Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Introductions => Topic started by: thumper on March 23, 2004, 02:18:36 PM

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: thumper on March 23, 2004, 02:18:36 PM

Hi everyone.  It's time for another introduction.  
 
I recently purchased an experienced Mark King Signature Deluxe (#89MK5276).  
 
I was on weekend away with the wife in London.  As we were walking around Soho, I spied this gorgeous Alembic bass.  My wife encouraged me to go inside the shop and look around.  I had been dropping hints to the wife for a while, trying  to convince her that my 24 year old Rickenbacker 4001 was getting tired and needed a rest.  Anyway, I asked the salesman if I could give the Alembic a try.  It was love at first play.  But ? I had not really planned on buying anything that day and honestly even a pre-owned Alembic was stretching the purse strings a little bit.  I reluctantly handed the bass back to the man and he put it back in the window.
 
As the wife and I were walking down the street to meet some friends for lunch, she looked over at me and asked, ?Do you really want that bass?  Because if you really want you should just go back there and buy it.?  I couldn?t believe my ears!!  Usually this works in the other direction.  She wants something, and then she  works on me until I give in.
 
I covered the 4 blocks back to the store in about 3 steps.  My bank account is definitely a bit lighter but on the bright side, my Ric gets to take a break.  I?ll give the Alembic a new set of strings and then acquaint myself with the active controls instead of the passives on the 4001.
 
Looking forward to hours of fun.
 
Bob R
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/397/8946.jpg)

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: palembic on March 23, 2004, 02:27:20 PM

Life is about choosing the right partner to live it through.
 
***sigh***
 
Paul the bad one
 
 
PS: welcome a heartly welcome Bob and PLEA-EASE ...can your senior management goive a cal to my senior management??

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: keavin on March 23, 2004, 02:44:56 PM

good wife!!!, thumper,man i bet it was a fair deal huh,my wife would have said oh no you dont,if i would,have even thought about it payin such a chunk out of the account ,but nevertheless a very good move, now your one of us!....i have bass #12.

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: poor_nigel on March 23, 2004, 07:08:56 PM

Welcome Bob.  
 
Experienced  I really like that.  What a great story and quite a nice bass you have there.  I echo Paul TBO's words concerning life.  I'm sure you will be quite busy for the next month exploring the tones you now have access to.  What fun!  Take care.

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: mint_bass on March 24, 2004, 04:51:33 AM

congratulations that is a cool story
 
what was the shop called as i live in England and  
like to now where else you can find them
 
your bass looks awsome i love the mark king signature bass really nice
 
good luck enjoying your hours of fun

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: bracheen on March 24, 2004, 10:34:02 AM

Alembic wives are the BEST wives in the whole world!! (I'm buttering up for a new amp now, don't let on)
 
Welcome to the club Bob and congratulations on a beautiful MK.  Maybe you can post some more detailed photos?  I think we enjoy each others Alembics almost as much as our own!
 
Sam

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: karl on March 25, 2004, 10:10:03 AM

Hi Thumper,
 
Ah, so you're the lucky guy who got her! (Er, I mean the bass, not the wife . . . though you were obviously pretty lucky there too, by the sounds of things!)
 
I work in Denmark Street and for the last few weeks have been walking past that shop every morning and gazing in at that beautiful bass. Honestly, sitting there alongside the Buzzard and that monstrosity of a Parker, she was a sight to behold - made my trek into work that bit more bearable!
 
I had been so tempted to give her a try, but seeing as I already own an MK standard in quilt maple and I know that 'love at first play' effect only too well, I kept my hands to myself, so to speak.
 
Then she disappeared.
 
Well, I'm glad she's obviously gone to someone who loves her and will treat her well. But I'll miss seeing her in that window in the mornings!
 
Incidentally, when I bought my MK, it was at my wife's insistence, exactly as you describe . . . there must be something about Alembics that wives secretly like . . . I mean, I've lusted after Stingrays and Statuses, Jaydees and Steinbergers in the past, but never before did my wife look at me and say, 'You know if you really want that bass, you should go get it.'
 
Welcome to the club!
 
K
www.harambeuk.com (http://www.harambeuk.com)

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: palembic on March 25, 2004, 10:42:51 AM

***sigh***
Is there a kind of training I can send my wife to???

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: keavin on March 25, 2004, 11:36:07 AM

one suggestion would be taking her to a stanley clarke show,or we could let our wives read all of millions of threads and compliments from these beloved alembic owners.

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: thumper on March 25, 2004, 11:41:22 AM

Everyone,
 
Thanks for the kind words.  I am sure that my wife is planning some surprise reciprocal retail therapy.  But no matter how you slice it, I have the Mark King Signature.  
 
Karl,
 
Sorry to spoil your commute up Denmark St.  Once I had permission I didn't want to give my wife the chance to change her mind.
 
Mint,
 
The name of the shop is the Bass Cellar.  They were selling this bass on consignment so I don't know if they carry Alembics.
 
Bob R
 

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: 811952 on March 25, 2004, 11:45:39 AM

Bass Cellar?  Is that what used to be Andy's Guitar Workshop at 27 Denmark St.?
John

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: bracheen on March 25, 2004, 12:16:15 PM

Paul, maybe our senior managers can try some of that reciprocal retail therapy next spring while you and I go visit Edwin
 
Sam

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: palembic on March 25, 2004, 12:38:11 PM

He-he ...done!!!!!

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: David Houck on March 26, 2004, 06:32:38 AM

Karl; I clicked on the link to your band's site.  What a great groove!  At This Distance is the song that's playing; really nice tune!  Now I'm listening to We Got Soul; this thing cooks!  Great band!

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: keavin on March 28, 2004, 04:12:33 AM

hey you guys are smokin!!!

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: bassman10096 on March 28, 2004, 07:22:03 PM

Hi Karl!  Welcome aboard.  Listened to your band on your site.  I like it!  Great looking bass, too.  Post more pictures when you have a chance - I'd like to get a better look.  
 
Bill

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: bassman10096 on March 28, 2004, 07:22:13 PM

Hi Karl!  Welcome aboard.  Listened to your band on your site.  I like it!  Great looking bass, too.  Post more pictures when you have a chance - I'd like to get a better look.  
 
Bill

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: karl on March 29, 2004, 03:55:34 AM

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Our debut album, Roots, has been out here in the UK for about a year now and while we don't have a distributor in the States, you can get it through www.cdbaby.com (http://www.cdbaby.com).
 
The annoying thing for me is that I didn't get my Alembic until AFTER we'd finished recording that album (we recorded it ourselves, without any record label funding, but then when we'd finished it and played it to a few labels, one of them decided to sign us up and give us a retrospective 'advance' and guess what I spent mine on . . .) - now I listen to it and think it would sound so much better with my MK. Ah well, we're currently recording the follow-up and that's got the Alembic ALL over it . . .
 
K.
www.harambeuk.com (http://www.harambeuk.com)

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: bare_handed on March 29, 2004, 08:41:07 AM

There are good women out there. Mine, after seeing the rather generous tax return we were due this year (and with no prompting from me), said Oh good, now you can buy another bass. Two weeks later, my bass teacher put an '85 Persuader in my hands telling me I just HAD to play this. I did and told him if he ever wanted to get rid of it to call me. He called me last week and asked me if I was serious about buying it. It seems he had found a great deal on an electric upright and needed the cash to close that deal. Well, he has the upright now and the Persuader is setting right here beside me,
 
I'm considering having my wife cloned. How many copies do I need to make      

Title: New owner of an experienced Alembic
Post by: jazzyvee on April 03, 2004, 04:55:37 PM

Mint Bass, there is a place in the UK I found on the web and contacted by phone about Alembics  and the guy (Graham) is very knowledgeable on Alembics and seems to have a good stock.  
check out the site.
 
http://cgi.psstpsst.force9.co.uk/cgi-bin/php/pullbass1sub1.php (http://cgi.psstpsst.force9.co.uk/cgi-bin/php/pullbass1sub1.php)