jazzyvee

Hi guys I've recently started getting a problem with my PJB briefcase combo. It intermittently switches off with the indicator light turning from green to red. I've narrowed it down to the fan not coming on when it should. Previously when I'd been practicing on it for a while I could hear the fan cutting in and out to keep the thing cool. Now the fan hardly cuts in or out and at the point the sound cuts out the fan is not running so i'm pretty sure overheating is the problem area. Anyone had the same problem. I plan to take it to the shop I got it from but if anyone has any experience of this and has a simple solution then please chip in. I'm not averse to taking it apart if you know there is something simple inside to reset or check. It's out of warranty by a good few years so not a problem. I did email PJB and got a reply that the UK distributor was going to contact me but that never happened and subsequent emails to them have not been responded to. Jazzyvee

[quote name='tedgilley' post='867097' date='Jun 14 2010, 03:16 PM']Thick leather strap. You have to work to get it on; no worries about it coming off. TG[/quote] I can second that. All my basses have leather straps and strap locks and not had problems with any of them. In fact one of my basses has a leather strap that I bought for a guitar in the late 70's, and i still going strong. Jazzyvee

[quote name='saxobass' post='907554' date='Jul 27 2010, 08:31 PM']Hi all. I`d like to buy a Godin A4 bass from Canada at a very favourable price. Has anybody had any experience of taxes due, (customs etc.) especially as this is a commonwealth country?[/quote] I got stung very badly last year when I bought a unique electric guitar from a store in Texas and had it shipped over. Even though it was a used instrument it was a huge shock. I would have been better off taking a weekend break there and carrying it back on the plane. However in an interesting conversation with the HMRC man after he had taken my money, he was very amicable actually, he informed me that tax is payable on all instruments imported into the uk from outside the EU unless they coming back to the UK after being sent abroad for repair or under warranty. So i guess if somehow you were able to get the documentation for shipping to be worded to that affect you may be ok. But equally if the tax man isn't convinced you could be worse off. I've heard of people who have asked the seller to down value items in the customs declaration in order to get a lower import tax bill on delivery, but it's a risk as if it is insured shipping and there is a breakage or loss you could find yourself under insured and out of pocket. I guess the safest option is to bite the bullet, give the tax man his money and enjoy the bass if it's a bargain even after taxes. Mine was. Jazzyvee

I have travelled a lot abroad with my guitar with bands whilst touring and have in the main had very few problems at all. Most of the time I was travelling I took the guitar in a custom fitted flight case and a few times they have been damaged or covered in water but never damaged the instrument inside. What I have found is that in the USA they always open the cases and check. After doing so they leave a message inside to let you know it's been security checked and information if you need to contact them about it. My preference would always be to carry it in a gig back or semi flight case and carry it on board with me into the passenger compartment. But it has always been difficult to get it confirmed in advance that it is ok to take the guitar on board so you take the risk when carrying it in a non flight case that the airline will insist it has to go in the hold. This happened on a tour to the states when the outgoing flight was cool about on-board guitars but on the way out the USA officials said NO!! So we had to put the guitars and basses & Saxes in the hold. Fortunately nothing was damaged but it does make travelling less relaxing. Strangely I find if you are carrying a guitar or bass in a guitar or bass shaped case the check in people are more likely to let you carry it on board than if it's in a rectangular case. btw I can recommend flightcase warehouse flight cases. Jazzyvee

[quote name='lozbass' post='903076' date='Jul 23 2010, 12:24 PM']+1 - oh dear me! I feel euphoric and slightly nauseous at the same time...an absolutely staggering bass. I'd love to hear this one. I can see that Jazzyvee's acquisition is going to make me want another Alembic (one I don't need and can't justify). Unusual to have the standby switch - extremely useful on a 'live' bass - I think we should see more of these[/quote] It is an incredible sounding bass. The normal body wood of alembics tend to be mahogany, but this one is all maple except for the purpleheart laminates in the neck so it is a very up front, with a very powerful bright, and with a heavy meaty tone. I'm not used to having that level of high frequencies in my sound so it is going to take a bit of time before I can find my starting sound on it in a live situation. I agree with you on the justification angle and if I was to I focus on the price of them it is probably quite hard to justify. I think the cheapest ones are at least the price of 2 or three good quality pro basses. But I rationalise it to myself in this way. I've been a guitar player for years and years and it has taken me so long to find get a guitar that I'm completely happy with and to think what I spent on duffers to get here. So when I decided I wanted to start playing bass as well to broaden my gigging opportunities I just cut out the middle man well most of them and went straight to the source of where I thought my voice on bass would be. I think i have made the right choice. I appreciate that many people think they are over priced and not worth the money and dated etc etc. I do think the sound is not for everyone and it does take a while to get your head and ears round the way that the alembic electronics work so that it becomes second nature, but for me Alembic is sonic ecstasy. If I'm ever gigging down your way I'll let you know. Jazzyvee

I was at the Ronnie Scotts gig last Friday and it was a fantastic night. He did a couple on electric bass then the rest of the gig on double bass. I've seen Stanley a number of times over the years and the best were when I saw him at the Coachhouse in California with Billy Cobham, Najee, Larry Calton, Deron Johnson and the gig he did at the 02 with Return to Forever. I'm a big fan of Stanley and he is by far my favourite bass player on electric and double bass. Yes he does have a trademark sound/ style and is easily recognisable on record but then isn't that what we are looking for as musicians, a sound that represents us. I don't see it as a bad or negative thing. I heard an interview by marcus miller where he suggested that people should be able to recognise who you are in two notes. Jazzyvee

[quote name='Clarky' post='901877' date='Jul 22 2010, 01:45 PM']For those wondering why I am jealous of jazzyvee, feast your eyes on this beauty: [attachment=54789:60534.jpg] Enjoy JV![/quote] Here are some Photo's of my new Alembic Europa/Elan The build Record/Spec is as follows. ------------------------- Model Name: Europa Model Number: ULB5 Completed: 23/01/2009 Scale Length: 34 inches Fingerboard: Ebony Inlays: Mother of Pearl Ovals Machine Heads: Gold Alembic-Gotohs Top Laminate: Flame Maple Accent Woods: None Body Wood: Maple Back Laminate: None Neck Woods: Maple & Purpleheart Finsh: Polyester Gloss with Satin Neck Feel Electronics: Signature - Master Volume, Pan, Filters x2, Q-Switch x2, Mono Output. Custom Options: Side LED's in Red with on off toggle switch Custom Black/Clear Finish Toggle switch for on/standby Elan in-line Neck 100% made in the USA [attachment=54853:EuropaFive_2.jpg] [attachment=54854:EuropaFive_3.jpg] [attachment=54855:EuropaFive_4.jpg] [attachment=54856:EuropaFive_5.jpg] [attachment=54857:EuropaFive_6.jpg] [attachment=54858:EuropaFive_7.jpg] [attachment=54859:EuropaFive_8.jpg] [attachment=54860:EuropaFive_9.jpg] With it's wide tonal palette it is going to take a while to find my sound on it. Fun fun fun. Jazzyvee

[quote name='lozbass' post='897898' date='Jul 18 2010, 11:32 AM']+1 - hi Jazzyvee - it's good to have you on Basschat - I've been reading your posts on the Alembic Club (with great enthusiasm and interest) for years...I'm off to look at the 5 that Clarky mentions...[/quote] The bass arrived at my office today so will give it a bash tonight when I get home.

I think the choice of woods in an instrument must make a difference to the tone and impart it's character to it. Whether you can hear that or benefit from that is probably a lot to do with the pickups on the guitar and whether the manufacturer has voiced them or not. Many of the pickups used on basses and guitars for that matter are "Voiced" to give a particular type of sound. Many manufacturers use these pickups rather than develop their own which I think is why, a lot of basses just sound like either fender clones or super fenders.( Not that that is a bad sound). The vast number and variety of after market pickups just make this point even more.I think the type of wood used on these basses would have less impact on the sound since the primary voice is coming from the pickups. I think if the pickups are non-voiced and are designed just to reproduce the signal from the vibrating string in front of them, then you will be able to benefit sonically from using different woods in the instrument construction since the woods will impart their character on the vibrating string which will be picked up and amplified uncoloured. If I play my basses unplugged they have one sound, when plugged in they sound the same just louder. Jazzyvee

[quote name='lozbass' post='897898' date='Jul 18 2010, 11:32 AM']+1 - hi Jazzyvee - it's good to have you on Basschat - I've been reading your posts on the Alembic Club (with great enthusiasm and interest) for years...I'm off to look at the 5 that Clarky mentions...[/quote] Thanks, I think the alembic forum is fantastic place and the only one I've participated in actively. I'm more a guitarist who plays a bit of bass really but a big stanley clark fan which got me into the alembic sound. I used to have a Musicman Sterling bass until I got into alembics then sold it. Strangely since I got an alembic and at least in the past 5 years I've done mainly bass session gigs. As for the new bass, it hasn't arrived yet but the seller tells me he is posting it tomorrow so it should be here soon. There is a small construction thread about it on the alembic site [url="http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/57606.html?1255532495"]http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/57606.html?1255532495[/url] Thanks again for the interest and welcome. Jazzyvee

[quote name='crez5150' post='897583' date='Jul 17 2010, 08:37 PM']As someone who has been Audited twice for band earnings.... I say regardless of how much you earn (unless its a paltry sum) DECLARE, DECLARE, DECLARE!!!!! I paid £33 tax on my last tax return[/quote] I agree I declare all and include reciepts for everything, rehearsals, strings, cases etc etc. An artiste I worked with a few years ago had a tax audit and they went through his stuff then asked him a general comment about a specific music festival as if he was interested personally. The artiste replied yes that he has been there but never played there, at which point the tax man produced a poster from his briefcase listing the artiste as headlining the festival. you can imagine how thorough the rest of that audit went. Its worth remembering from a tax point of view and also if you are on social security. Tax & DHSS people still have private lives and they could be at one of your gigs as a punter and recognise you when you sign on, ( again that has happened to a musician I've worked with), or get audited. So my view is that if you are doing something public like gigs are, it is safer to declare it pay your taxes and protect yourself from tax or DHSS fraud. If you are declaring you probably will not as you say end up paying much if any tax unless you are doing big stuff. I think my biggest tax bill for music was about £35 5 years ago on a good year when I was touring a lot. But then because I have a day job all my music earnings go back into upgrading, maintaining equipment etc. so I'm technically always running at a loss. Jazzy vee

[quote name='lozbass' post='852681' date='May 31 2010, 03:04 PM']That's a good question and one to which I don't have a ready answer (I'll do a bit of research!) It sounds a bit weird to talk of 'high-end' Alembics (they're all stratospheric!) but I know what you mean. The sigs and up tend to have a bridge block (a big piece of brass bolted into the body into which the bridge is fitted) - the idea is that this contributes to the distinctive tone of an Alembic...I'm not at all technically knowledgeable but those versed in physics can probably provide an explanation. The electronics also undoubtedly add a lot - I don't necessarily find them clinical (though it's such a subjective term) - indeed, with all the filters and boosters open wide, they sound huge! I'm trying to be objective here too - I've never heard any other bass with such an enormous, dynamic, ringing tone - no problem at all for big, brash, clanging rock.[/quote] Hi I'm a new member, a long time alembic owner and this is my first response. i'm an exclusively alembic bass player and have a number of their basses short scale 4 and long scale 4 and 5 string basses. The closest long scale bass that has simple controls like a spoiler is I would say the standard alembic Elan which has volume pan and low pass filter. It is also an all maple body and neck is maple with some slim walnut laminates, so the tone has a lot of high end frequencies without losing the bottom end. Most of the more higher end Alembics have the bridge bolted to a large brass sustain block. The idea being to keep the vibrating string vibrating for longer whilst reducing some of the higher levels of attenuation that would be experienced if the bridge was bolted directly to the body and hence improves sustain of the vibrating string. I don't find any of their instruments sterile sounding at all. I think one of the key things about their basses is their pickups and electronics. Their pickups, unlike most other manufacturers, are low impedance and "non voiced". The are just designed to reproduce as accurately as possible the signal from the vibrating string. The pre-amp and filters allows for a very wide, useable and versatile tonal spectrum. I wouldn't be interested in anything else. Jazzyvee