with his Alembic. He (and his bass) sounds great on the double Live album. It was recorded in 1976. In 1977 Bruce Hall took over the low end.
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However I would like to find recordings with alembic guitars. Any suggestions
There was a time, mid to late '70s (sorry, don't know the years) when both bassist Dave Torbert (one of my favorites) and rhythm guitarist John "Marmaduke" Dawson of New Riders Of The Purple Sage played Alembics; I don't know about lead player David Nelson.
I have pictures of both in action saved somewhere on my computator, but can't seem to find them (but I'm pretty sure i pulled both of this site); I'll keep looking. In the meantime, here's John's in repose.
Peter
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A'ight: here's a link to a thread with many shots of Dawson's guitar - many of them on stage; also answers my previous question about Nelson's weaponry at the time (Strat). https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=26299.0
I'll circle back if I find Dave's (which, in case I don't, was more-or-less Tele-shaped).
Peter
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And here are some of Torbert's (so of course Dawson's playing aTele in them.......) https://opensfhistory.org/Music/Display/wnp73.0549.jpg (https://opensfhistory.org/Music/Display/wnp73.0549.jpg)
There are dated shots clickable on the page of John onstage with Skip Battan (Dave's replacement) playing his Alenbic - so, look for NRPS c. 1974.
Peter
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Dregs, ELP, Zep, Styx etc. Romantic Warrior turned my world upside down. I got my 1st Alembic in 83. Solid Koa Spoiler 4 from Ash on 48th st NYC. $900 no case. Coming from a Ripper and a P style fretless, I was in heaven when I got it home and plugged in and played along with RTF and the sound was there in my room. So clean and precise. It forced me to be a better player cuz you can't lie on an Alembic! Since then I've owned over 20 Alembics but now down to 6 with one to be born soon. Almost 40 years and I'm still smitten with the tones.
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YES! Forced to be a better player indeed!
The touch of the player is so accurately reported on Alembic basses and I love that.
The bass is musical all of the way up the neck. Listening to John Entwhistle do his slides on his Series One, such as on Eminence Front.....that growl is so knarly and fierce!!! The use of the range of the bass on You Better You Bet on the Alembic is nirvana.
Alemboid
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What If? Was my first Dixie Dregs adventure. Back cover under the picture of Andy West with his Series I, he is listed as “Bass Innovator”.
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Ah yes, Andy West as mentioned above…and Mr. Johnson of course (I was listening to the Steve Gadd Band, Foameopathy, this morning, love that tune!), and John Entwistle, Jack Casady, etc…and that solid tone pops up in so many other places as well…love it! :)
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My favorite reference for what Alembics really sound like is the JT double album, 'James Taylor Live', with of course Jimmy Johnson in the engine room with his five-string. This recording is especially choice as it was produced by George Massenburg through GML preamps straight into a Sony recorder at stage side, with minimal digital hocus-pocus and no later overdubs.
A great sounding set all round, and the Double J sounds wonderful as always, his tone is that trademark Alembic tone of very full yet transparent. That tumbledown at the end of his little solo in 'Traffic Jam' to set up the last verse is worth the price of admission alone. Really Recommended by Me.
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I thought I had posted this, but either it didn't get there or it went away - so: While the thing that sealed my equation of "bass" and "Alembic"* was fooling around on a Spoiler at a GC after-work jam in '83, what got me really interested in them (actually more than Phil Jack, John, et al) was Doug Edwards, bassist for the Muff Brothers (a big deal in SE OH in the mid-to-late '70s) and one of my instructors at the Recording Workshop in '79 pulling out a Series I when I asked him to play on a session that I was the "producer" for. And here I thought a 4001 was the big-deal bass........
*It took meeting Bill and playing his instruments before I discovered for sure that yes, Alembic & Alembic-powered guitars are just as good; I had never encountered one before that. Thank you, Counselor!
Peter
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I love hearing about your references and experiences!!! I am listening to the examples, broadening my horizon.
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If you want to hear an Alembic guitar, head on over to this thread that Peter started. The second post includes a video from the (2015?) NorCal Alembic Gathering in which I’m playing 76-476.
https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=27494.0 (https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=27494.0)
Bill, tgo
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Just came from there -and once it's done playing, there are others from the same day that pop up.
And verily, Bill's SI doth soundeth quite well.
Peter