Swiss Army Alembic

[alemboid]

Ok Guys and Gals,
 
I've noticed that there are a few of you that use your Alembics on unique gigs, such as solo with belly dancers, duos with accordian players, etc. Why not share with us if any of you play solo, duo, trio etc., in a circus, orchestra pit, church, in the subway, along side flute players, banjos, dulcimers, cookware, medical supplies, aircraft parts, etc.? The weirder, the better!!! Don't forget to share what model bass you use, do effects help you? Have you had to change your playing approach to accomodate the gig? You get the idea!
 
Just curious,
 
Alemboid

[bassdr]

I prefer the term switch karma to Swiss Army- so many more implications-  I play my Essence 93K7816 in: church (with the Prays Band), with God's Country or Grey Beards (secular music) in a variety of venues/settings.  Everything from small quiet indoor to large outdoor.  My small rig is a Peavy TKO 115 Sheffield.  The big rig is a Peavy T-Max hybrid head (550 rms@2 ohms)through: passive radiator loaded cabinet with Eminence Pro 15, same cabinet with JBL D140 and a custom built dual 10 ported cabinet with Rockford-Fosgate 4ohm subwoofers in series.  I have never needed to run all three but can.  Hope we never get that loud!  Switch karma indeed.  Michael

[poor_nigel]

Before I moved to the wasteland, here in northern Maine, I used to play in the 'orchestra pit' for the junior high school in a northern California mountain town.  Every year a bunch of us would get together and be the orchestra for musicals for the annual 7th and 8th grade plays, like Rocky Horror Show, Grease and Little Shop of Horrors.  The kids really got into it, dancing and singing on the stage, and I do not think I ever had more fun playing.  Besides some of the biker bars I have played in, these are probably the most unique gigs I ever did.  
 
Back then I was playing a Series 1.5 through an F-2B into double-bottomed Acoustic 370.  Most of the music was rock, so I had to modify little, except keep the lowend thinned a bit, as using a long-scale and 18s indoors can tend to make people a bit nauseous.  That and sit in a little, hard-bottomed school chair, which made everyone adjust their playing style (butts) every 20 minutes or so.
 
I forgot to welcome you to the club Michael.  Welcome!  There is a local band down the road here named the Rock Docs, as they are a bunch of doctors from the hospital in Presque Isle - No there is no island, so why do northern Mainers name towns Isle's???
 
(Message edited by poor_nigel on November 09, 2004)

[David Houck]

A Series 1.5?

[valvil]

Series 1.5 (commonly referred to as 'one and a half') is what we call a series II with no master volume.
 
Valentino

[poor_nigel]

Way back when, I ordered a bass over the phone from Susan (late 70's).  It was ordered with LEDs, gold plated logo and hardware, ME top and back with a walnut core, graphite bars inlaid in the neck, and about everything a Series II had, except the omega cut, and as Valentino points out, the master volume.  Had I known a Series II existed, I would have just started there.  

[David Houck]

Thanks Val; learn something new every day!

[godoze]

Well since I play with both a Belly Dancer and an accordion player I'll pitch in. I do not genereally play in band type configurations; i'm usually playing solo or with a poet blah blah blah.  Anyhoo, I have been looking for years for a bass with a pure cryatalline sound and I finally got it with my Alembic. it took me 25 years of playing different basses to find it but better late than never.
 
I have an Epic with a filter and Q at the moment and am readying my MK order.
 
I use a digital delay occasionally for looping purposes when playing solo or playing with other non-musical performers.  
 
I also rely strictly on on-board controls; all of my amp settings are flat. I actually prefer a powered cabinet to an traditional amp/head configuration.

[godoze]

Cookware. I did perform in a John Cage Tribute concert where I played alongside of some pots and pans...