Author Topic: The john judge story (Read 1012 times)

speicky · « **Reply #30 on:** April 03, 2009, 12:28:04 PM »

hah, 31 years after the fact, cool ! Well, it's never too late

have a nice weekend everybody,
your Christian

ooops... post #31 in this thread

(Message edited by Speicky on April 03, 2009)

john_judge · « **Reply #31 on:** April 10, 2009, 09:45:35 PM »

Well I guess I need to post a little something from the horses mouth about myself...Well questions I get asked a lot is who were some of my musical influences growing up, and when I started playing well first of all at age 12 got my first guitar (kay )then a Strat 2 years later, I started out as a guitar player actually from age 12-17 before switching to Bass,. The switch to Bass came as there were Guitar players by the dozen and drummers but Keyboardist and Bass players were getting hard to find, my early guitar influences were Jimi Hendrix and Clapton but when I got to the Bass at that time I was listening and playing ELP songs and Gentle Giant due to the complexity of the licks back then it was considered hard stuff to play. At first I had to play with a pick and we started working on Original material also kept me busy then on the side we fooled around with funk like Tower of Power and we started gigin on some of that stuff to make bucks but had to put the pick down to do the rest strokes, After that we covered Pictures on an Exhibition by ELP and being it was a classical piece it was fun learning, You learn a lot about your playing and music ability when you tackle a Classical piece Lots of notes and musical passages to learn. Now for the record I play using everything except a pick when I need that kind of sound I place my thumb and fore finger together and use it accordingly, I do slaps , pops, taps, hammer on's rolls and John's Entwhistle typewriter technique which he took the time to show me(may he rest in peace).. What ever it takes to express the note and piece I am playing is what I play, but at all times I am enjoying the sound coming from my Alembic and you should too, because these Basses have a great ability to be tweaked to perfection..so tweak um up people and rumble the ground and be heard..till next post cheers John

senmen · « **Reply #32 on:** April 11, 2009, 03:16:55 AM »

Dear John,
a warm welcome to this forum.
I am very happy and proud to see you posting here in the forum.
I once had the chance to play your old bass at the home of the current owner and it is gorgeous (see picture above).
I am also a huge fan of JE so I know what you mean......
I hope to see you more often in here to share your knowledge with all the Alembic fans in here.
Take care
Oliver (Spyderman)

rami · « **Reply #33 on:** April 11, 2009, 02:08:58 PM »

Welcome to the club John. It's a true honor for me to correspond with you. I appreciate what you said about tackling a Classical piece. I've really gotten into Bach in the last couple of years. After each piece that I learn, I have the satisfaction of someone who climbed Mount Everest. I learn about my musical ability and my technique like never before. It boils down to committment and hard work. And on Alembic Series II - the sound is like nothing else!.

I won't bug you with questions about the Masterpiece Doubleneck forever known as THE JOHN JUDGE, but I'd like to know if you designed your current Alembics, and if we may get to see them someday soon.

Here's my Black Byrd:

Once again, you have my best wishes and eternal respect.

Rami

john_judge · « **Reply #34 on:** April 11, 2009, 10:14:00 PM »

Very nice Rami beautiful wood tones and color's and looks like you have wood cover pickup covers...nice touch
To answer your question, my Alembics I am using now are not custom they were bought in different locations actually 1 on the East coast 1 out of Vegas , I have 2 bass designs that I have tossed around for years that are drawn to scale but do to touring and moving around a lot during that time I never got the drawings to final spec, but there is one in particular of the 2 designs that I want to do but it is so out there that Alembic may say no way or it will take a long time to build, I even have a beautiful piece of Koa for the body that I picked up in Hawaii and had it cut by experts to make tops and bottoms for me for the project, this piece has the most magnificent feather type grain going through the wood that it looks so 3D it will be breathtaking when finished. Right now I am pondering the final plans of this custom project. Rami it is never a bother for me to talk about past present and future with fellow Bassist and I dig Bach 2 part inventions and fugue's. Climb all the mountains and when there are no more to climb then go down to the valley's and welcome a new technique and sound with open arms to learn to teach and for all to hear ...Cheer's Rami and all the best to you....John Judge

(Message edited by John Judge on April 11, 2009)

rami · « **Reply #35 on:** April 12, 2009, 10:39:42 AM »

Thanks for the kind and inspiring words John. They really mean alot to me. Perhaps someday we may get to see another great collaboration between you and Alembic. It would be the most interesting Featured Custom ever.

The Black Byrd will probably be my last (it was as expensive as it looks!) but I hope it will live on like your Doubleneck. It's made of two woods exclusively: Ebony and Purpleheart, 36 scale with Series II electronics. I was the first to incorporate continuous wood pickups (in a previous design called the Dark Prince). Hopefully it'll be a featured custom someday.

I'd love to hear about your current projects and who inspires you today.

Best wishes,

Rami

lbpesq · « **Reply #36 on:** April 12, 2009, 11:37:27 AM »

It's really cool reading about the history of the iconic John Judge bass. Rami's Black Byrd is pretty awe-inspiring too. I was fortunate enough to see it in person hanging in the showroom at Alembic just after completion. The Macassar ebony on top is nothing short of breathtaking. I'm also a fan of wood-covered pick ups. The pickups on Woody are covered in cocobolo.

Bill, tgo

keurosix · « **Reply #37 on:** April 12, 2009, 06:02:15 PM »

Hi John,
Welcome to the club! It's been a very long time since I saw you, and a lot has happened in that time. Really nice to hear from you and am looking forward to more tidbits of wisdom to come. I was honored to take care of the doubleneck for a short time, and treated her like gold. You have created a piece of history that all of us will never forget.
Kris

john_judge · « **Reply #38 on:** April 12, 2009, 06:43:43 PM »

Hey Kris! how are you doing these days and yes it has been a very long time indeed and for the record I knew you being the next custodian of my old Bass that it would be well taken care of. I hope you got to read some of the post that my old student Greg Yonni has posted and myself adding some. It might fill in some blanks of time since I've seen you..Has to be 25 years since I have seen you!
Just for the record here, Members... Kris is and old friend from around my old neck of the woods and Kris is a very talented Bassist of epic proportion we kind of grew up grooving on the same veins of music..Great to here from you Kris..Hey email me direct anytime Kris, I am planning a trip up your way fairly soon maybe we can do lunch or something take care and drop me a email John

john_judge · « **Reply #39 on:** April 13, 2009, 12:32:41 PM »

Ok here it is , the question of all questions sent to me by email by a club member and yes I will answer this one...On this post, sounds like good trivia anyway..
I was asked, did I have a name for the Bass prior to Christian calling it Peggy the answer is yes!....I named it Goliath as in the Giant, the Bass was heavy and huge and in the case it was like trying to carry a marshall head with a 4-12 cab glued to the head, constantly banging at your shin's ! lol! 28lb Bass and about 75 in the case...so I called it Goliath for every day I had to decide like David which Neck I was going to slay and how to do it! but I loved every moment of it because you get this certain Awe over you and a feeling thats hard to describe, when you hold it in your hands and against your body, you know you have the ultimate challenge before you... So the answer is yes I called it Goliath! One time during a recording session in Atlanta I walked in and looked at the board console and marked on the tape it said David & Goliath for the bass track area, so some of the guys would joke with me and say I should of told Rotosound/Superwound my name was David before the Ad's came out....world peace everyone and I hope you all had a happy holiday John

rami · « **Reply #40 on:** April 13, 2009, 03:49:03 PM »

John, with all due respect (and I'll understand if you don't wish to answer this one), my question would be why you sold it in the first place?
I could part with any of my Basses with the exception of my custom Alembics. The thought of someone else holding my Black Byrd, Dark Prince or Evil Twin Basses and re-naming them Peggy would absolutely break my heart. That's just how I feel. My attachment to them goes far beyond what anyone could offer me financially - even if I could no longer play them. They're like a physical part of me.
I certainly don't mean to question anyone's motives, but I feel heartbroken to see The John Judge renamed Peggy. It just seems unbecoming for such an Alembic icon.
I just feel that I needed to say that. I apologize if I stepped on any toes.

Peace,

Rami

john_judge · « **Reply #41 on:** April 13, 2009, 04:08:56 PM »

I will answer you that question but I will do it privately if you must know you can email me direct at topamountain@msn.com and in the subject line put Rami and I will email you back with the answer there is just too much to be said about that to post

rami · « **Reply #42 on:** April 13, 2009, 04:33:25 PM »

John, I apologize if my curiosity may have opened any old wounds. I certainly want to respect your privacy and not go further. Your parting of ways may be an experience not meant to be re-lived.

Peace,

Rami

john_judge · « **Reply #43 on:** April 13, 2009, 09:10:03 PM »

No need to appologize Rami Iv'e been in battle before and I heal fast, Life goes on for me and my old Bass till we finally break down from old age but hopefully we were able to inspire others to create and express from within I never stop creating, That was then and this is now and now maybe it's time for me to unleach my new custom design onto the world and I already have a name for it, be patient my friend soon you will see the coming of a new musical age, Talented players are seeping out of the wood work and emerging back on top more and more
and even when my last dying breath comes I will create whether it is painting, carving, spraying, polishing, sketching and my upmost passion Music , writing , producing, engineering, recording or just sitting at home playing I will always be remembered by me! for my efforts and not giving up and my biggest fan my mom, who believed in me and bought me my first Guitar.Remember someone out there loves what you do besides yourself, you just have to take the time to create and find them. Peace my friend John Judge

gyonnii · « **Reply #44 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:09:59 PM »

Please don't get mad at me John....I found this picture I took of you from behind the sound glass/recording booth in Atlanta studio while John was laying down some tracks with Kerry livgreen from Kansas for a solo project at the time, but it never surfaced. John doesn't like this picture too much because it reminds him of that week at the studio, He use to say all Bassed up and nowhere to go !..Sorry John but I love the darkness of this photo of how it show's off the zebrawood grain, hail Alembic!