Author Topic: Note to Rusty The Scoob (Read 183 times)

cozmik_cowboy · « **on:** February 16, 2015, 02:22:12 PM »

The original thread on your Lesh replica EB is archived, so I couldn't say this there, so I'm here.
I have reconsidered, and despite all I've read that the one you modeled on was Phil's first bass, I now think they are 2 different basses, so the Alemicized one could well be an EB-3. The reason? The pickguard in the pic in Jackson's book is not standard EB-0, and there's something on it I could never make out.
Then yesterday I saw an ad on reverb.com for an EB-0F with built-in fuzz (which I'd never heard of); BINGO! That's Phil's first one, and I'm thinking the switch & knobs for the fuzz would require routing that would preclude it being the Alembicized one.

Peter (who's guessing that in these parts he need not apologize for being such an obsessed gear geek....)

bigredbass · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2015, 08:37:22 PM »

Wow, Fuzz AND Mud. Gibson Bass, an oxymoron if there ever was one.

Joey

5a_quilt_top · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2015, 10:06:17 AM »

Just goes to show what can be accomplished with a little Alembic magic.

That original Gibson mud bass was transformed into a responsive instrument with great clarity and remarkable tone.

And, in the hands of Mr. Lesh, it produced some of the best recorded bass tones I've heard.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2015, 10:13:54 AM »

I'll go you one further, David - it produced the Mama Tried on The Grateful Dead (aka Skeleton & Roses, Skullf**k), which is the best bass tone ever recorded. I realize others may have other opinions - but they are, of course, wrong.

Peter

5a_quilt_top · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2015, 11:24:54 AM »

An enthusiastic + 1, Peter.

The bass tone on that whole album (as well as Europe '72) blew me away as a budding musician 40 years ago.

I've never forgotten that impact and it was large part of what motivated me to expand to bass from playing only guitar a few years ago.

That and discovering that Alembic is still around - !

I wanted to be able to have as much fun as those Alembicized 4 & 5 stringers were having!

David Houck · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2015, 05:06:48 PM »

Mama Tried

Does sound quite nice.