Author Topic: Alembic Guitars (Read 648 times)

57basstra · « **on:** July 20, 2005, 09:47:24 AM »

I'd like to know more about the Alembic 6-string, (or 12-string) guitars. Are there any really outstanding guitar players who use Alembics regularly? Can you give me any recordings past or present that may feature Alembic guitars? Any other info would be great and I will likely be asking more guitar questions. Thanks to all. This is a 2 cool site!

(Message edited by 57basstra on July 20, 2005)

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:38:15 AM »

A little known band called the grateful dead, and their lead guitar player, Jerry Garcia, may be the best known;-) But I think you will find that their are a ton of famous players who have used them at one time or another, or stratoblasters, or F1-X's, F2-B's and SF-2's for that matter. Someone around here will likely be more specific.

57basstra · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:39:43 AM »

Thanks...I knew Garcia played Alembic. I wondered about others out there.

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:42:29 AM »

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

57basstra · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:43:33 AM »

Oh yeah...in my neck of the woods Country Music is rather popular (along with Bluegrass, Gospel, and some Folk.) I am doing my best to introduce the folks hereabout to the sounds of Alembic. Anybody know of any Country Artists that ever played Alembics?

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:46:00 AM »

I think David Gilmour uses F-1x preamps, SRV used a stratoblaster, Steve Miller played alembics, I have seen a picture of Pete Townshend on the site with an alembic, I think (but am not positive) Carlos Santana, undoubtedly a boatload more . . .

57basstra · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2005, 10:47:34 AM »

I'm also trying to get enough posts so that the 'Junior goes away from my username. (At least it doesn't say Junior Member!! Something about that moniker that is quite less than appealing.)

dfung60 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:04:38 AM »

Whoa there... Jerry Garcia's best known guitars were built by Doug Irwin, not Alembic. Irwin had worked at Alembic and his guitars are clearly influenced by Alembic's designs, but Rosebud, Wolf, and Tiger aren't Alembic products. Alembic's Tribute guitar is influenced by the design of Tiger. Garcia didn't play a lot of electrics, but played SGs, Travis Beans, and a custom-built Cripe guitar which was influenced by the Irwins as well.

Phil Lesh did play Alembic for many years, and the there are many, many close ties between Alembic and the Grateful Dead including The Wall of Sound, and Ron Wickersham working magic in the Dead's studios.

One Alembic guitarist that was very prominent was Carlos Alomar who played a beautiful Series I guitar behind David Bowie for many years and many albums.

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:08:07 AM »

I thought there was some bit of debate about the origin of at least one of garcia's guitars (wasn't irwin working for alembic at the time, and didn't he later replace the alembic logo with his own on that guitar? Someone correct me. . . . But there is no doubt that the sophisticated electronics in Garcia's guitars owe some debt to the ground alembic paved.

jagerphan84 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:17:16 AM »

Check out this thread to see Susan's clarification on the subject. Here's a partial quote:

Doug Irwin worked for Alembic when the instrument now known as the Wolf guitar was built. He was an apprentice with no previous guitar buliding experience. The instrument was designed and built at Alembic, originally sporting the Alembic Headstock and logo that Doug later replaced with his own. It did not have the Wolf inlay at first that was added by Doug years later.

Adam

lbpesq · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:23:02 AM »

Wolf was an Alembic. (The Further guitar is based on Wolf). After Irwin left Alembic, Garcia brought it to him for a repair, at which time Irwin removed the Alembic logo and replaced it with his own.

Country Alembic players? Try some NRPS (New Riders of the Purple Sage). John Marmaduke Dawson often played an Alembic and I think Dave Nelson may have too.

IIRC Prince played an Alembic that had the logo removed. And David Crosby has a 12 string Guild Starfire modded by Alembic. An absolutely gorgeous guitar in Brazilian Rosewood that I had the pleasure of seeing at Alembic recently.

Bill, tgo

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2005, 11:30:26 AM »

Adam:

You posted while I was composing. Great minds do indeed think alike.

Bill, tgo

jseitang · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2005, 08:00:00 AM »

david glimour played and still PLAYS through a alembic f2b preamps.

57basstra · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2005, 08:11:02 AM »

...most interesting posts to my thread; as my personal motto states, Play on!

dela217 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2005, 08:24:21 AM »

John Dawson is a good example of a Country player using an Alembic. Another one that I can think of that is more mainstream is Glen Campbell. I am sure there are more, I just have to think a bit.