Author Topic: Alembic makes 'your' sound.... How? (Read 219 times)

keith_h · « **Reply #15 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:37:25 AM »

Ask yourself, have you ever heard a great tone from a vegan?

How's moderator Dave's tone? He's a vegan. :-)

Keith

mike1762 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:09:20 AM »

A couple of guys that I would have never guessed played Alembic: John McVie and Chuck Panozzo. Not a dig against those guys, but their tone just doesn't say Alembic to me. In those bands that bright, zingy sound wouldn't have worked. It just shows you how versatile Alembic's are.

lbpesq · « **Reply #17 on:** August 05, 2009, 09:49:01 AM »

Ask yourself, have you ever heard a great tone from a vegan?

Isn't Paul McCartney a vegan? At least he was when he was on the Simpsons with Linda.

Bill, tgo

chalie_holmes · « **Reply #18 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:23:30 AM »

With my distillate series I can dial in whatever sound that I hear in my head. You can say that I'm the front man in the band I'm in, so when I have a solo spot, I dial in whatever seems to suit me or really fit the momentum of the band.
The Alembic is such an inspirational instrument, I have seen how it affects the guys in my band when they are soloing and I change a setting, I'll see a smile and they will really get into their solo efforts. In addition, I dig the fact that I can be right in THE MIX without having to be in your face or overpowering

jbybj · « **Reply #19 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:35:30 PM »

If moder Dave has great tone, and I have no reason to doubt this, he is either the exception, or he is secretly scarfing Carnitas!

Honestly, I don't know what came over me with that post. I guess after reading about some of the nonsense recently on this forum, I retreated into absurdism as a sort of defense mechanism.

Hey I love Watermelon with fried chicken.........does that make me a soul-man?

Only if you play with chicken grease on your fingers!

I have been away from my instruments for SEVEN days now, on vacation. I'm going through a bit of withdrawl.

Peace, JBY

terryc · « **Reply #20 on:** August 06, 2009, 10:14:42 AM »

jbybj...I get the same, it is great to have a break from work etc but boy do I miss playing my MK when I am away.
I don't think there is a day when I don't pick it up and play.

FC Bass · « **Reply #21 on:** August 06, 2009, 01:08:31 PM »

Paul McCartney plays Mesa, the easiest way to get a great tone :-)

I've had the opportunity once to hear my Spoilers next to a great '77 Series I (This one, check out the back of that headstock (!))
To my ears there's no mistake where they both came from, the Alembic tone is unmistakably there.
The highs and lows on the Series are clearer... hard to describe :-)

The best tone ever coming from my fingers was with Wilfred's Blondie (This one)
I was really amazed how deep and clear she sounded, with a really nice tone.
Since that day I'm in love with the Series I SC model, must have something to look out for once the Elan 5 is here :-)

Now let me introduce to you: Alembic heavy sounds!

: Youtube link
I had a slight argument with the foh man, so I was a little loud that gig...

(you can hear that great McCartney sound)
Here's a link to more recordings (Live and studio recordings, will be online temporarily)

That's my Alembic (and Mesa) tone :-)

hankster · « **Reply #22 on:** August 06, 2009, 08:18:29 PM »

To me, the great thing about the Alembic is the range of tones. When I first got my SJ, I tended to go for a sound that emphasized the bottom end, with a boost at the very top - the so-called ass and glass sound. As I have gotten used to it over the years, I have come to use the pickup pans and filters to change the sound up from tune to tune and genre to genre, so that I can get a midrange punchy sound when I want it, a fat-bottom sound when I want it, a zingy top-end sound when I want it - and all still unique to Alembic. The tonal palate is just wide open, and it makes playing so much more engaging.

R.

llobsterbass · « **Reply #23 on:** August 07, 2009, 02:08:08 PM »

clean, clean, clean, rich fundamental. and tons of it. My little Orion 4-string sits perfectly in any mix of any style, and records better than almost any bass I've played. and is much lighter to boot.

David Houck · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2009, 06:49:23 PM »

JBY; great tone is subjective, but if you would like to hear what my Alembic sounds like in the context of the things that I've been working on recently, there is a link in my profile. It's certainly different, and the style won't appeal to a lot of people, and the recordings were off the cuff and a bit sloppy, but I think the transparency and articulation of Alembic instruments that others have talked about in this thread are still apparent to some degree. Oh, and I'm always careful to clean the tofu grease off my fingers before I pick up the bass.