alembic mania

[hieronymous]

Dare I ask - how does it sound?

[Dave W]

Dare I ask - how does it sound?

Probably very steely with chromium overtones. 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[chromium]

chromium overtones

What do my partials have to do with this?




Sorry - bad dental/music humor - Its late, and I still have most of my teeth :-)

[bassman10096]

Probably very steely with chromium overtones.   

As a material to make galloshes, I think chromium is a little "Elton John/Yellow Brick Road".  Am I the only one?   

[hieronymous]

We had our annual Northern California/San Francisco Bay Area Gathering again a couple of weeks ago. This time I didn't take my rig, so I played through someone else's SVT. First time I ever played through an SVT - sounded OK, but I had just gotten my Stanley Clarke bass back from Santa Rosa with new electronics, and wasn't comfortable changing the settings so I can't really comment on whether or not I liked it. It was hot that weekend, but fun!



The funny thing is, we were playing UFO's "Lights Out"! One of the Alembic bass owners is in a classic rock kind of band, and this is the first time I sat in with them - it was fun!

[senmen]

Hi Hieronymous,

great to see you also in here.

OK, so here two of my basses, a real Alembic (the famous Dragon Wing "Tears for John") and a Spyder Tribute to Alembic and JE



Oliver (Spyderman)

[Chris P.]

Cool! I didn't knew you had a Dragonwing too! Can you tell me something about the specs?

I always have the idea that Alembic made the Dragonwing (Buzzard style) as answer to Warwick making the Stryker (Spyder style)...

[senmen]

Hi Chris,

no, the real story about the DW is the following:
short before his death JE had contacted Alembic again to have him buildt another bass out of wood.
Concept drawings were made but then he suddenly died and the concepts were forgotten.
Then a friend from the UK went to Alembic asking to have a design of his own buildt.
As he presented the drawings with them they remembered the old JE concept and realised, that the two
designs were very similar to each other.
So you can say that the DW could have been JEs next bass if......
The original concept name was Dragon Claw.
We all know the story.
So my idea was originally to have a special DW as a tribute to John, using the original woods and tint.
So that was my idea after it.
Core wood is walnut like on Johns Spyders, top and back are solid birds eye maple like on the Spyders and it has a custom vintage amber tint similar to the aged one on the Spyders.
The lower front horn is bigger than on the usual DWs as I had asked to add the pickup selector and a master volume there....
That bass is everywhere known as "TEARS FOR JOHN" as someone on the Alembic forum wrote that all the birds eyes in the wood remind him of tears.......


Oliver (Spyderman)

[hieronymous]

Right on - good to see you here too Oliver! Thanks for spreading the good word about Alembic here at the Outpost. Your new Spyder tribute is awesome!

[Chris P.]

Dear Senmen,

Please see this as me just being ciritical and trying to uncover the truth. I'm writing an article about JAEs last couple of basses, so I'm really interested. And I have to say I love both your basses! Especially the Spyder! Have you checked my Buzzard?

But here are my question marks:

JAE used to play wooden bodies and necks. His last wooden basses were Warwick Strykers. After a while je didn't liked wooden necks anymore, so some Warwicks were made with Modulus graphite necks. Warwick still have some necks in stock.
After that Entwistle went to Status to have him made complete graphite/carbon fibre basses. He used them to the end and as we know JAE was always looking for new techniques.

Then his dead happens. After that:

- Alembic claims he wanted a new wooden Alembic, which means he would go 'back to 1976' instead of exploring new territories.
- Lakland claims he wanted a new Fenderbird kinda Lakland, which means he would go back to 1973 (?) instead of exploring new territories.

And no JAE around to tell the truth. So you can imagine I am a bit sceptical. But I would love to talk to the guys of Alembic to hear their story! Alembic makes great basses!

[senmen]

Hi Chris,

je bent van Nederland? Wist ik niet....
Well, of course everyone can tell everything.
This is how the story went. If true or not, don´t know. Anyway the Dragon Wing is a great bass. 
John never played a Stryker, he played Buzzes with Warwick, then Modulus and then Status of course.
He never had any relationship nor speeches with Lakland rgdg a Fenderbird.
To my personal opinion the last Bs were the best but I could imagine that you get tired of the sound of it after some time. I do own two Status basses, they are great no doubt, but after some time I love again that particular Alembic sound. I did own also a W.Buzz but they are not my thing.
As said, just my personal taste and opinion.
tot kijk
Oliver (Spyderman)

[Dave W]

Lakland?    I'm really skeptical of that claim.

[gearHed289]

Lakland?    I'm really skeptical of that claim.

Yeah, that beast never looked right to me.

[Hornisse]

Anyone recognize the bed sheet?

[Chris P.]

Bed sheet.. JAE's?

Yep, I'm from the Netherlands.

And yes indeed: John never played a Warwick Stryker. It was made after his dead.

But still I think it would be strange of JAE leaving his Statusses and going back to wooden basses. No matter if it's a Lakland or an Alembic. The Dragonwing sure is pretty, though!