Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Fun Stories => Topic started by: alanbass1 on April 12, 2005, 12:21:50 AM
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OK, I have have just purchased a Mark King signature. My current set of rigs are:
1. Thunderfunk TFB550 straight into an Epifani T210UL cab
2. Eden WT400, into a TL Audio Ivory 5021 compressor, into a pair of Euphonic Audio CXL112 cabs.
I recently got the '1' rig for the combination of sound quality and portability, and it really is great. The only issue I have with either rig is that at the bigger, or open air gigs I occassionally do, I find I need more 'clout' at the extremes of volumes. I was thinking of getting an Eden WT800 and a couple more EA CXL112 cabs; any other things I should consider?
(Message edited by alanbass1 on April 14, 2005)
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Alan.
I've used Trace Elliot exclusively for about 10 years. I currently only have a 4X10 combo but will soon be adding a 1X15 as Trace have been resurrected by peavey. Well worth a look if you can wait 6 weeks for the products to appear in the shops. http://www.trace-elliot.co.uk (http://www.trace-elliot.co.uk)
And don't forget - Mark King was one of Trace's main endorsers, at least till they were sold to gibson.
graeme
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Hi Alan...welcome
First thing I'd ask is are you happy with your sound ?
If so, why not just go into the main sound system at bigger jobs ?
Both of your amps should have direct outs, or invest in a direct box.
It would be a little less expensive and less to carry.
Gary
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I use Ampeg, pretty much exclusively. However ..
Get an SF-2, and anything you use will sound better. No joke. I did, and it made my SVT-IV Pro and Rickenbacker sound like Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Paul McCartney had all entered the room, tonally, at the same time!
Best of luck,
Alan
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Just to clarify ..
I'm not in the same league with Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Paul McCartney .. However, the SF-2 is!
Alan
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I'm happy with the sound and I do DI at the bigger venues. However, I find that I play better if I can feel the bass on stage. When coming back through the monitors it is generally back in the mix with the drums as the vocals take the priority. I guess that playing so many smaller venues we have all got used to that big onstage sound and this helps us to groove so much better. The worst gigs for this are when we play open air as the sound just gets lost and we find it hard to pick up the vibe. Also, I miss the arguments with the sound guy when we are playing larger venues.
We were discussing this the other night and I might be leaning toward getting a pair of active EV PA speakers and running the DI out to these. We can then use these for PA at the smaller venues where PA's are not provided and this would be a major upgrade for our PA also. Anyone tried this?
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I'm a Glockenklang fanatic, and with a SF-2 in the effects loop a serious amount of sonic delight is guaranteed!
(basses: Alembic Orion + Benavente SC5-B)
Wilfred
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hi,
i'm new here. i'm from malaysia. how's everyone doing? i just bought a 2nd hand essence. besides of that, i owned a warwick streamer standard and a japan made fender jazzbass fretless. i'm currently uses my alembic for practice and shows. it sounds wonderful.
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Hello, I have a lefty Essence 5 that I play through several amps at different locations. A Carvin PB 100 combo with a 15 at church. This little thing really does the job. At another church building, through a Roland cube keyboard mixer amp with about 60 watts and a 12 spkr. The church provides these amps. At home and at other gigs I take either an Ashdown ABM C115 500 combo amp, or if it's outside I bring old faithful, an Alembic F2B old tube preamp w/ an old Peavey P.A. M 2600 amp with an old Peavey 2-15 cabinet. If I want effects,( I rarely do) I have a Peavey Bassfex unit in which I run the Alembic preamp in the effects loop. I have used the Ashdown, and the old Peavey Alembic rig together. it sounds really good, and plenty of great sound all day long, (but a lot of stuff to bring. I was told once, we play for free, we get paid for moving equipment) I guess really I haven't found an amp I couldn't get a very good sound out of with my Essence, I just love it. Even today, I practiced 4 hours through a Crate 30 watt w/ an 8 in spkr. up in the computer room. You can't beat an Alembic in my opinion for great sound. Tom
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Alan
Your Ev idea sounds interesting.
Myself and several other people on the list have recently aquired Schroeder cabinets. They're quite nice, project well, and can be heard off axis very well,and have a good frequency range,most are 40 to 18k hz.
Something to check out anyway..they're at Schroeder Cabinets.com.
Doesn't cost much to surf.
Gary
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Gie bass, welcome to the club and congratulations on getting an Essence. If you start a thread in the Introductions section more people will see it. Tell us what it's like being a musician in Malaysia. Also we would love to see pictures of you, your Essence, and your gigs.
Rich
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of all the amps i've used (and there have been plenty) i find the gallien-kreugers give me the best sound for my epic. it doesn't seem to matter what model of GK as i've tried them all and these amps seem perfectly matched for alembics.
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I have totally fallen in love with Accugroove cabinets. They are the best cominbation of killer tone and light weight I have ever heard. The tone of a Series bass through an Accugroove cabinet had got to be heard to be believed. Accugroove's philosophy of producing uncolored sound with the best possible low-end response is a perfect match to the tone of an Alembic.
At 57 lbs, their Tri210 (2 10's, 1 6 and 2 tweeters) blows the doors off of my old Eden 410 XST. At 38 lbs, the Accugroove Tri 112 ( 1 12,
1 6 and 2 tweeters) is comparable to anyone else's 2x10 box.
Really amamazing stuff!
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I wish we had the choice of amps /speakers you guys talk on the forum. Most i haven't even heard of never mind seen. Here in the UK we only have the more well known brands of amps available in music shops. these are usually not the high end models either.
That said i did try, Ashdown, EBS, Ampeg, Eden before settling on my Mesa boogie rig.
I have no problems with it at all and it suits my needs since most of my gigs are through a full PA so I don't need 1000's of watts of power.
Maybe one day when I'm touring in the states I can check out some gear and maybe sent some back home.
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I tried the Accugroove alongside the Epifani (which I purchased). The Accugroove is the choice of cab that Dave Funk packages with his Thunderfunk amp. I went for the Epifani which also weigh's 38lb's as it had a tighter and punchier delivery which was what I was looking for. I already have an EA CXL112 (weighing in at 40lbs) and this was very similar in delivery to the Accugroove which is why I didn't go for it. But the Accugroove is a great cab, for sure.
Jazzyvee, I'm from the UK and all the equipment stated on this page is available for demo at the Gallery:
http://www.thebassgallery.com/ (http://www.thebassgallery.com/)
The only thing they will not have is the Thunderfunk which I ordered direct from Dave after meeting someone who was using one and I was totally knocked out. I would highly recommend them to anyone:
http://www.thunderfunk.com/ (http://www.thunderfunk.com/)
On the subject of cool stuff, you need to check this out. Don't worry, it won't put Alembic out of business as he only makes about ten instruments a year; but they sure are something different:
http://www.bassurgery.com/ (http://www.bassurgery.com/)
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hi rich,
erm.. well, in order to survive in malaysia's music industry, you have to be able to know all type of music. cant live by just playing rock. must know a lil bit of pop,jazz, traditional etc
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Anyone had any experience with Phil Jones amps and cabs? I love small woofers. Mike
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Hey, I'm still having problems getting a good bass sound through pa at my gigs. On stage sound through my rig and from the monitors is beefy ,l crisp and heavy but when I get out into the venue with a wireless to check the out front sound, the bass sounds thin... any advice?
At recent gigs I tried bass--->DI----> DI ------> amp and pa
Then the last gig was Bass ----> AMP ------> amp's DI Out socket---- > PA
still no meat on the bass.
Any advice?
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This is why I'm looking to get as much solid sound from my rig, before PA re-inforcement. I find the sound guys always cut back on the lower registers to help the vocals and kick drum cut through. I love having a big bottom end (oh er missus) so I'm trying to get as much off stage as possible .
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I have tried upping my on-stage sound at gigs but get GBH on the eardrums from the sound guys bacause the can't control it. On some of the really big stages I've played both indoors and out doors the sound guys seem to be able to get the sound I want but in small clubs with a couple of hundred people they rarely seem to get it right.
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When I play small clubs I try to go straight off the stage. I tend to go a fairly high level and let them fill a bit of bass in if they start to up the ante. However, they don't like it as they are pretty much control freaks. On guitar it's worse as I need a certain volume for his amp to hit the sweet spot (I use non master volume valve amps for guitar). The way we do it now is that we specify that we have our own sound guy before we take gigs. He is a good friend and understands mixing, and generally clubs are ok with this, even if they 'supervise'him.
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Just to get a different perspective on the problem, you might want to try micing the speaker cab instead of running direct at soundcheck. If it doesn't help, it only takes a second to switch back to direct.
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Speaking of amps and Alembic, did anyone catch the Distillate on page 28 of the current Ampeg catalogue? Very nice.
Sam
(Message edited by bracheen on May 03, 2005)
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I get a great sound out of a Trace Elliott 4x10 300 watt combo.
After years of lugging around Huge refrigerator sized rigs (Ampeg SVT 8x10, Hartke 8x10, Gallien Krueger 2x15)....I finally went in search of a high powered combo that wouldnt break up at high volume and the Trace 1210H has served me well. I hear Ashdown and Eden have great sounding combos as well but they seemed to cost quite a bit more than the Trace.
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After a dozen or so gigs, I have found that my Thunderfunk and Epifani TL210UL combination works really well with my MK signature. My Eden WT400 also scores highly but lacks the headroom that the Thunderfunk has at high volumes.
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ok believe, it or not, the best amp i have used with my epic is a galien-kruger
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Are you using GK currently and with what cabinets? I'm asking because I've been looking at GK.
Sam
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I have just purchased a new rig. I put it together over some time and it has turned out to be great! My rig is an Alembic F1x preamp into a QSC PLX2402 power amp. I also have just purchased 2 Eden 2x10 XST cabs. The sound is Awsome! It is crystal clear, and amazingly Loud!!!
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I was wondering if Mike would post on here. I've only heard his graphite upright through his new rig but it did indeed sound awesome- and that was with a blown driver! Can't wait to borrow it and see how it sounds as I'm thinking of moving away from trace elliot and building something similar now. Probably an Eden WP100 pre-amp into the same QSC as Mikes then an Eden 2x10 and 1X15.
Graeme
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Eden WT-550 and two D210XST cabs. Portable, potent, and crystal-clear.
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Nice review Karl; thanks!
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Karl,
I recommend you get a mate to help - preferably your singer, cos he generally doesn't have to carry anything
I always tried to make the singer carry the PA, two Voice of the Theatres and an old Peavey mono 200 watt mixer with a homemade 3/4 plywood cable case.
Mike
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I always tried to make the singer carry the PA, two Voice of the Theatres and an old Peavey mono 200 watt mixer with a homemade 3/4 plywood cable case.
Mike.
Can she manage all that in one trip?
Graeme
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Graeme,
(You made me choke on my coffee) Naw, she usually had to put down the twins and make three trips.
Actually the same old band had a Hammond B3 and a Leslie model 144 IIRC, so everybody got to sweat. And the drummer had a Ludwig double bass kit. We made it all fit in a Ford Econoline van.
Mike
The 70s are over? ... Thank God!
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Howierd
In an earlier post you asked about Berhinger cabs.
I've been down with a medical problem the past few weeks, getting bored, so I spent an afternoon checking out stores to see whats new.
I tried out some G-K cabs..The backline series.
They're not top of the line, But I was impressed with the sound for the price. I tried out 2 1x15 rear ported cabs and a sealed 2x10 cab.
If you're still in the market, you may want to check them out The 1x15 is about $225, 2x10 $189, 4x10 $299.
Gary
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Gary.
After reading more about Behringer I decided not to get them. Actually I picked an almost new Ampeg 410HLF and it sounds really good. I also picked a 6 mo old Ampeg BSE115. I'm powering them with a QSC RMX1450 to a F2B and a DBX 266xl. I run the treble p/u to the 410 and bass p/u to the 115. I've always loved Ampeg products but the 115 sounds like crap. It doesn't have the lows I was expecting. I'll probably go back to Peavey 118D enclosure for the bass p/u.
Howierd (http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/22449.jpg)
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For playing around the house, I've fallen in love with a BillM modified Fender Blues Jr. amp. The cleans are complex, lush and touch sensitive. I've compared this amp side-by-side to the DRRI and the Twin Amp, as well as to my Mesa F-30. I don't need much power, so it is my go-to amp every time.
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Here's one to show your age. I recently dug out my old Ampeg B15S from the attic. From sitting unused, roughly 25 or so yrs., pots had froze, so off to the local amp tech. After a little TLC, have I the practice/small club amp. Only down side a bit heavy.
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I run my Alembic Orion 5 through a Haynes Bass King from the late 50's. It was one of the earliest solid states and I love the tone I get from her. I'm looking at new amps but I have a tight budget because I just got the orion. Has ANYBODY heard of Haynes bass king? I bet there out of business but I'd love to get some feedback on the subject.
Thanks,
Frank
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An Eden Metro running an Eden 115XL extension cabinet.
The Metro would have been plenty for a four-string, but those low Ds and Cs are asking a lot out of Twin Reverb sized cabinet. Adding the 115 turned it from an upright to a concert grand. Not boomy, but the lows were just filled out wonderfully. I don't run a lot of EQ, typically a little boost in the deep end, flat middle and a slight cut in the highs.
I was amazed HOW MUCH better it sounded to me than a Super RedHead on top of a Son of Bertha, and it's a LOT louder. Both on casters, footswitch for the two Metro channels, mute, etc.
And it sounds good to the rest of the band, which always helps !
J o e y
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A quick Google reveals that the Haynes Bass King was made by the Amplifier Corporation of America (ACA) which was located in Westbury, New York. The company was purchased in the '60s by Unicord, which was in turn purchased a few years later by Gulf & Western.
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So you went for it, Joey - congrats!
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Dave:
Thanks for the info. It's much appreciated.
Frank
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Anyone have any experience with the Stewart 1.2 single rack space model? I'm looking to downsize as much as possible in order to make space in my rack for my DS-5R. Mike
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Mike; there have been several mentions of the Stewart in past threads. I ran a search on Stewart World and found quite a few.
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Is that the smaller one? I have heard of protection circuit / cut out issues wuth that one.
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Thanks Dave, I'll check it out. mike
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Michael (FMM); it seems to me that one of our club members may have posted about such a problem, but when I was looking through old threads this morning I didn't notice anything. I think there have been a few members who currently have or did have this model.
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On second thought, Does anyone know of any other manufacturers who make a single rack space power amp? I run through two Euphonic Audio cabinets with a combined power handling of 650 watts, so I'd ideally like something in that range. I'm presently using an Eden Traveler with 300 watts which sounds great but occasionally runs out of headroom. Also I need to mount my DS-5R but I'd rather not increase the size of the rack.
P.S. hope this isn't considered hijacking a thread? If so I apologize in advance. Mike
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I have a Stewart World 2.1 and this thing will push my two Epifani cabs through the roof. I just ordered the World 1.2 single rack space. Stewart told me that those issues with the power cut are over so I will find out.
Keep Thumpin'
Dale
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Mike; one possible solution might be to mount the DS-5R, or one of the other components, in the back of the rack. Another might be going with two racks instead of one; but then that might defeat the purpose of downsizing. Which EA cabs do you have; are they 4 ohm or 8 ohm?
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They are 8 ohm models. The VL-110 and VL-208. Incredibly big sound from small cabs!
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Well I just wrote a bunch of stuff, and then deleted it. So I'll just say this. I've been glancing through the manual of the Stewart World 1.2 and on the last page it says you may need to leave an empty rack space above it to provide the air space it needs to keep cool. Kinda defeats your purpose of saving rack space.
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I read a review elsewhere that said the fins for the heat sink stuck up at the back of the amp, so you couldn't mount anything long (deep) on top of it. A power supply or preamp might be fine.
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Also, I just picked up a QSC PLX 2402 this week, and it rocks. I have been playing through an F1X, just using my SWR SM-400 as a power amp, and would often be running out of headroom too soon. I tried a WT-550 for several practices one gig, and it just didn't have the growl or punch I was used to. The F1X/2402 has both like you wouldn't believe, and with 425w @ 8 ohms and 700w @ 4ohms per side, headroom shouldn't be an issue (and only 21 pounds, too). Running through 2 Eden 112's and a SWR 4x8, it gives a great sound either fullrange or biamped.
Something unusual (or not, probably you all know this already) I tried just for fun, and am really glad I did, is running only the lowpass side ofthe crossover as a mono out. Set at 3-5 o'clock, it gives a good sound, similar to a filter on an Alembic bass. Then the treble and midrange knobs will act kind of like CVQ knobs. The bright switch will still work, too. I wasn't expecting it to work nearly as well as it does. It opens up a whole new palette of tone, and it sounds like it was designed to be run like this. Try it out if you like warm and punchy.
Charles
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Charles; I don't recall anyone posting that they had tried something like that before. Sounds interesting!
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Charles, what frequency range corresponds to the 3-5 o'clock settings?
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Ok, so I didn't use a tripod!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/23588.jpg)
The numbers are 70, 150, 800, 3300.
I've spent about an hour or more trying to figure out how to calculate a curve based on these numbers; but I was unsuccessful. If you know the formula for plotting this curve or if you have software that will plot the curve based on these data, then you can tell what frequency range 3-5 o'clock would be. There may be an interactive java site that will do the trick; I just haven't found it yet. And my lack of math skills isn't helping any.
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I'm not a whiz at this either, but my guess is that you should be able to get a straight line using evenly spaced points on the x-axis for the marks, and a log scale on the y-axis for frequency.
And as I'm sure you've found by now, that won't fit... but from 150 up it's pretty close, and an eyeball fit gives me about 1250 and 2050 for the two marks between 800 and 3300.
So in round numbers, Charles is talking about using a low pass filter with the frequency in the range of about 1500-3300 (and no Q from the crossover itself). Sure, I can see that would be interesting.
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I'm not sure on the freq's, either. What I was doing was plucking with one hand and knob twiddling with the other (that sounds a little weird), and using my ears to figure out where to stop.
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Now you must try the SF2! I have 2 amp setups with DTR-F1X-SF2-PLX3402-and 2402. THE SF2 is a great piece of gear.I run mine in the effects loop so All of the f1x controls are usable. I don't use the crossover anymore. Mono out into the plx's set in parallel. I did get a GBE 1200 as a head I can ship for gigs. It cannot touch the Alembic components.
Ask Santa for one! (sf2)
Danno
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Danno, An SF2 is on my wishlist for sure, but all available funds will be going into the bass I just ordered for now. Does anyone know of a nice, small rackmount power strip I could put at the back of the rack so I can fit an SF2 without upsizing racks? Plus mine has been with me for a long time (1993) and I'd hate to abandon it.
Before anyone asks, my theory on leaving the amp rack on the ground is that the tubes will be subjected to less vibration, plus it leaves me a nice flat place on top of the cabinet for my beverage/keys/etc.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/23620.jpg)
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I don't quite understand the question. I'm assuming your rack does not have rack rails in the back.
And I too avoid putting the rack on top of the speakers.
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Be careful setting any amp or preamp on it's side as the heat from the tubes goes up. When I traded my 1972 SVT head to a fellow bass player back in the late 70's, for some reason he Set the Svt on it's side while playing a gig and he blew all the tubes and damaged the the transformer. He took it to be repaired and when it was fixed he didn't have the money to reclaim the amp, so he lost it.
Howierd
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Garcia always played with twin Fender Twin heads mounted together in one cabinet sitting on its side wired to three stacked JBL 12s (with a McIntosh 2300 power amp in between). As he did it this way for many years, I assume he had no problems with tubes heating the wrong way.
Bill, tgo
(Message edited by lbpesq on December 26, 2005)
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Dave, you're right about no rear mounts. Don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I can affix a power strip or 3-way extension cord. Howeird, I can see how that would be bad with power tubes, although I've been doing this for over 10 years and haven't had any problems. My two previous amps were SWR's with one preamp tube each and they never gave me any trouble.
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Charles; it appears you have the same type rack as I. I use two racks. In the top rack I have a Rack Rider like yours. In the second rack, I now have a power strip that I run to the Rack Rider. The power strip has holes and grooves in the back. I screwed two screws in to the side wall of the rack in an area where they were out of the way of the components and where they wouldn't protrude to the outside. I then slid the power strip over the screws and slid it down along the grooves so that it is more or less secured to the inside of the rack. So far, this appears to be working well. Several years ago before I had the Rack Rider and this rack, I had a similar power strip attached to the inside of a rack. That particular power strip had screws in the top which allowed one to open the strip up. Opened, the bottom of the strip could then be screwed directly into the rack; and then the top could be screwed back on, making for a more secure connection.
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Dave, I was thinking velcro or zip-ties, but that's a much better idea. Any problems with the synthetic rack body cracking?
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It seems to work fine. I have my DS-5 screwed to the floor of my top rack.
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anybody play any of the new orange amps/cabinets? they're like, you know, orange....
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the new oranges in my opinion, are ok but if you really want that kind of sound, try a old matamp or a electric amp. you wont even consider the orange after playing those.
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wow! too cool:
http://www.matamp.com/mat-mathias.html (http://www.matamp.com/mat-mathias.html)
you know that guy's seen some serious action.
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ohmigod....pant.....
http://www.electricamp.com/orangeamp.html (http://www.electricamp.com/orangeamp.html)
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Interesting story.
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I have a GK head and very simply, find the GK's extremely compatable with my Epic. The wide range of sounds I get as well as the punch and clarity, in my opinion, makes them, for the price, a nice marriage. I also have a SWR head wich gives me a very warm bottom tone. I use them together and the sound I get is awesome. For anyone looking for a simple setup I highly recommend this combo.
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I ordered an Ampeg Portabass from a webshop here in Norway (250W amp, 2x10 speakers). I wouldn't normally have bought an amp without testing it first, but it was a weekend offer and they were selling it at half price.
Anyway, I wasn't happy with it, it colored the sound too much and I felt it didn't let the Alembic sound through.
There was also too little bottom end. Anything below C on the A string was to weak. Might have something to do with the sealed box construction.
It was extremely lightweight though, almost as if they had sent me an empty box. :-)
So I sent it back and got an SWR Workingman's 15 instead. And I'm much happier with that. It's a lot heavier, but I manage. It obviously cannot compete with some of the high end gear mentioned in above posts, but I like it a lot. It gives a nice, full sound that suits the Alembic well. And powerwise it's an overkill in the band I play now, I only use it for stage sound and we're playing an acoustic type of music. But it's nice to have that 15 speaker for the bottom end.
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Hi - I've used all makes over the last 20 years -Trace elliot,Ashdown,SWR but for me my new EBS rig is fantastic.They are so 'clear' sounding,they just amplify your bass without colouring the sound.
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I have been partial to SWR professional series for many years. Currently I have downsized to a Super Redhead, and I love the portability and tone. The 2X10 combo amp is also 400 watts with a tube preamp, and a balanced XLR line out that is selectable to either direct or line. I prefer the line selection because the tone of the amp is then send to the house mix instead of being a pre eq/preamp selection.
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I suppose it depends on what kind of sound you're after. Alembic instruments present a very clean, clear kind of tone. Through an SVT type of amp you get the angriest bass sound on the planet, and you know what, it's a very good combination. I wasn't exactly sure how well it would work, but for a lo-fi sound (as opposed to what people have mentioned above) it sounds awesome. Very balanced and you can hear every note clearly. I do admit I would like to have a more hi fi rig at some point, particularly for fretless bass.
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I simply love SVT's. I used to have one but the weight is just too much and I went over to solid state. I use a TL Audio valve compressor and this can dial in some of the 'SVT Dirt' without sounding fuzzy or loose definition (which is exactly the strength of an SVT- grind with definition), so I don't think I could go back and lug that lump of iron around again.
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I bought a used SVT 8-10 cabinet in the early 70's and a few years later got the SVT head to go with it,But after I got my 77 series I, I traded the head for an F2B pre amp and the guy also gave me $100.00 That was a good deal at the time.But oooooohhhhh how I wish I had that old SVT head. That combination was awesome.
Howierd
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I've used Trace Elliots in numerous configurations over the last few years, and I get my best sound through one 4x10 and one 2x15, bi-amped, using an AH600SMX head. I'd use more since that head can handle it but I'm rarely playing stadiums these days.
Yes Traces do have their own 'distinctive' sound, but you can dial that out if you want and get the true tone of your bass. My Alembics sound incredible through this rig - lively, responsive, deep and clear.
I'm excited that the brand is making a comeback!
Mike
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I 've been using SWR gear since 1998, tho I don't always play my Alembic, only cause its fretted and a 5 string, some material I play requires me to use a fretless and a 6 string bass.
I use a SM-900, SM-500, and a Super Redhead Combo
I have 2 Goliath III 410 cabs, 2 SOB 115 cabs, Big Ben 118 and a Triad 3 way 15/10/ Horn, I have never played through the whole thing......I usually mix N match components depending on the size of the venue and experiment to see what sounds good at different places.
I just got the Triad about 6 mos ago, its an older one I picked up used from Ebay, sounds real nice.
My Alembic Series I 5 strng w/ SII electronics sounds good through anything tho, can't wait till my new custom arrives.
B.
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My only concern with the Trace stuff was reliability. I had a 150W head that sounded really good until it started making funky crackling sounds and then finally went dead just after the warranty expired... I didn't have the money to fix it then so away it went. I have also experienced this kind of thing with their more expensive gear. I did buy a used 1x10 cabinet for use as an extension for my SWR Workingman's 10. I call it the ghetto stack but it works for band practices. I hate to say it but the Trace amps remind me (in terms of reliability) of British cars. I hope they make them again more reliable than before.
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As amps go I have had the same Eden WT-300 since 94' and it has only gone down once( it was nice enough to do so right after the gig!)A defective power resistor on the preamp board. One call to Eden's tech dept. pointed me right to it! 50 cents later and a little solder work on my part and it was ready the next day. I run this head with an SF-2 in the effects loop and out to two Euphonic Audio cabs. These are tiny little cabs that really put out a great uncolored sound sound without keeping your chiropractor in business. Unfotunately they don't make these models anymore: VL-110, one ten ,one five and a tweeter, VL-208, two eights ,two fives and tweeter, but you can still find them around on Ebay and I believe Bass Central had some new ones.
As far as other amps that I think really compliment Alembics: Trace, yes! GK, absolutely! (especially the 1001RB two ten combo) and strangely enough, I have heard some Peaveys that were a good match. Also, I was able to dial in a very nice tone with my Europa from a Mesa Walkabout/Scout combo.
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I think any good quality, reliable amp, once dialed in work well with Alembics. That seems evident from the posts of the variety used. Depends on the taste of sound you're after. Hi-fi, growly sounding, etc.
So far I've run my Excel thru a Mesa 400+, nice ballsy amp..see above reference to chiropracter. A Mesa Walkbout and Basis M-2000 head. And have gotten nice sounds from all. I even yanked out an old Vox AC 100 head, Fender pre CBS Bassman, Furman PQ3, Crown and SAE power amps. Various combo's of speakers, 4x10, 2x10, 2x12, 1x15, and 1x12/1x10/+horn cabinet. And gotten nice sounds from all..all different.
I'm currently working with the M-2000/Schroeder 1210 combo, and still exploring the possibilites. The Walkabout/Schroeder combo was also nice, small and light.
I was also amazed that I got a decent sound out of just a Tech 21 bass driver pedal.
And one day I hope to get an FX-1 and SF-2 to add into the mix.
Anyway..that's my .25
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Jet,
Sounds like you got some lemons as far as Trace stuff goes. I have had several different Trace heads, cabinets, and combo amps over the last few years, and have never had any issues whatsoever. I've only made cosmetic changes to used cabinets such as putting on new corners or new logos.
By the way, there is an outfit here in the US called British Audio Service, that offers replacement parts of all sorts for Trace Elliot gear, as well as Gibson Goldtone amps and Echoplex equipment. Check them out at www.britishaudioservice.com (http://www.britishaudioservice.com). Prompt service and attention from these folks.
Cheers, Mike
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The new Trace gear looks interesting, very much back to their classic era in design and features.
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Yes it does, doesn't it?
Now you guys have me thinking about getting an SF-2. Alan - you think I should get one for what I do?
Mike
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Mike,
An SF-2 works wonders for any bass. It's especially useful for non-Alembics - really brings out tonal options you could only dream of without it, and you can really dial in anything you want. Now that I have one in my rig, I couldn't imagine going without it. Get one and you won't be sorry. Think of it as having Series II electronics, but with the option of going high, low, or bandpass at your leisure. It will make your Spyder come even more alive.
Alan
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Hi brother Mike,
with an SF-2 you can play bass behind a corner.
Ever played in a club where the public is in the long part of an and the band in the short part???? CAn you imagine it?? Can you guess what your bass would sound like in the end of that L??? An SF-2 shapes bass sound wonderfully, any bass, even the Woyasukixuder of your little nephew.
But ...it's all in the tweaking ...and patience ...patience ...
Paul the ol' bad one
(Message edited by palembic on July 10, 2005)
(Message edited by palembic on July 10, 2005)
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Paul TBO and Alan,
This SF-2 sounds pretty cool. And yes, Paul, I have played in a configuration like you're talking about. My little brother has one of those Wyzlplzkian basses you're talking about - perhaps I'll give him an SF-2 for Christmas if he's a good lad....and then I'll give myself one!
I'll look for one on e-bay.
Cheers, Mike Bisch
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dont laugh
i use a fender rumble 15/150 watt and for 300 bucks go find a better one- sounds real good in small clubs
for outdoor gigs i bought the deads wall of sound on ebay-lol
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Please, nothing is more ghetto than an SWR Workingman's 10 and a Trace 1x10 cabinet that I use for practice. I'm waiting for the Workingman's 10 to blow up one of these days. The input jack has always been loose and I have had the thing for nearly 5 years. It kills me it hasn't failed -- yet. My SVT classic pulls live duties and does so with authority.
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Like others in this discussion, I use SWR. I get all of the power and portability that I need for the kind of gigs I do. Here's my rig:
SWR SM-500 Head
Goliath III 4X10 Cabinet (for gigs)
Goliath Jr 2X10 Cabinet (for practice & small gigs)
I play the Spoiler 5 String and a Series I 5 string.
I gotta tell you, Its a combination hard to beat, and people have no problem hearing and feeling the bass!
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Well, after all the guff earlier about moving away from trace and building an Eden rig, I've just bought an excellent condition used Trace 1x15 cabinet to sit under my 4x10. Should arrive tomorrow or Friday. can't wait to 'feel' what it sounds like - probably at my next gig on wednesday.
Looks like the eden rig will have to wait a while.
graeme
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I use a 'vintage' (ca.1978) Ashly pre-amp and a QSC power amp (which replaced my BGW which I sold a long time ago -like an idiot). No effects, but I'd like to get some type of digital delay/reverb for some depth sometime soon here. For speakers I built 2 EV-TL 15 inch vented cabs and loaded my also 'vintage' JBL K140 and JBL 2135's into them. Seems to do the trick. Although I am lusting for those Bergantino cabs....
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I recently picked up an Ampeg B5-R head and a Kustom Groove Bass 410H cabinet. They sound great together and move plenty of air. I am quite happy with the setup, as is my Series I (it seldom complains about anything though). I'm playing mostly rock-through-the-ages stuff, with a range of tones from Hofner-esque to, well, Entwistle-ish, fingers and pick, and the system does them all with aplomb. And I can lift them.
John
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I am using a Gallien Krueger 1001RB-II running biamped through a GK 410RBH and a GK 115RBH. In the past I have tried Ampeg SVT's, SWR, Hartke,and many others. I love the way this GK set up sounds with my Alembic and my 76 Precision.
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I'm with you on GK! Coincidently, I've just returned from a local store after spending time with a 1001RBIII two ten combo. My Seried II went from a great round finger tone to a killer slap tone, to a nasal Jaco, to a big warm dub tone all with just minor EQ tweaking. Very nice!
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I use a Mesa Engineering M-Pulse 360 and Mesa Engineering 4x10 + horn cab. Simply awesome and very flexible. Between the flexibility of my Alembicsd and flexibility of the amp, I can get almost any sound imaginable.
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I use an F1x into a QSC 2402 and power 2 Eden 2x10 XST cabs. The sound is ncredible. Both my Spoiler 6 and upright 6 sound great through it. It is great to have a rig that can be used in both small and medium sized venues. This rig will even work in very large venues.
Sound is clean and crystal clear.
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Has anybody here tried one of those Phil Jones Briefcase amps with their Alembic? I'm looking for something more portable than my current rig and it struck me that I honestly can't remember the last time I played a gig where I didn't have a direct line out the back of my amp to the PA. So all that stuff I carry round with me is just for onstage sound . . .
Anyway, I'd love to hear anyone's opinions on the Briefcase thing.
For the record, my current rig is a Hartke 3500 head into a Hartke 210XL and a Hartke 115VX. And I don't like the way it sounds with my Alembic - Fine for my other basses, but makes the Alembic sound a bit boxy and brittle somehow. I need something warmer, to bring out the rich bottom end of the Alembic nicely.
K.
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Hey Karl. That little amp you 'borrowed' up here a couple of weeks ago sounded fantastic - EH or something if I recall correctly. Might be worth looking into. I believe the distributer is Overwater.
On a similar (but slightly different) tack, I'd be interested to hear what everyone uses for practising - Mrs J isn't that happy when I unpack the trace elliot.
Graeme
(Message edited by jacko on September 02, 2005)
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Hi Graeme,
Heh, funny thing about that EA amp I borrowed: halfway through that gig you heard, I noticed it 'farting', like the speaker was about to blow. Gain and volume were both on 3, so it wasn't like I was overdriving it. Tried turning it down, but then I just couldn't hear it, so we soldiered on with the onstage farting and got to the end of the set intact. But the next night, it started off fine, farted for a bit then actually went dead about two thirds of the way through the gig - the head was still working but the speaker had died, so I had nothing onstage at all. I had to ask the sound guy to patch some bass back through my vocal monitor, which was enough for me to hear what I was doing.
So, anyway, after being initially impressed with that little amp, this experience put me off getting one of those! (Also, the damn thing had too many controls - little eqs for each eq band! Couldn't get my head round it at all - I can only just visualise what my Alembic controls do - I can't be dealing with all those other eq options too . . .)
K.
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Karl; there have been a number of previous threads mentioning Phil Jones equipment, you might want to run a search and see if any are helpful. I did glance at one where a fellow club member gives a review (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=21273) of the suitcase.
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Hi Karl,
Just a heads up if you are looking for a nice portable bass amp. I spent considerable time and effort flying anything I could get my hands on until I came upon a little Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout. Every other rig was either weak kneed or too big to be considered portable. This little baby, (stick with the 12 model, the 15 becomes a big amp) not only has a great sound, it is amazing how much air she can move=volume. They are pricey but I feel she was worth every penny. They are built like a tank but easy to lift and use. I use either a double cab Trace or a SVT/810 rig at the bar. On occasion I've taken the little sucker in and used it for the first set or two, just to confuse and amaze the crew. Once the blood alcohol level reaches knuckle dragging level among the minions, then I have to jump to the heavy artillery.
BTW, the Alembic girls seem to love the little lady.
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i find that a stereo walter woods amp goes real well with my series II custom
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I still use my tried and tested Mesa Boogie 300w walkabout, an SF-2 powering a 2x10 and 1x15 powerhouse cabinets. I recently got an Europa 5 and restrung it from E to C, back to B to G and the low B is powerful clean and heavy. Thats with everything from Dub Reggae to Crispy Marcus Miller tones. The Mesa Boogie rig is enough for me.
Jazzyvee
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I heard a guy playing through a tiny Acoustic Image bass amp Friday night. It was a relatively quiet 4-piece jazz gig, and the bass sounded great. Plenty of deep bass and plenty of nice upper-mids. It was also plenty loud. The amp appeared to have a down-firing 10 and a front-loaded mid/tweeter. The whole thing fit in a 12 tom tom drum bag when the gig was over the bass player carried all his stuff out the door in one trip. I think the player's name was Norm Damschroeder (or something similar), and I believe he also teaches bass at the University of Toledo.
John
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I just looked at the Acoustic Image site. Pretty interesting little combos.
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Well, I just got my first Alembic this weekend (Spoiler 4 string) and it sounds amazing through my Eden WT600 which I use with a 210XLT or 410XLT cab. Actually, the Eden can make a lot of basses sound good. For the Spoiler it seems to work best with everything on the EQ flat and just a little of the wonderfull Eden Enhance knob. Anyway, I've never heard a bass sound that I was more pleased with as this Eden-Alembic combination.
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I was watching a Mark King DVD the other day.
He was using his Alembic through an Eden rig - it sounded excellent.
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Kevin, what DVD is that. I have the Guaranteed live video from the 80's where he's using two alembics through a Trace Elliot rig and sounds superb but I'd be keen to get hold of something more recent. I'd thought he'd given up playing Alembics due to the weight - every pic I've seen recently shows him with his Status Kingbass.
graeme
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It's the Live on the Isle of Wight DVD.
I got it off the Level 42 website www.level42.com (http://www.level42.com)
There's quite a selection of live albums on there - on most of them as you say he's playing his Kingbass.
If you buy it off there he signs it as well.
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Last night I recorded at a really nice studio here in Portland, OR with my SVT and my Alembic and the engineer said it was biggest bass sound he'd ever heard in 18 years of engineering...too bad the project blew up before it got off the ground because the head of the project omitted many key things...like not telling us that all the songs were going to be completely rearranged and everything we had worked on was now worthless...and then we were going to make an album in 36 hours...ludicrous...but funny...
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Thanks for that Kevin, looks like the credit card is going to take a hit.
Graeme
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Hey Jetbass,
I am curious how many Alembic players live here in Portland, OR (me too)? I know there aren't any Alembic dealers around anymore in our fair city.
Bye,
Dave
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Portland Music is the only one, I believe...and I didn't get mine from them as odd as that is...
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Has anyone ever used any Behringer equipment? They have some inexpensive 410 cabs and power amps but I've never heard any of them. Are they any good, dependable etc.
Howierd
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Howierd
I never owned and Behringer gear, but I did try some out at GC about a year ago. I'll have to say I was throughly unimpressed. Compared to alot of the gear being discussed here the 200 watt head was adequate,no bells and whistles. Seemed a bit noisey when the treble was cranked up. The cabinet didn't have alot of definition.
You may want to check out Avatar cabinets, decent prices..but they're also not Accugrooves.
I see someone mentioned Acoustic Image earlier, I had a chance a few weeks ago to try a friend of a friends Clarus..nice amp, very hi-fi sounding, very small and light.
Gary
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Hey Gary,
I just sold my vintage SVT cab and I'm looking for something smaller. I did buy a small Behringer amp BX1200 last year off ebay just to have something easy to play around with. It's ok to use as a practice amp. I still have a peavey cs400,F2bpre, dbx266, and a peavey118D enclosure to use for big venues, but I want to upgrade. Thanks for your input.
Howierd
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Does anyone have experience with the '57 Fender Twin Amp reissue? I'm looking for something that will allow the pure, almost acoustic sound of my Alembic guitar to come through when played clean, but that can deliver 80's metal leads when overdriven enough?
Jonathan
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Jonathan - a good friend of mine has the '57 reissue. I haven't played my Alembic through it but his tele and strat sound great. It's extremely clean - tons of headroom - difficult to get it to break up unless it's really cranked up. He uses a Jekyll & Hyde by Visual Sound for overdrive - very nice creamy sound.
Tom
(Message edited by tom_z on September 21, 2005)
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Has anyone had any experience with EBS amps and cabinets? I currently use a Gallien Krueger 1001RB-II running biamped through a GK 410RBH and a GK 115RBH. The sound is much better than the Ampegs that I have used in the past and the customer support is AWESOME!. They have a chat board similar to this one which is always helpful. Their tech department responds to emails as quickly as Alembic does. Which always a plus. I love the tone that Marcus Miller has and he uses EBS. I am thinking of switching, but due to the fact that EBS is made in Sweden and does not have many retailers in the US, my concern is that I might not get the same level of service from EBS that I currently get from GK. I am also considering Eden. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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Kevin,
I get the impression that the Eden amps don't receive very many complaints at all, either for sound or service, and you could probably find some to test drive if you check around a bit.
John
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Some things I can tell you about Eden:
I have no complaints whatsoever about my WT600. It sounds great and it's extremely easy to set up. I run it mostly with the EQ flat with all my basses and a little bit of 'enhance', a feature typical to Eden amps (sort of a mid sweep). If I have to adjust the EQ, it's mostly to adapt to the room or stage. I really like the sound of Eden, but I can imagine it's not a sound that everybody's looking for. It's clean, well defined, kind of 'HIFI'.
On the customer support: it's fantastic! The Eden forum is a great resource, as is their website. If you're thinking of buying Eden, go and hang out there for a few days/weeks. You'll see what I mean. I once had an issue when I ordered a new cab and it arrived with a broken speaker. I called the distributor for the Benelux and he told me not to worry. I didn't have to go through the shop where I ordered it, because that would take too long. He was going to send me a replacement so I could put it in myself. Two working days later, UPS delivered the speaker. Try that with some other brands!
Of course, people have had issues with Eden, there's not one manufacturer that doesn't make mistakes. But for Eden, it's really difficult to find stories from people that were not satisfied with Eden gear.
If you go Eden, go Eden all the way. Amp and cabs... They're incredible!
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I have a good friend who graduated from Berklee and he swears by Eden. It seems like every time I hear a bass that I like they are playing through Eden or EBS. I really like the tone that Marcus Miller has and he uses EBS. I know that not everyone likes his tone but then again, none of us like the same tone anyway. Right now I am running biamped through a Gallien Krueger 1001RB-II and a GK 410RBH CAB and a GK 115RBH CAB. I love the tone and have a friend who works for GK. He takes care of me by making sure that if I am doing a gig away from home, that there will be GK gear waiting for me in whatever city it is that I am playing.H e has also swapped any gear that I have had problems with even though that has been very rare. Everytime I go to see a concert it seems like the bassplayer is using Ampeg (which I hate, I had an endorsement deal with them and I gave it up), or Eden or EBS. I love my basses and my GK setup but I am wondering if I could sound better if I switched to another amplifier manufacturer. Of course when we really get down to it, we are in the hands of the guy running the board so it might not make a difference whatI am playing through. What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance to all who respond
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Now my rig is pure Mesa boogie with an alembic SF-2 in the send and return loop.
I've just been on Stanley Clarke's web site and his rig is a monster. I'd love to plug into that for a gig.....
Stanley's usual live signal path is split between Alembics' bridge and neck pickups. From there signals go into an Alembic power supply, to Alembic F-1X preamps (one per pickup), to a Mackie 2600 stereo power amp, which drives two Electro-Voice B 410 4x10 cabinets (from the bridge-pickup signal) and two E-V S-181 1X 18 subwoofer cabinets ( the neck-pickup signal). He usually uses a Marshall or Fender guitar tube combo for a bit of drit and crunch; this is driven by by the bridge-pickup F-1X preamp. His effect are a Lexicon Alex digital delay and? EBS BassIQ analog envelope filter, which are looped into the bridge-pickup preamp and an OctaBass, looped into the neck-pickup preamp.
bit like a mini pa all to himself there.
Jazzyvee
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Well, at the weekend I found the perfect rig. Unfortunately it's in Mike Pisaneks' music room so I'm going to have to borrow Paul Lindemans' Stockings and a very long ladder to 'borrow' it.
Seriously though, I was round at Mikes on Saturday to check out his new Europa (wow!) and had the chance to play it through his rig - F1X - QSC PLX2402 - 2 Eden 2x10s. What a fantastic sound, deep rich bass, punchy mids and clear ringing highs. After a particularly disappointing sound from my Trace rig on Friday night, I know exactly what I'm saving up for.
Graeme
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I've just got a new Ashdown ALMK500 head.
I'm really pleased with it.
Nice and transparent with a good EQ section - a very 'funky' sounding setup with just the 340hz and 660hz sliders cut slightly.
I've also ordered an Ashdown Bentley 4x10 to go with it.
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I own a 1983 Spoiler and recently purchased an SWR Workingman's 15 to replace an ailing Peavy combo amp. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! MY BASS HAS NEVER SOUND SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!!!!! DEEP BOTTOM, SOLID MID AND CLEAN HIGHS!!
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Hi Keith, welcome to the group.
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Another Keith. Before you know it we might catch up to the Paul's. LOL
Keith
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Huhuhuhu ...you can never catch up with Pauls.
It's a breed!
Paul TBO
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Well, after much research and umming and ahhing, I took a chance and bought a Phil Jones amp. Off ebay. Er, without having tried one. Ever . . .
Yes, I KNOW this is something you should never do. Yes, I know you should meticulously audition amps to make sure they do what you want them to and sound how you want to sound.
But this was going at a decent price (considering Phil Jones stuff is pretty expensive), so I reckoned I could always sell it on if it didn't live up to the hype.
Anyway, in case you don't know, Phil Jones builds bass amps with 5 speakers. What these lack in surface area, he makes up for in quantity - the Six-Pak amp I bought features six of these 5-ers. But I was skeptical - I've always been from the 'bass-needs-big-speakers' school of thought.
But man, was I wrong. First of all, the volume out of this thing is incredible. At first I was worried - thinking this thing was like any other amp I've ever tried, I plugged in and noodled for a bit with the volume down to around 2 or 3 and I was pretty underwhelmed - 'This doesn't bode well', I thought. Not much volume at all. So I stupidly whacked it up to 10 expecting not much more volume and lots of distorted mush, and hit the strings. But the thing nearly blew my windows out. With the clearest, most bell-like tone I've ever heard. Not a trace of distortion.
With my ears still ringing, I knocked the volume down to a less painful 5 or 6, having learnt the first big difference between this and other bass amps: Phil Jones doesn't put all his volume in the first third of the volume dial (my old Hartke never got above about 3 on the volume dial - that was as loud as it went - beyond that point it was essentially the same volume, just with more unwanted mush). PJB amps actually do go up to 10.
The next thing I found is that this puts out more than enough bottom end, and much cleaner, more defined bottom end, in fact, than anything else I've ever tried.
And the biggest surprise: I could hear the true tone my bass for the first time. I knew my Alembic had a huge range of tones, but putting it through this seemed to bring out a whole layer of extra harmonics that made the whole sound so much more musical, somehow.
I've since found out too that in band situations, it doesn't need to be as loud as a regular amp needs to be - somehow the sound cuts through the mix a lot better and is much less 'directional': so the guys over the other side of the stage can hear you as well (which may or may not be a good thing).
I'm posting this cos I'm really blown away by this thing and think that everyone here should try one to see what they think - maybe it won't be to everyone's taste, but please don't discount it just because you think bass needs big speakers. This has just changed my mind about that completely.
OK, it has a downside - while it's marketed as being portable (it has wheels fitted and a trolley handle so you can wheel it like a suitcase), it's so over-engineered (heavy-duty metal fittings, thick casing) that it weighs a ton.And you could do yourself some serious damage trying to get it up and down stairs on your own. I recommend you get a mate to help - preferably your singer, cos he generally doesn't have to carry anything (other than his ego, of course, which may be burden enough for any man, but that's another story).
Anyway, that's all I wanted to say - try one out and hear the full glory of your Alembic!
K.