Author Topic: First time out with an Alembic (Read 481 times)

emjay · « **on:** April 29, 2005, 08:15:38 AM »

I always wanted an Alembic, ever since I heard Jack Casady play one. After not playing with a band for quite a while (like, 25 years!!!), I decided to spring for one - just to help strengthen the motivation to get back into the game. Three weeks before this gig at Carlin Park in Jupiter FL, I bought this bass from Steve at SuperBass (one hell of a nice guy, by the way). So, this was the first time I ever played an Alembic in public. I tell you, I was never so happy with my sound! It seemed the louder I cranked it up, the better it sounded. For anyone who's interested, here's the setup I used: The SWR SM-500 was at about max volume with 75% gain. Bass EQ was up, treble EQ down or flat, transparency mid, Bass volume 75%, treble volume 40%. I ran the speakers in stereo with 1 Eden 2X10 split to one side and another 2X10 stacked on an Eden 15. On the Essence, I had the pickup pan towards the neck pickup about 75%, volume was 75%, Q-switch was set flat, and the treble was about 30%. No effects - that's it. This bass can sound so bright, that it was difficult finding that deep, round piano-like resonance with just the right amount of attack; but I found these settings worked for me. I know the pictures ain't too special, but I just thought I'd share baby's first time outside anyway! I had a blast, and now I know first hand why the Alembic bass is a legend in music. Please excuse the partial frontal nudity in the last pic - it was a hot day in Florida...

(Message edited by mica on April 29, 2005)

emjay · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2005, 12:09:17 PM »

Thanks, Mica! Sorry for the trouble, it looks much better now.

lbpesq · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2005, 12:27:13 PM »

Michael:

Welcome to the club and enjoy your new bass. We don't get too much nudity around here - hubba hubba!
LOL.

Bill, the guitar one

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2005, 01:12:08 PM »

Nice Maple Essence! I have an all Maple Essence too (actually Mica has it!), and it does have a very nice tone. Did the drummer get enough sun??

richbass939 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2005, 01:18:29 PM »

I love seeing the proud Papas and Mamas (there are a few around here) with baby's first gig. Shirts off and too much sun? Wow! We in Colorado just got another dumping of snow last night.
Rich

emjay · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2005, 01:28:48 PM »

Hah! Yeah, Kenny likes it hot. Even when we took a break, he sat out in the sun!!! Ex NYFD, that boy. After living there for most of your life, you need all the sun you can get. I know - I lived there too!

Thanks to Steve at Superbass.com, the 1994 Essence was in beautiful shape. Just a few understandable dings after so may years - just like me. I've yet to use the hipshot d-tuner it has in a practice session. Seems that when I set it back to E after swinging it down, it always goes back sharp; so I haven't risked it. By the way, the TI roundwound strings I put on this bass sound awesome!

emjay · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2005, 02:41:04 PM »

Sorry Steve, That was superbass.NET!

jazzyvee · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2005, 01:40:04 AM »

Hey, your guitarist looks like he is using a Fender Strat Ultra with the lace pickups...... ??

If it is, it;s the same model and colour( antique burst with an ebony fretboard) as the one I use as my main guitar, a cracking instrument.

I hope you and your alembic have a long and happy future together. You will cry if you have to sell her... :-)

emjay · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2005, 02:10:13 AM »

Hi JV, All I know is that it's a strat - I'm just a dumbass bass player. I'll ask him, though. I'm never going to sell this bass unless the arthritis in my wrists gets unbearable! Dave, Rich, Bill, thanks for your encouragement - and Rich, to avoid the snow you can always move to sunny Florida like I did, and get directly hit by two 'canes in two months.

richbass939 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2005, 06:00:32 AM »

Emjay,
I've been to Florida about 15 times in the 70s and 80s. And yes I was chased out by a hurricane once. I was in Kissimmee and it was just north of Miami heading north. I remember the horizontal rain coming down harder than I had ever seen. I was thinking, if this is what it is like with the hurricane 200 miles away there's no way I'm sticking around for the real thing. Thanks for the tip but I'll take the snow and 40 below anytime. Oh, did I forget to mention the high humidity and the Palmetto bugs as big as a Series bass pickup.
Don't take me too seriously. I'm not really putting down your state. I know plenty of people who can't stand Colo winters and wish they were in the South. In the Colo high country we have 4 seasons: Almost winter, winter, still winter kind-of, and road construction.
Rich

keith_h · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2005, 11:38:10 AM »

Rich,
Those Front Range 60-80 mph winds blowing dirt off of the barren wheat fields aren't exactly for the light hearted. After living there it finally made sense why they used pea gravel to sand the roads.
I've been through several hurricanes by the way.

Keith

bracheen · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2005, 05:59:24 AM »

Hi Jeff, hello from Jacksonville. Last season was a bitch. After the first three, my Debra and I decided to ride the last one out in San Francisco.

Sam

edwin · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2005, 04:22:57 PM »

May 1st and it's still snowing here in Boulder! A good excuse to hunker down with Series I!

Edwin
Actually, down here it's not so bad. More like thick rain. Up in the mountains it's probably a different story, but I am pretty ready for spring. Keith is right,those winds are no joke.

emjay · « **Reply #13 on:** May 02, 2005, 08:43:14 AM »

Sam, is Debra your wife or the name of your axe? :-) Just so happens my wife's name is Deborah.
I can imagine that with a Series I could almost be tempted to hunker down for a hurricane, Edwin - except the power will definitely go out and I don't have a generator. Even if I had a generator, I'm not sure I could play over the howling wind. Yup, I'm with Sam - nix the hunker down option. Last year I ping-ponged all over the state; but wound up in Naples for Frances and Jeanne for both storms. I was sitting at a bar watching my town (Juno) get slammed on TV. Did Jacksonville get any direct hits? If we have another season like last year, I just may move to Colorado. San Fran is a beautiful city; but I wouldn't want to fall into the ocean with the big one.

bracheen · « **Reply #14 on:** May 03, 2005, 05:49:01 AM »

Debra is my wife. Thankfully my area of town didn't get a great deal of damage, trees down, power outages, that kind of thing. My house was about 30 hours without power. No loss of life or significant structural damage that I noticed. Some nearby areas weren't so lucky and there was at least one related tornado.

Does your band travel much or have a web site? Next time I'm in South Florida I'd like to check ya'll out and feel free to give me a shout if you make it up this way.

Sam