Author Topic: Scorpion Custom 5 Sting Bass - Hello from England (Read 777 times)

andy3hal · « **on:** February 05, 2013, 09:19:46 PM »

Hi there To all Alembic members from England. I have been looking for a Scorpion bass for sooooooo long ! I first really heard the unique Alembic Bass sound back in the early days of Stanley Clarke, just amazing, and then a little later the playing of Mark King made me listen more to that fabulous sound, One of my favourite bands from way back and still today is Emerson Lake And Palmer, back when I was listening to them I wasn't into playing bass so did not appreciate the sound and that was coming from Greg Lake's Bass, So fastword many years to when I started playing Bass and taking much more interst in the sound and the instrument I researched Greg Lake's Bass and voila an Alembic Scorpion 8 string, been in love with the Scorpion ever since. I have been looking out for a Scorpion for many years and recently I found one at California Vintage Guitar and Amp, Dan over there was very helpful and a few exchange of emails later it was bought, boxed up and shipped, it has been customs clearnce for the last few days and I really hope it will be released tonight and wil arrive with me Tomorrow. I recently got back into playing Bass in a live band and bought a Fender Jazz Bass 5 String Deluxe, it sounds very good with its active pickups, but I know that the Scorpion is going to sound just amazing, My friends in the band are not going to believe what I turn up with this weekend. I have attached a few pictures that have been trimmed down to suit the thread size, these were sent from Dan at the shop, will post a few more when I have it set up and cleaned. If any one can help, I am looking for a good high definition Alembic logo, but under 1Mb I want to make a large size poster around 3feet sqyare to put up in our bar on the back wall, do not want to infringe any copy rights though. All the best Andy

jacko · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2013, 04:17:40 AM »

Welcome to the club from Scotland Andy. That really is a beautiful bass. Hopefully someday I'll get to see it in the flesh.

Graeme

JuancarlinBass · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2013, 05:06:45 AM »

WOW!! CONGRATS!! Drooling here for such a beauty, makes me want to run, grab a bass and play some ELP ... which I'd do gladly!

Enjoy it in good health!!!

pauldo · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2013, 03:49:21 PM »

Welcome!
Beautiful bass!

rustyg61 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2013, 01:54:10 PM »

That is a beautiful bass Andy! I love the Scorpions! If I ever get another Alembic, it will be a Scorpion!

georgie_boy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 09, 2013, 09:00:48 AM »

Lovely bass!!!
I've actually played Greg Lake's bass when it went up for sale at the Bassment ?? in Romford in Essex. east of London!!
It was HUGE..and weighed a ton.
I own a Series 1, and it was so much lighter than Greg's Scorpion!!
Heaviest ever Alembic though...............got to be Mike Pisanek's 6 string Europa..........check out the 2008 site of the Scottish Alembic gathering.
My back has never been the same since!
He is around 6 feet 5 and I'me the small fat ugly gnome with the S1, I'm actually growing, and now have reached 2 feet 4
Oh the joys of modern day science.

G

(Message edited by georgie_boy on March 09, 2013)

rustyg61 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 09, 2013, 09:41:27 AM »

That's hilarious George! Don't be so hard on yourself....you gotta be at least 2 foot 6!! LOL! If you are 2 foot 4 then you have no excuse for not boxing yourself up & shipping yourself to Texas to come visit Lissa & I! I would love a picture of you playing Coco!

I would love even more a picture of me playing Andy's Scorpion! Beautiful bass!!

oddmetersam · « **Reply #7 on:** March 09, 2013, 12:58:56 PM »

This is one of those basses where the design elements really add up to something extra special. Knobby headstocks almost seem under-rated, or at least under-represented and go great with the scorpion feature. Really dig the triple pinstripe body laminate visible in the last shot. Is the heart omega in a slightly flatter/wider profile than most (as noticeable to me in the first 2 shots) or is that a question of the perspective of the shots?

In any case, a stunning instrument.

andy3hal · « **Reply #8 on:** March 09, 2013, 07:01:01 PM »

Hi guys Thanks for the kind words, thought I would post a couple of more pics alongside my Fender Jazz Bass to give an idea of the size and differences. The jazz bass plays well and it does sound very good considering that it is a stock mass produced instrument, at high volume in a relatively small bar the sounds from the active pickups sounds good, so what does the Scorpion sound like compared.................just sublime !! I have read in another blog that the sound of an Alembic is like that of an anvil hitting a piano string it is just so clear, in a busy bar where a lot of people are busy talking away they do not initially notice the Alembic, our opening number is Pink Floyd's - Another Brick In The Wall Part 2, the guitar starts the main chord pattern, then the bass opens with the low D, the bar always then goes quiet, the power and sustain is just incredible, its a great attention getter. So onto the pics, both bases taken side by side and my favorite pic of Greg Lake to finsh them off, sorry just had to include that one. All the best Andy

[edited for picture alignment] (Message edited by adriaan on March 11, 2013)

5a_quilt_top · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2013, 08:56:34 AM »

Welcome!

A 5 Sting Scorpion - no pun intended, correct?

Being from the American Southwest (Arizona), I'm quite familiar with the inspiration for the name. Although I've never been stung, I've been told that it is quite painful and can even cause temporary paralysis in the immediate area of the sting (!)

Not to worry - in your case, the only danger from your encounter is potential addiction!

Beautiful specimen, BTW.

Looks like a figured walnut top - ?

andy3hal · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2013, 03:50:39 PM »

Yes, its a walnut top,

believe its called flamed walnut

wishbass · « **Reply #11 on:** April 04, 2013, 08:13:34 PM »

My favorite old school body shape. Lovely bass.Were I a collector w/limitless funds, I'd have one of these!

hieronymous · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2013, 10:09:57 AM »

Wow - I don't usually think to look at the introductions thread, but I'm glad I did! That is amazing!

As I keep looking at it, it almost looks like my doubleneck and Stanley Clarke 5-string mated!

Some questions:

What is the scale length? Next to the Fender it looks like it could be the full 34

What year is it?

What are the electronics? Anniversary? Looks like you might have the mono/stereo switch next to the output jack.

I hope you start a thread in the Showcase section - maybe under the custom heading?

andy3hal · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2013, 12:52:54 AM »

Hi there The scale length is the full 34" and the year is 1993. The electronics are the Anniversary and yes the switch is a mono/stereo. I was looking out for years for a Scorpion base it did seem a bit surreal when I actually found one that was still for sale, so bought it immediately ! It is bit of a beast to play because of the neck size, it was a custom order so I am assuming that the original owner must have had very big hands, the neck widths are so much wider than my Jazz bass, I have never played a six string bass but I am thinking that this neck size is a 6 string size ! The sound though is something else....fabulous. Attached are a few more photos of the neck size. All the best Andy

[edited for picture alignment] (Message edited by adriaan on April 11, 2013)

jazzyvee · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2013, 03:50:11 AM »

Hi Andy, good purchase you have there, if you are gigging anywhere in or around the Midlands drop me an email and we will endeavour to come to the gig. It would also be a chance for me to hear an alembic on a gig that is not mine, Stanley's or Jimmy Johnson's.
What kind of music are you playing?

Jazzyvee