Alembic Owners Full time Pro's or Part time Musicians?

[jazzyvee]

I'm fortunate to be the owner of a few Alembics and as much as I work professionally, ( not full time), at the moment as a musician, I haven't earned enough from music to be able to afford to buy my Alembics. The only reason I have them is due to the fact I've had a day job since left school and saved my hard earned cash for them, subsidised in part by earnings from music.
 
I wonder if most of the Alembic owners have a similar status. Love the instruments, own them but are not full time pro's.
 
It would be interesting to find out the balance between the number of alembic owners who are full time musicians ( i.e. earn all or almost all their income as a musician) vs amateurs or semi-professional musicians ( earn most of their income from outside music performance), and whether their alembic purchase was from music earnings totally or otherwise.
 
Just me being nosey I guess because everyone I have met who has an alembic ( only 4 people) has a day job not in music and is semi-pro or an amateur who only plays at home.
 
Jazzyvee

[811952]

When I bought my Series I in 1981, I was a full-time musician.  811952 (a custom order worked out with Beverly and Susan over the phone) was paid for with money earned playing music (which didn't amount to much that year) and some teaching.  Since sometime in 1986 I've had normal day gigs, with music being a sideline.  For some years I didn't play music at all, which ironically gave me fresh perspectives when I picked it up again.  I make less money now than I did in '84-'85, although by most accounts I'm not doing too badly at all.  It seems though that as I have gotten older and my priorities have shifted towards creating and maintaining a stable lifestyle for the wife and kids, being able to set aside that kind of money for another custom Alembic is probably just a far-off fantasy.  My advice to the younger musicians reading these pages is to get your order in with Val or Mica before life starts demanding you direct those resources elsewhere!
 
John

[kmh364]

I'm an amateur hobbyist...if I play with others, it's usually for free.  
 
I'm divorced with decent civil service job and no real bills, so a substantial chunk of my income is disposable.  
 
I've been playing for 28yrs (on and off) and I still have all the decent insruments I've ever bought. The difference between me now, as opposed to then, is that I can afford some expensive instruments.
 
Cheers,
 
Kevin

[jalevinemd]

The only time I make money playing guitar is if my wife pays me to stop! I'm a complete Sunday morning quarterback. I just started playing with a couple of other guys on weekends and I chomp at the bit between get togethers. Though I love the tones they're capable of, I must admit that I appreciate my Alembics more for their pure aesthetics than anything else.

[keith_h]

I've always had a day job but there was time in my younger years I was making more from music than the day job. After I got married and had kids I drifted between semi-pro and amateur depending upon what was going on with the kids. Now that the youngest is grown up I am back at semi-pro and looking to play out more. I am trying to upgrade my rig, PA and basses while I have the disposable income. I hope to order a custom Series bass in a year or two.
 
I will second John's point about getting an Alembic as early in your life as possible. I had looked into it when I was still single but was reluctant to get a custom Series 1 at $1500. Of course had I bought it I might not have the three  basses I have now. so I can't say I regret not getting the Series but I definitely would have saved some money.
 
Keith

[jazzyvee]

I wanted an alembic since I realised that was the sound Clarkee had on the return to forever stuff. When I saw him in concert here when the 1st clarke duke project album was released it was then I was blown away by his tone.  
 
However I remember seeing an alembic in a music shop window around the early 80's and the price then was ?3500. So no way did I have the money to get that. Probably almost half of my annual salary right there.
 
Anyway I was more into playing guitar then but had a bass for sentimental reasons.
 
It was about 3 years ago that I made the decison to look for an SC bass and managed to get one at a heavy discount as the bass centre here was selling off a number of alembics they couldn't sell.  So it was really a case of, have the money get it then  whilst I could afford the cost.
 
It is easily the best instrument I have ever puchased in all aspects from sound, quality, playability to cosmetics. Its given me more inspiration to play and as a result  my bass playing has improved no-end.
 
In fact I ended up having to change my bass combo from trace Elliot ( which was fine with my Musicman Sterling)  cos itt made my alembic sound horrible.  
In fact I exchanged it  with my bass student for her small  low wattage ashdown practice amp. I use a Mesa Boogie rig for live work now and an sf-2
 
Anyway my philosophy now is that, some point in the future I may not have the disposable income I have now so I'm trying to get the kit I want now so I don't have to buy it later on at higher cost.  
 
That said I've bought two Alembics this year an Europa 5 and an Orion Electric guitar.
 
I would have probably ended my bass buying with the Europa had I not had a play on the Series II owned by the guy i bought the Europa from.
 
Now I want one of those... But that will have to wait for a long while as I'm back to playing guitar on gigs for the forseeable future.
Thanks for the postings they are very interesting.
 
Jazzyvee

[keavin]

 
 
(Message edited by keavin on December 29, 2005)

[flaxattack]

if i could find a band and make a living  
i would give up my day job in a heartbeat
i play for self enjoyment
i work hard
and i deserve nice toys...
am VERY lucky to be in a position to do this...
my higher power must be a musician too...lol
 
(Message edited by flaxattack on December 29, 2005)

[richbass939]

Wow, I have read many pieces of my story in the above posts.  I heard about Alembic in 1974 when I started learning all I could about Stanley Clarke.  There's no way I could've afforded one then.  I didn't even consider trying.  I'm really glad I didn't get one then.  I played full time for all of 1977.  By early 1978 I was so sick of music that I sold all my gear.  I didn't even want to play as a hobby.  I regret selling a rare Rick at that time.  If I had sold an early Alembic I would really be kicking myself now.  
I love it the way it is now.  I know a few really great musicians that I play with now.  We work up sets and play around a bit.  It is just perfect for me.  I'm a warehouse manager with a family and that suits me just fine.  I truly respect you people who love to gig regularly and get the chance to do it as often as you like.  Not everyone wants to sit at a desk all day.  To each his/her own as long as it brings an acceptable degree of happiness.
Rich

[bigredbass]

ALEMBICs had been a totem in my mind ever since I saw a picture of one in the late 70s, had an ancient catalog from a music store and I was just taken, before I ever heard one.  The technology and artistry involved in them leapt off the pages and I was never the same.  I never held one in my hands until the early 90s, bought the BigRedBass without ever plugging it in.  I KNEW what I was holding in my hands.
 
That image of a Series Point is burned into my brain.
 
I played for years in beer joints, Hotel lounges, Elks, Shrines, churches, tent revivals, a telethon or two, and made great side money doing it.  I ALWAYS kept a day job, as I wouldn't depend on it solely with a family to feed.  But I was fortunate in that I married a singer/musician, so she understood it all.  And the axes and amps paid for themselves many times over.
 
About six years ago, I really had enough of it all.  I always tell people that if you're happily married, have no alcohol/drug problems, and are mostly well-adjusted, STAY THE HELL OUT OF MUSIC as you're just not gonna fit in or be accepted.  My attitude went WAY south, so I just play for me now at home.  But here recently, I'm mellowing in my old age and I'd like to gig some if I can find the right situation.
 
So I'm a backslidden, on again off again, semi-pro bedroom player, retired from the Chicken Wire Grill and Lounge, soon to be back in the joints once more.
 
Now, sing:  There's no business like show business . . .
 
J o e y

[jazzyvee]

Bigredbass, I love your comment  I always tell people that if you're happily married, have no alcohol/drug problems, and are mostly well-adjusted, STAY THE HELL OUT OF MUSIC as you're just not gonna fit in or be accepted.
 
There is a lot of truth in that statement. I'm a pretty well adjusted and responsible guy and over the years, I'm amazed at the amount of time that i've seen wasted at rehearsals and gigs waiting for people to finish their spliff and alcohol breaks. People being wasted on stage, timing all over the place due to alcohol and/drugs.
 The worst thing is, many times I've been the only straight and sober person in the band and after the gig I've been told MY timing was off.....  
 
Whilst the music industry seems to be held together by those kind of substances It is very hard to get accepted by those kind of musicians if you don't indulge. But I don't really worry too much about that. I just do my thing, the best I can.
 
I couldn't stay out of music if I tried :-)  
 
Have a heartbeat, have music... :-)

[ajdover]

I've never made my living from playing music, have always had a day job of some sort.  Now, being in the Army full time puts a serious damper on playing in any kind of group, pro or otherwise (try playing in Baghdad, where I am now, for instance!).  
 
I have, however, supplemented my income with gig money when I was able to play with a band.  I do love playing in front of people.  Unfortunately, back home, in Fayetteville, NC, I am in musical hell.  It is a military town, and most folks want to hear basically three types of music:
country, blues (a lot of blues), and more modern stuff for the 20 to 30 year old crowd.  I'm not knocking any of that stuff, mind you.  It's just that none of it really does anything for me, so that when I am home, my vistas are very limited.  I just can't see playing Travis Tritt tunes all night long, or a I-IV-V pattern, or worse, some modern rock song which requires that I play the whole tune on the E string.  Again, not knocking it, just not for me.
 
I suspect that when my personal situation is more stable and reliable that I will find some group of folks to play with.  Until then I'm pretty much a bedroom player, unfortunately.
 
The only reason I have Alembics now is that I have no children and hence, the disposable income that an Alembic requires.  Same goes for my other instruments (I've got 19 in all, with another Alembic custom on the way).  I'm not rich, just able to pick up the stuff I like.
 
Anyway, I'll always play in one way or another, I guess.
 
Alan

[kmh364]

Man, if I had to rely on my playing to put food on the table, I'd have starved to death many, many moons ago, LOL!  
 
Some guys spend money on cars (me), some on (dating)women (me! me!), some on Harleys (me, me, me!), and some on guitars/basses (me again), etc. It's all a matter of what you're into and what your financial situation is. I like toys, so when I can, I splurge on the things that I love.
 
I'm personally on ten guitars/basses and counting.

[senmen]

Hi All,
I am also a part-time musician as I am working as local sales manager for a german-american forwarding company.
You all know that I am a huge JE fan and with our WHO tribute band WHO ARE YOU I am doing my tribute to JE.
Currrently I am working on our homepage....
 
Oliver (Spyderman)

[lbpesq]

I used to play solo acoustic originals and covers at open mikes, little clubs, and even busking.  Later I played in bands - none that made any real $ to speak of - while taking my time through college (9 years).  I find that music works better for me as a hobby than a full time gig.  When I met my wife she had two major reservations about me:
 
1.  I was a lawyer
2.  I was a musician  
 
I overcame these obstacles!
 
The more established I've become in my wprk, the more $ I've had to spend on equipment and a studio.  The trade off, of course, is time.  With a full time practice, a wife and a 10 year old, finding the time to get to the studio can be a little daunting.  But the thought of not having music as an outlet (hell, it's my therapy!) is frightening.  I suspect there aren't too many pros that can afford an Alembic.  Not the way the music business is set up (yechh, I hate the term.  As I came to realize about myself, I love the music and hated the business).  Essentially Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and a handful of others make millions.  Everyone else starves.  And the kicker is, it has little to do with talent!
 
I say: PLAY FOR FUN (whether you get paid or not)!
 
Bill, tgo