Author Topic: An Alembic Moment (Read 508 times)

keith_h · « **on:** January 16, 2010, 08:03:22 AM »

The gig went well last night. Around our second song a patron of the venue comes up and starts looking at my Brown Bass. He looks at the logo and tries to read wording on the pickups. He does this another time or two. After the gig he comes up and asks me, Is that an Alembic?. I say yes, somewhat surprised to hear the name pronounced correctly. The guy said when he was in the back room he heard a bass that was too good for the normal stuff he hears in the place and had to find out what it was. He then continues that he has not seen one in a long time and never recalls seeing one in Chapel Hill.

It just goes to show there are folks out there that realize the difference between a national park in Washington and a fine instrument.

Keith

(Message edited by keith_h on January 16, 2010)

jbybj · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2010, 12:01:45 AM »

Was he a bass player? I'd guess yes............

keith_h · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2010, 05:06:59 AM »

I think he said plays guitar. Around here I have yet to run into any bass players other than Alembic owners that even know what they are.

Keith

pauldo · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2010, 01:24:35 PM »

Keith is right - I was at an open jam once and as soon as I lifted the lid on my case another bassist came over and said Is that a Ken Smith?

bassilisk · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2010, 06:55:06 AM »

We did a show this past summer with several other bands on the bill. I was using my Rogue and after our soundcheck one of the other bassists (not a young novice I might add) came over and commented on what a nice bass it was. What kind is it?
I told him and he wrinkled his brow, looking very puzzled as he tried to read the headstock. Alembic, I repeated.

He was clearly mystified.

jacko · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2010, 04:26:57 AM »

Neither my Rogue nor my Sig dx have the Alembic script on the headstock. At a gig about a year ago, two student aged guys came up after the first set and asked if my basses were Warwicks! Luckily for them I'm quite a mellow guy. imagine if they'd asked Flax the same question ;-)

Graeme

keith_h · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2010, 05:11:15 AM »

If it had been Flax they would have gone on to ask how much it cost.

Keith

bassilisk · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2010, 07:45:18 AM »

Neither my Rogue nor my Sig dx have the Alembic script on the headstock.
Neither does mine.

dannobasso · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2010, 05:09:32 PM »

Only an Alembic club member Jack knew when he came out to the Delancy in NYC. He wrote a very nice review here and I forwarded it to the band and got smack because he was very favorable of the bass tone and my singing.

And this what is that thing has been the case since 1983 people.
Isn't it funny that we here almost every make and model bass out there?

bigredbass · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2010, 01:58:46 PM »

Welcome to Nashville.

'So . . . ya didn't want a Fender?'

Joey

2400wattman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2010, 08:46:40 PM »

Welcome to Knoxville.
Man...I got this Ibanez that'll kill anything out there...,anything man! and that ain't no s*#t! (said in my best ig'nant sounding red neck voice)

gregduboc · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2010, 02:21:21 PM »

And I was thinking that sort of stuff only happened here in Brazil...

- Nice paint job on that bass, man!, referring to the Buckeye Burl top of my bass...

- Is that a custom Fender?

and so on...

Greg

hifiguy · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2010, 12:33:30 PM »

I've gotten only three responses to my Alembic over my infrequent gigs over the last couple of years. Sound man (a former bassist, it turned out) at The Fine Line club in Minny immediately recognized my Stanley Sig Standard and complemented my taste. Young guy who played a Carvin 5 and a Steinberger electric upright (_really_ well, I might add) did the same a couple of years ago.

In January a guy asked me what it was. I said an Alembic. Oh, an OLYMPIC! Cool!

And so it goes, as Mr Vonnegut said.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2010, 04:40:25 PM »

Sometime ago I've heard this compliment from an other bassist:

- Nice Bass, it looks like my Rockbass and sounds good, too
- Do you really think so?
- Well, you know... They are nice, but someday we will be able to get a real good Fender
- Wow... Yeah, I hope so... Thanks

What could I say? It just occured me if our sound man made something wrong that night...

(Message edited by Mario Farufyno on February 21, 2010)

benson_murrensun · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2010, 09:33:56 AM »

Last night after our set a guitar player asked me if my bass was an Alembic. I was happy that it was recognized. Then he asked if it was made in the USA! Many possible responses raced through my brain... but I simply told him that yes, they all are.