Alembic Seeks Loving Relationship :-)

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Male Alembic SC Deluxe currently seeking a divorce from current relationship with Trace Elliot BLX80, citing reasons of  incompatible sonic differences.
 
Now seeks, sensibly powered female partner (amplifier) able to fully support and complement my sound and tonal requirements. I'm very particular about the size. No massive heavyweights and excessive sound volume. Prefer combo's around 300watts maybe with a couple of firm 10 will do nicely.
 
Successful applicant will be sure to recieve many hours of intense musical intercourse. I am well blessed with at 30ft long cord which will be sure to transfer the seed of musical love to your socket.
 
Please let me know if you know any suitable partners :-)

[Paul Ellsworth (elzie)]

LOL!!
 
That is funny I used to use a Trace Elliot, but the sound wasn't what I liked. I recently purchased a Hartke 2000 and love it. It is not a combo, but it is light and has a great range of tone for my Excel. They also sell them in combos.
 
I am sure you will get a lot of input about amps, but the best thing to do is take your bass to a reputable store and start playing through different amps. You may be surprised at what you like.
 
 
Paul

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Here's a Paul who completely agrees with the other Paul.
 
So that makes a Paulsquare about that statement.

[Paul Ellsworth (elzie)]

LOL! Great minds think alike. But then again, so do psychotic ones.......

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Hey guys, I went out to try a few bass amps and speakers yesterday. I tried out some Ashdown series amps. I wasn't impressed with those as they seemed to negate the tone controls on my SC Deluxe. Also tried some trace elliot stuff, a couple of Peavey's including the new all singing all dancing one with loads of digital programmes that are supposed to reproduce the sound of classic bass amps.... I found it too gimmiky and didn't like its flat sound at all.....
 
None of the combo's or the head/speaker cab mix was reproducing the sound I wanted from my Alembic.
 
But then just as I was about to leave the shop the salesman dealt his killer blow... he suggested i try this new amp they have just had in. It is a Mesa Boogie Walkabout 250w i think. I tried it through a Mesa Boogie 2x10 Deep  Bass cab.......
 
GASP... Tone to die for.... !!!!
My alembic was singing to me.... it had everything I was looking for in terms of tone, headroom, clean, crisp, warm. I kept the amp on flat and tried varying the my tone from a deep warm dub bass sound which rocked the shop literally!! through a Jazz sound to the biting Stanley Clark tones and the crisp marcus miller sound and the amp reproduced it all without complaining at all..... I had initially wanted to stick to a combo for portability but this one is no bigger than a modestly powered combo. It is expensive (as most things are here in the UK... but thats another story) But I think I know where my gig money is going next year.
 
Has anyone got one of these Mesa Boogie Amps. I wasn't aware previously that Mesa was into bass stuff..... But then we don't get much to choose from here.
 

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hey Jazzy,
 
glad that you found something that you like.
About Mesa and Bass: wasn't that other famous UK bassplayer Sir Paul using it for his bass?
 
Paul

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

I'm not a fan of Sir Paul's music and haven't listened to his bass playing outside of the beatles. .......... I hope when I've saved up my hard earned cash for it the amp doesn't make my SC Deluxe sound like Paul's Hofner violin bass..... shock, horror.... :-)

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Well ...it's him you know.
I once had a couple of concert-video's of him playing on a Yamaha BB-whatsoever and a very nice Wall 5 string. Playing through a Mesa-Boogie set-up.
Don't be afraid, I guess you have enough personality on bass to develop the real Jazzy Vee style and we agree that the Alembic with the Mesa is a very promising tool to achieve that.
Stay at the low end!!
 
Paul

[Charles David Tichenor (alembic76407)]

Hey Jazzy,
glad to see you found Mesa/Boogie, I've been playing Boogie's for 10 years , and it the best all around bass amp I've ever played. I have tried the Walkabout and loved it just not enough power for me,so I got the M/B 400+, and Sir Paul uses 2 M/B 400+s with 3-18s and 2-10, but he has a Roadie!!
 
David T
PS; I hope you get it soon !!!

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Just to let you guys know I went out and got the Mesa Boogie Walkabout 300w and a Mesa 2x10 + horn Powerhouse 600w cab.  
 
As you may recall I didn't want a huge setup just something that is portable and still gives me the sound quality and punch I need for my bass.
 
If I end up needing more sound I'll get one of the 15 bass cabs and a roadie :-)
 
I went into the music stores and tired my ears out testing many amps/combo's including Ashdown (yuk), Peavey (better), EBS 350w combo( disappointingly thin tone and distorted far too easily although sounds wonderful with a music man) warwick nice but didn't sound as clear and powerful as the boogie.
 
Don't ask me the types but they were all in a similar price range so I was matching like for like.
 
The quality of build and sound is exceptional for such a lightweight package.
 
I have a gig this Friday so It will give me a chance to put it through it's paces.
 
Btw: I've changed my mind about selling my musicman now. I plugged it in to the Mesa yesterday and it sounds CRISP still not in the same league as my alembic but great all the same.
 
It will do for rehearsals.  

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

News Flash:
 
My SC Alembic has now officially divorced from Trace(y) Elliot and is to go public over his new relationship with Mesa Boogie.  
 
The couple are not shy and with them both being very attractive and practicing exhibitionists, the union will be consumated this Friday in full view of the public at a nightclub.  
 
Hopefully all will hear the sounds of orgasmic musical ecstacy as they reach the peak of their sonic pleasure together.
 
:-)
Cya soon

[Charles David Tichenor (alembic76407)]

hey Jazzy, glad to see another Boogie convert, I said it before and I'll say it again, Mesa/Boogie is the best I've ever owned
 
David T

[jazzyvee]

Thanks,  after a few weeks of working with the combination and getting the tone controls settled on a sound I'm happy with. I'm more than impressed with the Mesa Boogie. It comes into it's own on gigs and I can now hear the bass as I want it to sound and the rest of the band are equally impressed with my sound. I guess you get what you pay for.
 

[alembic76407]

hey Jazzyvee, add a single Mesa/Boogie 15 cab,and you won't believe what it will do for your sound.
 
David T

[johnny_venom]

hey bro- glad to hear of your purchase. I plug my alembic inta a mesa boogie basis-2000 that I got off ebay without knowing much about it. theres tons of knobs and eq's to mess around with but once I got it figured out I get a sweet tone that I love. I would say that you can't go wrong the Mesa, as im sure you are finding out. Happy playing- Johnny V