Author Topic: Rhetorical question (Read 481 times)

musashi · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2014, 06:15:32 AM »

As I've said before: Alembic. There is NO Substitute. None.

pace · « **Reply #16 on:** September 11, 2014, 03:32:06 PM »

Probably the opposite experience to most other crossovers, but when I first got my Elan (first Alembic), The nut was wide (P-bass) spec, and it rested further from my center of gravity than my previous fretless.... It took some getting used to, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Just thru sheer joy, within a couple of hours the bass was playing me!...

edwin · « **Reply #17 on:** September 12, 2014, 10:58:20 PM »

It's not an Alembic per se, but it took years to get the magic to flow from my Starfire. Finally getting the SII electronics and pickups probably had a lot to do with it, but even long before that, all of a sudden it spoke, as if the voice had been rusty for a while.

mtjam · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2014, 04:52:44 AM »

I struggled with my Series 2 for over a year. It had many buzzes past the 10th fret that I just couldn't get rid of. The bass did not play like what I would expect from any Alembic. In August, I took it to Philtone in Baltimore. Phil's Plek machine revealed that the fretboard was out of whack with hills and valleys, and that I needed a refret (which I planned on getting anyway).

Phil had my bass for a few weeks, and kindly dropped it off to me when he was passing through my town (saving me over from an hourlong drive). Now my Series is a joy to play, and lives up to my expectations. I have enjoyed playing it much more, and have used it on many of my gigs since the refret. I'm lovin' it!

flpete1uw · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2014, 09:48:51 AM »

Rob,
That brings up a good point, how many older Basses are played that need this kind of work and some how we adjust ourselves to compensate. In a way your bass was screaming Feed me Symore and you had it repaired.
Should learn more on the tell tales signs that my Bass needs a fret job. So far I've survived, I think?
Pete

mtjam · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2014, 06:13:26 AM »

That's the first instrument I've ever had refretted, and I am so glad I did it. Before that, I had a high fret, a fret with a sharp edge, and various buzzes on the E, D, and G strings. I experimented with different strings, truss rod adjustments, etc. but nothing helped. I have never attempted any kind of fretwork, so I knew I needed to get it checked out by a pro. Since I live thousands of miles from The Mothership, I decided to take it to Philtone. He put it on the Plek, and showed me the computer analysis of my frets and fretboard. I know that luthiers can do great fretwork without a Plek, but it was cool to see the comparison of my frets to what it should look like!

The refret really made a night and day difference in how my bass plays, and now it's ready to make beautiful music for many years to come.

Maybe next year, I'll get my Distillate checked out!

coop · « **Reply #21 on:** September 27, 2014, 12:15:09 PM »

In my case, I think it was that my bass was waiting for me. I went through P Basses, MusicMan, and Warwick until I got the guts to go in and get what I had wanted since the 70's, an SCSD. For my hands, that neck is amazing and the tone is flexible and outrageous. Is it tougher to get accustomed to over a B/M/T configuration? Yes, but only if you close your mind that way. Treat it like an engineer would treat a two-band fixed-Q parametric and it makes perfect sense.

As far as feel, my playing has never been so effortless and alive. For my hands, the SCSD neck is almost perfect. Can't wait for my custom Rogue - with an SCSD-based neck in 32, Signature electronics, and a coopered back, it should be the bomb.

rjmsteel · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2014, 07:09:57 PM »

Distillate since 1981, ?lan (6 String) since 1989, so the filter electronics have been utilized and understood.

Then I received my Series and it has taken me all of a good two years to be (almost) fully comfortable with her characteristics. This bass is entirely in a league of its own!
When you think you've got her figured out you are once again surprised to learn what sonic abilities are capable, (which when presented can make the operator nervous & even at times more confused).

However I am happy to report I seem to have a pretty good handle on my Series. As an example the way I'd been running my bass (sans filters) through my SF-2 I thought I had dialed up as much punchy bass as I could muster since my neck pup is 1.750 from the end of the fingerboard... wrong! More tweaking (improved learning curve) and well you get it.... Sounds at times like I'm playing the low B on my ?lan...
and yes I own a pair of Magnaplaners!

Rich