John Entwistle Status Graphite Buzzard I Bass

[zn_bassman]

John used Alembics exclusively onstage from the second half of 1975 until Live Aid. He used his Fenderbirds for his 1975 solo album 'The Ox - Mad Dog' and tour, and on the '75 Who album 'Who By Numbers' he apparently didn't use the Alembic at all ('Success Story' is reported to have been recorded with a Rick prototype 8-string).  He started with the Series 1 and then had his Spyders built from 1976. He used various basses in the studio until 1981 (most of 1978's 'Who Are You' was recorded with non-Alembics), when he switched to Alembics-only in the studio as well. It's quite likely that he wasn't 'allowed' to use the Alembics on Pete Townshend's songs on the albums until they went for a new sound after Moonie's death following Who Are You. The studio albums on which he played only his Spyders are The Who's Face Dances and It's Hard and his solo album Too Late the Hero. His subsequent recordings were all with the Buzzards (Warwicks for his '86 solo album The Rock and the live Who album Join Together from '89, and Status for the Who and John Entwistle Band material from then on).
 
Anybody who wants to buy a Status Buzzard (the only Buzzard with the midrange frequency sweep) can still buy the wooden-body version, now being called the B2. This model was built for John by Rob Green as a birthday present, and I don't think it was ever used commercially. I think there's footage of John rehearsing with it with the John Entwistle Band in the tribute/eulogy footage on the John Entwistle Band - Live DVD. It costs significantly less than the all-graphite Buzzard 1, the body shape isn't as radical, and it has the blended tone of wood and the graphite neck. The elecs and neck are exactly the same as the B1. I want one myself, and the moment I get rich and famous (or at least rich), I plan to buy one.  ;-)

[kmh364]

Bruce:
 
Wow! You really started some sh*t with this thread, didn't you, LOL!
 
Zvi:
 
Personally, while I'm not a huge Buzzard fan, it does look cool! I do prefer the Alembic aesthetic (i.e., the dragon wing), but the Buzzard does have a unique look...as unique as it's creator, LOL! While I'm sure the B-2 is a more versatile in that it's partially wooden and less radically-styled than it predecessor, I'm just not bowled over by the look. Just my $0.02.
 
Rog:  
 
Just for Sh*ts and Giggles, what makes the Status electronics superior to the Signature Alembic electronics? As I have no experience with either, I'm just interested in your take on both of 'em
 
Ed:
 
I'm with you, although I probably wouldn't buy a Warwick per se as I just don't particularly care for them. I do prefer wooden-necked/bodied instruments because of the feel and tone. I don't play with my action low enough to justify the loss of woodiness you tend to get from non-wooden necks in order to gain stability. I'm also not a Pro player, nor is my skill level anywhere near the same galaxy as JAE's. Just my $0.02 again.
 
Cheers,
 
Kevin

[borisspyder]

I have both a B-2 and a B-1 and they both sound great. I used to own the #3 W buzzard Oliver sold. He was the 3rd owner. Nuff said about how happy we are with that instrument. My only Alembic experience was with a Distillate about a decade ago & I just couldn't get the neck to stop moving. Great instrument, totally impractical for me. The Buzzards have no truss rods (not even the B-2 it's an early model) I just pick them up & play them. They sound & play beautifully. Though I would like to get a 4 string Spyder made to original specs...but it won't happen soon. About $33K according to Mica, twice the cost of BOTH of my Buzzards combined.

[kmh364]

Good points all, Irwin.

[rogertvr]

There's a truss rod in my SG Buzzard. Not that it gets much use. A quarter of a turn in the spring and a quarter of a turn the other way in the autumn.
 
Kevin (and any one else who's interested) - electronics. I writing this at work so I don't have the spec sheets to hand, so some of this is from memory.
 
Alembic's Signature electronics work like analog subtractive synthesis to my mind.  That is (Q switches aside) - there is no way to ADD to a sound. So, if I want to add (for example) a little more bass to a given sound, there is no way of adding that bass. All the Q switch does is add a peak at the attack portion of the note, a little like the Resonance on a synthesizer.
 
The Status electronics allow you add to the sound (as well as subtract). I think the bass is +/- 12dB and the treble +/- 14dB. In addition, there is the parametric control which, on the Buzzard anyway, is switchable between off and +5dB and allows a sweep from 300Hz to 10kHz.
 
The range of sounds is so great, I can actually play either the Buzzard or the Stealth without the graphic equaliser on my set-up and they still sound pretty good.  Everything else I own sounds pretty awful without the graphic.
 
The Alembic Signature electronics are flexible, don't get me wrong there.  They're just not as flexible as the Status ones.
 
I hope this goes some way to giving an idea of how the Status electronics work - I've never been much good at explaining things in detail!
 
Cheers,
 
Rog

[adriaan]

Rog,
 
When you say everything else sounds pretty awful without the graphic - well, what kind of graphic EQ in what kind of rig are you talking about? Call me prejudiced, but if you need a graphic EQ to get an acceptable sound then you're probably compensating for the rig's inherent sound. To be a little blunt: you might be better off with a different rig.

[rogertvr]

I told you I was hopeless at explaining things!
 
What I should have said was - without the graphic, everything else sounds pretty awful when compared to the Status instruments.
 
It's a Trace Elliot AH250 with a TE 4x10 and 1x15.

[adriaan]

I was afraid you were going to mention Trace Elliot - that's the inherent sound I was thinking about. The Status electronics allow you to compensate for that inherent sound in ways that the Alembic electronics just can't do, but I'm pretty sure if you take a rig that has a more neutral base sound then the Status will still be very flexible, and you can start using the Alembic without excessive EQing. My tuppence worth ...

[the_mule]

...but I'm pretty sure if you take a rig that has a more neutral base sound then the Status will still be very flexible, and you can start using the Alembic without excessive EQing.
 
I agree, I never use the EQ on my Glockenklang (it can be switched on/off) and the EVH sounds fabulous. The same amp is used by many double bass players. Glockenklang is famous for its pure/natural/neutral sound.
 
Wilfred

[kmh364]

I'm only familiar with the EMW set-up I have on my Orion IV as I've not experienced other Alembic electronics. I do believe I have treble and bass boost as well as cut (on the order of +/- 12dB or 16dB...something like that). I also have a Q and filter knob, as well as a p/u  blend. I rarely use the eq on my Eden head...it stays flat and I play with the gains and the sweet knob. The rest is done on the bass. I guess it depends on the type of electronics you have. I can't speak for other axes, but my particular bass was intended to be a Swiss Army Knife-type bass, and it is. Unfortunately, with that kind of versatility, and no control knob detents other than flat (tones) and middle (blend), it makes it very difficult to attain repeatability of settings. Sometimes, a vol and tone is enough, LOL!
 
Cheers,
 
Kevin

[rogertvr]

This discussion just goes to prove that there is no right or wrong way of doing things and we all have our own ways of achieving what we want to achieve (or try and achieve).

[kmh364]

Absotively! What's cool is that everyone is friendly, and everyone gets to see what everyone else has, knows and is in to. That way, we all get info we wouldn't  otherwise be privy too, and then you can do with it what you will and make-up your own mind about whatever it is.
 
Vive L'ALembic!

[ed_r]

Oh YEAH?! Well yer all just a buncha.. oh, wait, sorry, wrong forum.

[adriaan]

In case you didn't already know how to spot a Dutchman, it's me - duh.
 
Rog, if you need to EQ the hell out of your rig - whatever make it is, and whether it's the built-in EQ or the tone controls on your bass - then your rig is the limiting factor in what you can achieve sound-wise.

[borisspyder]

Living & gigging in NYC I often have to use a house backline or use far less in terms of cabinets & amps than I would like. Therefore, I try & do all of my processing in front of the amp. I find that for most  situations the Sans Amp D1 bass driver covers it. I set the amp as neutral as I can and amp model pretty much anything I want with the Sans Amp. I am pretty envious of you guys that can regularly run multiple cabinets though.