Author Topic: When did you first hear of Alembic (Read 611 times)

slawie · « **Reply #30 on:** April 19, 2006, 06:59:01 PM »

I first heard of Alembic when I was in Santa Clara in 1988 on a training course (I am from Oz). I saw this small body fretless at Starving Musician that I thought was a copy of a Gibson SG. I prevously owned an Ibanez and when I picked up the bass to have a try I was absolutely blown away. Without even thinking or knowning about Alembic I forked out my $770.00 US for the bass because it played so beautifully. I did some checking on the web and took a trip to the factory in Santa Rosa and met Mica where she had a look at the bass and confirmed its authenticity. Mica was kind enough to give it a serial number 75-251S the S stands for Slawie(my name). I own a '77 Jazz bass also but the instrument love of my life is the Alembic. I have wondered what it would be worth now but that would be a sacrilegious exercise to have it valued as I believe I would never sell the bass even if I was living on the streets I could not part with it.

the_8_string_king · « **Reply #31 on:** April 19, 2006, 08:21:52 PM »

That's *sob* how I feel, Slawie!

u14steelgtr · « **Reply #32 on:** April 19, 2006, 08:55:25 PM »

I first played an Alembic in 1977 or 1978. Another 20 years would pass before I would own an Alembic guitar.

I was visiting Chuck Levin?s Wheaton Music and the salesman said I really should try out this guitar. I said sure - why not. When the salesman returned with a solid-body guitar I thought he was pulling a prank on me: he knew that I had a prejudicial bias with the premise that a solid-body guitar was by definition an inferior guitar.

As soon as I played it I immediately took a liking to the guitar but I could not imagine myself owning a solid body guitar; nor could I imagine spending that much money on a solid body guitar. I remember saying to the salesman that it was indeed an exceptional guitar but because it cost almost as much as a nice acoustic guitar I would not consider purchasing it.

A few months after my introduction to the Alembic I became aware that Alembic also made basses. I made the acquaintance of a guy that had a really pretty Alembic bass. He was a great player that could sight read music. He also introduced me to tri-amping an instrument using Hi-Fi amps. This was the first time that I was aware that an electric bass guitar could sound great.

(Message edited by u14steelgtr on April 19, 2006)

bob · « **Reply #33 on:** April 19, 2006, 09:28:29 PM »

That's a good one, slawie - I believe the first time I saw an Alembic in person was also at Starving Musician in Santa Clara (I happen to live nearby), it was used, and also a fretless! This was in 93, and I'm pretty sure it was an Essence (Epics had just come out, but don't think this was one), and it had a light maple top and back.

I was on my first serious search for a decent bass, wasn't really looking for used, and maybe the wood and shape weren't quite what I had in mind either... but to this day, I have a very clear picture (suitably enhanced by now) in my mind of that bass, and I can also remember just how solid, and carefully built it felt compared to all the other high end basses I was trying out at the time.

It seems like I must have seen some others, since I'm pretty sure Guitar Showcase was a dealer back then, and while cleaning the garage last weekend I found a 93 price list and brochure that had been mailed to me (I kept this, of course). Perhaps GS was low on stock, or only had models beyond my ambitions at the time.

But still, I guess I'm the oddball here in that I never really dreamed about owning an Alembic, at least not until around the time my custom was already on order (ten years later...). Yeah, I think I knew by the late 70s that Stanley played one, but I don't seem to have the same set of heroes (if any) as many of the folks here.

Around 2002 I was ready for a better instrument (replacing the Carvin I bought back then, and will also never part with). I knew it had to be custom, did a bunch of web searching, made some phone calls, and Alembic ended up on the short list. One big factor was that they were close enough that I could easily visit to pick woods, nail down the design, and so forth. And of course, that first phone call with Susan made it clear these people knew what they doing...

So I came at this from a different angle than most of you, but it ended up pretty much the same. To paraphrase Joey, not only did I end up with a world class instrument, but I made some dear friends at the same time.

Thanks.

jacko · « **Reply #34 on:** April 20, 2006, 12:47:28 AM »

Here you go Keith. I suspect it's not the same magazine as this was a UK mag. Pinpoints exactly when I first heard of Alembic and saw pictures of Stanley - May 1976. Thirty pence for a black and white mag in those days. ?3.20 miniumum nowadays for a full colour glossy. The article itself is pretty short (they only got 20 minutes to talk to Stanley but he does extol the virtues of Alembic - the rig has 2 Alembic pre-amps running into crown power amps. He also says he admires Chris Squire which would have been reason enough for me to buy the mag.

Graeme

george_wright · « **Reply #35 on:** April 20, 2006, 07:49:17 AM »

I heard about Alembic from my #3 son.

Trying to be a conscientious parent---one who would instill in his kids the idea of managing assets---I started a savings account for each kid when he was born. I put a nominal amount in each month, to show them how regular savings could grow. The deal was that it was theirs when they turned fifteen.

Naturally, when they turned fifteen, they all blew the amount on some boy-toy. (So much for parental good intentions :-(!)

The #1 son bought a Rick 4003. The #3 son bought an Alembic Epic. I got to play them both, which eventually led me to buy a used Spoiler and a custom Rogue.

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #36 on:** April 20, 2006, 03:58:47 PM »

Return to forever Romantic Warrrior the sound of those bass tracks!,as well as other bass players with that alembic sound made me want one REAL BAD!!!...then walked into guitar center one day in 1980 & saw this Old-ass alembic bass (#12) hanging on the wall & here i am 26 yrs later still with it!

steve4765630 · « **Reply #37 on:** April 21, 2006, 10:35:05 PM »

I heard about Alembic through bass player magazine when I was in junior high. They always appealed to me, but I never got to play one until in college. I played a few that weren't set up very well and it kind of wrecked the buzz for me. Now that I've played one set up well, I have nothing but good things to say about them. Great sound, great quality, great bass.

jazzyvee · « **Reply #38 on:** April 22, 2006, 12:47:01 PM »

I think the first time I heard of the name of Alembic was on the back of one of the Return to forever Albums. I think it said something like Stanley Clarke, Alembic Bass with Instant Flanger. Then the 1st time I saw one was when Clarkee toured the UK in the early 80's with the clarke duke project. then I was blown away by them and wanted one since then. So I guess I waited about 23 years or so to get my first.
No regrets apart from wishing I could have afforded one years ago.
Jazzyvee

gbarchus · « **Reply #39 on:** April 26, 2006, 03:31:53 AM »

I joined a band in '71 that was doing some Grateful Dead tunes, Playin' In The Band, Bertha, and Mamma Tried. At the time I was playing a Fender Jazz and couldn't get the incredibly rich sound I was hearing on the recordings. I discovered it was an Alembic and that I couldn't afford one, so I bought a Rickenbacker (neck thru body) and put Rotosound flatwounds on it. That became MY surrogate until I finally found a 20th Anniversary about 5 years ago.

ajish4 · « **Reply #40 on:** April 26, 2006, 04:49:21 AM »

Greg Lake, 197?

Ever since, I was hooked.....

Oh, LOOK at that BASS!!!!!!!!!

ttwatts · « **Reply #41 on:** May 02, 2006, 08:34:14 PM »

For me it was also 197?, I went to a Brothers Johnson concert. He was playing an Alembic. I have been hooked ever since.

rockbassist · « **Reply #42 on:** May 05, 2006, 12:02:28 PM »

It was the mid 70's for me. I saw some pictures of John Entwistle using one. I had always been a Fender player and was a big fan of The Who. In the early 80's a friend of mine who played drums decided to learn to play bass. He found an Alembic at a pawn shop. I played it a few times and found it to be extremely heavy. I continued to play 70's Fender Jazz and Precision basses as well as Musicmans. Last year, I was looking for something different because I was really unhappy with my Musicman. I decided to take a ride to a store about 40 miles away. They had a used Epic 5 string which played and sounded better than anything else I had ever owned so I took it home that night. A few months later I bought another one from a private seller. I still love my 76 Precision but my Epic has been my main bass since I purchased it.

paulman · « **Reply #43 on:** May 05, 2006, 12:38:31 PM »

I first heard Alembic from the source!! An interview with Bear (Playing in the Band by David Gans?) where he talked about getting Alembic off the ground in 69, working with Ron and company to improve the quality of stringed instruments and take them to the next level. Funny that my new guitar was named the Further model.

I had been a deadhead for a long time at that point, and since I'm also a Major gearhead (when it comes to music and technology) it gave me a whole new world to research and explore.

Before all this discovery, I went to a few music stores, and wanted to know if they had any National guitars like the one Jerry Garcia played...d'oh!!

bracheen · « **Reply #44 on:** May 06, 2006, 06:18:40 AM »

I first decided to learn to play bass around '82 or '83. My roommate at the time was a bass player who worked at a local music store. He took me shopping in the trade in section. The first thing he handed me was this huge, elaborate looking bass that he called an Alembic. He also said the company was owned by the Grateful Dead. Not sure where that info came from. I had never played a bass before but holding this instrument I felt as if it could almost play itself. It just felt right in my hands. Love at first sight. That is until he told me it would cost $1300. I ended up with a used Guild B302 but never forgot that magical experience. The next time I saw an Alembic in person I was unpacking my Epic about 20 years later. Looking back I think that first one was a Series 1.

Sam