Hey everyone,
My name is Ron. I've been playing bass in the Cincinnati area for a little over 40 years. I just obtained an F1X preamp so I'm now an Alembic owner. I have 3 basses at present: a 1980 Kramer XL8, a 1994 Jerry Jones Longhorn, and a 2002 Dean Performer. I'm using the F1X with an Ampeg B2R amp and two SWR Workingman's 15 cabinets. I play mostly classic rock and some classic country music. With the addition of the F1X, this is the sweetest sounding rig I've ever had. I'm having a small problem with a hum, but the folks at Alembic are helping me to work that out. Anyway, happy to be in the club and I hope to hear from some of you soon.
Ron, welcome to the club. Enjoy the F1X.
Rich
Thanks Rich,
I've been after an Alembic preamp for some time now, and for one reason or another, I never had the opportunity to get one, you know stuff like divorce etc., but now that I'm out of the family stage of my life, I ran across this at a Sam Ash store and scarfed it up. Just a small hum issue to deal with, but I'm lovin' the sound improvement the F1X provides.
Welcome aboard Ron!
Does that Kramer have the aluminum headstock?
Paul TGO
My Kramer XL8 is indeed an aluminum necked vintage. It's an 8 string bass with 4 tuners at the head and 4 below the tailpiece. It holds its tune forever. I use it mostly as a 4 string, but I have strung it as an 8 string a couple of times for studio work and it has a giant sound. It's black and shaped like the XL24 of that era.
Hi Ron, If you hang around here long enough...an Alembic Bass will mysteriously appear in your collection. ;~]
I'm beginning to feel a Stanley Clarke Model taking shape in my mind........
Ron
Ahhh, There you go! Have you seen Stanley Clark's latest purchase? Its the Dragons Breath or something like that. Look in the artist or custom sections and druell away...... I know I did.
I have seen the dragon pearl inlaid model, but I didn't realize that it was SC that had it made. It is beautiful! Even if I had the resources to buy a bass like that, I'm more of a bare-bones blue collar guy. The magnificent woodworking and detail on the Alembics is impressive, but for me, a little pearl inlay on the headstock and pearl fret dots and I'm good to go. I buy basses to play them, and excellent durability and quality of sound are the primary reasons that I would make a major purchase like an Alembic bass. I own three beautiful basses already, but if they weren't functional, I wouldn't own them. My Rickenbacker 4001 started blinking out on me on a job, and I got rid of it immediately. Who would ever believe that someone would mount a bass pickup on springs? I play hard, and it just didn't hold up to my style of play. Anyway, I'm partial to short scale basses, (like the beautiful Jerry Jones that I own) and the Stanley Clarke Model really appeals to me for that and the above stated reasons.
The Dragon's Breath was a gift from Alembic to Stanley to honor their 30 years of working together if I remember correctly.
Keith