Does anyone really believe Famous Artist speaks to mass media-outlets with the whole truth; or as to the degree of a sworn oath; or even with some caution?
 
If Marcus wants to promote a tour, he could call in a favor based on his business senses. It's business, just as simple as that... Baby needs a pair of new shoes.  
 
The media cares nothing about the truth, it just need a story to sell, and the Artist needs the publicity, and once the two meets, the last thing Artist wants to do is piss off any present or future deals with phrases worded in ways that could harm.  
 
You can't piss the wrong people off, even if its your parents, -- who pays your tuition or provides the lifestyle...
 
The sad thing about this, its true in all fields.
 
I never believe in most interviews, unless it comes from true Masters!
 
Stanley Clarke is one of those individuals, I consider a true Master!
 
 
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on October 18, 2009)

I agree Toma except with the true masters statement. Even Stanley is not going to pee where he sleeps. The SMART people do exactly as you suggest and Stanley is a smart man.

A Master Pizza Maker, never compromise on the purist quality of their ingredients, otherwise anything less, they leave the kitchen in protest.
 
Alembics and Fenders....
 
Alembics are as the New York Steak, as the Fenders are Hamburgers.
 
One uses mascots and/or clowns, while the other focus on the quality.    
 
 
If anyone support an inferior product for a living, is one thing -- but supporting an inferior product as a conditional state of mind, is insane.  
 
Marcus Miller probably has an Alembic At home, and in privacy of his media free home.
 
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on October 18, 2009)

I thought that I read somewhere that Victor Wooten purchased some of Clarke's basses. Also I thought that he said in an interview that he bought an Alembic very early in his development.  
 
I know that there was a short time when Mark King used a Fender and that was after his flirtation with Alembics.
 
Many years ago The World's Most Dangerous Band did a song where they all played toy instruments. While they wouldn't do it all the time, the point was rather obvious (if not gimmicky).

LOL I'm not going to get into another disagreement with you friend, I think Alembics are world class! :-) But I have to say, Marcus gets an amazing sound from his hamburger! LOL Sometimes there nothing like a good burger!  
 
Let's be honest ... there are a lot of great instruments out there. Alembics are amazing instruments and few can compare in regard to workmanship but it's a big world with a lot of choices and thank god a lot of amazing basses to pick from. It's all good!

It basically comes down to:
 
We will pay you not to use Alembics because we can't compete with their products going toe to toe.
 
Die-hard Alembicans are the finest and bravest  people in the world! Quality is like Love, it overcome above all things.
 
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on October 18, 2009)

For me ... I'd love at least 12 different brands  of basses I can think of off the top of my head in my collection. I think they all have something special to offer. And I'd LOVE this Alembic Jazz bass to be one of them. I've always loved Fender Jazz basses, my 1st professional bass when I was a kid, and of course Love Alembics so for ME this alembic Jazz bass would be a dream instrument!

I'm curious about the Neck, is it Bolt on? And what about the Pots, is it Vol-Vol-Tone?
 
How much of Fender do we get with this 24 fret Jazz?
 
(Message edited by Mario Farufyno on October 20, 2009)

it's  neck through with a volume, pan, filter, and q-switch. i like Fenders, don't own one yet but have been trying to get an American Deluxe jazz for a while now, but if Marcus likes the tone he gets from HIS signature, then it's obvious the sound he is looking for, so Alembic may not be his cup of tea if you know what i mean. for me, i find tones in my Rickenbacker copy that i like more than one of my other basses with Alembic electronics in it, it's all about the sound you are looking for
 
~Taylor Watterson

I love the looks of that bass, but I very much doubt you could coax a true Fender tone out of it (neck-through, active electronics, etc).  However, emulating a Fender tone is not really why we own Alembics is it???

I believe each bass and each brand has something different and good to offer. If you ONLY like Alembics so be it however as i said in an earlier post, I know of at least 12 different brand of basses I'd love to own (including Alembic of course) because they all have something to offer. Some are high end like Alembic and some are common like Fender but all IMO are worth owning and playing. After all ... the instrument is the TOOL the musician uses to reproduce the sound in their head and we all hear sound differently. And If we didn't it would be a very boring world!

+ 1

Yes, one of the young Victor Wooten's first basses was an Alembic, which he bought in order to emulate his hero, Stanley. Apparently, though, he switched to Fodera when the sound engineer in a studio in which he was playing a session complained that he couldn't get a good sound out of the Alembic . . . it takes all sorts, I guess!
Incidentally, there's a track on the SMV album called something like 'Lemme Try Your Bass', I think, on which Victor, Stanley and Marcus swap basses, with some interesting results. Maybe someone out there can work out who's playing what. You can certainly hear the difference, which only serves to back up the notion that 'it's the player, not the bass'.

Hey Karl, if you you are going to make statements like those, you made - please, please, please provide your sources.
 
One area particular, when you said Victor's sound engineer complained about not being able to get a good sound out of the Alembic...
 
I would be very interested in learning this insight from you if possible. I have to read this with my own eyes...

Hey, I read that story too, here is a link to the details.
http://www.fodera.com/artists/wooten/book/bassexc.htm
 
Jazzyvee