Author Topic: John McVIe Alembic Basses (Read 257 times)

Tracey Gholson (fretted4) · « **on:** November 26, 2002, 06:46:12 PM »

Hello there, and thanks to everyone on the earlier post of the sounds of series 1 and 2. Anyways, as a huge fan of fleetwood mac and alembic, I have been planning to order the dream of my life, alembic, and ive noticed that during the 70's , john mcvie of fleetwood mac had used series 1 and 2's. Can anybody send me some information on the basses that he had ordered? type of wood, control configuration, things like that, this is probably a question for mica, im hoping to use this information to forward my planning of a custom bass order, maybe future john mcvie signature bass for me?

time will tell. thanks

Derwin Moss (bassdude63) · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2002, 08:27:00 PM »

An article in Bass Player magazine featuring Modulus Graphite's founder Geoff Gould, Rick Turner, and Alembic stated that John's first Alembic had a graphite neck. Apparently the bass was the first graphite- neck bass and was featured at a NAMM show by Alembic. I also recall seeing an old Fleetwood Mac video where John was playing a beautiful fretless Series bass.

David Fung (dfung60) · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2002, 06:59:52 AM »

There's a very nice Fleetwood Mac box set that came out a couple of years ago. It includes a small booklet with many pictures, including many of John with various Alembics which were his main basses during the height of their success. The one most commonly pictured is a very early model that predates the design of the body and bridge settling down and looks to have the brown pickups.

I have an old FM video documentary from the 70's as well, and there are pictures of him playing with a more regular looking Series I that has a zebrawood top.

I've never seen a picture of it, but I believe he also has the fretless with a stainless steel fingerboard.

Could that tone on the bass break in The Chain be anything other than an Alembic? :-)

David Fung

Derwin Moss (bassdude63) · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2002, 08:04:10 PM »

A fretless bass with a stainless steel fingerboard? I'd like to hear that in person! I wonder how well his strings held up? (Usually fretless player's are concerned about fingerboard wear-not so in this case!!)
D.M.

Tracey Gholson (fretted4) · « **Reply #4 on:** November 27, 2002, 11:08:10 PM »

ah yes, the chain, that riff was the very first thing i learned to play on my first bass, a 70 dollar mako bass i bought at a pawn shop, thanks!

Wally Malone (wally_malone) · « **Reply #5 on:** January 01, 2003, 01:42:57 PM »

I've got a gig with a Fleetwood Mac tribute band called Rumours at the Carson Valley Inn, Nevada from Feb 11-16. I'll be using my Alembic on this gig, however it is a six-string.

Wally

Rami Sourour (rami) · « **Reply #6 on:** January 01, 2003, 03:04:31 PM »

I'd like to see a picture of that stainless steel fingerboard!!! Like Derwin mentioned, I guess when playing that, he didn't have to worry about fingerboard wear. Probably wore out his strings!

Joey Wilson (bigredbass) · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2003, 05:42:00 AM »

Susan Wickersham makes mention of the stainless fretless in the History article back on the ALEMBIC website; she wondered if it should have been termed a fretless or continually-fretted fingerboard !

metalbasscom · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2006, 11:30:03 AM »

Here's a picture of a stainless steel fretless.
It's not an Alembic though.

http://kevincorren.com/gittler_bass.html

(Message edited by metalbasscom on January 21, 2006)

Author Topic: John McVIe Alembic Basses (Read 257 times)

Tracey Gholson (fretted4)

Derwin Moss (bassdude63)

David Fung (dfung60)

Derwin Moss (bassdude63)

Tracey Gholson (fretted4)

Wally Malone (wally_malone)

Rami Sourour (rami)

Joey Wilson (bigredbass)