Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Series II Basses and Guitars => Topic started by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:24:30 PM

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:24:30 PM

Pics, as promised...
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/69968.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:26:05 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/69971.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:28:29 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/69974.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:33:21 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/69977.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:34:50 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/69980.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 12:38:13 PM

I have some 'before' pics I'd like to share, but they are huge. What do you recommend for downsizing them to post?
Thanks!

Title: 79 1348
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on September 05, 2009, 01:38:38 PM

Welcome
 
Beautiful bass

Title: 79 1348
Post by: dadabass2001 on September 05, 2009, 02:10:59 PM

Outstanding, she appears to have aged quite gracefully!  
I use Photoshop for image sizing, but I'm sure others can suggest cheaper alternatives. Or if you wish, you can email them to me (my email is in my profile) and I will resize them for you.
Mike

Title: 79 1348
Post by: kungfusheriff on September 05, 2009, 02:23:06 PM

Niiiice. I'm not the biggest fan of zebrawood, but I'd be seen playing that one anytime.
At work, for photo processing, I use a shareware program that I think is called IRMView, but I'll double-check that for you Tuesday. It's good for a no-fee editing program.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: David Houck on September 05, 2009, 03:06:42 PM

Great bass!!!
 
For photo editing I use IrfanView.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: sonicus on September 05, 2009, 04:34:02 PM

I really like your new Bass !                      Congratulations  !

Title: 79 1348
Post by: artswork99 on September 05, 2009, 04:57:25 PM

What a nice finely aged bass!  Continue to Play it Healthy!  
Art

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 05, 2009, 05:11:52 PM

Thanks, all, as I said in my introduction, I am the original owner, having played it as my main axe for 30 yrs. this May.
I'll look for Irfanview, I think it's on this machine somewhere.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: sonicus on September 05, 2009, 06:06:28 PM

Then you have been a lucky man for 30 years  !

Title: 79 1348
Post by: dela217 on September 05, 2009, 06:56:55 PM

Hello Lenny!  Welcome aboard.  
 
That is not a short scale is it?  It looks longer
 
Michael (The other New Orleans bassist)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: dela217 on September 05, 2009, 06:58:10 PM

Oh, by the way if you have a computer with Vista, you can email them to yourself and resize them at the same time.
 
Michael

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 06, 2009, 12:11:43 AM

Yes, I have been very lucky, considering what I paid for it brand new in 1979!! I thought that was a lot of money back then, and it was considering one could buy a real Fender for 6-8 hundred (it was under $2k!) But the real luck is the reward of playing an instrument such as this, it has no sonic boundaries and no playing limitations. Those are its true qualities, I have never been disappointed. And I have about a billion hours of playing time on it. Those stories forthcoming (when I get around to resizing pics).  
And no, I'm still an XP Pro man, so I'll have to go the route of software for resizing.
 
So, Michael, I think we know of each other, through a mutual bassist, Mike W. who plays with a rather 'noble' popular wedding band, yes? And don't y'all live near each other? And, no, that is a long scale 34. We should try and meet sometime...hit my email addy.
 
Thanks again, guys, for the warm welcome!
 
Lenny D.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jazzyvee on September 06, 2009, 01:54:13 PM

Is it me or do the controls look more spread out along the bottom of the body than the more recent Series II basses.
 
Jazzyvee

Title: 79 1348
Post by: dadabass2001 on September 06, 2009, 03:50:23 PM

Jazzyvee,
I bet it's a small bodied 34 and the body size predicates the spacing.
My $.02
 
Mike

Title: 79 1348
Post by: keith_h on September 06, 2009, 07:14:43 PM

JV,
There have been some changes to the small body shape over the years. The newer ones are more rounded so this probably affects the control layout and locations. You can see this difference if you look at Stanley's Dragon's Breath in the COTM archive.  
 
Keith

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jazzyvee on September 06, 2009, 11:59:55 PM

Thanks Keith, I have just had a look to compare. The controls especially the master volume are well forward of the hum canceller. A great looking bass nonetheless.
 
Jazzyvee

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jacko on September 07, 2009, 04:32:02 AM

That's a lovely slice of zebrawood Lenny. Good to know you've kept her for so long.
 
graeme

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 03:51:20 PM

Thanks, Graeme, I wouldn't have anything else. And it's been a constant pleasure.  
I did manage to wear out the frets, albeit in a different way - I wore down the fretwire between the strings along the 2nd to 5th frets. A new thread (? - or should I post them here?) and pics will be forthcoming, when I can get a minute to resize them. It's an interesting situation...

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 05:02:05 PM

OK, here are two pics.  
 
This fretjob was done by a guy in Laguna Beach, CA who ironically had just retired from Gibson of 20 yrs. doing guess what? Fretwork! The bass was not even a year old, but the original fretjob was problematic in spots and he suggested I have him replace them. I was nervous about a stranger working on my new instrument, but I must say he did a flawless job, and this is the result of countless hours of playing time through the years. I was even more shocked to learn I wore down the metal between the strings more than the string to fret contact point! I guess fingernail/callous action is the cause, although I play with a medium touch. Very curious.
 
I should mention the frets have never been dressed until now, the action has never caused me problems and the wear between the strings is still visible, but not as severe as these 'before' pics.
 
(Message edited by lenny_d on September 07, 2009)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 05:06:10 PM

pic deleted
 
(Message edited by lenny_d on September 07, 2009)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 05:07:31 PM

2nd pic deleted....too big.
I'll try again.
 
(Message edited by lenny_d on September 07, 2009)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 06:02:05 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/70074.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 07, 2009, 06:03:12 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/70077.jpg)

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jacko on September 08, 2009, 01:03:41 AM

Jeez lenny. Looks to me like you're sweating Sulphuric acid from your fingertips ;-) You must have had some kind of superhero event as a child ;-)
 
Graeme

Title: 79 1348
Post by: David Houck on September 08, 2009, 07:06:04 AM

I think that's usually caused by someone sneaking into your house late at night while your asleep and beating on your frets with a ball peen hammer.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jacko on September 08, 2009, 07:08:00 AM

North Carolina must be a scary place to live Dave ;-)
 
Graeme

Title: 79 1348
Post by: David Houck on September 08, 2009, 07:15:33 AM

You should see what they do to our forks and spoons!

Title: 79 1348
Post by: adriaan on September 08, 2009, 07:20:27 AM

They wear them down with bangers and mash?

Title: 79 1348
Post by: David Houck on September 08, 2009, 07:24:56 AM

That's not something we would have in NC; we're not that scary!

Title: 79 1348
Post by: adriaan on September 08, 2009, 07:27:54 AM

Ah, fishcakes.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: lenny_d on September 08, 2009, 12:14:16 PM

LOL! You guys are too much...thanks for my laff-o'-the-day!
I will say though there is a guitar teacher/player in N.O. that has experienced the same condition - I have yet to talk with him to get his take on what exactly happened. I think it's just years on end of playing time. I've gigged with this bass 99.99994% (I checked ;-)) of the time.

Title: 79 1348
Post by: jazzboy621 on August 31, 2011, 03:41:44 PM

What a fantastic looking bass!!! Very deep!!!!