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Alembic - show us your pics


marcus bell
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[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1399549534' post='2445184']
Yesterday I upgraded this bass with new Q-switches so like the series and anniversary basses the Q switches have 3 positions of [font=arial, helvetica][size=2][color=#000000]0/6/9db instead of the standard 0/8db which gives me the option of a more subtle resonance peak at the cut of frequency of the low pass filter plus a slightly higher full on effect. Sounds great at home and [/color][/size][/font][color=#000000][font=arial, helvetica][size=1]I have two gigs over the weekend to try them out.[/size][/font][/color]
[font=arial, helvetica][size=2][color=#000000]Jazzyvee[/color][/size][/font]
[/quote]

very nice!

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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1399549534' post='2445184']
Yesterday I upgraded this bass with new Q-switches so like the series and anniversary basses the Q switches have 3 positions of [font=arial, helvetica][size=2][color=#000000]0/6/9db instead of the standard 0/8db which gives me the option of a more subtle resonance peak at the cut of frequency of the low pass filter plus a slightly higher full on effect. Sounds great at home and [/color][/size][/font][color=#000000][font=arial, helvetica][size=1]I have two gigs over the weekend to try them out.[/size][/font][/color]
[font=arial, helvetica][size=2][color=#000000]Jazzyvee[/color][/size][/font]
[/quote]


what a beautiful beast

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[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1365356352' post='2038475']
It's an Essence 5, "post-facelift" version. I absolutely love it. The tone is uncomparable to anything else - it's clear like a bell! It doesn't work everywhere, it needs more room in the mix than Fender basses for example, but when you know where and how to use it it's like nothing else on the planet :D I've had some problems with it (the neck is VERY meteopatic, the volume control went south - it's disconnected atm - and good luck finding the jack input replacement, lol) but the sound and feel more than makes up for the truble. I've recorded an album and used this beauty on most songs - it worked just fantastic. It's a keeper.


Have you tried joining and posting on the Alembic Forum? if you have problems with anything about the bass it's a great place to start and also it might be worth contacting Mica at Alembic directly, I have found them to be great with looking after musicians who own their instruments.
Jazzyvee
[/quote]

hi jazzyvee, is there a chronologic story somewhere of alembic models etc regarding your remark of 'post-facelift' ?

cheers Zom.

Edited by zomnius
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I posted that wrong and the quotes didn't show up so it's wrongly attributed to me. My bit on there is the last paragraph regarding the alembic forum, it was originally posted here by Bass-driver.[color=#A4A4A4][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]
Posted 07 April 2013 - 12:01 PM[/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
Ahhh, Alembics :happy:

This is my baby - a bass I intend to keep forever:



It's an Essence 5, "post-facelift" version. I absolutely love it. The tone is uncomparable to anything else - it's clear like a bell! It doesn't work everywhere, it needs more room in the mix than Fender basses for example, but when you know where and how to use it it's like nothing else on the planet :D I've had some problems with it (the neck is VERY meteopatic, the volume control went south - it's disconnected atm - and good luck finding the jack input replacement, lol) but the sound and feel more than makes up for the truble. I've recorded an album and used this beauty on most songs - it worked just fantastic. It's a keeper.
[color=#7C7C7C][size=3]
[b]Edited by Bass-Driver, 07 April 2013 - 04:30 PM.[/b][/size][/color][/font][/color]

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I haven't posted on BC for ages but couldn't resist sharing this beauty with y'all, having taken delivery just last week.

She's a full-blown Series 2, 34" scale with a 3/4 size body (much more in proportion than the regular point body size, me thinks), burl maple back and front with chrome hardware, no LEDs.

Mmmmmm..!!!!

[attachment=166160:IMG_0340.JPG] [attachment=166161:IMG_0339.JPG]

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Good spot Jazzy, t'is exactly the one that Station Music had!

Great guys there, especially Lothar who actually custom ordered this particular bass from Alembic. A bit over priced but I'd had my eye on it for over a year and eventually managed to strike a good enough deal with Lothar, once I'd saved enough pennies...

Yup, first Alembic and yet to be used in anger but very impressed with it through my BG250 practice amp. Filter-based EQ takes some fiddling with and getting used to so I'll not be taking it on gigs for a little while...

Beautiful build quality and quite light for a 'bic due to the down-sized body and Series chambering.

20 years in the wanting, waiting, searching and saving so this baby ain't going nowhere!!

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Mine was listed there for about a year before I bought it. It was on commission sale but didn't get sold. (The price was too high).
I eventually it was removed from there and listed privately and a guy from the alembic forum who knew I was wanted it, found it and sent me the link. The rest is history.
The filters do take a while to get used and with the series ii you have the cvq to deal with also. If you haven't done so already I can highly recommend the alembic forum as a great resource for all things alembic. These basses are not one trick ponies and whilst they sound great it can be a challenge to move confidently between sounds..
Here is a link to the series I & ii FAQ
http://alembic.com/club/messages/16271/16308.html?1361485906
Have fun.

Jazzyvee

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hi, the filters of the alembics R superb. Right now i have a series 1, that has a three way switch and a filter knob per pick-up.
the filter knob, is incredible, you can create any sound. Just use it with some delicate…like a synthesizer filter.

I very much like it, it gives so much new sound possiblities, and you can create any sound from blender precision 70ties style funk-slap to growl, and crisp, slap or piccolo sounds.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Captain Bassman, you have a good catch there. I don't gig that often with my series basses and that is mainly because most of the gigs I do, don't require the full spectrum of the bass and the backlines I get, usually Ashdown, frustrate me because they stifle the sound of the bass. So basically I prefer to take it when I do my Jazz funk gigs and I'm able take my own bass rig or where I know in advance the back line is going to be something I like. There is lots of fun to be had working with the filters. I've spent many years listening to stanley clarke and his alembics so he is my tonal reference and trying to get some of his tones on my basses has helped me understand which knob to turn and which way, in order to get the tones I now need for the music I play.

If I can give you a tip I use which helped me with the CVQ it's this. I conceptually divide the travel on the CVQ into 4 points one being off and 4 being fully on, then between that find two more positions roughly equi-distant apart. Then when you find a filter position you like, turn the Q to each of these 4 points in turn, and listen to what is happening to the sound and refine the sound around each point with filter and Q. I found this was useful because you get to understand what is going on at 4 easily repeatable points and eventually getting to specific tones quickly is often a matter of setting the Q at one of the points, adjusting the filter then fine tuning the Q or filter as needed.
Another thing to remember is that the effect of the Q is applied more to the attack of the note and less to the sustained note.

Jazzyvee

Edited by jazzyvee
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Thanks for the helpful tip Jazzyvee, it's always much easier to work things in small manageable chunks!

I've had a fair good play around with the knobs (oo er!) and found a few places I like but, as you say, it's remembering how to get from one to the other that's the tricky part. Especially when you're so used the the more 'basic' bass, mid and treble arrangement. There seems to be a lot of helpful hints and tips over at the Alembic forum and some really nice chaps there instantly willing to help us newbies to the 'bic world.

I've used it on one gig to date and got a few great compliments, especially from our PA man who couldn't believe the sheer depth of the sound. I play through a TC RH head and Bergantino cabs live and agree that, through my small BG250 home practice combo, the sound really lacks. You really do need a decent rig to get the full whack of sounds out of these basses. Next up I'll have to get me another TC head, then I can go stereo!

She's one of those basses where you keep going back to lift the lid on the case just to look at it! :gas:

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[quote name='zomnius' timestamp='1403364699' post='2482156']
hi jazzyvee, is there a chronologic story somewhere of alembic models etc regarding your remark of 'post-facelift' ?

cheers Zom.
[/quote]

I think a picture will explain it most accurately:



Left - a "pre-facelift" version, as far as I remember, '92.
Right - a "post-facelift" version, '00, in this case, mine ;)

[quote name='zomnius' timestamp='1404027618' post='2488542']
matching table haha great
[/quote]

I took the "matching table" picture at a place I used to work back then :)

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[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1403371254' post='2482223']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I've had some problems with it (the neck is VERY [b]meteopatic[/b]...)[/font][/color]
[/quote]

Is that something to do with the weather? :)

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[quote name='Robbass' timestamp='1406023145' post='2507509']
see pics
[/quote]

Sheesh, that's narrow :blink:
Is that a factory 5-string?

[quote name='Bass-Driver' timestamp='1405791034' post='2505321']
I think a picture will explain it most accurately:



Left - a "pre-facelift" version, as far as I remember, '92.
Right - a "post-facelift" version, '00, in this case, mine ;)[/quote]

Beautiful! Especially like the post-facelift one, with the slightly more compact build and the slightly deeper cutaways. It makes the top horn look just a bit longer and even more elegant. I bet it's more ergonomic too, with the nut a bit closer towards your body. I also prefer the look of a darker top wood :)

Edit: just noticed the more compact headstock and narrower nut width too. No more straight string pull like the maple-topped one, but it looks nice!

Edited by LeftyJ
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