Anybody else have this problem?

[Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)]

I have this problem ; In my thirty-four years as a bass player, I have owned and played the following; A Hagstrom( can't remember the model), a 73' Rickenbacker 4001and 78'3001,two 78' Charvel PJ's  (serial# 028 &  029,A Guild B-50,Two Ibanez MC924's(poor mans Alembic),a Kramer 8-string &three 4 strings,I pressently own;Three basses of my own design,A  Steinberger XL-2,a Musicman Stingray 5, a Fender Jazz, a U.S. Masters 5, Ibanez MC 924 w/ Bartolinis and finally an 86' Distillate and a 98' Europa.
My problem is that  I  have all these wonderful basses and all I end up taking to the gig are my Alembics!!!!!!! I love to sit around the house and play all my basses but  none of them, repeat....NONE  OF THEM stand up to the Alembics!  Occasionaly  I will try to bring another one to the gig. I end up playing them for one set and then I must put them down and pick up the alembics. I get so much flack from my band mates for not  using the Alembics.I've never had so much reaction to a bass from normally indifferent to bass tone musicians! Ah ,the fullness the punch, the clarity, the VERSATILITY!! I tell you , these basses render all others useless. I'm curious to hear of others having similar  experiences.
Mike

[Valentino Villevieille (valvil)]

That's quite a few basses there Michael...if I read you correctly you have a total of 10 right now? with another 11 before that?   I get the feeling you must  have bought every decent lefty bass you ever came across...
 
However, you only use Alembics on your gigs...now, I may not be the brightest guy, but...explain to me, just why, exactly, is that a problem?  Your other basses aren't suing you for neglect, are they?  
 
Valentino

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Well MIchael,
 
I have not that choice in basses. My other bass is a 78 Antigua Fender Jazz bass. I started playing in the old-fashioned Big Band with the Alembic but the guys didn't like it. They didn't like the sharp edges in the sound. Beware: it IS a mather of shaping the soundof the bass. I use the Fender now with light roundwounds from D'Addario and everybody likes it.
I guess when I put those string (5) on my SII the bandmembers would love it but then I have a problem in the other band I play.  
The SII IS very versatile and in the time I used my Alembic in the BB i wasn't as good in soundshaping as I'm now.
I guess I could rule the world with 3 SII's but one of them has to be fretless (5str) and the other with roundwounds (4str).
Take care!
Paul

[Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)]

Actually,With all the time and money I've invested in my basses,if anyone sues me for neglect,it will probably be my wife!!  
Seriously though, what I'm trying to say is that the Alembics have rendered all my other basses obsolete! I have been SPOILED! I am trying to decide if the others still have...(for lack of a better term), a place in my musical life, but I also hate to see them sitting around collecting dust,you know? Musical instruments are meant to be played and so now I'm faced with the realization that perhaps I should sell them off and at least get them into the hands of someone who will make more use of them. Mike  

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

You know Mike,  
I don't have any basses that I'm willing to part with.  Besides my out-of-control Alembic collection, I'm also quite the fan of the 70's Fender Jazz Bass.  Needless to say...I have a few!  Although NOTHING can compare with my Alembics for sound, quality, feel or just sheer exotic beauty,  those other basses still have their charm.  They're all members of the family and have their individual stories.  They'll all still be around long after I'm gone in the hands of who knows who.  We're just their custodians.  Enjoy and appreciate them while you can and never mind about giving to someone else who can appreciate them.  They'll find their own way once we're  gone.

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Mike DeV:
 
Picking up an idea from a previous thread:  
 
Keep the ALEMBICs and the basses you built yourself.  Sell everything else and buy a motorcycle ! Maybe a Ducati or an R1.
 
Also, consider yourself lucky.  Most gigs, a lot of us get the inevitable dude, where's the Fender?  I just tell 'em it fell of the Ducati !!
 
Joey Wilson

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Uh Oh!!!!
 
Do I see another motorcycle/Alembic thread coming up here!?!?
 
Rami, very well said!!!  I too sometimes feel guilty about leaving certain basses at home sometimes.  Until I get to the gig of course and play my trusty old Elan!!!!!
 
Peace-Dino

[Michael Paskel (Mikey) (pookeymp)]

Hey Mike,
 
I too have been guilty of bass neglect.  Since I started playing 5-string about 17 years ago, all my 4-strings sit around unplayed, except for a Takamine Acoustic.  I have a Guild, a Tune and a Tobias, all 5-strings, that don't make it out to gigs anymore since I received my Alembic.  I do use the Tobias at some rehearsals, though.  It's nice and light and easy to carry on my back when walking around NYC.  Lucky for my Tobias, my 14-year old son still loves it dearly and brings it to Church every Sunday where me and him switch off on bass and drums.  I normally play the Alembic at church also, but every now and then will pick up the Tobias for a song...but always go back to the monstrous sound of my Mark King.
 
Mikey/

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Oooooops.
After reading my answer again (see higher) I see I made a mistake. The Fender I play are strung with light FLATWOUNDS from d'Addario. That's when the BB-mambers starred to like it. So I guess when I took those strings to my 5 string they will like it to. So to rule the world I slould need 1 Alembic 4str with FLATWOUNDS. Sorry for the mess-up.
 
Something else: Mikey: do you play 5-strings for 17 years?
I can't imagine that they were already very popular then? Here in Belgium not I think. I even met a salesman in a guitarshop over here that basses with more than 4 strings are not so popular anymore.
He said:  
1. to have a good one is a lot more expensive than a equally good in 4 string.
2. They are more difficult to play. He said (and I quote)  a six string is for the intellectual bassplayers and that is something that is never asked from a bassplayer.
3. It's more demanding for the quality (and budget) of the amp-system and cabinet set-up you use.
 
Tssss-tssss ...poor us!
 
Take care!
 
Paul

[Michael Paskel (Mikey) (pookeymp)]

Hey Paul,
 
17 years ago the 5-string definitely wasn't as popular as it is now (not too many companies making them)...but they were around.  I remember seeing a Tobias 5-String as a Guitar Player Giveaway back  around '83, '84, or '85 (not sure of the exact year)...and knew I had to get one.  So I messed around with a couple of cheapo 5-strings for a couple of years until I was finally able to buy my Tobias in '87.
 
My 14-year old son, when he decided to pick up bass 2 years ago, didn't learn on a 4-string, but went straight to my 5-strings and has been playing them ever since.  He is learning double bass in school...but complains about the lack of the 5th string...Kids!!!
 
Mikey/
 
Mikey/

[Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)]

Rami, you're absolutely right about the charm. That is why I keep trying to find a place for them
at the gig. There is something about each one of them that has appeal.
 
Joey,How about I keep the Alembics and the basses that I built,sell everything else and drop a hefty downpayment on a new SII that I've been dreaming about? Hmm.... Mike

[Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)]

Rami, I had the oportunity the other day to play an flame maple Excel 4 at a local store.This was quite a find since we don't see Alembics that often in Salt Lake City. I know that you own several and I would like to compare sonic notes.
First off there was a beautifully thick slab of Pau Fero for the fingerboard. the finish while smooth on the maple ,apparently is not thick enough to fill the more open pored ash on the back
Is this typical of your Excels? It must be a polyurethane finish.Perhaps not as thick as the polyester.As for sound, Nice and bright but more choked sounding as I would expect from a non neck through without the sustain block under the bridge,with kinda of a smokey sounding low end.I was listening through a GK 1001 2-10 combo which I'm sure had some influence on the tone. Mike

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

I believe that's the satin polyurethane finish you're describing.  Personally I love it.  It makes the surface feel natural and very touchable.  Feels like bare wood - can't get better!  As for the sound - the maple topped Excels seem a little softer and smoother sounding than the Walnut or Vermillion topped ones, which seem to have a slightly harder-edged  sound.  Generally, the Excel sound is very loud, sharp and punchy; just a little smoother with the Maple tops.  This was my first experience with Alembics - there's a bass with a unique personality & charm.  I've still gotta thank Mica for designing it!

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi gang,
 
1. To Mikey.
Let your son try a 5 string upright? I know an old Belgian jazz-player who plays the 5 string upright. It sounded fabulous. I went to speak with him and after asking him about the bass he said: the principle of 5 string is rather old. Bach used it and there is no way of playing Wagner without a 5 string. In my history books the first 5 string bass ever made (with the WIDE stringspacing so APART from the Fender VI) was done by Alembic for -what's his name: a long time bass-player for James Taylor(). As the book tells: he got the idea from his father who played the 5 string upright.
 
2. To all:
parting from basses isn't that easy, believe me I know.
But try the following: giving the fact that you own one or two Alembics + some or what other guitars.
First imagine some pour bass-player coming to you and beg you to give you one of your (non-Alembic) basses. Would you do it? There is a fair chance that most of you all would answer some words not for publication on this site and basically ask to get lost.
Second: imagine you have some nasty bills to pay (my situation once and there WAS an Alembic involved). What instrument do you want to sell then? Those instruments are the ones you easily can part of.
Third: find out for yourself if you have a wish for another bass (an Alembic of course). Talk about that dream with friends here on the web, with MIca, to your wife and kids, to your community priest, your doctor whoever ... . See for yourself what guitars in your collection you want to part from to get the money to pay for the new guitar.
If none of the three situation let you part from one of your guitars ...well ...you really hooked up on them. I suggest then you keep them alive by playing them regulary. Visits to a good luthier can help to give them a set-up as close as possible with the Alembics. Another hint is to strung or tune them in different ways. For instance: try the upper 4 strings of a guitar on one of your basses. It's something Stanley Clark does. It's a completely new area opening in using powerchords and soloing. With five string: try using the high C or alternate tunings.
Anyway: try to play on them and to keep a chalenge for each of them!
My two cents.
 
Take care.
 
Paul
 
PS: I'm afraid I gave already a lot of two cents here ;-)

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Mike DeV:
 
OK, a new SII is OK instead of a Ducati.  If you really make a killing on your oldies, go for the ebony laminates, and think about a red one since it was my idea.  You could call it The BigRedS2.
 
Best Regards,
Joey Wilson