My Wife

[ajdover]

Ollie,
 
    I can only shudder at what you have up your sleeve with your Wing (I assume that's what you're getting)!  Nice touch with the dummy hum canceler and master volume - I'm sure it will look and sound great.  I'm jealous already.
 
I'm surprised John didn't like the electronics of the RDs.  I find mine awesome, almost Alembic like.  What is not Alembic like is the neck (thick) and the action (higher than I like).  I'm working on the action, but there's not much I can do about the neck sans having it shaved down by my tech in VA.  It does have one other thing in common with Alembics - it is very heavy, much like my Spyder.  The body is one solid piece of maple, so it should come as no surprise there.  However, it has great sustain, and it does have the strings through body option, which I like.  
 
Mike - I'll let my friend know and advise if applicable.  He told me he was looking for an American Precision (and of course, wanted it for cheap!), but I don't know how hard and fast he is on it.  
 
You'll probably have to rout out the TBird body you have, but it will be worth it for Bartolinis.  I have them in my Pedulla, and they're awesome.  I also have a set of the TBird pickups with an active electronics harness I have yet to put in my '87 T Bird.  They are the old three screw type, not the two screw type of modern T Birds.  Shouldn't be an issue for you, but mine has the newer two screw type pickups.  I don't think it will be a problem, though.
 
Best regards,
 
Alan

[ajdover]

Gents,
 
    Here's a pic of my RD77.  It's a bit beat up as you can see, and the truss rod cover is removed because I'm trying to get it set up correctly.  The brown spot between the pickups is where the previous owner had put a thumbrest, which I've removed.
 
Enjoy,
 
Alan

[jacko]

Mike, Jonathon.
Thanks for the advice. After a bit of searching, I've found an 1818x cabinet right here in edinburgh. It's 1x18 and 1x10, originally designed to be used in a biamp setup but can be run full range. There's some confusion over whether it's 200 or 300 watts but I'm going to check it out anyway.
 
Alan, if you look at the 'family' photo on my rogue thread http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/17164.html?1110857827  you'll see my homemade fretless RD copy. Built around the time the RD came out - '77/'78 ? Solid 2 piece mahogany body and 3 piece oak neck. It has a very warm sound, much thinner neck than the original and a ridiculously low action.
 
Graeme

[ox_junior]

Wow Alan!  Truly a rare find.  Seems to be in pretty decent shape.  I'm sure you'll have fun with it.  Nice 70's Jazz bass too - I love the block inlays and the binding.
 
Graeme - hope the 1818 works for you.  My 2x15 is rated for 300 watts, so I'm guessing an 1818 should be the same.

[ajdover]

Graeme - Interesting take on the RD.  I like the Precision with Rick guts too.
 
Mike - My Jazz is a '73.  Has a Badass bridge and Seymour Duncans in it (the hottest ones they make, whatever those are - I forget the nomenclature).  It's the second one like it that I've owned.  I had one up until I joined the Army that I bought for $200 in 1981, and like an idiot I sold it before I went on active duty (car payments, don't you know?).  Picked up the one I have now from Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, and I have the original hardware (pickups, bridge, tuners, etc.) if I ever one to make it totally stock again.  It just had a refret last year.
 
Alan

[ox_junior]

That thing is AWESOME Alan.  Cool that you can make it stock again.  I have a '62 Jazz reissue that I had hotrodded with EMGs.  It's good for everything else I do that's non-Who Show.
 
My '75 P-Bass is all original.  Never even been re-fretted!  It's not quite a slab bass or Frankenstein but it has a growl to it that I haven't heard from a lot of other P-basses, so it works great for my band just as it is.  I traded a Hohner full-body but headless Steinberger copy for it in 1989.  It's probably the only bass I have that will never leave my possession....except for, of course, my Spyder.
 
Whoa...we ARE supposed to be talking about Alembics, aren't we?  Sorry Mica!!  We're just comparing notes about those inferior instruments not known as Alembics!!  

[ajdover]

Mike,
 
   I'm glad you like it (the Jazz).  I grew up playing one, so for me it's a great instrument.  And I love the black inlays, which are original.
 
   I've never been a big P-Bass fan.  I suppose I should get one to round out the collection, but I've always considered them a one-trick pony.  One pickup, one sound, etc.  To each his own and all, but for me it just doesn't work as an all around instrument.  That, and the fact that I'm heavily influenced by Geddy, Chris Squire, John, Jethro Tull, Jaco, Stanley, etc., and you get the picture.
 
   All this being said, I'm sure I'll end up with a P-Bass in my stable eventually.  Not that I need or want one, but just to round things out! :-)
 
    Like you, I'll never sell my Alembics.  They are the prizes in my collection, and the finest instruments I've ever played or owned.  I talked with Val about converting my Spyder to a true Entwistle model, and he told me it would be better to order one from scratch given the cost of a conversion.  So, I'm saving for my dream bass.  Someday, it will be mine .... and Ollie will be jealous.  Until then, I still have my Spyder, and my Wing, and my Europa ...
 
   BTW, I played my Wing at an open mike night tonight (space limitations prohibited taking Boris there).  First time she's been out of my house.  Anyway, the response from the other bass players was as expected ... drooling, followed by jaw dropping (man, that's awesome ... what brand is that? ... where can I get one?  I could tell when you were playing - it was thunderous!).  I love the Signature electronics, in some ways more than the Anniversary electronics in my Spyder.  And it's better for slapping and popping due to the positioning of the neck pickup.
 
It's the end of the post, and I'm still talking Alembic,
 
And, as Martha the Antichrist Stewart would say, this is a good thing,
 
Best Regards,
 
Alan

[jacko]

Mike.
Sorry to hijack your showcase thread but I've just found out that Peavey have bought the trace name and are remanufacturing the original product line..
http://www.trace-elliot.co.uk/index.html
Looks like i might be able to get the 1518 new after all.  
 
graeme

[ox_junior]

Alan,
 
You're right in that P-basses are not very ultra-versatile in terms of tone shaping.  But each one sounds different.  Depends on which one ends up in your hands.
 
Glad you like The Wing!!!  Of course, any Alembic is going to blow most people away, but the Wing's design - stunning!!  I'd like to have one.  If anyone wants to send me one.
 
Graeme,  that's cool that Peavey is picking up the Trace name.  It will be interesting to see what they do with it.  It was great as an independent shop.  Gibson ran them into the ground.  Peavey has the distribution but not the reputation of quality.  I'll keep an eye on it myself.

[senmen]

Alan,
plse send me a mail:
senmen@web.de
Have to tell you something interesting.
 
Oliver (Spyderman)

[ajdover]

Mike,
   
    I've not tried a PBass yet that didn't sound like the last one I tried.  I will give them this ... they are consistent... ly ordinary.  Again, to each his/her own, but I just can't understand for the life of me why anyone would purchase an instrument with only one sound or tone.  Just me.
 
Alan

[ox_junior]

Must be me then, as my two P-basses sound very different.  My '75 with the maple neck is very ballsy and bright, and my '62 reissue is much deeper sounding.  Go figure.