Instrument Loyalty?

[jazzyvee]

Hey I'm loving the responses to my initial thread question. It's very interesting.
I'm primarily a guitarist and it's only since I got my first Alembic in 2002 that I really took my bass playing seriously and too the public.
 
Throughout my musical life I have only Lusted after 2 guitars. A good Strat and an alembic Like Stanley Clarke has.
 
I have looked at many strats over the years and although I could have afforded one at many times during my career. I didn't because, each one i tried out didn't feel Right for one reason or another. That was until I tried a Strat Ultra in 1992 whilst on tour in USA. It had the new fender lace pickups and interestingly Importantly an ebony fretboard.
 
Needless to say I bought it from a store in Florida and got it trade price as the owner was a big fan of the band I was in at the time.
 
It's a lovely instrument. Relative to other strats it sounds very hi-fi, and until I had got my Alembic Orion last winter, I had not played or heard another electric guitar that sounded as clear or was as versatile as the Ultra.
But then I'd never heard an alembic guitar e3ither.
 
I bought the Orion guitar off a german store on E-bay last winter and it was a model that alembic made for them in 1995. It had been in the store for 10 years unsold. You can imagine the smile on my face when I found that out.
 
Since I've had it thats all I've used on live gigs. The difference is very noticeable.
 
Going back, i bought my first Alembic in 2002 which was an Alembic SC,Deluxe which I was then and still am in love with. I then bought an Europa 5 last summer which again is a different sounding instrument but absoulutely fantastic in every way.
 
I really can't imagine buying another model of bass or electric guitar in preference to my alembics. I really would love to try a top of the Alembic range electric guitar like a series I or II with single coil pickups. If I was able to buy one I'd like it as well as my other alembics rather than instead of any of them. My past record for selling off instruments is really poor and shameful. ( I find it hard to do.) lol
 
Whilst I am curious about Fodera basses, they aren't really hanging around in any music shops here in England to my knowledge.
 
Just after I bought each of my alembics I tried to sell off it's predecessors ie. a musicman sterling bass and a maple neck usa strat. But the price that was offered was so low that it was insulting to see a quality instrument go for such a low price.
 
In actual fact in the past I have given instruments away rather than have them suffer the indignity of a paltry second hand value.  
 
Right time to get back to doing my gardening. Thanks again for the responses.
Cheers
Jazzyvee
Ps: have you tried an alembic guitar in an acoustic guitar amp?
Do it.. its fantastic when used direct and clean, it sounds authentically acoustic electric.

[paulman]

As a guitarist, I have to say the Alembic was something I have been striving for since I found out who, and what they are throught the Grateful Dead.   I still have most every guitar I ever purchased.  I sold my two Jay Tursers ( I know, booooo) 'cos they were just eye candy, didn't sound good compared to the FIRST Jay Turser I bought (best sounding guitar I had purchased in 15 years, before the Alembic).  Every guitar I ever had I modded, frankensteined and screwed to get the good sound.  Never successful, but came close sometimes.  
 
However, through this very forum I picked up a 2002 Skylark (thanks Kevin!) for a steal.  THAT was my moment when I realized that the all the way sound was never there before.  My Band mates get PISSED when I play anything else 'cos they can hear it immediatly.  
 
Now that I have the Further, they get pissed when they see any other guitar case at rehersal, but relax when it's the Other Alembic (Skylark).  
 
I guess my point is that I have sentimental reason for keeping my Axes.  The crap ones I have no attatchemnt to and will let go with no second thoughts.  My first guitar, guitars that girlfirends bought for me etc.  
 
Heh I played a slide solo at a bonfire party last year, then threw the guitar (crap action was 1 off the board, hence slide) then threw it in the fire still plugged in and ran to the Alembic on stage, and continued the solo hee hee.  
 
I keep what I like, or what brought me to this point.  Short of having the ultimate Alembic custom, my Signal Generator is complete and now I'm focusing on the rest of my rig.  Look what I found!  http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-F-1X-preamp-OSC-power-amp-Korg-Tuner_W0QQitemZ7422622695QQihZ016QQcategoryZ121159QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[palembic]

Though I can make any bass-sound with Bonnie comingout of Tweak Peaks and so I don't really need another bass ...well ...I DO change basses! Like I said on other occasions: I am always looking for VERY peticular sounding basses to chnage from Bonnie: the Ellio MArtina with Alembic guts is a cpmplete maple contrecution. The Rob Allen fretless fiver is also a sound-class on his own.
Am I loyal to my bass ...more or less ...depending on the mood, the environment, the music ...
 
Paul TBO

[keith_h]

So Jazzy, What do you have in your garden? I just got done bringing in the last of the spring lettuce and chard.  
 
Keith

[darkstar01]

I don't know about the whole 'guitar players have more instruments than bassists' thing.  
And as far as the 'guitar players need instruments with different tonal and acoustic qualities' thing goes... yeah, not for bass players. i mean its just bass, right?  
 
austin
oh, and, ftr, the classico is just as much a solidbody as alembic's other basses.

[jazzyvee]

Nothing exciting in the garden, I'm a reluctant gardener so I just have a lawn and hedges to look after.  So nothing interesting in there, no flower beds  etc as that would mean getting down to some weeding and tending the flower borders.
Less time in the garden working = more time to do other stuff that I find more interesting. :-)
 
Me talking about loyalty, I had a recording session with the Percussionist in my band. It was some traditional Indian music with a modern twist. So I decided it was better suited to acoustic guitar.  But since Alembic don't do acoustics (yet) i guess I wasn't letting the side down.
Anyway its about my bedtime now.
Catch you soon.
Jazzyvee

[u14steelgtr]

Austin; My comments about the number of instruments that players of various instruments tend to own is strictly my observation. I should mention that I was really thinking about the subset of people that I know that like to play several different styles of music.  
 
When I wrote that I was thinking in a context based on my premise (unstated) that Alembic owners tend to be more versatile musicians than most. I would say that the folks that I know that primarily stick with 1 to 3 styles of music tend to own only 1 or 2 instruments of a given type. Your circle of friends and region may be vary.  
 
It is true that the Classico is just as much a solid-body as Alembics other basses. The distinction I make is that most of Alembics other basses are not as well suited to playing with a bow. Your comment in this thread about the Classico is pretty ironic because after I made my post on this topic I got to thinking about the Alembic Classico and started a Classico specific thread.
 
Regards
-- Eugene

[bigredbass]

Boy, Eugene, you punched a LOT of buttons for me!
 
I always maintain that guitar players are after the same thing NOW that they were after in 1960:  A great tube amp sound and a wiggle stick that won't pull the guitar out of tune!
 
HiFi guitar is almost an oxymoron from the standpoint of this vision of Famous Guitarist A in the recording studio with these arthritic, vintage guitars and ancient, buzzing amps facing state of the art digital recording tools (don't get me started on that either!!) to 'get that tone!!'.
 
Aside from the occasional guitar player that will step up to EMGs (or even more rarely Barts, much less Activators) and a rack-based rig, the technology hasn't advanced a whole lot in 40 years.  The PODs, CyberTwins, Line 6's, etc., I think reflect a different trend altogether:  I'm convinced guitar amps are going to morph, control-wise, the way synthesizers did.  The Yamaha DXs were the big start of turn-key synthesis:  Who needs ADSR generators, all those knobs, etc., when you can just cycle through the presets until you find what you like?  Think not?  Play with anybody using a pod and watch how many times they EVER touch the amp except to turn it off an on.
 
Of course, the 'in-vogue' sounds have never been hifi.  Except for when acoustics are recorded.  Listen to first-class bluegrass or classical guitar records, THEY'RE hifi.  But they're not electric.
 
One thing that really has me intrigued, and if you haven't heard or tried one, you need to do it just to 'expand your horizons'.  Taylor's T5 is marketed on the 'one-axe-does-both' premise, and in large part, it really does.  Amazingly close.  One of these and a Little Darling would be one hell of a two-axe arsenal, but it would require DeTox to break that Paul/Strat/Martin habit!
 
J o e y

[tom_z]

A wiggle stick' - so that's what I'm after.
Wow.

[jazzyvee]

Although a wiggle-stick is not a big part of my style, I do miss not having one on the Orion guitar at times. At the times I do find myself instinctively reaching down to curl my little finger round it when the moment takes me. But then realise it's not there, I have started to train myself to reach behind the nut with my picking hand and press + relax down on the strings there to get a similar effect. Cant get a pitch drop there I know but it works for some subtle wiggling.
Right time for work....  
JAzzyvee

[ajdover]

Folks,
 
   It boils down to tone and feel.  If it sounds right, plays and feels right, loyalty will remain with that brand.  If it's a Fender, Gibson, Alembic, Fodera, Sadowsky, Status, Rickenbacker ... well, so be it.  My loyalty to Alembic is that they feel, sound and play like no other bass on the planet.  The attention to detail is second to none - the wow factor is unparalleled in my experience.  This, in addition to being a member of a club that not many belong to is what I think makes Alembics special.
 
This being said, I've met and talked to many who are not impressed by Alembics.  They are, however, impressed with Fodera, MTD, Sadowsky, Lull, Lakland, etc.  To each his/her own.
 
I will say this - I had the opportunity to speak with the president of Alembic, on the phone, regarding my custom order.  She told me everything about the instrument I was about to order, to include background information on a similar instrument owned by one of my bass heroes. She told me stories about him, how they built basses for him, etc.  We talked cooking, holidays, family traditions, food, etc.  Could you do this with the president of Fender, etc.?  I think not.  This is what binds most to Alembic, I think - human interaction.  You're not just some guy or gal in Guitar Center doing your best Billy Sheehan imitation - you're a living, breathing human, and the people making your instrument are too.  This, IMHO, is why we're so loyal.  It's not just the instrument - it's everything that surrounds it.
 
My Two Cents,
 
Alan in Iraq
 
(Message edited by ajdover on June 19, 2006)
 
(Message edited by ajdover on June 19, 2006)

[olieoliver]

VERY, VERY well put Alan.  
I personaly would never ever knock, or put down a person for playing what they prefer, or can afford. I would also never turn my nose up at someones preference in music.  
Music is a gift from God, and art to be enjoyed by all not a competition.

[flaxattack]

here's my 2 cents
while waiting for direwolf to get repaired, all i do is play on basses whishing they were close to an alembic....
aint selling him and neither will i part with the tribute bass whence i get that one
i did sell my persuader, it was gravy on my potatoes. once i have wokf back i will start reducing my inventory of non alembics...
:-)

[lbpesq]

Alan hit the nail on the head.  Others may copy Alembic construction and looks, but there is only one Susan and the rest of Team Alembic.  The degree of interest they show in the customer can't be faked.  They are simply down to earth nice and very interesting people.
 
Hey Alan, as the sargeant always said on Hill Street Blues, be careful out there!
 
Bill, tgo

[grateful]

Well said Alan and Bill.  After the troubles I experienced with my Further build, I know how much Alembic care about all their customers:  it's a unique experience in this day and age.  The only thing they might put before customer care is quality control.
 
Mark