Johns second Alembic, natural maple finish with maple and walnut laminate neck. 1975, with Alembic Series I Omega bass with flame-figured top. Free shipping. The body is contoured not only for its beauty, but also to offer a familiar, wonderfully natural fit to your own. But you dont lose the bottom. It just doesn't get anybetter than this! A funny story about the delivery of eight 4120 tops to the Who: we made a special version of the 4120 preamp section for John Entwistle. This individual guitar is named "Starry Night" as the turquoise and red Buckeye top resembles VanGogh's masterpiece! Well, at the side of the guitar neck, youve usually got small marker dots. 1979, performing Trick of the Light, with John on 8-string Alembic Explorer and Pete playing 4-string Alembic Series I. Founded in 1969 in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alembic is still going strong to this day, producing the most artistic, finely crafted, and imaginative electric instruments in the world. or Best Offer. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Used Electric Bass Alembic SERIES I MSB MAPLE TOP 1979 (S/N:79 1345) Opens in a new window or tab. [CDATA[ 1975, with Alembic Series 1 bass with flame-figured top. Too heavy to get off the ground but good for catching snakes.. Id work out a series of lines that flowed into each other with the twang of the trebly sound and Id find myself drifting into that every night, unless it was a bit of free form. Sunn Gelf recording amp rig, courtesy rockstarsguitars.com. Theyre getting together with Moog to work something out. Cream finish with chequered binding; through neck with rosewood fingerboard, dot markers. I tried it out and I really liked it, so I bought it just for the collection and never really bothered with it. or Best Offer. Four iconic guitars feature from Brad Rodgers at www.whocollection.com the largest single-owner collection of The Who memorabilia to ever appear at auction two previously owned by Pete Townshend, and two by John Entwistle [] The most striking example is the Paul [sic] Cook custom-made bass guitar, of flame design (estimate: 15,00020,000). Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Wonderful series 1 long scale bass from Alembic, 1976. Performance & security by Cloudflare. I ran for the backup bass but couldnt tune it because there were no transformers backstage. Known for their clear tone and exceptional construction, Alembic instruments feature built-in LED lights and filter combinations that are sure to impress. The sound was really amazing, so I changed over to Alembic the five Explorers never got used. A solidbody with a 32 scale and neck-through design, it laid the foundation for the company's approach - that is, creating hand-built high-end instruments with exotic woods, artistic inlays, and state-of-the-art electronics. Requested by John and designed and built by luthier Peter Cook. John said it was no problem, they would send a Roadie to buy one. By December 1979, John replaced the Sunn 412LH 412 cabs with Sunn 412L 412 cabs. 0. [CDATA[ In 1977, Alembic presented the world's . Ca. 1977 price list described the five string bass as a "standard" model, available for $50 more than its four string bass. You can use it for bass or guitar. You can see some golden streaks in the ebony near the nut, a quality of Macassar ebony. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7b9ba6cf8b60136d Categories Brands Shops Deals and Steals Price Drops 0% Financing New and Popular Handpicked Collections. Includes new hard shell case, original power supply and 5 pin cable. Alembic makes many types of bass guitars. [2]:35ff Production of graphite-necked instruments ceased in 1985. Alembic Rogue 5st Macassar Ebony Top & Blue LED 2008 Used Electric Bass. // ]]> -->. There seems to be a problem serving the request at this time, One stop shop for all things from your favorite brand. [2]:35ff, The company's first instrument was a bass guitar, made in 1972 for Jack Casady. You hear the player, not the bass. Click to view larger version. Ca. The Series I is as much of a powerhouse today as it was back in 1972 and nothing short of a Series II even comes close. 110 or 200 wall current stepped down to 18v via the included power supply. . ** total_quantity ** | ** unit_price ** / ** unit_measure **, Alembic Darling Guitar - 5A Quilted Maple, Alembic "Starry Night" Further Guitar - Buckeye w/turquoise/red resin top, Alembic Stanley Clarke Deluxe Bass - "Blue River" - Buckeye top, Alembic Essence 4 string Bass - Zebrawood. About This Listing. Fingerboard with music-note inlays in mother-of-pearl Gothic script. The neck is maple with purpleheart. The combination of single coil pickups and low-pass filter tone controls offer flexibilty, control and responsibility for your own tone. Ca. [CDATA[ Some are related to scale length, others to tradition, and others to personal taste. Performance & security by Cloudflare. While Roger and Pete used Mesa-Boogie 412 cabs for the remainder of the 1982 Farewell Tour, this was Johns only stage use of Mesa-Boogie. You have to wind it right up. Ca. . Genuine Alembic parts are available directly from the source. John with guitar maker/luthier Peter Cook and an Axis bass. // ]]> -->. The instrument is currently owned by Brad Rodgers of whocollection.com. Learn More, We understand the importance of online privacy and are committed to complying with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Therapist76, lalo_garcia-maynez, Tennesseemick and 5 others . Johns speaker configuration remained largely the same as the 1974 setup, though the Sunn W bins now had the badges on the horn bells, and the Sunn 312 speaker cabinets moved to the center of the setup, while the Sunn 412 speaker cabinets moved to the outside on top of the Sunn 118 speaker cabinets, with filler boxes to balance the setup due to the differing heights of the bottom row cabinets/bins. Stanley Clarke was given a specially inlaid instrument to celebrate 30 years of working together. Alembic wouldn't be Alembic without the beautiful woods. Alembic is an American manufacturer of high-end electric basses, guitars and preamps. 1975, Sunn rig, with amplifiers moved to side-stage rack: two Sunn 412 speaker cabs (outside top), two Sunn 312 312 speaker cabs (inside top), two Sunn 118 speaker cabs (outside bottom), two Sunn W 118 reflex bins (inside bottom). Thanks to those who have made this page possible: Whotabs has been updated, 9 October 2022. tar. Bass is 1974 Alembic in zebra wood. I jetted to San Francisco 3 days before the tour started and bought three more! It was the highest-priced bass of all the ones that John sold, fetching approximately $33,000. Click to view larger version Alembic 4-string bass. Rich low end response and crystalline highs are also a credit to the neck c Brown Basses are a nod to Stanley's second Series I bass from 1974. 26 watching. Bound neck with 24-fret rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays. Click to view larger version. Oct 19, 2015 #2. Gibson Explorer-style body with Fender Precision Bass maple necks and machine heads; gold-plated hardware, two volume controls/one tone control. 1975, Sunn rig (with amplifier rack barely visible at far left): two Sunn 412 speaker cabs (outside top), two Sunn 312 312 speaker cabs (inside top), two Sunn 118 speaker cabs (outside bottom), two Sunn W 118 reflex bins (inside bottom). This item is sold As-Described. Except for its handedness, these qualities of an Alembic bass guitar influence its sound, performance, and playability. Amazing collection of Alembic catalog, photos, price list. Pre-Owned. This item is sold As-Described and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Jun 25, 2006. // ]]> -->. Click to reveal Courtesy rockstarsguitars.com. [CDATA[ Alembic has a rich history in the music industry, having developed the Grateful Dead Wall of Sound and revolutionized active electronics through innovative neck construction. Rewired back to stereo by Johns luthier/guitar maker Peter Cook. Ca. I was getting all the necks straightened at the time, so just for a laugh, I brought along the Alembic and plugged it in. 4 sold 5. Approximately six in total custom-made by luthier Peter Cook, in white (later given to Pete) and orange/red. Sothebys. The guy asked me if Id be interested in a second-hand Alembic. Learn More. . I eventually changed to using Sunn 300-watt Coliseum Amps powering four 18 PA bins plus additional 12 cabinets (up to sixteen 12 cabinets at one point). The basis is faithful electronics reproduction of the mechanical string motion. . The bass that Yolanda Charles is playing has 9 knobs. Topped by Conn Strobotuner. Includes museum, schematics and history. With the Alembic I can play like it all the way through, varying the volumes. Entwistle can be seen on this page in photos playing an Alembic Series 1 bass. Heater is the distributor so the brochure dates between 1973-1975. . The first bass bearing the Alembic logo was made for Casady in 1971. Graphite-reinforced neck of laminated walnut and maple. Click to view larger version Alembic 8-string bass. Four Sunn Coliseum Slave 320-watt power amps (two for low frequencies, one for mids, one for highs/full-range). But now, with the Alembic, Im probably going to be able to play a lot louder in the studio and more trebly. Start exploring your own custom Series I bass. Sunn Gelf amp rig #1, courtesy rockstarsguitars.com. Click to view larger version. Completed in late 76, this very same bass was a catalog model for the early 1977 brochure (see pics). KSG Guitar Gardon Store. Johns custom amp rack, with two Stramp 4120 preamps and four Sunn Coliseum Slave power amps (input module/splitter slot is empty). Oops, looks like you forgot something. Alembic pickups fall in two categories. The pickups must have been replaced around the early 80s as they bear an Alembic stamp that doesnt appear until then (see pics). . March 1981, Manchester Apollo, Sunn 412L 412 and Mega 118 cabinets. Johns first Alembic bass guitars, made in Santa Rosa, California, which he used as his primary instruments from October 1975 to October 1976, when they were replaced with the Explorer-style Alembics. Original brochure will be included with the sale. Something went wrong. Alembic's model line has continued to expand to the present day, with models such as the Epic, Orion, Excel, and Darling being introduced. Indistinct serial number (74-A011) impressed to top edge of headstock. Alembic Baby Bass in ebony finish fitted with Bigsby reverse tremolo. Click to view larger version Alembic rear adjustment screws. dkelley, blindrabbit, hintz and 3 others like this. Their bass guitars were expensive, costing up to three times as much as a new Fender bass. Text and photos copyright 2015 Alembic, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1982, Sunn rig, with Gelf rack visible at stage right. Fretboard is Macassar ebony with mother of pearl inlays. I wrote a lot of songs on this one. 1974 Alembic Series I in zebra wood. These included the Spoiler, Elan, and Europa basses, and the Electrum and California Special guitars. Click to view larger version. No, because the Alembic has individual pick-up pre-sets on the back, so if you wind them up, you dont lose anything on the volume control. The electronics are otherwise stock Alembic circuitry: two pickups that are medium impedance and gain-adjustable, internal preamp, and a dummy pickup for hum cancellation; the tone controls are active low-pass filters. Ca. Overview of John Entwistles bass gear, from 1975 to 1982 (and The Whos 1985 reunion), with Alembic bass guitars and continued use of Sunn amplifiers. The Brown bass has: 5pieceneck : Mahogany with Birch and Walnut laminates and Walnut or Myrtle top/back/body, also the " standard" BB comes with Fatboys and Anniversary (Activator) electronics. from Japan. Ca. Theres one thing about Alembic it can be hard to vary the controls while youre playing because there are so many, so it would be nice if, when they did the Gibson one, they could give me some floor controls so I can either control it from the guitar or the floor. Free shipping. . Its also got this feedback effect when you have all the frequency switches right down in their lowest positions, you get this sort of signing sound. Sold in Sothebys 2003 auction; Estimated 2,0003,000; sold for 13,200. Alembic Stanley Clarke Deluxe Bass. Christies would like to thank Rick Turner for his assistance with this lot. ", "Pacific High Recording, Alembic, His Master's Wheels, 60 Brady Street, San Francisco, CA", "Alembic: Sound Wizards to the Grateful Dead", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alembic_Inc&oldid=1111541660, This page was last edited on 21 September 2022, at 14:30. Learn the different types of Alembic bass guitars for sale on eBay and how to find the one that is right for you. It was the highest-priced bass of all the ones that John sold, fetching approximately $33,000. The Series pickups (the ones you asked about with the hum-canceller between the two single coil pickups) are phantom powered via a 5-pin cable. The current speaker array includes a pair of Sunn W bins, each with an 18 Vega speaker; two standard Sunn enclosures, each with a Vega 18; two Sunn 412s; and two Sunn 312s. We can help you choose the right woods for your custom bass. 1975, on stage with Alembic Series I with zebra wood top. There were two preamps in each top and you could blend between them with a standard $50 volume pedal. Extra 2% off with coins. 2011 interview with John Entwistles luthier/guitar maker Peter Cook posted on. A Fender is perfect for treble, but theres no bottom and Gibson is perfect for bottom but theres no treble. Entwistle says, You dont get that initial twang if you use the strings again.