Author Topic: Finally an Alembic owner! Comments and a few questions (Read 426 times)

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #15 on:** September 20, 2009, 07:14:27 PM »

Shure you don't choose a Bass just by how it looks, but your Spoiler looks great though... Congratulations!

cosmic · « **Reply #16 on:** September 20, 2009, 09:17:37 PM »

Thanks everyone! I just played her tonight with my buddies. Half with fingers, half with a pick. The sounds was awesome.

Pauldo, the back looks fine. A couple dings, typical bit of belt rash, nothing major that wears through the finish. Why do you ask? Should I be looking for something?

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2009, 03:10:06 AM »

Not at all, ha ha ha.

That reminds me I didn't showed him my Rogue's back already...

pauldo · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2009, 09:56:23 AM »

Cosmic -
Some people think I have issues . . .

I really like seeing the backside of Alembic's. There is a purity of the form to be seen from that side. The front has the strings and knobs, switches, lights, fancy inlays and figure woods (or professional paint jobs).

But the back! The Rear is where the fundamental foundation of the instrument is born from,,,, it holds the front together, it supports the front,,, without it the front would be nothing but the front - yes the backside complete's the instrument! Seeing the simplicity of the back compared to beautiful fronts satisfies me greatly.

Yeah, I DO have issues, but I have come to terms with them and feel very comfortable with my own insanity. :-)

Enjoy your bass. . .

alembickoa · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2009, 10:00:05 AM »

Nice bass and welcome. I had a Spoiler once and just loved it. There was an electronics issue with it, so I moseyed into Alembic, Ron took it in the back, came back out and voyla! These are really underrated instruments...imho. Even I was guilty of Alembic snobbery and after finding out that the same love goes into all of them, well...again, welcome.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2009, 12:07:09 PM »

I knew that I've never could put it better than Paul himself...

Not an issue, by the way, to me Paul just wants to get the whole thing. Is to consider what most people simply are not even aware.

Enzo · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2009, 07:27:57 PM »

Paul you're cracking me up ! hahaha !

bigredbass · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2009, 09:49:02 PM »

Since I own a Spoiler and since this is new to you, I thought I'd ask: In the photos, the pickups are really high in their routs, and I wanted to check if you know how to adjust them should you want to change those heights.

I have a panpot on my other axes, but I'm spoiled rotten to the 'standby' position on the rotary switch, so I decided to leave it as is.

I agree that with age, this bass has most likely settled down into its long-term stage, especially regarding its neck relief. You can double check the double truss rod part by checking with a feeler guage, a pick, anything you can use as a guage: If the relief under the G and the E around the 9th or 10th fret is roughly equivalent, you're in the right spot regardless of what the truss rods look like in terms of how many threads are showing, how tight/loose one feels alongside the other, etc.

I love colored Alembics. They do fabulous paint jobs, and there's enough 'brown' ones out there!

terryc · « **Reply #23 on:** September 22, 2009, 01:07:02 AM »

bigred..do you think they are high?..looking at it I would say they are just about right, the bridge is raised to 'catch' more string excursion and the neck one lowered where there is greater string movement.
My MK is about the same heights.

adriaan · « **Reply #24 on:** September 22, 2009, 01:33:11 AM »

Some pics of the pickup heights and action of my Spoiler here - same vintage as this black beauty, by the way. I lowered both pickups just enough for the string not to fret out on the shells, with a pretty low action and a fairly straight neck.

Looking at the bridge here, the bass side is further up than I have it, and of course the bridge pickup has the same inclination.

bigredbass · « **Reply #25 on:** September 22, 2009, 11:20:53 AM »

No, I don't think they're too high; I just wanted to be sure our new friend didn't break them if he didn't know the drill, as happens occasionally.

This adjustment, like others has no 'right' answer or 'factory setting'. Just looking out for a newbie.

sonicus · « **Reply #26 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:13:11 PM »

You are right______
I think once one realizes how well the Alembic pickup adjustment works you feel lucky to own it !

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #27 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:53:30 PM »

Changing PU's height and taking off the Knobs are two things that always surprizes any new Alembician... My lucky was to find you guys before doing anything wrong.

sonicus · « **Reply #28 on:** September 22, 2009, 03:52:43 PM »

Yes ! Same here Mario ____

bigredbass · « **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2009, 10:55:49 AM »

. . . . and of course, besides pickup and knob school, I did THIS:

I bought my first one used, and decided if I was gonna polish the brass bits, I'd have to remove and disassemble the bridge to do a throrough job (thank goodness the bird tailpiece was clear-coated). Took it off, took it completely apart, cleaned it, lubed the threaded rods, etc., put it back on the bass (Looks Like New!), re-strung it, got out the tuner . . . . and realized I'd put it back on BACKWARDS !

I always say idiot-proofing me is a full-time job.