Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Signature Basses => Topic started by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 09:48:26 PM

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 09:48:26 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74523.jpg)
 
In keeping with my apparent desire for basses that are not too fancy, not too plain, I picked up this little jewel of a Stanley Clarke Signature.  What makes this one so special is that every aspect of it is pretty much perfect.  It has a very thin neck on it, so it is a lot of fun to play.  It sounds amazingly large so such a petite bass.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 09:55:25 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74526.jpg)
 
It has the newer Gotoh tuners on it, which I like much better than the old ones.  The bass is pretty much like any other cocobolo SC Deluxe with LEDs, I suppose.  Everyone paid attention to detail when they made this one.  So, it is an especially nice bass.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 10:02:09 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74529.jpg)
 
I was going to state that there is not a scratch on it, but the above picture would prove me wrong.  I should note that the back plates and tail piece still have the plastic/coating they came out of the factory with to keep them shiny till it wears off, and the fine scratches shown are in the coating.  So I would still have to consider the bass dead mint in condition.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 10:07:08 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74532.jpg)
 
I think the front and back lams are all from the same board, as they all have the 'same' two knots in each lam.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: Enzo on December 22, 2009, 10:13:58 PM

AWESOME piece !  
 
The only problem I see in it is that....it's not mine !

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 10:17:26 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74536.jpg)
 
It is winter here and I have all the windows covered to save heating oil here in the wasteland.  So I have to use a flash, which is very unforgiving in showing every speck of dust and finger print on the bass.  It is even showing the grain of the ebony knobs I forgot to lemon oil before taking the pictures.  I did not really like the little knobs the bass came with, so I put some ebony and gold old Alembic 'hat' style ones on it that I got from David King.  I like them so much they are going on all my Alembics, for sure, and maybe some others, too.  What it does not show is that some of the gold of the ALEMBIC on the front pickup is rubbed off.  The only hint that lets you know the bass is played regularly.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 10:20:38 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74539.jpg)

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 10:27:29 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/74542.jpg)
 
Such a nice, perfect, beautiful little bass.  I highly suggest an SC to anyone who is looking around and thinking of buying one.  They are just great basses!

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: the_jester on December 22, 2009, 10:59:03 PM

Thomas, your pictures are truly astonishing. I must say, your camera work is very good -- just the crown (head stock) alone takes up 80% of my screen, and with clarity too. Also, the diagonal shots of the entire bass was a very clever technique as well.
 
I have one question if you don't mind...
 
What kind of camera are you using to take such wonderful pictures?
 
Also, what color are the LED's on your SC?
 
Peace and Love -
 
 
 
(Message edited by the_jester on December 22, 2009)

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on December 22, 2009, 11:06:31 PM

Hi Hal.  I have a little Nikon Coolpix 5400 (I think), which is totally automatic, as I suck badly at photography.  These basses should really be shot outside, or in a room with lots of full-spectrumn light, so they look more like they do in person.  I did not want to wait until spring to post their pictures, so . . . LEDs are red.  The other colored LEDs are too bright for my eyes, especially when the lights go low.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: mario_farufyno on December 23, 2009, 01:53:56 AM

Look at those eyes! Nice top, Nigel...

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: David Houck on January 02, 2010, 08:20:45 PM

I love the top and back lams!

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 22, 2011, 10:54:30 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105099.jpg)
 
Gee, it only took about 16 months, but I finally got some outside pictures.  Natural lighting is much better for getting pictures to convey more of the 'real' colors of wood, unless you are a pro photographer, which I isn't.  This is a fun, fun, fun bass.  All my guitar playing friends love it!  A bass they can play with out sore fingers later - Those wimps!

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: jazzyvee on May 22, 2011, 11:13:17 PM

Are you ready to sell that super Europa yet then Nigel?
 
Jazzyvee

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 22, 2011, 11:19:16 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105102.jpg)
 
Actually, my deck is terrible for taking pictures.  It is all the tall trees in the area.  Most of the light in the day is little patches of about a square foot all over the place, filtering through all the trees.  Arial photography of this area looks like some roads going through a thickly populated forests.  Still better than inside light.  Magalia is like a huge retirement trailer park where the average age here is 49.  Lots of retired southern Californians, old hippies, new hippies, survivalists, mountain men wannabees, and a few homeshored workers stuck on the mountain.  The place is densely populated - over crowding in the mountains, ya!  No street lights, city water, or city conveniences, $7 hamburger at the store, and the pizza parlor's best pizza is nameed The Garbage Can, and no one can name all of the ingredients used in their creation.  Kind of like Ellie Mae Clampet swimming with her critters in the cement pond, smoking pot, minus the cement pond.  It's a tough decision out omn the deck - take pictures of my basses, or the family of deer who have just walked into my back yard to graze on what little grass I have growing there.  They are all over the place here, and not afraid of humans or cars.  Most people drive slow for them, and I did have to break hard twpo weeks ago for a flock of wild turkeys who flew out of the woods across the street from the grocery store/bank in town, and waddled around in the road for awhile.  Well, better than gang violence in the bigger cities down south, I suppose.  Huh?  What does that have to do with Alembic basses?  Good question.  Cabin fevor?  Naw, drove down the mountain to Paradise this afternoon for some of the best Mexican shredded beef goodies I have had in decades (Meho's, I highly recommend them!).  It is good to be back on the left coast.  Oh, the weather here is very good for Alembic basses - There, covered nicely.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 22, 2011, 11:27:18 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105110.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105111.jpg)
  The headstock really is that dark, both on the front and back lams.  Well, the back view is ridiculously dark.  I'll post pix of those where the real color shade is more evident.  Cocobolo comes in quite a wide variety of flavors.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 22, 2011, 11:56:44 PM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105115.jpg)
 
I put the bass down, I blow off the dust, I pick up my camera, I blow off the dust again, I take the picture - Welcome to the mountains of northern California - Kind of northern, anyway - argueable . . .  
 
Anyway, much darker cocobolo on the headstock.  I love dark woods best for looking at.  Maple is wonderful for nice highs, so I always try to have at least one maple bass around.  I do look at my basses alot.  I have about eight of them on stands maybe three feet away from my work desk and look over at them when stressing out with clients.  I talk to them, too, but that charge will not stand up in court, so forget it.  I do not know if the logo is brass or bronze.  Probably bronze, as it shines and I have never polished it.  I have had many people tell me this is the most beautiful bass they have ever seen.  It is beautiful, and it is about the only perfectly made any brand bass I have ever seen.  It's tail piece is even perfectly centered - No, I'm not kidding, it really is - Come see for yourself!  Geeze, statistically one had to be centered perfectly after all these years, and I won the Alembic lottery and got it - Lucky!

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 23, 2011, 12:02:46 AM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/105118.jpg)
 
I am surprised I left these tuners on the bass.  I am a big Hipshot Ultralight fan.  But these are 20:1 and actually seem qualitive.  My Europa came with an old set that I disliked, so the machines got swapped as fast as FedEx could deliver on that bass.  I sure am in a gabby mood tonight - OK, I'll shut up now.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 26, 2011, 12:15:08 AM

Jazzyvee - Sorry, I missed your post.  When I get to posting pictures and yakking . . .  Have you ever made me an offer on the Europa?  Best to wait until after I send it to the factory and get it fixed up.  Then again, if you made me an offer I couldn't refuse, then I would not be sending it westward . . . .

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: jazzyvee on May 26, 2011, 05:08:53 AM

Email me your contact number and let's talk....!!!
btw: What are you having fixed up on it?
 
Jazzyvee

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on May 26, 2011, 04:59:26 PM

E-mails sent.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: seventhsunbass on June 02, 2011, 09:23:37 AM

That is one absolutely stunning beauty. The bass almost looks alive, just breathtaking. Enjoy, my friend.

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: curly_owl on February 02, 2013, 05:45:25 AM

I want this bass!!!

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: artswork99 on February 02, 2013, 08:01:21 AM

The bass appears that it may be available - http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/148921.html (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=13623)

Title: SN 06SC13692
Post by: poor_nigel on February 02, 2013, 12:48:54 PM

It seems this bass is no longer available and has been bought by the person who had first dibs on her.  I envy him already . . . .
 
>>
 
(Message edited by poor_nigel on February 02, 2013)