Author Topic: What is with the "other" American bass manufacturers?? (Read 1103 times)

trekster · « **Reply #45 on:** October 13, 2006, 09:14:21 PM »

I've noticed a dry-up of Alembics at my favorite used place... guess those college students have gotten wiser.

The used place? Atomic Music in College Park, MD -- I always figured they existed on the premise that college students would sell off whatever instrument they had for beer money.. I've seen many an Alembic come and go there... they move stuff usally in 30-60 days or less, unless it is 80's metal guitar stuff (that stays on the the walls FOREVER)...

--T

811952 · « **Reply #46 on:** October 14, 2006, 02:40:01 PM »

My Keyboard player and I were discussing old Fenders last night on break, and what it might take for me to acquire an old P-bass. He mentioned that he recently sold a really beat-up '61 P-bass for 15. I asked, hundred? He replied, thousand. That's a new Series Alembic for you and me, or several used ones! Wow.

John

smokin_dave · « **Reply #47 on:** October 14, 2006, 04:24:13 PM »

I know a player who has a rough 62 strat,all original paint,hardware ect,who was offered 30K. for it.
That's a couple of new series basses.

FC Bass · « **Reply #48 on:** October 15, 2006, 01:07:43 AM »

A friend of mine has a '59 strat. Same deal, also in the 20/30K range. I think those prices are ridiculous... I'd rather go for a 30K Alembic, much better price/quality ratio.

bigredbass · « **Reply #49 on:** October 15, 2006, 07:10:04 PM »

Telecaster (the original, small pickup Precision Bass type, or the 60s version with that big single humbucker) basses are NOT the worst sounding basses in the world. Not my cup of tea, but they are one of those axes you figure you can't do a thing with, only to hear a guy on a gig tomorrow night making one just talk . . .

Utterly, absolutely, with no reservation I say the SG-shaped EB Gibson basses (PARTICULARLY the two pickup ones with the big and little humbuckers and VariTone) are utterly the worst-sounding basses EVER made. They should be rounded up and buried in a high-risk EPA dump so as to no further endanger the general populace. THAT's why you can get an LP Bass cheap, guilt by association. I saw this FIVE-string Epiphone sorta reissue monster in Sam Ash and thought it was a demonic torture aimed JUST at me!

J o e y

lbpesq · « **Reply #50 on:** October 15, 2006, 09:10:51 PM »

Rick Danko of The Band played a Gibson EB bass. He didn't sound too bad, IMHO. My bass player played a Gibson EB from 1976 until last year when he bought a Fender Jazz which he played until last month when I found a sweet Epic 5 which he now plays. They all sounded good, but the Alembic is by far the best sounding of the lot.

Bill, tgo

jbybj · « **Reply #51 on:** October 15, 2006, 09:33:50 PM »

I beg to differ, I have heard all the basses being trashed in this thread, and none could possibly compare to the Teisco Del Rey that I learned on when I was 16. That bass brought a whole notha level to the term fart bucket. (A term, btw, that I learned on this thread, and am so enthralled with that I use it at every possible opportunity) fart bucket.........fart bucket, fart bucket, fart bucket.

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #52 on:** October 16, 2006, 06:09:28 AM »

Okay,
My first bass (1967) was a St. George (cheap brother to a Kingston fender knockoff) 14 lb. piece of deadwood with big rocker switches for pickups on/off and a sound like... jb's fav phrase
And to think I spent $74 for that thing. I moved up to an EB-O.

Mike

(Message edited by dadabass2001 on October 16, 2006)

keith_h · « **Reply #53 on:** October 16, 2006, 09:13:05 AM »

My first bass was a used Vox MkIV. Paid $75 as I recall. My second bass was a Hagstrom 8 that I paid $175 for. I still have both to this day.

olieoliver · « **Reply #54 on:** October 16, 2006, 09:21:27 AM »

My first bass was a Kingston Jazz copy. Not a very good one either.
And James I for one wasn't trying to trash the Tele bass, (I will admit that I did give that impression though), but voice my opinion that I personally don't care for the sound of it.

811952 · « **Reply #55 on:** October 16, 2006, 12:16:38 PM »

First bass was a Hofner, mid-'60s. I wanted a Rickenbacker in the worst way, but didn't get one until 5 or 6 basses later. Wish I had the vision to hang onto them both...

richbass939 · « **Reply #56 on:** October 16, 2006, 07:13:14 PM »

My first bass was a $50 plank that nobody has ever heard of, I'll bet. Ever seen a genuine Velma Bruno? It had action so high I could probably put my wallet across the 20th fret and not touch the strings. But one thing I can say for Ms. Bruno is that she helped me discover bass playing. All the satisfaction I've gotten from it is immeasurable.
About five years later I gave her to a 13 or 14 year old neighborhood kid named Kenny. He didn't know I played. One day he told me that he wanted to learn bass. I said, Lemme show you something. I showed him my basses, including the Velma Bruno. I let him play it for awhile, then asked So, what do you think? He said, This is pretty cool. I said, Why don't you keep it then? He jumped out of his skin. I don't know all of what happened in the next few months or years, but everytime I saw him playing it, it looked like he loved that bass.
Rich

57basstra · « **Reply #57 on:** October 16, 2006, 07:21:27 PM »

I love hearing stories like that, Rich. That's what playing, and sharing the magic, is all about. You never know what is going to spark someone to greatness or simply touch them in ways they would never have known.

David

jack · « **Reply #58 on:** October 18, 2006, 03:17:39 PM »

I gave a kid my first Ibinez EX 404 when I 'graduated' and he gave it back! Hope I didn't turn him off to bass forever. Probably a DJ now.

2400wattman · « **Reply #59 on:** October 18, 2006, 06:54:14 PM »

Ibanez has that effect on some people. They have not produced anything great since the Affirma designed by Rolf Spurler. That was a killer bass and now very rare. I think Ed Roman has one that was signed by former President ahemm...Bill Clinton. OOOOO.K. moving on.