Suggestions

[Dedhed1]

I am looking for suggestions on which Alembic bass to buy.
I have been playing bass for about 45 years and always had a mid range (price wise) 4 string bass.
Being partial to the range an alembic provides, I've pretty much decided this is the only way to go
and want something nice before I check out.
My resources are somewhat limited so I'm open to something gently used in the 3 to $4,000.00 price range.
I am also leaning towards a 5 string. Will the adjustment be too much after all this time?
Aesthetics play a part in my decision but I have a wide taste in what's acceptable.
One major problem I am having is this...
Not 1 store in all of South Florida, from Palm Beach to Miami carries Alembics so I have no way to try it before I buy it.
E-Bay has recently had a glut of Alembics being shipped from Japan and that just raises red flags for me.
How did these Japanese stores acquire all these Alembics and are they the real deal?
Any suggestions for what direction I should be looking at or just throw all caution to the 4 winds and just go for it?
Feel free to e-mail me.
Thanks in advance.

[StephenR]

Suggest you hop in the car for a trip up to Bass Central in Fern Park (near Orlando). They are an Alembic dealer and have a number basses in stock. All will probably be out of your price range but at least you can play a few and get a better idea as to what you do or don't like about the way they play, body styles, electronics etc. You are actually lucky that there is an Alembic dealer within driving distance.

As far as moving to five-string. I did not find it difficult but one of the tricky things about multi-string basses is finding one with a neck that feels comfortable to you and fits your playing style. I have been playing five-string for over 30 years now and as time went on I gravitated toward wider necks but IMO it takes time/trial and error to zone in on what works best for you. Not sure if dropping thousands on a five-string is a good idea unless you are sure that is something you want. I would start experimenting with a cheaper instrument than an Alembic.

The Alembics for sale in Japan seem legit but they seem way overpriced and the transactions themselves are suspect due to the same instruments being listed at different price points.

[Dedhed1]

Thanks for the advice Stephen..
If I never get that 5 string I could live with it.. Still, finding THEE bass neck I'm comfortable with would mean finding THEE bass I intend to buy as they're all different??. I'll keep my options open in this choice...

I have seen some basses in my price range I would be happy with but perhaps I wasn't descriptive enough when asking about models.
I should have more properly asked, which model's electronics would provide me, who generally likes to play the mid and upper registers, with enough of a choice in various tones while providing a nice full bottom contrast when dropping down.
If this was not a good description of what electronics I'm looking for...my apologies.

I only know that Alembic's wide range of electronic options will give me the chance of obtaining that
sound in my minds ear that I'm looking for.  Kind of like trying to describe "heavy air".

As far as those Japanese basses go. Even in a fair, negotiated price, should I have any hesitation with
sending $$ to Japan for an instrument made in Ca. found it's way to Japan, then having it shipped back to the U.S.?

Does anyone have experience buying from one of these dealers?   

 
 

[gtrguy]

I have had several Alembics. I had a 5 string Epic for a while that I really liked. Great tone and play-ability. The only reason I sold it was that they don't have fret markers or dots on the fret board, which I want to see when gigging. Prices used are about $1,400 on up.


If you wanted more tonal tweaks, you could also buy an Alembic SF-2, which I like to think of as Series electronics in a box.

[keith_h]

The Japanese basses are typically priced higher than the equivalent bass in the US. EU prices are also higher. I would not recommend buying a bass from outside the US unless it is something unique such as some of the older Japan only models. The key if you are looking for a used bass is to be patient. Something always pops up.

As far as electronics packages go. All of the filter equipped basses have the Alembic sound. If you do a side by side of let's say Signature electronics and Series electronics you can hear a subtle difference but nothing I would call an issue. There are some members here that prefer the Signature and some who prefer Series. We even have some that like the  bass/treble tone controls that are standard on the set neck Alembic models. In general the electronics with a filter/control for each pickup will have a wider tonal palette than those with a single filter/control. Regardless of package I would recommend getting 3-way Q-switches. Of course they can also be more complex when wanting to get repeatable settings.

I think where you should really start is what type of bass do you want, set neck or neck through? Long, medium or short scale? Then after that what type of woods? These have much more effect on the sound you want to hear than the electronics.

As an example when I ordered my fretless I purposely went with a set neck as I want the midrange bump similar to my Jazz Bass. For this same reason I went with an ash body and maple neck. On my various neck through basses the maple/purple heart neck Series 1 with vermilion body has a brighter tone with more fundamental than my Brown Bass with a mahogany, birch and walnut neck and myrtle body. The BB has a warmer tone and everything is more even across the tonal range. For even more deep fundamental many folks will order a bass with ebony stringers.  I thought we had a thread or that Mica had updated the website with something that talked about the woods and their tonal characteristics but can't find it. I will keep looking and update this thread when I find it.

I second Stephen's suggestion of heading up to Bass Central. Not only do they stock a wide range of Alembics but Beaver Felton is very knowledgeable about them as well.     

Lastly there are some discussions in the Must Reads area that talk about filters and the like that might be helpful.

[rv_bass]

Here is a link to the page that describes the woods:

http://www.alembic.com/info/woodsamples.html

[edwardofhuncote]

Welcome to the Club. 

My advice is to watch the Classifieds in the Swap Shop section of this forum for a while, and read the commentary on various ones that come up... this'll teach you not only about what the various instruments' attributes are, but also what to be wary of when buying a used one. I got pretty-well doinked by a lying skunk who sold me a stripped-out Alembic on eBay a couple years ago. If not for the advice from this board and the staff at Alembic I'd have just been out of the money. They helped me salvage the deal and restore the bass. I've been here ever since. 

[rv_bass]

There is a 5-string essence for sale under this club link:  http://club.alembic.com/index.php?board=758.0
It would probably do well with the mids and highs with all of that maple. Adding a 3-way Q-switch would increase tonal versatility.  I had the vol, pan, filter, 3-way Q on an Orion bass with maple top and neck and it was a fantastic bass.

There is also a 5-string Series 1 for sale under that link, which would have more tonal options with a volume, Q, and filter for each pickup, along with a stereo output option. The mahagony body would make it a little warmer than the all maple Essence above.

But you should go play a few different models and woods if you can.

[jazzyvee]

For that money you might be able to find a fairly recent signature MK balance K bass as a 5 string or an Elan or Europa/Rogue bass with standard electronics or if you are lucky with signature electronics. Or if like me you are extremely fortunate and patient you can get a series I, 4 string bass for your budget however I will warn you I waited for about 14 years to get the right one and it was shipped to me in England from Australia.
If you are shipping in from abroad don't forget your duty charges if they are applicable in the USA and also if the bass has some exotic woods you might have to deal with CITES!! which is worth reading up about it.
 
As for what electronics you go for, it would depend on what you want tone wise. The single filter basses are the easiest to use live and get repeatable sounds quickly. Whilst the series are the upper class basses with ultimate tone control and like Keith_h suggests, they don't suit everyone.
There are a few recordings on you tube of various types of alembic and that might be a good place to hear what the various models sound like. Admittedly the sound from you tube is most likely compressed in some way but you can still get a good idea of what the options are.

[keith_h]

Here is a link to the page that describes the woods:

http://www.alembic.com/info/woodsamples.html

That's what I saw but I missed that the body woods link to these:

http://www.alembic.com/info/wood_body.html

http://www.alembic.com/info/wood_neck.html

Thanks for getting me to take a second look.

[hieronymous]

You might also want to try and pick up a cheap 5-string in the meantime. That way you can start getting comfortable with it, maybe even to the point of realizing that a 5'er isn't for you. Or, you may take to it, and then moving up to an Alembic will be an incredible upgrade!


I played 4-strings for 20 years, my first bass with a low-B was an Ibanez SR506 (actually a 6-string with high C as well) - I also have a Stanley Clarke 5-string that I had with the high C but finally switched back to low B - now I'm a little worried because I don't want to play my 4-strings anymore! I finally understand when people here see a nice 4-string and say, "If only it were a 5-string"

[gtrguy]

I don't think made in USA stuff has a duty charge coming into the USA from abroad.

[dtothec]

I agree that you really should go and play some. My dream bass had been an Alembic MK5, and when I went to buy one (wasn't a balance k)and held it, it was neck heavy, and the omega cut tail piece shifts the bridge and neck several inches to the left, and that would take some getting used to and was uncomfortable to me. I didn't like it, with that said, people that own them love them. Just be aware that some body styles balance well and some don't.  I preferred the balance and feel of the Rogue 5 which is what I bought.  Some electronic packages are quicker to use and easier to get back to live, others not so much, but those can dial up a larger variety of tones. They are also like Lays potato chips "bet cha can't have one" I'm up to my 4th!  Welcome to the club and good luck with your search!

On this site you will find some of the most knowledgeable and helpful people around that will be more than happy to help you!

[Dedhed1]

Just want to say thanks for all the sound advice.
I will check out all the links you guys provided and consider all options.
Ultimately, the money I have to spend will dictate to a degree what I can purchase.
Is a go fund my bass a serious option??? I'm only $13,978.00 short of a King Coco Bolo....
 
Anyway, I'll see what I get from the sale of my 1st bass, a 1968 Vox Sidewinder IV that is in near mint condition and my Traynor YBA1A also in mint condition. If you want to see them.. here's a couple of links.. also on Reverb...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172389329304?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172391862027?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Yes, patience... Who has that when you waiting to have one of these in your hands..
I'll try but I'm not making any promises... 

Yes, the Q switch, multi pickup filters and fret markers are a must for me.
I see some recommend adding a Q switch after... I think factory installed is the way to go.

Again.. I really do appreciate everyone's help..
 
Dedhed1

[keith_h]

Yes, the Q switch, multi pickup filters and fret markers are a must for me.
I see some recommend adding a Q switch after... I think factory installed is the way to go.
 

The Q-switch addition or upgrade from 2 to 3 positions is really straight forward for newer model basses. If it were an older bass I would call Alembic directly to ask them what can be done. The parts costs are also quite reasonable. My 5 string Orion came with the basic Essence electronics package. I added a two position Q-switch in the matter of 20 minutes. If you don't want to do it yourself it would be a pretty simple procedure for a local luthier.