My first Alembics

[rockbassist]

After more than 30 years of playing bass, I finally purchased my first Alembic last month, a 97 Epic. I love the bass so much that this past weekend I picked up another. As it turns out, this too is a 97 Epic. The quality, workmanship and tone are incredible. I have always used vintage Fenders and Musicman basses. I still have my 76 Fender Precision but may never use it due to the fact that I can't seem to put the Epics down. At some point I will move up to a higher Alembic but for now I'm just enjoying the Epics.

[811952]

Welcome to the best-sounding addiction on the planet...
John

[David Houck]

Congrats!!

[richbass939]

Welcome to the club and congrats on the Epics.  I reflect your sentiments exactly.  I got a 4 string and then a 5, although I waited more than a month.  Some day I would like to get an Alembic with the filters, possibly even a Series.  In the mean time I'm really enjoying the Epics.
Please post some pics of them when you get a chance.  What are the top woods on them?
Rich

[rockbassist]

Hi Rich,
Both of my Epics are 5 string. According to Alembic the top woods on both are Figured Walnut. However, one is darker than the other and has a different pattern to it. It appears to be more like bubinga. The funny thing is that the serial numbers are only different by 312 numbers. Here I am having played bass for 30 years and never had an Alembic and end up with 2 from the same year and only 312 build numbers apart. It's wierd. One of them was built in June 1997. My wife and son were born in June. The other was built on Nov 4 1997. My wife and I were married on Nov 5 1988. Nine years almost to the day. What are the odds of that? The plan is to leave one in Nashville where I do a lot of travelling from and one in Massachusetts where I live.  I will post pics as soon as possible. I wanted to do it today but the battery in my digital camera died. I realize that these may not be up there with the Series basses but they are Alembics and they sound GREAT!

[rockbassist]

There is a strange story about how I came into my first Alembic. I had bought a Musicman Stingray 5 string with matching headstock. (Great Bass). It was in a discontinued color and was only made for NAMM. I went to a Guitar Center that was 1 hour away to look for a Modulus and brought the Musicman just in case so I could make a trade. I didn't find what I wanted and was getting ready to leave when I spotted the Alembic Epic. We do not see many Alembics on the East Coast. I played it an instantly fell in love with it. I traded my Musicaman and $500 for the Epic.  A week later I went to EBAY just to see if what I paid was worth it and found a local seller listing the same bass so I bought it. The average price on EBAY was between $1000 and $1,800. I now own 2 Epics for less than $2,000 total. You can't go wrong. Like I keep saying, I realize that Epics are the bottom of the Alembic line but they are still Alembics and better than almost anything else available. I also own a 1976 Fender Precision and can't think of getting rid of it but at some point I will upgrade to a better Alembic. Keep up the GREAT WORK.

[jazzyvee]

I know the feeling of getting your first Alembic. I got mine in 2002 a SC Deluxe short scale bass. I'd dreamed of owning an alembic since way back when I discovered its sound in the hands of Stanley Clarke in his Return to forever days.  Primarily I'm a guitarist and moonlight occasionally as a bass player. But I've always had the desire for an alembic at the back of my mind.
 
It was a warm summers afternoon when I saw her standing in the window of the local music store. Her small tight shape, teasing and tantalising me as she displayed her brown skin and smooth ebony neck.
Being a gentleman, I decided to do the decent thing an phone her parents at Alembic first. They seemed happy for us to be together, so I went back to see her in the store.
 
The moment I picked her up her from where she was sitting, held her in my arms and  Plucked her ;-)  I knew she would be mine.  It was love at first sight and we have been together since 2002.
 
Since then I have been loyal and faithful to her, but recently I have to admit a bit on infidelity on my part... :-( I've recently met Europa in London. She is very exotic  with a smooth curvy, powerful figure, a wonderfully smooth neck and a warm sensual voice..
Without being to explicit, we are all adults here............... I have been plucking her regularly  since she moved in with me and we are very happy together.  
 
Ok I'm an Alembic Bigamist but I'm not the only one here guilty of that. :-)  
 I haven't taken her out in public yet but the time will come for us to reveal our relationship to the public and I'll let you know how that goes down.
 
I'd still like to get hold of a series I or II even for just a fling. :-)

[bracheen]

Jazzy, nice!
 
Kevin, welcome to the club and from another Epic owner congratulations on both of your new babys.
 
Sam

[jacko]

Kevin. Welcome to the club and congratulations on getting an Epic. Just remember, you can't upgrade to a 'better' Alembic. Different maybe, More features - certainly. I've been happy with mine for 8 years and only got another alembic this year as I wanted a fretless.
 
I'll probably get flamed by all the series / signature owners now ;-)
 
Graeme

[jazzyvee]

No flames from me Jacko, I totally agree with you. Based on the two I have they are both different basses. The signature bass has what I would call a purer alembic sound which doesn't sound like anything else but an alembic.  
 
Whereas the Europa again has that characteristic alembic tone however it can get closer to the sounds of other manufacturers basses in a way that I have not been able to on my signature bass.  
 
In a way I think I would be a bit upset if my signature sounded like a bass from another manufacturer.
 
So I can use them for different things. Also I've never heard another bass that gets close to an Alembic sound.

[jacko]

>I've never heard another bass that gets close to an Alembic sound.

[malthumb]

Welcome Rockbassist!
 
Glad you're getting your groove on with your Epic twins.  Some of what it sounds like you're saying is Hey, I just picked up two of the best basses I've ever laid hands on.  Sorry I didn't get something better.  See where I'm going with this?  You have two wonderful basses.  Don't apologize.  If you want a Europa or Essense or Signature or Series, you'll get one.  But even if you never do, you've got a pair of aces!
 
Peace,
 
James

[jseitang]

congrats to you man!
its great to be playing alembics right?
if you want to try out a series II, in NYC, just let me know!

[rockbassist]

Hi jseitang, I am in Massachusetts. I'm only one town over from where Pedulla is made but I am not a big fan of theirs. Next time I get to NYC I will take you up on that offer to try a Series II.
Hey Malthumb, I am not apologizing even though it came across that way. I love my Alembics.  The sound is amazing! The support is incredible and I love this message board. The only other company that I have seen with a similar resource is Gallien Krueger. I have used their amps for several years and the support is as good as Alembic. At some point I would like to get an Alembic with more features. As I said in an earlier posting, we do not see many Alembics on the east coast. To all who responded to my posting, Thanks for the support! I am hooked and cannot imagine playing anything else. At the end of the month I will be playing my first gig with my Alembics (a benefit for the victims of hurricane Katrina). The gig is in Nashville and I can't wait to show off my Epics.

[mpisanek]

That offer of letting someone else try your bass is a fantastic offer.  Especially to someone that you haven't even met yet!
 
If you want to come to Scotland we are organising a side by side test of 6 different models of Alembic basses.  Not one of them will sound bad!