Series 1 Bass Strings Flat / Round?

[flpete1uw]

Keith,
  That's correct my Bass has a Maple core, Koa top and Zebrawood back. The neck is Maple with Walnut Laminates. So if I?m reading this correctly the Maple is the dominate player making her a bright gal. My other Alembics have Coco Bolo tops with Mahogany bodies. The necks are 1 all Maple the other Maple Purple heart laminates. So there is a substantial difference among many others for comparison purposes. All these Basses sound so different from each other even when not going through an amp. There?s no telling how old the Chromes are, they came with the Bass. I just ordered a new set of Chromes so I can have at least a known relatively inexpensive starting point. She?s slowly starting to reveal her secrets, and for now at least I?m heading in the right direction.  
~Pete

[afrobeat_fool]

Pete, your bass and mine AC 76-405 are very close.they were made within mere months of each other. The only difference being your top is Koa and mine is Zebra. Not that different in wood density. Yours being closer to walnut and mine to maple.It's interesting Will and I both found the flat's to be the right string for that bass. Thanks by the way, Will, for ordering such an awesome bass for me 35+ yrs ago. Every day I am excited to play your first Alembic.  
 
Anyway, Pete, I am sure you will figure it out cause you got the disease. Alembimania. Snap! That should be a wiki definition.
 
Nick

[sonicus]

HI Nick !  
                 Yes Alembimania ! I love it too ___  Perhaps a catalyst for the closest known cure is to have two Series Bass's ;  one strung with flats and another strung with round wounds !  Perhaps this could be the answer to the thread topic?  
 
    Wolf

[gtrguy]

Interesting stuff. I find my series short scale has plenty of low end with round wounds and I personally hate the feel of flat wounds. I kind of agree with the changing the amp theory.
 
I played a fri/sat outdoor gig this summer using my Fender Deluxe Precision fri and the alembic short scale the next through another bass players great big rig (we were the opening band) and felt that the Fender was too rumbly on the first night and that the series was perfect on the second, with no flub at all.  
 
Another theory I have has to do with the fact that as soon I get a new instrument I subconsciously immediately try to make it sound like the one I was just used to playing. I have done this a lot without realizing it and it takes me a while to really appreciate the unique character of the instrument I just acquired. I wonder if anyone else does this too?
 
Enjoy your bass; some pictures on this thread would be cool!
 
Dave

[dela217]

~Pete
 
I owned a bass very similar to yours.  It had a zebra top, maple core, and walnut back.  It was also a 1975 short scale.  That bass had more low end then my other Alembics!  Right now I am using another 1975 short scale Alembic with a zebra top and back and a koa core.  It too is very punchy with a tight bottom end.  Both of these basses have the same neck woods as yours.
 
As far as the Chromes and Thomastic comparison, I find they are night and day different.  The Chromes are stainless steel and the TI's are nickel.  To my ears the Chromes sound more mid scooped compared to the TI's.  Also I find the TI's much louder in output and sit better in a band situation since the mids are more pronounced.  
 
Try splitting a set of strings by using a couple from the Chromes set, and 2 strings from the TI set.  It will make up your mind which are better suited to the series bass.  To me the TI's win.  The Chromes are great but to me work best with a passive instrument.
 
Also I find that the Chromes last a lot longer and actually sound better as they age.  The TI's also last long but lose their zing as they get older.  I have not tried Pyramids since the 70's.
 
Michael

[flpete1uw]

Alembimania!! That??s it, I knew I was driving under the influence! Wolf if I buy another one at least now I might go bankrupt. David, there is wisdom in what you say in regards to trying to make the Basses sound the same. When I had the round wounds on my Series I found some Beautiful tones coming out of her. My concern wasn??t so much duplicating all the tonal nuisances but to at least have enough low end fundamentals to branch out from there. The rounds in this case couldn??t give me a starting point to work with.  
Nick, my Bass is #75-215 they are Beautiful aren??t they ??
~Pete  

[sonicus]

Pete,
 
 A fine family of friends  !

[gtrguy]

That is one pretty Series bass!!!

[flpete1uw]

Well Alright!! I Am now officially stoked! After finally getting the chance to install a new set of D?Addario Chromes ECB81M strings on my Series. I now can get the starting sounds that are expected from me for my gigs and so much more!  I can?t wait to introduce Her to the Gang.  
Some learning points are 1 ? on a Short Scale Alembic you need to use Medium length scale strings
And 2- at least for now the ?Bright Flat strings? seems to work best on my Bass.  
It?s hard to put to words how much I value all the input found here at the Club. Except in saying  
Thank You all,
~Pete