marcus bell Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 If anyone has owned or played one I'd love to hear your verdict Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Heavy..... but very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Tried a few alembics, they really are special - but as mentioned, weighty. The essence I tried most recently was lightweight, but a much smaller body than the MK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 MB1. "Looks like you'll be needing that third shredded wheat Marcus!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 [quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1389796123' post='2337991'] If anyone has owned or played one I'd love to hear your verdict [/quote] Hugely expensive, heavy, high maintenance, an acquired taste....and did I mention heavy!?!? Great tones though......... Alembics are starting to look old school to my tired eyes...just my tuppence worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Have played several and owned a custom built Triple Omega which was essentially a MK Deluxe with extras. That was an incredible bass, only sold due to back problems (even though the body was chambered it was still over 10lbs). Normal MKs are generally very heavy (although typically not much different to a JD) and a real stretch to the lower frets. They're also a bit marmite, as are all Alembics. However I fall into the love them camp, weight aside. I've played pretty much everything out there and for me there's nothing that really touches a good Alembic; I much preferred both of mine to my Wals, Statii, JDs, Warwicks etc, they were different class IMO. I also vastly prefer them to the Foderas, Dingwalls etc that I've played. Only my Seis have really compared at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Thanks for the opinions so far guys , one might be on it's way later in the year, so just thought I'd build up expectations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender73 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Always loved the look of them, never played one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubbybloke68 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Lovely basses great tones but I just found the reach on the neck too long and it made my shoulder ache like hell so she had to go.would love a medium scale series model... If anyones got one for sale in this country ( cough cough):-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 if you haven't been there yet, you could read some of the threads about the MK signature basses on the Alembic forum. You can find out just about anything you need to know about them on there both pro's and any issues that owners have found. Here is a link to the Signature bass thread there if you want to check it out. I did a lot of reading on there before getting my signature bass and the members are generally a friendly and welcoming bunch and want you to have a good experience with Alembics. http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/418.html?1389785646 Happy reading Jazzyvee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysg42 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Had one of these,awsome bass,very heavy,but tone to die for.the 34" scale seems longer.bit of a stretch.mine had cobobola facing beautiful bass to look at.not really the same as mark kings as he had a couple of series2s.double the $.but a superb bass. wish i kept it,regret it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 If I had my time again (assuming I still had back problems) I'd get a Balanced K shape. All the goodness but lighter and better balanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 MB1. Here's one I prepared earlier. (Sold to Mr Sshorepunk many moons ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Thanks again guys so far , that alembic club is very good! Lots of information and lovely pictures not doing my gas any good at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I love Alembic basses - they're really 'as good as it gets' in my opinion - but I've never played the signature models I'm afriad. I have no reason to believe they would be anything less than stunning. I wish they could be run in stereo though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1389877662' post='2338962'] I love Alembic basses - they're really 'as good as it gets' in my opinion - but I've never played the signature models I'm afriad. I have no reason to believe they would be anything less than stunning. I wish they could be run in stereo though! [/quote] You can run Alembics in stereo, via an Alembic stereo preamp. As you would expect, not cheap, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 [quote name='4000' timestamp='1389815784' post='2338300'] If I had my time again (assuming I still had back problems) I'd get a Balanced K shape. All the goodness but lighter and better balanced. [/quote] That Balance K Omega body shape is a huge improvement on the older ones in terms of balance, weight and ergonomics. Looks beautiful, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) [quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1389813977' post='2338251'] Thanks for the opinions so far guys , one might be on it's way later in the year, so just thought I'd build up expectations [/quote] Bear in mind Marcus, if you are Mark King aficionado, that the Alembic MK model bears only a scant relationship to the actual Alembics Mark King plays. His basses are far more upmarket examples. The only thing the more standard versions of his signature model have in common is that, for some reason, they have his name associated with them . Not that any of that makes much difference because, lets face it, Mark King makes all his basses sound the same, anyway. His playing style is a great leveller. Edited January 16, 2014 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) Alembic's non series basses don't give you the option to output in stereo (individual outputs per pickup) as standard but their basses with anniversary electronics usually have switchable mono/stereo jack sockets. The Signature such as the SC and MK basses are normally mono, however there are some threads on their forum on how to modify the wiring t to give you individual outs for each pickup if that's what you want. I have tried a couple of the MK signature basses when I was in the states in 2012 and they sound just as you would expect from an alembic. It is worth being aware that the wood recipe for alembics can be extremely varied and the tone is affected by that so that might be something you could read up about on their web site while you suffer more GAS. [url="http://www.alembic.com/info/wood_standard.html"]http://www.alembic.c...d_standard.html[/url] Jazzyvee Edited January 16, 2014 by jazzyvee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1389907933' post='2339523'] Bear in mind Marcus, if you are Mark King aficionado, that the Alembic MK model bears only a scant relationship to the actual Alembics Mark King plays. His basses are far more upmarket examples. The only thing the more standard versions of his signature model have in common is that, for some reason, they have his name associated with them . Not that any of that makes much difference because, lets face it, Mark King makes all his basses sound the same, anyway. His playing style is a great leveller. [/quote] Yeah he played 2 medium scale series 2 basses , I just may consider getting a mark king signature, aparently they have a bit more useable tone and obviously the price, even second hand is like half Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1389907933' post='2339523'] Bear in mind Marcus, if you are Mark King aficionado, that the Alembic MK model bears only a scant relationship to the actual Alembics Mark King plays. His basses are far more upmarket examples. The only thing the more standard versions of his signature model have in common is that, for some reason, they have his name associated with them . Not that any of that makes much difference because, lets face it, Mark King makes all his basses sound the same, anyway. His playing style is a great leveller. [/quote] I think he sounds very different on all his basses. My favourite was his Alembic sound. Not overly keen on his Kingbass sound, which is far too pingy for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 [quote name='4000' timestamp='1389941304' post='2339711'] I think he sounds very different on all his basses. My favourite was his Alembic sound. Not overly keen on his Kingbass sound, which is far too pingy for me. [/quote] Lets not get off topic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Let's not change the habits of a lifetime... . Edited January 17, 2014 by 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1389950576' post='2339774'] Lets not get off topic [/quote] [quote name='4000' timestamp='1389964602' post='2340027'] Let's not change the habits of a lifetime... . [/quote] Relax, Marcus, it's very relevant. I would beg to differ in so much as MK's tone suffers so much from using such skinny strings and his complete absence of taste and judgement of that he gets the same anaemic , percussive rattle out of anything. I've been listening to Mark King play since 1981 and he sounded just the same then as he does now. In the studio his tone might be processed slightly differently from album to album, or even track to track, but in a live scenario he hammers out the same sound regardless of what bass he favours. I honestly believe if you shut your eyes you wouldn't be able to differentiate between his Status and his Alembic. In many ways, that's a testament to how good his Status and various other basses sound because, when it comes to that modern hifi bass sound , Alembic will always be the top of the tree in my estimation, , but it's also a bit ( a lot) of an indictment of Mark King as a musician. Edited January 17, 2014 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Sorry, been listening to Mark since Level 42s first appearance on OGWT and I completely disagree. His KBs (certainly the ones I've heard, not heard the KB2) sound very different to me, as did the Jaydees. The Jaydees are typically more honky/grunty (technical terms, lol), the Alembics typically more fluid and twangy sounding with that lovely 'Alembicness' with the KBs simply very pingy and graphite-sounding IMO. My favourite-sounding of his Status basses was his red 2000. Of course I'm sure his different amplification was/is a factor as well; if you go back to the earlier days he was far less thin and glassy than now. I have quite a lot of live Level 42 stuff on dvd from throughout the years (including quite a bit transferred from old VHS tapes from performances on the telly) and although his style is far removed from mine, safe to say I've watched an awful lot of it an awful lot of times. Oh, have met him too. Very nice chap indeed. He was the first person I ever saw slap (that selfsame OGWT performance); scared the daylights out of me. Absolutely fell in love with the Starchild Jaydee though, still one of my favourite-looking basses. Always find it a bit weird when people criticise his slapping, which is integral to the music he plays; I vastly prefer his style to say Marcus's, which I personally find a bit leaden (yes, I know he's [i]laying it down[/i]). To me he plays bass almost like a jazz drummer, which I prefer (jazz drummers are the only real drummers IMO ). Edited January 17, 2014 by 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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