Author Topic: Kool Bell's Alembic (no picture) (Read 716 times)

malthumb · « **on:** September 27, 2003, 09:36:10 PM »

I was just watching an old video tape of a Kool & the Gang concert where Kool is playing his quilted maple Series I. On a close up, it looked as though it was a carved top bass, as opposed to the usual hippie sandwich. Anybody know if this is truly the case?

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2003, 11:48:54 PM »

Here's the only picture I could find. It's a brief film clip from Top of the Pops.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/artists/k/kool_and_the_gang/video/kool_and_the_gang_ooh_la_la_la.ram

dannobasso · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2003, 09:03:57 AM »

A friend of mine provided a rig for Kool Bell at the Garden back in the day. It consisted of 2 stacks.
Double 18, double 15 and lens horn on each side of the stage powered by 4 BGW 1200's. Big Bottom!

dela217 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2003, 12:02:54 PM »

I could be wrong, but I think he owned an Oasis bass. Oasis basses and guitars was made by someone by the name of Gary Cooper. I think he was an ex Alembic employee too. The Oasis bass had the same body style. I think he liked the style so much that he had Alembic make a bass with that body. At least that is the way I heard it.

senmen · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2003, 12:54:39 PM »

Hi Guys,

I just saw an old concert of the Gang just two nights before on german TV (Musikladen).
There Kool played a double cut Alembic bass.
This was long scale and a symmetrical double cut like the Stanley Clarke models. The body was very thick and had an incredible curly maple top.
The Oasis bass Dela talked about before stood aside during this gig.

Many greetings
Oliver Baumann

malthumb · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2003, 06:48:44 PM »

Senmen,

i think we watched the same video. Mine was also a Musikladen performance. In a couple areas I could see what looked like a twin to the bass Kool was playing sitting in a stand off in the wings.

bishopqdog · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2003, 05:39:12 PM »

thanks for that footage. That was a blast from the past!

labes3 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 16, 2005, 10:14:53 PM »

the bass robert(kool)bell is using is indeed his alembic the one on the stand is the oasis,i played both when the band i was with at the time shared de-lite studio with them.the oasis was a fine bass and well crafted but i dont recall who he said the builder was.his alembic is almost an exact mate to the one owned by mike(sugar bear)forman of philly international fame. at the time i was using a alembic modified fender jazz bass done for me at my fathers workshop in the 70's it served me until i got an alembic later in my career

David Houck · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2005, 08:27:10 AM »

Thanks for the info Moises, and welcome to the group! I don't recall it being mentioned before that Mike Forman played an Alembic. I guess he did both guitar and bass sessions. Any idea what recordings he used the Alembic on?

labes3 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2005, 03:48:54 PM »

thanks dave ,from what i understand from sugar bear when he invited me to test drive his alembic on a weekend we were both off he told me that the techs at sigma sound studios were having problems recording the bass. i attribute this to their unfamiliarity with the basses capabilities and controls.trust me they learned but later.i do belive that he did use it on some philly international recordings before his tragic death
i'll check with some of his session mates and get back to you .by the way i let go of my alembic back then because the producers at that time wanted the fender on r&b recordings. they wouldnt let me use my rickenbacker much less the alembic thank god times change

foth · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2005, 03:39:18 AM »

Gary Cooper built the bass for Kool Bell in 1973. It was his first production instrument under his Oasis brand. I bought his first production guitar at the same time. It was a semihollow, with stereo low impedence Bartolinis. The Oasis company lasted 3 or 4 years, I think, though Gary continued to make special-order instruments under that name until his passing about 5 years ago. He worked as a guitar tech in the Sacramento area for 25 years after his Oasis venture and was a real treasure to musicians living in the central valley of California.

labes3 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2005, 01:36:40 PM »

thank you for the info foth im trying to catch up with robert bell and see if he still owns the oasis bass and if so i'll post a picture. i think a lot of alembic fans would recognize the quality in craftmanship put into this bass. by the way ,dave im still on finding what specific songs bear used his alembic on with philly international.so far ido know he used it on dedicated MFSB albums after anthony jacksons famous Money and Got to give the people what they want sessions for the O-Jays.these two songs were important because after these historic sessions philly producers at the time started to give us bassists more leeway as far as our input when it came to the sound of the bass on their recordings.hey dave do you know if tony jackson ever owned an alembic?

David Houck · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2005, 05:26:08 PM »

I don't know. But I did do a search and came across and old Bass Player article that, though it didn't answer the question, was pretty interesting reading.

88persuader · « **Reply #13 on:** September 22, 2005, 03:33:25 AM »

Dave that was a great article ... very interesting!

labes3 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 22, 2005, 01:37:36 PM »

dave when it comes to reserch you are the master .write a book ! or i'll pick your head and write it myself (giving you appropriate credit of course)