Finally got to read thru this thread - it's times like these I wish there was a like button...
Recently I remembered when I think I first heard the name - possibly Fall 1985 - I was in 9th grade, there was a new kid at school from San Jose, California (this was in Tokyo Japan) who was into U2 and the Police (new bands to me, I was more into the Beatles & heavy metal). At one point he told me his friend's family was really rich and they ordered him an Alembic - I even remember the picture he showed me! I started listening to Stanley Clarke too - actually, I had Find Out! which had the black Exploiter - even though Alembic's name isn't listed on the album covers that I can see, I must have had some awareness that Stan the Man played Alembics - I read a lot of Guitar Player magazine! And certainly by 1988 when If This Bass Could Only Talk I was more aware.
The first time I saw one in person was probably at Cambridge Music in Arlington, Massachusetts. Was I still in college or just out? Late '80s/early '90s. The finish was all crazed, it was probably medium or long scale with the bigger body. I certainly couldn't afford it, and my dad wouldn't pay for it, which was probably for the best. I was just used to Fenders (and only Fender Japan), not sure I could have handled an Alembic at that point - though it definitely would have changed my life!
