Author Topic: 5 Years Ago, Today (Read 403 times)

oddmetersam · « **on:** June 25, 2014, 04:23:19 PM »

June 25, 2009

Five years ago today Michael Jackson died. It's also the day I took delivery of Mary, my Mark King Signature Deluxe, at the factory. It seems like only yesterday....

More about Mary here: http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_maryswish.html

rustyg61 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2014, 07:09:59 PM »

Sam, I have been admiring your beautiful bass for years, but never knew the story of how you got it until now. What a wonderful tribute to your loving mother! I'm sure she smiles every time you play your bass! Happy birthday Mary!

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2014, 07:11:26 PM »

I love that bass!

moongerm · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2014, 07:23:34 PM »

Many blessings! Touching story and a beautiful bass!

oddmetersam · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2014, 09:24:38 PM »

Rusty, Dave and Brian

Thanks for the kind words, guys!

Rusty, I saw your bass while at the mini-gathering and I purposefully DID NOT photograph it because you need to see it in the flesh --er, wood -- for yourself. You are a lucky man, indeed!

Dave, it was a pleasure meeting you in person a few years ago at our gathering. And you made my bass sing in ways that I cannot.

Brian, OMG! I remember Piktor's Metamorphosis when it first came out in 1976 (I'm 59). Thanks to you, I'm listening to it now and it still KILLS! I will definitely check out your band. Double thanks.

rustyg61 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2014, 10:05:23 PM »

Glad you like my bass Sam! We are flying out next week to see it in the wood! Mica sent me pictures of the new inlays this week & they look great! I can't wait to see them in person!

oddmetersam · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2014, 11:35:39 PM »

Well, Rusty, your bass has so many well thought-out features that it makes for a great synergistic whole. I told Mica I think knobby headstocks are a really elegant, under-the-radar touch. The inlays are the icing on the cake. You might want to sit down and have a little talk with your other basses, though, just to nip any possible sibling rivalry in the bud cuz' they might be more than a little jealous.

And between you and Jazzyvee's arsenal, I'm becoming more and more enamored with the Europa shape....

rustyg61 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2014, 12:53:10 AM »

Thanks Sam! I have loved the Knobby headstock ever since the first time I saw one! I like the old school look of them. I wasn't sure how it would look on a Europa, but I love it!

My biggest fear when I commissioned the Europa build was that I wouldn't want to play my SCSD after getting it, & the more I see the progress on the Europa build, the more that fear is amplified!

Jazzyvee is responsible for me falling in love with the Europa body. When I saw his blonde Series II, I instantly loved it! He sent me a video of you playing it at the last Gathering & the tone is incredible!

pauldo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2014, 03:15:14 AM »

Sam, now knowing the history of Mary has elevated her beauty.
Very nice,

oddmetersam · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2014, 03:33:17 AM »

Rusty, the knobby headstock is sublime! It imparts a middle earth/wizard's sceptre vibe and streamlines the whole shape of the bass in a very unique way. I love the medieval look of Bill's elongated 12-string headstock.

That blonde Europa played like a dream and since I never use a strap, it balanced perfectly when I was sitting down....

I only own one Alembic, so I can't really speak to whether or not one might wind up being neglected. I guess to keep things fresh you could experiment with altered tunings and/or flat-wounds on the SCSD, but since these basses have different woods and electronics I imagine they'll naturally sound different enough that they can't really be redundant (how can any Alembic be redundant?).

oddmetersam · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2014, 03:38:01 AM »

Thanks, Paul!

moongerm · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2014, 09:26:34 AM »

Pleasure to meet you Sam!

rustyg61 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2014, 04:56:27 PM »

Sam, are you saying that Gandalf would have played a Knobby? LOL! I could see that!

Jazzyvee also told me that the Europa is well balanced, so that is good.

My SCSD is a short scale 4 string & the Europa will be a long scale 5 string so 2 very different basses. I'm hoping to share equal time with them once I get comfortable playing the 5 string.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #13 on:** June 27, 2014, 06:48:41 AM »

I'm being repetitive, but each Alembic I saw today is taking my breath away...