New bass day!!

[goran]

First sorry for my English, second bear with me to tell you the story.

So I got my first Alembic about 5 years ago, I I fall in love with that sound right away, not just the sound, but in art, this community (I remember that when Steve send me message and said: "I know you from Alembic forum, I am in Croatia wanna meet up?"
It was such a great evening with him and his wife. And I don't think these things happen on Fender forum or somewhere else.
This is really a great community .

Now back to bass topic,
I saw this bass on Ebay, 2 years ago Jazzy posted it on forum (https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=25499.msg257388#msg257388)

the deal look fishy, but I contacted the guy, he send me some photos and vid, but I was to scared to pull the plug.

So, after a year the bass showed up again on Facebook and it took another year to get it. The seller was actually selling it for his dad, I all I needed is trust that the story is right.
I also was asking all of you about that bass and here was also thing that not a lot of records about Anniversary basses.
https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=26513.msg270867#msg270867


After year of sending messages on Facebook, pictures, videos, I finally got the bass.

It is 20th Anniversary 5 string bass, I am a 5 string player so I dreamed of having a 5 string bass. I had an MK K Balance 5, but I didn't fell right to me.

So here it is united with my Series 1.

I'm so happy.... finally I got what I wanted and it is a Anniversary model... my Gosh....




 

[StephenR]

Congratulations and nice back-story. Patience, perseverance and knowing what you are looking for pay off, just not always quickly. Play it in good health!

[David Houck]

Congrats!  Love that top wood!

[edwardofhuncote]

I've been waiting for this one - Congratulations Goran.

[jazzyvee]

Well done Goran, you made a good catch there.
How do the two compare?

[pauldo]

😎

[fivestringdan]

Beautiful bass! I hope you post a video demonstration for us to see.

[gearhed289]

Nice! I always liked the look of those Anniversary bodies.

[goran]

Well done Goran, you made a good catch there.
How do the two compare?

Ok so after few days of setting up, cleaning, tuning, I finally got the bass to sound and feel as I like.
Comparing it to my Series 1, Anniversary has 0/8db boost, which is perfect because I've never used the middle settings on my Series 1 and series have 0/6/9db boost.
Now comparing the sound, well that's a tough one, I really don't think I would recognize Series between Anniversary in blind testing, I like like the whole feel and sound better on Anniversary.
But maybe that because I really feel more comfortable on 5 string than on 4 string.
AM doesn't have that low bass since the neck pickup is closer to the neck than on AM bass, but AM has more defined middle frequencies, anyway they are both great instruments.
They are the same size so the AM fit perfectly into my case that was made for Series 1 bass. Check pics.

Another thing, both Series and AM have the same weight which is weird because Series is hollow, but that's just perfect because I thought that AM is going to be heavier.

Bass is as new I just need to clean the brass bridge and polish the frets and it will be brand new. It is a really great bass, I just love it.

Only thing that is broken is pickup selector knob, and need to Contact Mica because my country is not listed in shipping options

Beautiful bass! I hope you post a video demonstration for us to see.

I will soon!

[fivestringdan]

Now comparing the sound, well that's a tough one, I really don't think I would recognize Series between Anniversary in blind testing,

Beautiful bass! I hope you post a video demonstration for us to see.

I will soon!

This was going to be my next question as my current build has anniversary electronics. Glad to hear that it sounds close to my Series I sound which I love. Thank you so much for letting us know how the two basses sound. I just makes me even more excited to take delivery of my new bass!

The pictures of your basses are stunning! Beautiful pair of Alembics. Congratulations on the new bass.

[rv_bass]

Very nice, Goran, congratulations!

[edwardofhuncote]

Goran, I am wondering; is your AM long-scale or medium-scale? The only other 5-string I know of [89AM-008] is long-scale... before ordering my Custom fretless, I entertained the idea of buying that one, instead just borrowed some features from it for my build. It is almost, well... it is the opposite of yours. Anniversary Models came in either Walnut/Vermilion or Maple/Purpleheart. I think the pickup placement may be slightly different from yours too. And the Logo/Twentieth Anniversary badge is located just above the nut on yours, which differs from 008. I am guessing the asymmetry of the 5-string Crown headstock got in the way of negative space sensibilities!

That's a beautiful bass guitar my friend, so glad it worked out for you to acquire it! 


 

[hieronymous]

This is awesome, I saw your post on FB - I had read this thread before but then couldn't find it - glad you popped back in today!

What a cool bass! I had my Stanley Clarke 5-string upgraded at the Mothership from Signature to Anniversary. It works really well for me. Of course, our basses are going to sound very different - looking forward to hearing the scale length, mine is short scale - but I think that Alembic electronics will help each instrument express both its own character as well as that of the player.

My Facebook post still stands: Congratulations!

[goran]

Goran, I am wondering; is your AM long-scale or medium-scale? The only other 5-string I know of [89AM-008] is long-scale... before ordering my Custom fretless, I entertained the idea of buying that one, instead just borrowed some features from it for my build. It is almost, well... it is the opposite of yours. Anniversary Models came in either Walnut/Vermilion or Maple/Purpleheart. I think the pickup placement may be slightly different from yours too. And the Logo/Twentieth Anniversary badge is located just above the nut on yours, which differs from 008. I am guessing the asymmetry of the 5-string Crown headstock got in the way of negative space sensibilities!

That's a beautiful bass guitar my friend, so glad it worked out for you to acquire it! 

Hey, I think this was a custom order of Anniversary bass, it is Walnut/Vermilion long scale. And I like this pickup placement, suits me more for my style of playing. And yes not sure why logo is near the nut and not on top of headstock.

Thanks, yes it's a beauty.

[goran]

This is awesome, I saw your post on FB - I had read this thread before but then couldn't find it - glad you popped back in today!

What a cool bass! I had my Stanley Clarke 5-string upgraded at the Mothership from Signature to Anniversary. It works really well for me. Of course, our basses are going to sound very different - looking forward to hearing the scale length, mine is short scale - but I think that Alembic electronics will help each instrument express both its own character as well as that of the player.

My Facebook post still stands: Congratulations!

I'll do it in January gigs are killing me in December, which is really good