GGU, you can cruise thru the FAQs section of the Club and 'homework' the various pages about Series basses. A few 'Cliff Notes':
-Alembics are very honest and neutral sounding instruments. Think studio monitors instead of home stereo speakers. With the filters pioneered by Ron Wickersham in conjunction with the 'phantom powered' pickups in the axes, you can go from organ pedal deadness to virtually clavinet-like brightness with the turn of a knob and a switch, all with very high headroom. If you look at the S1 that John's playing you'll notice there's no 1/4 plug: It's connected to an offboard power supply and a stereo (or mono) output via a proprietary 5-pin output cable that powers the onboard electronics and outputs to whatever amp rig you use. We have guys here that play them straight into Crowns, BGW's, etc., for a hifi/minimalist approach, something not possible with most basses.
-It's alot to take in. If you're like most of us, these things were almost legends, I bought the first one I ever saw. And I live in Nashville, where there's every kind of axe under the sun, you don't see a lot of them. So I'd suggest hanging with us, finding your way around Alembic's website and this club, and slowly you'll learn the 'language'. It's hard for me to think of another small family business, headed by one of the great innovators (I think of Ron on the same level as a Leo Fender or Les Paul) and his artist wife, who build every part of every instrument (pickups, bridges, all the Alembic hardware save the tuning keys and pots), and create the magic they do.
A Series Alembic is one of those landmark instuments, like a '59 Sunburst, a Selmer Paris horn, or a German Steinway or Bosendorfer. They're honestly not for everyone, but if you 'get it', truly, nothing else will do.
J o e y
