I own an Alembic MK sig, a Jaydee GA24 and a Status Kingbass and can vouch that they're all equally wonderful instruments, although very different in character. The Jaydee is definitely the least 'hi-fi', with quite a raw sound, but very gutsy - a lot of grunt and growl, rather like a Stingray, I find. A real 'plug and play' instrument - not a great range of sounds so not much point in fiddling around with the controls, but as long as that's the sound you're after, it's great. And very nice to look at - obviously influenced by the Alembic shape. The neck on mine's a bit 'whippy' though - the slightest temperature change and you need to get your allen keys out again. That's why my Jaydee lives in the studio now.
The Status Kingbass has a very hi-fi sound, rather like the Alembic, but with a bit more 'zing' (if that's possible) and less woody warmth (well, the neck's graphite, after all). Great range of sounds, though - you've got bass, treble and sweepable mid controls, and the mid can either be scooped out, flat or boosted with a three-way switch. Very easy to dial in a great sound very quickly. Great fun to play, too - beautiful action and feel, and so portable. My only grumble is that it lacks the Jaydee's mid-range grunt and can therefore tend to get a bit lost in a live mix.
The Alembic, as you know, has 'the' sound - you can get the grunt and the hi-fi, and in terms of woodworking and craftsmanship, it can't be beaten. But as Hartmut said, the tone controls can be baffling, and it's never a case of being able to plug in and play - I need to tune the bass to the rig and the room each time - worth it in the long run of course, but if you don't get a sound check or you're just jumping into a jam session, it's not the bass to use. And it's so bloody big and heavy. For this reason I find myself opting for the Status for the three-hour gigs . . .
All great instruments, though, and I wouldn't want to be without any one of them.
Karl
www.harambeuk.com
