alembic mania

Dave W · May 06, 2008, 09:14:48 AM

There was a member at DP v.1 who bought an Exploiter that had been owned and played by Entwistle. But I haven't seen him around the forums for a few years.

hieronymous · May 06, 2008, 10:50:50 AM

Here's one at the Low End that's signed by John Entwistle - that would be cool to have one that was owned by him! I have to admit that I did fantasize about buying one when they had that big auction of his stuff.

Oh, and the gallery of sold Alembics at the Low End is fun to browse through!

Chris P. · May 06, 2008, 11:29:34 AM

I like that one too! I guess it isn't played/owned by Entwistle (I'll ask him), but only signed.

I have the Entwistle auction catalogue where I drool over once in a while. I read an interview of an English Ricky collector who bought a 4005.

I noticed the Alembic being neck through maple with a mahogany body. I'm busy with a middle-pick-up-only passive Buzzard with that wood combination. I hope it'll turn out a bit Rick-ish and a bit Bird-ish.

hieronymous · July 30, 2008, 11:02:56 AM

Thought I would add my new-to-me Stanley Clarke Signature Standard five-string:

In this picture I think it was still strung BEADG but I restrung it EADGC. I'm going to take it over to Alembic in a few weeks for the correct saddles and a new nut for EADGC tuning. I put the Alembic strings on it, but I also have a pack of DR Sunbeams that I might try.

chromium · July 30, 2008, 11:31:04 AM

That is awesome! You said this one is a short-scale? That ought to be a nice fit for a 5 w/a high C. How did the low B sound on it? Is that mahog core/maple laminate/figured walnut(?) top?

What happened to fretless??

Chris P. · July 30, 2008, 03:47:28 PM

Wow, cool! With cat!

SKATE RAT · July 30, 2008, 03:58:23 PM

meow!

hieronymous · July 30, 2008, 04:01:22 PM

Quote from: chromium on July 30, 2008, 11:31:04 AM
That is awesome! You said this one is a short-scale? That ought to be a nice fit for a 5 w/a high C. How did the low B sound on it? Is that mahog core/maple laminate/figured walnut(?) top?

What happened to fretless??

Yeah, it's short scale, which had a lot to do with my buying it. The guy I bought it from had put DR Lo-Riders on, which I like, but they felt really loose. I didn't like the low-B too much, but I'm not a fan of low-B strings in the first place. It felt/sounded kind of thuddy and indistinct, but I wouldn't take that too seriously because it could have been due to a lot of factors.

The top is flame-walnut, and the back is bubinga! Here's the original build-thread from 2003. You can read about his disappointment with the low-B. Not sure what the laminates are, but the core is mahogany.

Now that I have one Alembic each from the '70s, '80s, and 2000's, I could go for that '90s fretless I was talking about

But I think I'm good for now (famous last words?)

Oh, and here's the other picture with cat for the cat lovers out there:

Chris P. · July 30, 2008, 04:34:55 PM

SkateRat will be happy:)

chromium · July 30, 2008, 04:44:29 PM

I want to see a pic of it with Skate Rat's lizard

hieronymous · July 30, 2008, 05:21:11 PM

No lizard, but one thing I liked about this bass is the 2+3 headstock, which strikes me as rare on Alembics:

chromium · July 30, 2008, 08:56:49 PM

Quote from: hieronymous on July 30, 2008, 05:21:11 PM
the 2+3 headstock, which strikes me as rare on Alembics

That's what I was thinking too - seems like they are usually 3+2.

Or sometimes 2+1+2!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

hieronymous · July 30, 2008, 11:20:49 PM

The Jimmy Johnson pic is great - the 2+1+2 - ewww!!!

SKATE RAT · July 31, 2008, 12:12:57 AM

meow.

hieronymous · August 09, 2008, 09:47:23 PM

Figured I would post this one here - my Alembics as of last week:

I sold the Exploiter, so now I'm just down to two.