Besides my Alembics, I'm also a HUGE fan of the 70's Jazz Bass. I've got a couple that I'm really attached to.  They feature Ash bodies with Maple and the Pearl blocks.  My coolest Jazz Bass has got to be my '81 Gold Jazz Bass.  I actually remember seeing it brand new hanging in a store when I was a kid.  Who knew I'd end up owning it?  I've had it for about 15 years now.  I still keep it in near perfect condition.
 
Here she is!
 

Droooooooooo-ool

It's amazing how some basses become iconic in our minds.  I routinely hate Fenders, yet I NEVER forgot seeing a Gold Jazz like Rami's in a store years ago.  I've often thought of building a Warmoth like it with a matching gold headstock, white EMGs, and a better bridge and keys.  One day . . . .
 
I played neck thru Yamahas in the heyday of my band days in the 80's and 90's.  They were all gone by the time I found my Spoiler.  However for Christmas, I did treat myself to another 'icon':  An almost mint white Yamaha BB5000A that I found in a pawn shop.  I bought strictly for sentimental reasons, and it makes me happy as a reminder of the old days.  It's no Alembic, but it's fine for an 'off the rack' bass.  I get to laugh out loud at the clowns playing StingRay Fives and Sadowsky fives, as I stole this for 500 bucks, and they're bolt-ons !
 
J o e y

PS:  Ibanez basses:
 
Ibanez made some purportedly 'custom shop' neck thrus around 2000-2001 with EMGs that are VERY fine, if I could just find a five-string.  The SoundGears a great ripoff of the TUNE Bass Maniac, a really cool bass that never had the solid distribution to match its amazing qualitites.  
 
J o e y

I have a bunch of other basses, but why would I play them?
 
Actually I play my Michael Kelly fretless 5-string acoustic.  Not because there's really anything special about it.  Just because it's so handy to have an acoustic hanging there (Jack: it feels like it's somehow calling to me, Uncle Jowles: hmm, that is odd).  All my other basses have become wall decorations for the forseeable future.
 
But I do miss my custom 4003 fretless...

Okay, okay.  Here's my list.
Alembic Stanley Clarke signature (97)
Gibson Les Paul Triumph (short scale) bass
1981 Fender Squier p-bass (not a bad copy, right down to the dead D on the G string)
1979 Music Man Stingray
NS electric upright
1923 Ernst Heinrich Roth acoustic bass
1980 Martin M-36 acoustic guitar
Marc Beneteau acoustic guitar
Gibson LG-12 12-string acoustic guitar
Pre-CBS Fender telecaster
Washburn mandolin
Eagle banjo
King 2-B tenor trombone
Gallien-Kruger MB150S
Yorkville Sound 400B
Fender Tube Reverb unit (totally wierd)

Okay, okay.  Here's my list.
Alembic Stanley Clarke signature (97)
Gibson Les Paul Triumph (short scale) bass
1981 Fender Squier p-bass (not a bad copy, right down to the dead D on the G string)
1979 Music Man Stingray
NS electric upright
1923 Ernst Heinrich Roth acoustic bass
1980 Martin M-36 acoustic guitar
Marc Beneteau acoustic guitar
Gibson LG-12 12-string acoustic guitar
Pre-CBS Fender telecaster
Washburn mandolin
Eagle banjo
King 2-B tenor trombone
Gallien-Kruger MB150S
Yorkville Sound 400B
Fender Tube Reverb unit (totally wierd)

That Gold Jazz is awesome, Rami! You should do a bass version of the Barber Museum. You could charge 'em and we'll/they'll all pay....Build it, and they will come! LOL!

The Gold Jazz Bass was built from '81 to '83 with a few minor variations.  It never appeared in any Fender catalogue, nor was it ever advertised.  They're identified by a serial number beginning with CB-----.  They all have the same bridge, gold hardware and finish, but I've seen some with white dots (probably '83 models), and some that lacked the gold thumbrest (early '81).  It's a true collectors item - I'm glad I hung on to it all these years.  It has a VERY sweet sound.  As well, IT WEIGHS A TON!!!  Puts my right leg to sleep within 10 minutes.

Here is my rig:
 
-1987 Hohner Steinberger headless bass (but I sold it)
-1994 Ibanez TR (the first bass I bought, but I tuned it (pu?s, pots, etc.)
-1997 Dean Edge (my first five string /tuned as well)
 
But I prefer my own basses which I build by myself. A couple of four/five strings with different string spacings and woods. From 24 to 29 frets, with tremolo...
But in acouple of weeks I get an Alembic (again!).I have to replace my one because my Epic died during a car crash.
 
Here is my current main axe

Oh, sure. Fender, Gibson, Guild, Roscoe, Vigier, Spector, Steinberger; have played but turned down Sadowsky, MTD, Custom Shop Fenders, Wal, Tobias, Taylor, EBMM, Warwick back when they were good basses and every other thing I could find.
Continual poverty has led to me switching basses more times than I don't know what, looking for The Perfect Tone, which is basically what my tendon-shredding old PRS does fingerstyle but with the ability to slap and actually dial down the action.
I've owned Alembics before, actually two at one time, but I've finally coughed up enough scratch for a Series bass.
Oh, my.
A few of you were kind enough to offer supportive words during the three-day heart attack I had while it was in transit. At that time I was worried about the money angle if something happened to it. Now, I worry because it's an irreplacable tool for the creation of music, the second I've been fortunate enought to own in my lifetime.
Will I buy other basses? Hell, I hope so...it would suck to balance on the poverty line forever. But for right now, I've bitten off as much as I can chew with a top-of-the-line Alembic.

Hendrick, that is nice!  I do like Zebrawood.  You made it yourself?  I would love to see more photos.  If you don't mind feel free to email me schap1@bellsouth.net   I don't know how you would feel about showcasing a non Alembic on the board.
 
Sam

I suggest we all start behaving badly (you know ...the way I am ...yeah ...suuuuuuure) and give the moderators here some work. So ....start posting the non Alembics.
 
Paul the bad one

Paul; the moderators are all busy working on my bass, so please do not distract them!

Ok ...
what if i yell
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH