5 string player

[goran]

Hey guys, so have been playing Alembic now for year and half, first time that I've purchase one, it is Series 1 from 1980, I just love that bass, but... yea there is "but". I'ma 5 string player by heart and since I'm just a regular musician (only play for living), I've decided to buy another 5 string Alembic.

I have 2 Fbasses, Fodera, Moollon, '66 jazz bass, and cheap Yamaha BB series, they are all great and I really do need them (well, Fodera was kind of a gift).

Now, as you all know prices of new or Series 1 with 5 string and it is really hard to find one I started to think about getting MK K-body 5 string. Can see that there are many of them on Reverb.com

https://reverb.com/item/21803122-alembic-mark-king-signature-deluxe-5-string-bass-cocobolo-balance-k-omega-2005-natural
https://reverb.com/item/9408442-2007-alembic-mark-king-deluxe-5-string
https://reverb.com/item/19291820-alembic-mark-king-5-string-spalted-maple-top-2008-s914
https://reverb.com/item/21803819-alembic-custom-mark-king-deluxe-balance-k-w-europa-electronics-birdseye-maple-2007-s700
https://reverb.com/item/10976020-2006-alembic-mjlb-5-signature-standard-bass-buckeye-burl-5-string
https://reverb.com/item/15270992-alembic-mark-king-deluxe-5-buckeye-burl-top-back-ebony-fingerboard-serial-mk14665

I realized that price can be from 6000 to 14.000 dollars, depends on condition and year.

So question is, would I even regret buying it because I really do like how Series 1 sounds and feels? (btw. I like how Series 1 are hollow-core body, are there any other bodies that are like that?)
Should I wait for Series 1 to show up on Reverb?
Should I save money for few years and buy the new one?

I know these are all personal questions, but yesterday, since I'm hired bass player I took other 5 string bass because my Alembic has no low B, I put Extender Drop-d tuner, but that is just not it for some songs.

So I just want to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Thanks all

Goran

[jazzyvee]

Hi Goran, this is a real personal thing because you know what sound you are getting from your series bass. From my personal experience of having series, signature and europa electronics in my basses I find the series basses to be the most rewarding of all to play because they have a particular sound that I cannot get from the other basses.

Option 1: Series I or II 5 string new or used

Option 2: If you are going for a non series 5 string, you will feel more comfortable with one that has two filters & q switches. Once you go down that route closest option to a series bass would be to find a 5 string with anniversary electronics which is the same as a series I layout but the electronics and pickups are different.

Option 3: Signature bass which you could modify to have anniversary electronics. ( I am currently in conversation with Mica to do that in the near future).

Option 4: Signature bass is a great option and extremely flexible tonally but different sounding to a series bass. ( I have the mod for 3 position q switch instead of two and that improved the tone for me)

Option 5: Europa/Rogue 5 - a great choice however, my own personal experience is that being used to two filter alembics I find the single filter easier to use live but less flexible tonally. (Not that anyone but me would notice)

If you are a 5 string player at heart and love the sound of your existing series bass, I think you will only be satisfied with a series 5 bass because you will hear the difference in the tones you can get between your existing series bass 4 and a non-series 5 string bass. I guarantee that if you buy a non-series 5 string now,  in the future you WILL still want to buy a 5 string series bass.


 
Keep your eyes on here also : https://www.station-musicshop.de/epages/64398533.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/64398533/Categories/Category2/Electric_Bass/Alembic

Happy hunting.

[edwardofhuncote]

Goran, have you ever tried B-E-A-D tuning? I haven't either, but I am also a 5-string player. I have come to appreciate going back to a 4-string bass, but recently decided to convert one of my Alembics to the alternate tuning for an experiment.


http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=24578.0


I don't know if this will solve the missing lower frequency thing for me, but I figured it was worth trying, especially since completely reversible.

[Mark 63]

Thanks for this information, JazzyVee. I was very interested in the Europa 5 that was for sale here, but thought I might miss the sound of the Series pickups and the full Q switching arrangement. So I chose to wait till funds match the right opportunity. All of the Signature basses listed by Goran are on my Reverb watch list.

Question: How do Signature electronics differ from Anniversary? They seem to have the same pickups, 2 vol, 2 filters, and 2 Q switches. I read your post on upgrading, but couldn't see the difference.

[jazzyvee]

Hey Mark, the difference is the anniversary electronics have a pickup selector switch and two volumes instead of the master volume and pan that the signature has also the anniversary has 3 position q switches
This is the layout for Anniversary Electronics.


Signature

[hieronymous]

Anniversary also has a switch to go from mono to stereo (each pickup with separate output) - it's the one right by the output jack.

[StephenR]

Hey Goran,
I also think that you will be happiest if you find a Series five-string since you are a five-string player and like the sound of your Series bass. To my ears the Series pickups and electronics sound rounder, deeper and more open/dimensional than the other Alembic electronics packages. Any Alembic electronics sound great but the Series are in their own league. I have been playing five-string since 1984 and don't enjoy playing four-string anymore. It would frustrate me to play four-string just so I can play a Series bass. To me the advantage of a five-string bass is much less about having a couple of lower notes available and more about being able to stay primarily in one position and play across the neck while having access to a wider range of frequencies. Once I got used to that kind of playing technique I found it hard to go back to four-strings. Good luck with the search!

[goran]

I guarantee that if you buy a non-series 5 string now,  in the future you WILL still want to buy a 5 string series bass.

That's what I'm afraid of

Goran, have you ever tried B-E-A-D tuning?
I don't know if this will solve the missing lower frequency thing for me, but I figured it was worth trying, especially since completely reversible.

That would bug me too much, specially in reading department... I coma actually from 6 string player, so loosing g string would be to much

I also think that you will be happiest if you find a Series five-string since you are a five-string player and like the sound of your Series bass.

I think that's how it's going to be in the end. thanks

Thank you all for your thoughts!