Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Community => Gatherings => Topic started by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:26:47 AM

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:26:47 AM

Well, clearly Dallas is about the music and not the technology . . . we're having a heck of a time getting photographs together in one place in spite of everyone's efforts, so I'm posting a few I have (low resolution) to keep the fire burning.  Should be more good ones coming.
 
JT

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:34:26 AM

Chillin' - 4 Alembics sound awesome(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36373.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:35:46 AM

Dave - the man responsible for settling the building foundations(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36376.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 17, 2007, 06:37:27 AM

Man I wish we'd have gotten some video or even audio clips.
 
Did you not get mey pix yet John?

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:37:36 AM

Olie and Wayne layin' it down(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36379.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:39:42 AM

Mike playing John's Exploiter
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36382.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 17, 2007, 06:40:17 AM

Don't forget guys we got the Fire Department out for this too. Funny what happen when you set the alarm on the elevator off. LOL
 
(Message edited by olieoliver on February 17, 2007)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:41:18 AM

The gang of 7 (well, one drummer)
 
 

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:42:56 AM

Basses to the left . . .  
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36387.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:44:21 AM

. . . and basses to the right!
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36390.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:46:32 AM

Jorge on David's 1976 one-owner Series 1 . . . we were all lovin the vibe on that one!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36393.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:48:15 AM

Olie the funkmeister hittin' the groove and feelin' what we were all feelin' . . .  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36396.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:50:15 AM

More jammin' . . .(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36399.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:53:02 AM

Mike playing Jorge's zebra wood Distillate.  I think he tried out more basses than anyone . . . he could be getting AAF . . . Another Alembic Fever!  
 

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 17, 2007, 06:53:28 AM

The pix prove one thing, I got to get back into them gym. I want my playing to be well rounded not me. LOL

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 06:55:23 AM

One last jammin' picture for the day! (Two 20th Anniversary Basses!)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/65124/36405.jpg)

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 17, 2007, 06:56:10 AM

AAF is why I didn't play more of them. I did play Waynes fretless, and that alone has me jonesing for a fretless.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: jags on February 17, 2007, 07:53:52 AM

wow that must have been sooo much fun.  thats just sweet. and to have two 20th anniversary basses there. thats just about as good as it gets. i wonder where those 11 25th anniversary basses that were built are at. i'm quite certain you guys had a great time.  how long did you guys hang out?

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 17, 2007, 01:27:07 PM

All in I think we were there about 6 hours.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: mikedm on February 17, 2007, 03:29:00 PM

That was a fantastic day. AAF, uh ayuh that's a possibility, the spirit is willing but the wallet is weak.
 
The Distillate and the Exploiter were fun to play. Loved them both. Never noticed that they are medium scale basses. David's Epic is a real player, too. I had to keep away from Wayne's fretless, too tempting. Well, I kept my distance from all the Series basses. Hope I don't regret that decission.
 
I'll go through  the few photos I took and forward. Time has been a precious commodity this week and little of it has been for personal time.
 
HA! I had forgotten about the fire alarm...
 
Thanks for getting some pics up, John.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: keavin on February 19, 2007, 05:10:29 AM

Now that looks like an official lembic-Jam session!....i did see one beer bottle & one 7-11 slurpy cup & three baloons!,,,,,,,, did you guys really have a good time???

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: mikedm on February 19, 2007, 05:32:04 AM

Sorry Keavin, not just a beer bottle, an IBC root beer bottle. The balloons were a happy coincidence.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: David Houck on February 19, 2007, 12:26:55 PM

Nice windows.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 19, 2007, 12:38:42 PM

With all the multi-bassing goin' on I'm surprised we didn't have one of those windows crash.....
 
 
....ba,dup-dah!

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smokin_dave on February 19, 2007, 01:07:16 PM

WOW.
I'm jealous.That looked like so much fun.
I would love to play so many different Alembic basses at one sitting.
Can one of the lucky attendee's please elaborate
on what bass rigs were used,aside the usual SF-2 and F-1X?  
Talk about tweak heaven.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 19, 2007, 01:21:47 PM

I had my SWR-750 head ran thru 2 2x10 and 1x15 SWR cab. Which is always a thumper.
 
I did plug Davids Mesa head though my cabs and it sounded great too. His MEsa head had a warmer sound than my SWR, would be great for some blues gigs.  
 
I also took my Eden Metro but didn't play anything thru it. I think Mike and Jorge did.
 
Wayne had his rig, which kick some major butt. I don't remember what all he had in it but I do remember a pair F1X preamps I believe and a Bagend cab. I played his Fretless S-2 (which I fell in love with) thru his rig and thats what got me looking to upgrade mine. Wayne can shed more light on the details of his rig though.  
 
Both my amps are old and well played thru so I am looking.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: mikedm on February 19, 2007, 01:44:11 PM

nothing special about my rig: poor man's set up F-1X>SWR 350 Head>SWR Goliath III(4x10). I's more than enough for the small stuff, but after hearing the 15 cabs in Olie's and Wayne's set up I left wanting one. I think it's called cabinet envy.
Wayne's set up is inventive and kicks. I was busy with Jorge's Distillate when he was breifing Olie, John and others. He'll need to provide the run-down for you.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 19, 2007, 02:00:10 PM

I never thought I'd see F-1X and poor man in the same sentence.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: mikedm on February 19, 2007, 02:07:04 PM

After you buy one, you iz one.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 19, 2007, 02:10:07 PM

I hear ya', I paid more for my F-1X than I did my first car. (1972 Buick Lesabre, $400 and that was in 77).

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: eastcoastepic on February 19, 2007, 07:15:57 PM

I just did the math...alot of expensive hardware sitting there. I think Val was wise when he advised about not divulging the exact time/location of these Alembic gatherings! I'd hate to see Bonnie & Clyde roll in and make off with the goods......  

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: mikedm on February 20, 2007, 07:47:33 AM

The cops would have been there long before they figured out which bass went with which case....geez what a circus that was at the end of the day, lol.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 20, 2007, 07:52:58 AM

Maybe next time I'll bring Sam with me.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: alembic76407 on February 20, 2007, 10:56:40 AM

Olie, what or who is SAM

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: olieoliver on February 20, 2007, 11:00:20 AM

Sam Colt.  
 
Protection at it's finest.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: alembic76407 on February 20, 2007, 11:13:21 AM

so you were the only one not packing heat that day
 
David T

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 20, 2007, 01:39:02 PM

I'm reminded of the old Jack Benny routine when a robber jumps out and demands Your money or your life.  Benny just stands there and the guy shakes his gun and repeats the demand.  Benny deadpans I'm thinking, I'm thinking!
 
I'm pretty sure anybody who showed up looking to leave with Alembics would have had a fight on their hands.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 20, 2007, 01:42:39 PM

I'll let Wayne correct me, but I believe he was running a pair of F-1X's through a stereo QSC1602 power amp into a Bergantino cabinet and a Bag End cabinet.  I believe 1 12 and 1 15.  Mogami cables.
 
Awesome sound, true stereo set-up with the Series basses.
 
Wayne, correct me if I've misrepresented your rig.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: jorge_s on February 20, 2007, 02:52:54 PM

Hey John:  Did you receive the pics?

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smokin_dave on February 20, 2007, 09:16:38 PM

Sweet.I've been toying with the idea of buying bagend cabs.I plan to do a major upgrade over the coming year and replacing my Eden 410xlt cab is almost at the top of my list.
Buying an F-1X is at the top though.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 21, 2007, 06:25:33 AM

Hi Jorge - well, sorta.
 
I got the fedex package with two discs inside.  One was blank, the other had about 30 pictures on it, including some taken at your home?
 
Maybe that is all, but I thought there were more.  And the blank disc?

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: wayne on February 23, 2007, 09:56:27 PM

Sorry I've been out of pocket for a while (what a terrible place for a bassist to be...)
 
Thanks for all the compliments on the rig guys.  I know I like it, but it's nice to hear other players like it too.  
 
John's got my rig pretty well described:  2 F-1Xs into a 1602.  One for each pickup.  I have run it true stereo before, but currently run the 1602 in parallel mode, feeding both inputs from the pre's.  So, both cabinets get both signals, but I've got independent volume control.  It works and hasn't blown the PLX yet.
 
All my patches are Mogami. My 5-pin is Canare and I couldn't be happier (I've even ordered a couple more from Butch).
 
Where it gets interesting is that I don't have 12AX7s in the F-1Xs.  I've got a 12AT in the bridge pre and a 5751 in the neck.  They are both more open sounding than the 12AX7 with the 5751 having a bit more bottom and gain.
 
Oh, the cabinets, how could I forget.  A Bag End S15X and a Bergantino HT112.  Both full range with horns.  I love the 15. Still my favorite - but most of my playing is at church and where I am on the stage tends to feed into the choir mics.  Sooo, the rear ported 15 is bad and the front ported 12 is good.  The Bergantino handles the low B reasonably well and provides enough volume for my needs.  Where it really shines is with my upright.  Running my 1934 American Standard upright with a Schertler through an F-1X into the Bergantino......it just sounds like you turned up the volume. It sounds like MY BASS.
 
I'll close this dissertation with words I live by: If Ron built it or designed it, give me at least 2.  (I've got to get an ELF.......)
 
C-Ya...........wayne
 
P.S. Mica - The state is giving me new license plates, so one of the old ones will be headed your way soon.

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: jorge_s on February 25, 2007, 05:37:54 PM

Hey John:  I finally got back to New Orleans and I re-did the pictures.  You should get them on Tuesday.  Maybe we'll find a few more to post.  You would not think pictures would be this complicated.  Sorry for the delay.  -Jorge

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: crobbins on February 26, 2007, 05:39:34 AM

Wow, what a lineup. Looks like you guys had a great time.....

Title: A Gathering of Alembic Proportions in Dallas
Post by: smuprof on February 26, 2007, 01:49:44 PM

Jorge -
 
No worries.  I'm looking forward to seeing the rest.  Then I'll send discs to everyone.
 
Thanks for your perseverance!