June 25, 2009
 
Five years ago today Michael Jackson died. It's also the day I took delivery of Mary, my Mark King Signature Deluxe, at the factory. It seems like only yesterday....
 


 
 
More about Mary here:  http://www.alembicguitars.net/info/fc_maryswish.html

Sam, I have been admiring your beautiful bass for years, but never knew the story of how you got it until now. What a wonderful tribute to your loving mother! I'm sure she smiles every time you play your bass! Happy birthday Mary!

I love that bass!

Many blessings! Touching story and a beautiful bass!

Rusty, Dave and Brian
 
Thanks for the kind words, guys!
 
Rusty, I saw your bass while at the mini-gathering and I purposefully DID NOT photograph it because you need to see it in the flesh --er, wood -- for yourself.  You are a lucky man, indeed!
 
Dave, it was a pleasure meeting you in person a few years ago at our gathering. And you made my bass sing in ways that I cannot.
 
Brian, OMG! I remember Piktor's Metamorphosis when it first came out in 1976 (I'm 59). Thanks to you, I'm listening to it now and it still KILLS! I will definitely check out your band. Double thanks.

Glad you like my bass Sam! We are flying out next week to see it in the wood! Mica sent me pictures of the new inlays this week & they look great! I can't wait to see them in person!

Well, Rusty, your bass has so many well thought-out features that it makes for a great synergistic whole. I told Mica I think knobby headstocks are a really elegant, under-the-radar touch. The inlays are the icing on the cake. You might want to sit down and have a little talk with your other basses, though, just to nip any possible sibling rivalry in the bud cuz' they might be more than a little jealous.
 
And between you and Jazzyvee's arsenal, I'm becoming more and more enamored with the Europa shape....

Thanks Sam! I have loved the Knobby headstock ever since the first time I saw one! I like the old school look of them. I wasn't sure how it would look on a Europa, but I love it!
 
My biggest fear when I commissioned the Europa build was that I wouldn't want to play my SCSD after getting it, & the more I see the progress on the Europa build, the more that fear is amplified!
 
Jazzyvee is responsible for me falling in love with the Europa body. When I saw his blonde Series II, I instantly loved it! He sent me a video of you playing it at the last Gathering & the tone is incredible!

Sam, now knowing the history of Mary has elevated her beauty.
Very nice,

Rusty, the knobby headstock is sublime! It imparts a middle earth/wizard's sceptre vibe and streamlines the whole shape of the bass in a very unique way. I love the medieval look of Bill's elongated 12-string headstock.
 
That blonde Europa played like a dream and since I never use a strap, it balanced perfectly when I was sitting down....
 
I only own one Alembic, so I can't really speak to whether or not one might wind up being neglected. I guess to keep things fresh you could experiment with altered tunings and/or flat-wounds on the SCSD, but since these basses have different woods and electronics I imagine they'll naturally sound different enough that they can't really be redundant (how can any Alembic be redundant?).

Thanks, Paul!

Pleasure to meet you Sam!

Sam, are you saying that Gandalf would have played a Knobby? LOL! I could see that!
 
Jazzyvee also told me that the Europa is well balanced, so that is good.
 
My SCSD is a short scale 4 string & the Europa will be a long scale 5 string so 2 very different basses. I'm hoping to share equal time with them once I get comfortable playing the 5 string.

I'm being repetitive, but each Alembic I saw today is taking my breath away...