Expensive, but nice to look at


https://reverb.com/item/6414168-alembic-series-graphite-john-mcvie-actual-bass

Not paging edwardofhuncote and jimy, seriously - not paging http://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=22859.0 and http://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=21998.0

Definitely has loads of unobtanium built in. Thinking what a new one would set you back. Hm.

I got drool on my laptop...

I'm sitting at a Waffle House about 50 miles outta' home right now just thinking... I can be in Murfreesboro, Tennessee by daylight if I get moving quick. 

Seriously, I've always wondered about that bass. I cant help but think it was a rebuild/experimental project. And I've never seen any footage of John playing it... so maybe this super-filtered monster was built for the studio? So many questions. 

Anyway, several years ago, Mr. Mac parted with a few of his surplus basses, and I bought one of them. This one, and the walnut Small Standard with the graphite neck were for sale at the same time. If I recall correctly, that was the asking price back then too.

I'm still a little short... maybe Jimy and I could go in together on it...   

It says it's the bass from the Chain. Is that true?

Quote from: gearhed289 on August 28, 2017, 07:48:33 AM
It says it's the bass from the Chain. Is that true?

My understanding is that this one is the one on The Chain:






It's the fretless with aluminum fingerboard - I never thought it was fretless but if you listen you can hear him slide one of the notes - and of course it gets that fret attack because the whole fingerboard is basically a giant fret! The pics are from when it was back at the mothership for repairs.

Stainless steel, iirc.

They mean it's the bass featured on the cover of "The Chain - 25 years" box set. 

To my knowledge, there are no other pictures of John with that bass, but I'm happy -if not eager- to be corrected on that.

This picture:

Better picture, from the ad:

Honestly, I hadn't noticed before seeing these pictures, but that bass has a couple issues... the most obvious is the action. That bridge can't go down much more at all. It might be perfect right there, but if not, setting that neck back might be a little tricky. I wonder if that boat-shaped heel piece isn't part of the joint... may even be bolted in, which would make things a lot simpler.

If it's still there next month, when I get a weekend break, I'm gonna' make a Nashville run and see for myself.

Got it. Yeah, I thought the Chain was played on the "continuously fretted" bass. That neck heel is definitely strange looking.

Yep, the "continuously fretted" bass as Harry pointed out, has a very distinct sound. I've heard it on a couple out-take tracks from Rumours and Tusk albums... I strongly suspect it was used on "Silver Spring" and maybe "Oh Daddy" too. "Over and Over" also sounds fretless to me, but the tone is slightly different.

On this bass, I'm really curious about the electronics... it looks like Series I in all the usual format, but with a master volume like John's other basses, but then there's a whole other array of knobs and switches underneath them. Just reading in the description, there's a bit from Rick Turner (which is another classic RT stream of consciousness post, one should not miss btw... ) he seems uncertain as to what these extra controls are for too, and suggests maybe a passive treble cut.

Could this be something else other than a superfilter? Band pass? Mellow/bright switches?

I still just can't imagine McVie twiddling with all that stuff on stage.

Price dropped a couple grand on this one... still nothing really concrete on the controls.

https://reverb.com/item/6414168-alembic-series-graphite-john-mcvie-actual-bass

If things go well tomorrow I may be able to answer some of these questions soon. Im a big McVie fan and an even bigger Alembic fan.  If my offer gets accepted I will let you know about the electronics soon.

Edward, as I know youve got a great eye for things, I already know to inquire about the action, what else do you see with this? One of my terms for the sale will be a review period, I know what I like - this would be my first graphite bass though, any tips?

I stopped by the Low End Bass Shop last November to check it out. It is basically a Series II on the top controls, then a switch activates the lower controls, which are like a Series I as best as we could figure. We could have spent days playing around with it. Still has a great sound. My big take away was how heavy it was. But most interesting, was the case. It was like piecing together the history of a world tour, from all the stickers. I think we spent as much time looking at the case, as the bass. The owner has posted on the forum, so maybe he could chime in for a better explanation. Best of luck on your offer.


Joe