Which alembic do you recommend I take?

[hieronymous]

I vote long scale - either Series I or Elan - I would do neck pickup with the filter frequency set really low, possibly with Q boost but I would try both ways. Listening to it briefly on YouTube, its sounds to me like the bass is really fulfilling the "bass role" and is underneath all the other instruments.


This track was recorded with my AlFemBic - the white Precision with PJ Activators - pretty sure I had it just on the P pickup, with the filter freq way down, and before I put in the Q switch so it was hardwired +8 or something around there. It had roundwounds on it but IMHO I think it sounds a lot like flats because of the frequency setting.

[jazzyvee]

Yes Harry you are right the bass is really a support in that song rather than having any upfront prominence in the sound so keeping things mellow would work great. After a long day practicing and listening to each bass my view now is to go with the Elan 4 & Series II 5a s we might be doing some non-"southern rock" songs too if there is time like Baker Street which will allow me to use a low D on the bass line under the saxophone motif.

[jazzyvee]

Well session done. I played it with my series two in the end. Im just in the control room  listening to the harmonies going down.

[jacko]

Vee.
I'd recommend instead of gigging at weekends you stay home and watch the BBC4 music documentaries so you get a better understanding of the subtleties of their different genres. 

We've had (in no particular order but all worth a view)

Troubadours. - mostly west coast singer songwriter stuff based around James Taylor and Carole King (ironically both east coast natives)
Sweet Home Alabama. Unsurprisingly about Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman brothers
Hotel California - LA from the Byrds to the Eagles . also CSN, Joni Mitchell. Bonnie raitt and a few others.
California Dreaming. - mostly the Mamas and the papas.
Legends of the Canyon. - similar to Hotel California but includes the likes of the doors and Elton john.
Lost Highway - the history of American country music - 4 part series that tries to cover everything from Appalachian bluegrass through to Shania Twain.
Rock'n'roll America.  3 part series charting the history of R'n'R from the 50's to the mid 60's

And the list goes on. Maybe if I was gigging more I'd know less about west coast culture 

Graeme
 






 

[811952]

Too late to be of any use, but I definitely second Edwin's suggestion of flatwounds. I know it's a bit sacrilege, but it is amazing how good flats sound on a series Alembic. Favor the neck pickup for that classic tone. Play with the Q. Immerse yourself in something so luscious it defies adequate description. Try it once, for a few weeks, and fall in love.


John

[jazzyvee]

I have in the past toyed with the idea of using some flats on the alembic I use for reggae bass but changed my mind after finding the price significantly more than rounds and when asking around bass players here who play reggae almost exclusively, all are using roundwound strings I never found any of them using flats. In fact the only reggae bass player I've spoken to that uses flats is Aston Family Man Barrett. Maybe next time I'm stateside I will get some at a decent price.

[tbrannon]

Chromes on my alembic were always so sublime.  Such a good sound. 

DR Sunbeams are another string that just seemed to fit perfectly on the Alembics I've owned. 

[mica]

Alembics were DESIGNED for flatwounds - remember in the late sixties and early seventies, that's what people played all the time. The Chromes are my current favorite as the tension and is similar to a roundwound string, so if you aren't used to flats, there's fewer variables. Aston's bass is a Maple body Elan BTW, so I would think that flats would be perfect on that bass.

[keith_h]

Having played various flat sets in the 70's before moving to ground round wounds I was surprised, in a good way, at how bright and tight sounding the Chromes are. While I wouldn't use them on my fretted basses due to playing style I love them on my fretless. I think they would be a great string for a fretted bass used for reggae.

[jazzyvee]

Mica do you have a picture of Aston's bass that you can share? I did find an interview of him talking about his alembic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9erbL9j3v5M

[jacko]

I'm another Chromes fan having had them on my fretless rogue for at least 5 years. Love the feel and the tone can be anything I want. (it is an Alembic after all  )

Graeme

[Exploiter007]

Not that anyone asked, but - ZZ Top is NOT "southern rock."  That's a category they get lumped in to for some reason.  They are more "blues rock" or, their own genre, which I've heard dubbed "Texas boogie."  But they ARE NOT southern rock.  As previously mentioned, "southern rock" would be from Alabama east, south of the Mason-Dixon line (Outlaws, Skynyrd, MTB).  CSNY is not southern rock, nor are the Eagles - they belong to that most dreaded of genres, "country rock," which is southern California, '70's era, "bore me to tears and pass the fatty" rock.  At one point, even Eric Clapton dabbled in the "country rock" genre (see 461 Ocean Blvd), a point where I completely gave up on the the man. 

One genre I do enjoy a great deal is "alt country / southern rock," which would include Drive-by Truckers, Son Volt, Blood Oranges and Southern Culture On The Skids. 

None of these bands have used Alembics as far as I know.   

[hieronymous]

My favorite line from a band from the south was Col. Bruce Hampton at shows by the Aquarium Rescue Unit - two actually:


"...South of the Manson/Nixon line"


"We're gonna play some country music - we're not sure which country"

[jazzyvee]

Picking upon Mica’s comment on Aston Barrett’S alembic, does anyone have a picture if his bass or seen it on-line anywhere i’d love to see what he uses.

[elwoodblue]

If there is, I can't find one,
good luck with the quest.