Author Topic: My Baby Alembic S2 (Read 770 times)

eos35mm · « **on:** January 17, 2008, 02:13:12 PM »

Hi folks, I haven't posted for sometime. Here is a photo of my Baby Alembic S2 at Alembic. It was originally fretless and I had the good people at Alembic convert it to fretted, with the addition of side L.E.Ds and dimmer. I decided on no inlays.

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2008, 02:44:42 PM »

Wow! It's beautiful!

eos35mm · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2008, 09:20:43 PM »

Thanks it's a beautiful bass.
I am on a steep learning curve, it's like learning to play the bass all over again.
I am trying to get use to the tension especially when playing on the back pickup it's hard, string spacing and curvature of the bridge makes my playing sound sloppy, I also get some nail sound. I can't get the speed moving across the strings. I am accustomed to a flatter fret board and pretty near flat strings across the bridge.
I am looking for strings with lighter tension strings to see whether this would help.

jazzyvee · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2008, 12:04:08 PM »

That certainly is a great looking series II bass.

Hey a question if I may. I notice the neck pickup is further away from the bottom of the fretboard than I recall seeing other Series Basses. You seem to have a space that is similar to other non series basses between the end of the fretboard and the pickup.

I would imagine this makes slapping and popping easier but aside from that and in terms of sound would that difference of maybe 1/2 inch or so make a big difference to the sound off the neck pickup?

Maybe there is another reason series basses usually have the neck pickup closer than non series basses to the end of the fretboard?
If you know i would be interested.

Jazzyvee

lidon2001 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2008, 12:26:56 PM »

I believe that's the former Counting Crows bassist's fretless, later owned by club member rklisme.

eos35mm · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2008, 01:18:18 AM »

Correct Lidon2001, it's the very same fretless or I should say was the same fretless. How did you guess? This bass in mint condition not a scratch, nick or ding on the wood.
And yes Jazzyvee...the front pickup is further away that the Ser2 that Stanley uses but it is a Ser2. It's easier to get in there for plucking/popping. I think the angle of the shot makes the distance look further away than it actually is. Eyballing it, the front pickup is about the width of the dummy pickup away from the end of the fret board maybe 1/2 to 3/4 distance. Presently I am using a small Gallien Krueger 12 combo. It's not working for the bass - almost no bottom no highs. I want to try another amp. Since I do not have an older series to compare the sound I can comment on the difference in sound the different placement of the pickup has. Maybe Mica or someone who has played both types can give us insight on what difference the placement of teh pickups will have on the sound.