First Alembic?

[brucebass]

Hi, I've always been a big fan of Jimmy Johnson's - actually went to band camp and took lessons from him in the '70's. I'm a weekend warrior who's played Lakland and Warwick basses for many years, also have a Jazz and P Bass. I'd like to buy an Alembic - can't afford the Series II that I think Jimmy plays, but have found a Mark King 5 Omega for $9500 that seems to be a good substitute, as least judging by specs. I like clarity, use round wounds-exposed core to achieve a piano-like sound for much of the stuff I play. Any thoughts as to if the Mark King would be a good fit? So hard to find and play Alembics before purchasing!


Thanks! Bruce

[StephenR]

The Mark King basses are quite nice and the electronics package on the MK Signature Deluxe is the closest thing you can get to a Series bass. The price you quoted seems really high to me, though, especially if it isn't the Mark King five-string with a Balance K Omega body shape, youshould be able to find a used Series bass for that price. Unfortunately finding a used Series bass with the Balance K shape is difficult since it is a more recent model. Do you know the serial number of the MK bass you are considering, does it have LEDs? If it is one of the older ones the price is definitely high. If your budget allows you to even consider a $9,500 bass, I think you could find a used MK Signature Deluxe five-string with LEDs, Cocobolo top and Balance K Omega body for less than that. That kind of budget really expands your options.

Good luck with the search!

[jazzyvee]

Hi Brucebass, Yes JJ plays a Series II and is an active member of this forum so watch for his posts in response to questions from members. For $9500 I think you should be able to find a used Series II or I bass which would give you the best chance of getting anywhere near Jimmy's tone
There are a couple fo series I basses on reverb within your budget.(I have no connection with the sellers)
https://reverb.com/item/36045036-alembic-series-1-1975-zebrawood

https://reverb.com/item/32967233-1978-alembic-series-1-in-natural-finish-with-original-hardshell-case

There is also this JJ signature on Ebay which may interest you. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALEMBIC-Jimmy-Johnson-signature-Bass-5st/264771182936?hash=item3da597a158:g:z1oAAOSwzhle74Y9

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=25800.msg261739;boardseen#new
Just be aware that some of the older series basses can be affected by modern noise so it's worth asking a buyer if the bass has had the noise cancelling upgrade as this can be only be a costly addition to your price.

For sounds you could try checking into my facebook group called The Sound of my Alembic there are a number of series II bass examples
https://www.facebook.com/groups/627214200803337/

As a personal example I'm a big fan of Stanley Clarke and got a Stanley Signature bass which is superb but when I eventually got a series I bass of the kind he uses, i could tell the difference and that got me closer to the sound I was looking for.
 
Happy Hunting

[jazzyvee]

In response to StephenR's comment the Anniversary electronics package is the closest to the series I sound capability since it has two volumes, 3 position Q and pickup selector like the series bass, but I have not seen many of those on a MK signature style bass. More so on the Brown basses or the Spyder basses.

[JimmyJ]

Hey Bruce,

Thanks for the kind words.  Are you talking about Arrowhead band camp?  HA!!!  If my memory wasn't so terrible I might remember more details.  I certainly was never any good at teaching so ... please accept my belated "sorry about that".  Although I'm happy to hear you're still playing so maybe I didn't do too much damage. 

Arrowhead was a great experience and I do remember going there for different reasons; concert band week on clarinet, stage band and choir weeks on electric bass.  It was the first place I ever went to as a kid because I was a musician, so that was kind of a big deal.

Now to your question...  It's always tricky to recommend any particular bass for anyone as it's such a personal thing.  And Alembics are a sizable investment so making that leap is even trickier.  Especially if you can't try it out first.....  Because while these basses are all quite amazing they do come out slightly different from one another simply because they are hand-made and built from different trees (if you know what I mean).

I only know the Series models but ALL of the models are great in their own ways.  The guys who have already chimed in know more about the different electronics packages and also about current prices.  But I will say that if you are looking for that "piano string sound" there's simply nothing like an Alembic - IMO.  Pretty sure you would enjoy that MK but be careful because it's just a gateway bass to a Series II.  Ha! 

Best of luck!
Jimmy J

[hammer]

I’m going to reinforce what the others have stated with special attention to Jimmy’s last comment (I started with a Distillate, and subsequently purchased a Europa, and an SC Signature before making the leap to a Series I).  $10,000 is IMHO far too much to pay for anything less than a Series bass. I now own both a Standard point Series I fretless and an SC bodied Series I and paid far less than half of what you are quoting for the MK. That MK may look really nice and have a lot of bells and whistles but it’s not going to provide you with the tonal capacity of a Series bass. You will therefore at some point sooner or later start looking for a Series. Unless you have the resources for both a Series and an MK as well as an understanding partner (“you really need another bass.”) it’s probably going to be less expensive in the long run to wait for a reasonably priced Series I. It might not be as flashy, but no amount of bling is worth trading for the Series tone.


I would also heed the advice to confirm an RF upgrade on a Series bass or a bass that is totally quiet in both studio and live settings. Not only can the electronics upgrades get expensive but they can take awhile. I’m currently waiting on one for another Series bass I purchased which has been waiting in line since last December.

[brucebass]

Thanks all for the advice - and Jimmy, yes, that was Arrowhead, and then some lessons at your parents home. You're the reason I play bass - really enjoyed the Gadd concert last Saturday!

[lembic76450]

Welcome Bruce,

Since you say clarity and piano like tone are important to you, you might
want to give consideration to an Essence.

My primary axe is a Series I, but, I am also fortunate to own an Essence 5 string.
Set up with Alembic strings it sounds, to me, very piano like.  Maybe someone who
plays one full time will jump in with some comments.  And, they can be found for
far less money. 

Good luck with your search and don't forget to keep us looped in.

[brucebass]

Thanks - I found this Essence on Reverb, but it looks as though the electronics aren't quite the same as newer models. https://reverb.com/item/36688191-alembic-essence-natural?utm_campaign=MessagesMailer%23notify_recipient&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email Can you tell me what the toggle switch does on those? There isn't one on this version, and the owner isn't sure of the year.

[StephenR]

There are a number of electronics configurations that can be ordered on any bass. The Essence usually has either a Vol/Pan/Filter or Vol/Pan/Bass/Treble controls. The models with a filter either have just the low-pass filter like the one in the Reverb listing or a filter plus Q-switch. The Q-switch can be ordered as either two or three position and allows you to add a boost at the frequency the filter is set to or leave the response flat. The Q-switch affects the attack of the note. The filters and Q-switches are found in Series basses and IMO are essential to getting unique tones. The models with no filter also sound excellent, though, and some people prefer those. The variable bass and treble controls Alembic uses are asymmetrical and cut more than they boost. You really can't go wrong with any of the Alembic electronics packages, they all sound great and feature the kind of range and clarity you expect from an Alembic.

If you decide to get a bass with a filter and no Q-switch you can add it later but it will require you to drill a hole for the switch which you may not be comfortable doing. If you are considering a used Essence looking for one that has the brass sustain block under the bridge and purple heart neck laminates is highly recommended, big upgrade to the basic package. The Essence in the Reverb ad you posted the link for looks like it has the sustain block but not the upgraded neck laminates.

There is a ton of information here about the various models and electronics packages. Suggest you spend some time doing research and asking more questions before plunking down a large amount of money on a bass. The FAQ and Must Read sections of the forum would be a great place to start. Lots of helpful members here so don't hesitate to ask more questions either!



One last thing, if you want to know the year of the Essence in the link on Reverb ask the seller to send you the serial number. It is on the truss rod cover below the neck, the serial number starts with the year the bass was built followed by the letter K which is the model code.