Alembics at Open Mics

[JuancarlinBass]

Hey!! Another Kramer Duke owner here!. Now those are becoming rare beasts, aren?t they? Besides, real comfy to carry around (specially when flying on airplanes), Steinberger-like style, almost in an awkward way, without the pain of finding and using double-ball strings (Well, I had the bass and the guitar, and one day those double ball strings became almost impossible to find, so I sold both... and then someone came with the add-on idea for using normal strings on those...). Nice sound too! (Mine gets a stingray-like tone). Nice when you don?t want to risk carrying your Alembic around. NOW, I would like to also have a Nobby Meidel Warwick, oh yes...

[coop]

Great to meet another Duke surviv..uh..owner! I have both a fretted and a fretless Duke for some reason. They really are great go-to basses for jam sessions and (non-gigging) travel. Very discreet as well - most everyone assumes I'm carrying a pool cue so if the jam sucks, I can leave without calling undue attention to one of the (usually) few bassists on hand. They are also quite utilitarian in a bar environment - you can use it as a club to fend off drunks and/or morons can spill beer on it and you'll still have an intact neck and be in tune. I don't think that was Kramer's intention, but it is a unique aspect of the instrument.
 
The sound's not bad, but both of mine were experimented on by previous owners. I've tried to get them back to nominal over the years, but as they sit they're still sufficient for a jam or open mic.
 
The Warwick Nobby is pretty damn cool and certainly shows off the design chops of Warwick's past. However, if I were in the market for a headless instrument, I'd probably go with one of the newer NS Design basses - they use either regular strings or ball-ends. My NS Design OmniBass electric upright is a fantastic beast.

[JuancarlinBass]

Speaking of Duke?s stories: On a beautiful wedding party I was playing some years ago at a paradisiac beach setting (private, VERY rich wedding party at Margarita Island, one of the treasures of the Caribbean), with a very nice sounding PA, me being part of a nice show that was hired for the event... I had to perform the most ridiculous on-stage dance with a Duke bass: Right feet over the monitor, very hard-rock style, to act as a fence against one drunken crowd member who was trying to sneak under the boom arm of my microphone stand to get to the singer?s spot. Right arm?s elbow (while playing, thank you very much) poking another guy who was desperately trying to reach MY microphone to sing chorus. Kramer Duke bass?s tip or nonexistent head used as a spear (with a nicely rhythmic movement according to a nice 70s funk/disco set) against the ribs of ANOTHER drunk guy, who claimed loudly to be a cousin of the groom, and who intended to tell everyone aloud how proud he was of his cousin (amidst our set, mind you) through the singer?s microphone... only that her microphone was a HEADSET MIC!. So there I was, trying to fend my singer from being inadvertantly harassed by a drunk partygoer, and to guard my microphone from some other spontaneous at the party, and from whatever that might happen with the one who was trying to sneak under my microphone?s boom stand. All of this while playing, singing background vocals, and making a little move with the music. Yes, the Duke was quite useful then, and I thanked all divinities for not having my Alembic with me right there  
 
Fortunately, after the show we were offered with such a nice banquet, that it was speedily forgiven... but certainly not forgotten

[keith_h]

Back in the days when I played in a wedding band we always kept an old banged up mic and stand off to the side for the spontaneous. Never plugged it in, just ran the cable to the backside of stage. It worked well most of the time.  
 
Keith

[bsee]

I've got a yellow Duke as well (and an old Steinberger). I was carrying the Duke regularly as a backup when I was playing a lot of four. Mostly doing five string these days, so I'm looking for a Zon VB on the used market.
 
In the meantime, I keep thinking about making an Alembic-quality body for the Duke neck and hardware. I'm just not that good to do it well enough. I can build a pretty book shelf, but guitar bodies seem more challenging.

[coop]

Yet another one of the bassist's undocumented roles in the band. Reminds me of Adam Clayton standing in front of Bono at an Arizona concert performing Pride (In The Name of Love).  
 
The Duke does make for a righteous riot bass. Great story!

[tengu_dave]

I bring my spoiler to open mic nights as its been my main bass for 27 years. Having some advantages (I'm 6' 3 210 lbs. I have 30 years in a true combat martial art and am a licensed armed security guard and a personal protection agent. i feel for you when someone tries to grab your bass. I ALWAYS say NO. I go to the trouble to bring my instrument and an amp (just in case). Heck even my son (an accomplished guitar player (who plays a McCarty and a Custom 22) has only played my Alembic for 10 minutes under my watchful eyes. don't forget there is that undeniable link between alcohol and STUPIDITY. As someone mentioned earlier I was thinking of bringing my Warwick fretless for the same reason. The fools won't ask because they can't play fretless bass.

[slawie]

I took my Essence 5 Rogue electronics to a jazz jam last Sunday.
The organiser was a bass player (not to mention he says he can play every other musical instrument known to man) and because I was on time I got to get up first.
 
I played the first set and was lauded for the tone from 3 different punters. Also got an offer to gig.
 
The organiser asked if he could borrow the bass. He seemed like the type of person who would look after my bass as he chastised a guitarist who placed a packet of pork crackling on his amp.
Seemed to be the type A kind of guy who looked after his equipment.
 
He played one tune with my bass and then handed it back to me. As we all know Alembics are unforgiving for bad technique and this guy was the poster boy for how not to play a bass.
I can't play this thing, I have a P bass copy then proceeded to pull out his Yamaha P bass copy which sounded like hitting a stick against a muddy blanket. 1-5,1-5,1-5,1-5 and so on, ad infinitum.
 
There is no accounting for some peoples taste - or lack thereof.
 
Next week I am bringing my Series I fretless and I will really freak him out.
 
Am I being vindictive? Of course I am!
 
slawie

[sonicus]

Good one Slawie !  Perhaps next time with your Series I fretless  
he will hand it back to you with a red blushed  face and then suddenly vanish from the scene only to reflect upon what had just happened. You might be doing him a favour in this process in the long run so he might tone down his bravado.  
 
 Wolf

[gtrguy]

The last time I took an Alembic to a jam, this shifty guy saw it and then kept pestering me for my name and any personal info he could get from me (none). Needless to say, I no longer take it to a jam session.

[pauldo]

It is interesting to note, that if you listen to your gut instincts often times they are very accurate in pickin up a 'funny vibe' from someone.
 
David I am sure that before the guy started asking odd questions that you already knew he wasn't trustworthy.

[jazzyvee]

I've just got back from my first gig as bass player of the house band for a weekly jam session close to where I live. It went really well lots of the songs I didn't know or had never played before and just relied on feeling my way through from my memory of the songs from years ago. A mixture of 50's 60's and 70's music with a few more modern songs thrown in if requested. I took my series I shorty and which i'm not allowing anyone to use. I will however be allowing any bass players that come to play to use my small mesa bass rig.

[keith_h]

Some of the house bands around here keep a low cost bass and/or guitar for walk up players. Something like a low end Squier Jazz Bass or Stratocaster guitar. It might be something to consider if you get many requests and the house band gig lasts for a while.   

[jazzyvee]

I went to that jam session again today but took my black europa bass that I usually just use for reggae. Man.... I had completely forgotten how crisply that bass sings from thumb damped jazzy blues to crisp and bassy funk and soul it sounded incredible. A guy from the audience who approached me in the interval and asked me what my bass was. I told him but he'd never heard the name before. He is a retired bass player and told me he has a 1972 fender jazz and an old Warwick Corvette but neither of them sounded as good as my bass. He's gonna bring one of them down for me to hear him play next week.