visog

The '6' above looks wonderful but with the '7' it looks squashed and I suspect we're getting diminishing returns as an instrument. PS Still want one for some irrational reason...

I think in the late 70s and 80s Alembics made huge strides in tone and build simultaneously which made for a potent combination. However, their designs are quirky and some have balance issues. Also they're heavy and some of the bodies are little more than nicely laminated slabs. In short, the industry has caught up and frankly the 'bics are looking a bit anachronistic against say a Stranberg with its Darkglass electronics, ergonomic body & neck, super-lightweight body, multi-scale and compound radius neck. You might also consider the current obsession with Fodera and similarly if they're value for money. For the record, an early call post-lottery win for me would be to Mica Wickersham... And there still Alembic craziness out there as evidenced by this post about the £20k build due in at Bass Direct:

Dolphins have acquired a near mythical status... (No I'm not thinking of mermaids.) I'd love to try a 5 or a 6... Are they as comfortable as they look?

Sorry to be negative but I don't enjoy any of it... It's awful. I mean I'd love to go for a massive campsite bender but don't count it as good music. Stormzy - don't know him - sure he's a nice chap but never heard a semiquaver of his music.

So can you hear the difference of a Thumpinator or LPF on say a B3n directly? I get it that your amp won't have to work as hard amplifying non-audible frequencies but can you hear it directly or do you just get a bit more head-room from your amp working more efficiently?

Indeed but I find this sub-genre is quite gear specific - like gospel favouring MTB basses, Math metal seems to thrive on slant frets multi-string so Dingwall, Boden and Kiesel. All lovely basses but not old-world boutique...

Is the drive still fizzy?

Boutique basses - especially multi-string are definitely out of kilter with the visual and sound aesthetic at the moment. In these days of rock, funk and jazz now all minority or specialist music forms creates a perfect storm of redundancy for these old world tools of exploration and growth. The UMG music fire, mainstream adoption of urban and dance music and the Spotify/iTunes industry shift is creating a mass extinction event for rock music and bass within that. Shorter less pretentious answer is boutique not fashionable - sell but at high price to recoup loss whilst Fender has the mojo at the moment so sell opportunistically at a high price. Any way, it's a buyers market for boutique basses...

I could be quite wrong but haven't I heard Sam Li's name in connection with Yes and Steve Howe?

Had a GB for 8 years now... Haven't changed the strings for 3-years... (You can boost the treble quite a lot on them...)

Well he made some odd choices...

Well it's all a bit rich... Does the 'Gibson' below ring any bells? https://www.guitar-list.com/gibson/electric-guitars/gibson-u-2 I think they're mooching off Fender and Kramer with this one...

Obvs Mr Squire and his gloriously rambunctious tone but I'll add another Progger in Tony Levin - Stick or Music Man - can usually point him out when he crops up on non-Crimson situations such as: Robbie Robertson or Bowie's 'Where are we now?".

Don't think it's Tim Finn either but don't recognise him. I do however recognise Alf Garnett in the second photo, bottom-left.

Thought there were no selfies? Congrats on meeting him.