Author Topic: Alembic spotting (Read 1328 times)

cdf · « **Reply #15 on:** March 01, 2004, 07:49:17 AM »

Being rather redundant since I mentioned this in another thread, but since we're talking Alembics and DVDs The Dead's recently released Closing of Winterland features Jerry Garcia's Tiger guitar and Phil Lesh's custom Alembic Orange Osage (I think) not to mention his highly Alembicized Guild. I'm sure someone could supply more details than I, but I believe a great ddeal of the equipment was Alembic or Alembic modified as well. And its a great performance and great DVD set.

cdf · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2004, 06:43:38 AM »

Got a second hand spot, Maybe. I have Feb. Featured Custom as wallpaper on my laptop at the moment and yesterday a friend of mine remarked that she had recently seen a bass that looked very similar at a Lionel Ritchie concert. Don't know if this is a verifiable sighting, but...

effclef · « **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2004, 01:41:51 PM »

Susan, THANK YOU for the Fernandes info, and I found the guitar player info especially interesting.

I've seen pictures on this Club someplace of a non-Alembic electronics cavity - the control layout looks like a Series but the wiring is very sloppy... I imagine that was one of the Fernandes instruments.

I guess for this reason if Alembic ever offers logo merchandise (pins, etc.) it will never be ones which are the actual instrument logos.

EffClef

susan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2004, 11:29:41 AM »

This is just a minor Alembic spotting but as I was drinking my coffee this AM surfin' the channels for something amusing, BTW have you ever noticed as soon as you start surfin' every channel has 10 min. of commercials on at the same time.

Anyway, there's an MCI commercial currently running with Keifer Sutherland as the narrative voice and James Taylor as the musical background but then they brought James up singing and playing and whoops Jimmy Johnson's Series bass came into the picture, you only see the neck with Jimmy's hand playing, no body or peghead shots just the oval inlays-but I know my own.

-Susan

bracheen · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2004, 12:11:13 PM »

Thank you Susan! I saw that commercial but the shot with the neck was quicker than my brain and I wasn't sure that's what I saw.

Sam

David Houck · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2004, 01:42:52 PM »

I've seen that spot with the Alembic once; and ever since I've been trying to sit through those MCI commercials in hopes of getting a better glimpse of the bass. But I have to admit my disappointment that James is selling MCI.

keavin · « **Reply #21 on:** March 13, 2004, 03:25:14 PM »

i see that commercial all the time and to me it looks like the neck of a rouge,.(because of the ovals).(and the head stock).

David Houck · « **Reply #22 on:** March 13, 2004, 05:18:32 PM »

I believe the bass is a Series, standard body with omega cut, and cone headstock. Here is the best pic I've been able to find.

David Houck · « **Reply #23 on:** March 13, 2004, 05:26:04 PM »

Here's a better one.

bracheen · « **Reply #24 on:** March 13, 2004, 05:42:00 PM »

Thanks Dave, I looked at some James Taylor websites and found nothing.

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 14, 2004, 09:30:16 AM »

The James Taylor DVD Pull Over, released to support his October Roads CD has some good shots of Jimmy and wonderfull sound as well.

Mike

susan · « **Reply #26 on:** March 14, 2004, 10:01:58 AM »

Jimmy has always played Series II 5 string basses all in Burl Walnut.

In fact the first 5 string bass ever made was for Jimmy. It was burl walnut and had a Fan Headstock in maple, not too many of them around. The problem at the time was getting strings for them. Luckily he was a GHS endorsee and they made the low B's happen for his bass. Unfortunately it was stolen from him while on tour with Alan Holdsworth in Poughkepsie New York. The entire equipment truck was stolen.

We have since made Jimmy two sets of 5 string fretted and fretless Series II basses all with Burl Walnut Tops and Backs and Omega cut. Now he has a back up pair just in case a mishap should occur. He says he doesn't ever want to be without his tools again. Two years ago he brought two of them to the factory and had Ron do the upgrade to them. He really could hear the difference and scheduled his other two for the same.

In the picture notice how Jimmy always has his belt buckle over on his hip. He plays them almost non-stop and yet his basses never seem to show any wear-he's a good daddy-they're his babies.

-susan

palembic · « **Reply #27 on:** March 14, 2004, 01:55:42 PM »

Sister Susan,

I am am Jimmy Johnson a long time already.
Even in bass-history JJ is quoted (WITH Alembic) as the first bass-player ordering (so Alembic was the first) and playing a multi-string bass. Oh yes ...I hear you guys saying: and the Fender VI and I think there was even a Danelectro VI (IFF I remember well)? Well ... a bass in that book was considered as having a different string spacing (see 4 string) as a normal guitar. If I remember the article well Jimmy placed his order for his first Alembic 5 string inspired by his father bass-player who actually owned a upright-five string bass. As classical trained bass-players beyond us will confirm: you need a 5 string bass to play for instance Wagner. But even older there were basses in Rennaissance using the 5 strings and even more.
But: JJ was the first -and Alembic- to produce the electric 5 string bassguitar we are used to see frequently now.
The only video I have from JJ playing with James Taylor is in the leasts one barn for as kind of video registred rehearsal for a tour.
Maybe you al know the video?? Really nice!
JJ uses a SII Alembic with a pointed (bw?rk) headstock.

Paul the bad one

basstard · « **Reply #28 on:** March 21, 2004, 03:20:12 AM »

One of my favourite bands is Type O Negative. Peter Steele (lead singer/bassist) has a black Spoiler with green fretmarkers. I can be seen on My Girlfriend's Girlfriend (just for a moment) and Love You To Death videos. He's a real goth type - he wears his bass on a chain instead of a strap. ;-) He still records with it, but gigs with custom-made Fernandez basses (he said he was too afraid to take such an expensive instrument as the Alembic on tour).

keavin · « **Reply #29 on:** March 21, 2004, 05:08:46 AM »

also weard al yankovich, bassplayer plays alembics,theres lots of photos on (al,s)web site of the band ,he uses series & sig,models .