Amplification for Tribute Guitar

[chrisgt1]

As a new owner of a Tribute guitar, I'm wondering what rigs/combos others are playing their Alembics through

[hollis]

I run my Skylark through a Mesa Boogie DC-5 & Mesa 2x12 3/4 back cabinet with Celestion special 90's.  I usually run it without effects (that whole hand-eye-foot thing.. LOL).  Although, occasionally I  use an old Morley power-wah-volume pedal, it's built like a tank and I love the volume pedal section.  If the Gig requires (very rarely) I'll add my old Fender Twin with Mesa V twin preamp.  Pretty straight forward stuff... I am considering an Alembic pre amp... I think I'll head up to Seattle (Bass NW) and plug into one before I make that decision...

[cdf]

Hey Christopher,
 
That's a great looking Tribute on your profile page, congrats!. I also have a Tribute and I love it. Can't say enough great things about Alembic. Anyway I play mine mostly through an old ('68 I think)Fender Twin. Sometime use an old smaller Crate (don't know the model) for practice away from home as its much lighter and not so loud. I have experimented with some different pre-amps,  Bryston amplifier, and some home-made speakers. I have not tried an Alembic preamp or Superfilter yet, but am very eager to do so. Also would like to try Groove Tubes or maybe Soldano, ah so many things to look forward to. As for effects I have a couple of boxes (that I used sporadically) from MXR and Boss; overdrive, octave divider, phaser, analog delay and a vintage Mutron-III, that I think is dying on me. Although since I got my Tribute a couple months ago I have hardly used any of these. There is just so much variety you can get out of these electronics I have been in tone nirvana exploring the possibilities.  Also have noticed this guitar cries out for a more subtle technique than I have had so I have been working on refining my playing. Man oh man do have my work cut out for me in that area, but it is great fun to try.
 
Enjoy your Alembic!  
Court

[rusty]

My set up below:
 
Orion> Tuner> Wah> Analogman BiComp> Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive> Mesa Boogie Mark 4.
 
Pedal Board Effects loop : Voodoo Labs Chorus> Enveope Filter.
 
Amp Effects Loop: SF2
 
I would highly recommend Mesa Boogie amps. At one time or another I have had a Fender Twin Reverb, a Marshall, an Ampeg, and none of them paired as well with my Orion. Beware, if you think about making a mistake it will be heard through Alembic/Mesa combination, no hiding behind fuzzy amps an impercise pick ups. As court said I found myself forced to develop a softer hand and I now I feel there is much more dimension to my playing.
 
Rusty  
 

[hollis]

I agree with Rusty,
 
Mesa....excellent stuff!
 
I also agree with Court,
 
Old Twins.....very nice.. very rich reverb and shimmering tremolo.... hard to beat.
 
I have three suitcases full of effects, rack synths,compressors,wahs,flangers,etc..... I just don't use them anymore,  the guitar has the sound I've been searching for all my life.  Sometimes I'll overdrive it for some added ump, but the sounds are so pure that I hate to muddy them up.

[kmh364]

Use Tubes, tubes and more tubes. Fender twins are good for clean/jazz, bassmans are good for blues. Vintage Marshall plexi's for that 60's/7O's blues-rock sound. Try Harry Straub's amplifiers....he makes several models based on most of the amps I mentioned above. They are all handmade, point-to-point hardwired, hot-rodded boutique amps without the boutique price. They come in choice hardwood cabinets and are works of art (just like Alembics).

[keavin]

yes, tubes are the best sounding amplification for alembics.

[keavin]

after 25yrs of playing alembic#12!!!.....tubes baby, tubes baby!!!