Maple Classico

Started by edwardofhuncote, August 15, 2026, 02:17:45 PM

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edwardofhuncote

Have at it... I would if I could, but I cain't so I ain't. 😭

https://reverb.com/item/20945148

BeenDown139

yeah - i dunno, man.  listing's 7 years old.  0 offers.  gotta be a record.

OTOH, arvada's just across town from me.  oh, wait....  i just now stopped buying basses.  of any kind. 

good luck to all!
Been down...now i'm out!

edwardofhuncote

It popped back up into my searches as a relist. Sure enough, we discussed this bass here before, years ago. Same seller, same location. Listing ended. 

 https://club.alembicguitars.com/seen-on-craigslist-ebay-and-elsewhere/quilt-maple-classico-on-reverb/msg228759/#msg228759

They have decent feedback and have sold some nice basses. I just can't be thinking about it now. 10 years ago, maybe. 

jazzyvee

Niche market. 
I may be wrong but I think if you were a full blown DB player, then you'd probably prefer an acoustic and mic it up if needed. Whilst i've been told at the gigs i've used mine, that it sounds like an amplified acoustic db, there are so few you'd be hard pushed to try before buy.

The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://alembicguitars.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

edwardofhuncote

True, that. And yes indeed I sure would like to try one. Missed my chance when there was one just a short drive from here. Part of me just hates to bug somebody unless you're a serious buyer. Which I wasn't. But if I'd played it I might have been, which would have been another problem. 

The one thing I can point out that an EUB can do that a true double bass struggles with; high volume on stage. Particularly with the low frequencies. Even with a high-pass filter, and some strategic dampening of the top, the double basses like to feed back. 

I tried to play upright bass with HGB a couple times and it was a disastrous fail. Those guys are so loud that I could not compete. A bass guitar and stage rig was the only way to be heard. 

My main gig bass sounds just fine with a David Gage Realist pickup, and after some experimental work with an F-1X, and using a DTAR Equinox for some parametric equalization, and notch filters, I can get pretty loud. I think that ceiling would go up significantly if I weren't constrained by a big acoustic box. On the other hand, the big acoustic box is what you're trying to replicate in the first place. 

Nova Constellatio

Quote from: jazzyvee on Yesterday at 06:56:51 AMNiche market.
I may be wrong but I think if you were a full blown DB player, then you'd probably prefer an acoustic and mic it up if needed. Whilst i've been told at the gigs i've used mine, that it sounds like an amplified acoustic db, there are so few you'd be hard pushed to try before buy.

You've got the one that belonged to John Giblin, right?

garyhead

#6
There was a funny "doubletake" looking at the photo of the headstock.  I thought the photo was distorted.....I've been looking at my 6-string headstock for almost 30 years as the "norm."  ;D

Yeah....the seller should relist this Classico.....On my daily searches, I click "most recent first" to see the latest listings.  Reviving a 7 year old listing puts it as the second-to-last item on the last page.

This also got me wondering what the 5-string headstock looks like.  A trip back to our "showcase" thread shows the headstock is closer to the 6-string with a 2+3 configuration:

https://club.alembicguitars.com/classico-upright-basses/classico-5-string/
781000 - GOLIATH Series I 4+8 Doubleneck (John Judge)
801662 - LEVIATHAN Series I 4+6 Doubleneck (bass + guitar)
94K8781  Essence 6
96CB9610  THE ORPHAN Classico Deluxe 6 (the only one)
01OW12582  Orion 6 fretless (Rogue Electronics)
02SY12927  Spyder 8 (#02)
04SY13333  Spyder 4 V headstock (#25)
F-1X, F-2B, SF-2, M1, M2 ELF

garyhead

Just to push some of you GASSERS .... there is another Classico for sale across "my" pond. (Pacific Ocean)  It's the authorized Alembic dealer in Korea:

https://www.g-cat.co.kr/goods/view?no=2947

I remember seeing this Classico during one of my Mothership tours.  The headstock is modified to accommodate the custom inlay.  Looking at it now.....I see its a 4-string with the 6-string headstock.  Bring it home for $39K!

Dealer also lists 4 and 5 string Alembic Strings.  Don't know if their "in stock" but maybe a choice for you looking for those "elusive" Alembic strings that are always out of stock.

781000 - GOLIATH Series I 4+8 Doubleneck (John Judge)
801662 - LEVIATHAN Series I 4+6 Doubleneck (bass + guitar)
94K8781  Essence 6
96CB9610  THE ORPHAN Classico Deluxe 6 (the only one)
01OW12582  Orion 6 fretless (Rogue Electronics)
02SY12927  Spyder 8 (#02)
04SY13333  Spyder 4 V headstock (#25)
F-1X, F-2B, SF-2, M1, M2 ELF

Nova Constellatio

I wonder what became of the cocobolo Classico that was listed a few months ago.

jazzyvee

Quote from: Nova Constellatio on Yesterday at 08:15:05 AM
Quote from: jazzyvee on Yesterday at 06:56:51 AMNiche market.
I may be wrong but I think if you were a full blown DB player, then you'd probably prefer an acoustic and mic it up if needed. Whilst i've been told at the gigs i've used mine, that it sounds like an amplified acoustic db, there are so few you'd be hard pushed to try before buy.

You've got the one that belonged to John Giblin, right?
No Geepee ( George Price has that one), i did enquire about it but it was the wrong time so i sent George a link and he snapped it up.
The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://alembicguitars.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

garyhead

Quote from: Nova Constellatio on Yesterday at 10:26:43 AMI wonder what became of the cocobolo Classico that was listed a few months ago.
Me too.  I would loved to see that one in person.  The photos didn't do it justice.  I came "close" to pulling the trigger but decided owning two Classico's was a bit over the top...................until I found the Doublenecks!....  ;D
781000 - GOLIATH Series I 4+8 Doubleneck (John Judge)
801662 - LEVIATHAN Series I 4+6 Doubleneck (bass + guitar)
94K8781  Essence 6
96CB9610  THE ORPHAN Classico Deluxe 6 (the only one)
01OW12582  Orion 6 fretless (Rogue Electronics)
02SY12927  Spyder 8 (#02)
04SY13333  Spyder 4 V headstock (#25)
F-1X, F-2B, SF-2, M1, M2 ELF

StephenR

Visually the Cocobolo Classico is the nicest looking Classico I have seen. Other than videos, though, I have never seen a Classico being played live, rare bird indeed.

garyhead

#12
Quote from: StephenR on Yesterday at 12:05:48 PMVisually the Cocobolo Classico is the nicest looking Classico I have seen. Other than videos, though, I have never seen a Classico being played live, rare bird indeed.
I had troubles with mine back when I first bought it (1998)......I was playing a gig in Seattle on Queen Anne Hill.  This is also where the 3 television stations had their transmitting towers.  It was a genuine Spinal Tap experience!  I could pick up the audio of all three stations depending which way I faced!  It was a bit funny at first but really didn't fit in with Balkan dance music....so I finished the gig with my Essence.

Fast forward to 2017.  I left the Classico at the Mothership for an RF Upgrade after the last Gathering.  It was ready 2 Years later.....other stuff was done but Ron had some challenges with the RF.  So, for the record, there IS an RF upgrade now to deal with all the stray frequencies in the air since the Classico was presented in 1993.  Playing Arco is Wonderful!  A real breathy sound to the notes.  And.....as mentioned upthread....there is no problems with stage volume as for an acoustic upright.
781000 - GOLIATH Series I 4+8 Doubleneck (John Judge)
801662 - LEVIATHAN Series I 4+6 Doubleneck (bass + guitar)
94K8781  Essence 6
96CB9610  THE ORPHAN Classico Deluxe 6 (the only one)
01OW12582  Orion 6 fretless (Rogue Electronics)
02SY12927  Spyder 8 (#02)
04SY13333  Spyder 4 V headstock (#25)
F-1X, F-2B, SF-2, M1, M2 ELF