Conference napalm::guitar

    
    Rick, how about Alembic and Pedulla?  Seems like they would fit your 
    high-end criteria.
    
    
    Kevin
    

    And perhaps you could mention if you saw any 6 string basses. 

    I tried Alembics and Pedullas years ago and didn't care for either;
    my memory is that they're both heavy and have a relatively hard
    tone, two downers for me.
    
    Didn't try any 5 or 6 strings as I'm not in the market, but I encourage
    other people to post reviews here.

    ON Alembics:
    
    My experience is that I either love them or hate them.  Tom (Savvy's
    lead guitar player) and I recently A/B'd a Standard, Distillate or
    Spoiler Model (can't remember but it was $1100.00) against my Peavey
    Foundation Unity Series Koa Bass.  Although the Alembic was surely crafted
    far superior to the Peavey, that warm, robust, deep and rich sound was
    simply lacking. For a high end neck-thru bass, I was surely
    disappointed.  The Peavey in this instance was sounding much better.
    
    But then I took a trip up to Danvers to visit Steve's Quality Musical
    Instrument store.  I found a Zebra Wood Alembic (one of only 9 made in
    the world btw) - the Elan (sp?) model. This bass was absolutely
    fabulous to look at - the wood was truly exotic and I just can't say
    enough about how it shined!  I demoed this one too - -this Alembic was
    great - excellent tone, the craftmanship was superb - it was a very
    fine instrument and if it weren't for the price ($1700.00) - I'd
    own it!  
    
    So - i.m.o. - bass guitars are like wine - if you like it - it's great,
    if you don't - it doesn't matter how fine an instrument it is - it's
    just not right for you.  
    
    So like Rick C. - I'm still searching for that perfect bass!
    
    Dan

    I had a chance to buy Andy West (ex of the Dregs) Alembic bass for
    a grand (good deal for any aged Alembic in good shape).
    
    I don't play much bass, but if I did, I'd definitely have an Alembic.
    There's something about the articulation of an Alembic bass that
    really cuts through and attracts my ear.
    
    	db

    Paul Reed Smith has been cranking out basses for awhile but they have
    been very low profile.  The only time I ever saw anyone play one was in
    a Dobbie Bros. video.  Anyway, Rick C. tipped me to one at Daddy's in
    Shrewsbury, MA, a used one for $1000.
    
    An interesting bass.  Body shape is like the PRS guitars, which makes
    the 24 fret neck *seem* long.  There are three pickups, two in a J-bass
    type of setup and a third right at the end of the fingerboard.  You get
    four knobs, two speed knobs, one for volume, the other is the pickup
    selector, and two active tones of some sort.  There is a mini-toggle to
    engage the preamp.  The bridge looks a lot like a stock Fender bridge,
    but has a lip all the way around it.  Fingerboard was rosewood and the
    body appeared to be a curly maple cap over some other wood.
    
    As Rick mentioned to me, this bass was *extremely* playable.  Yes, it
    had pretty low action, but there's more to it than that.  It just
    seemed to play with very little physical effort.  This was its best
    feature.  The tone setup was somewhat undecipherable.  The pickup
    selector, like the old Gibson EB3, does some weird tricks.  You get two
    tones that are P-bass like, one with extended bottom (my guess is they
    kick in the neck pickup here) and three other tones which sounded very
    thin and twangy, not my cup of tea at all.  The tone was crisp overall
    without getting brittle and it seemed to have a good, round bottom end
    as well in the two settings I liked best.  One tone knob appeared to be
    a treble control (although its effect was subtle), the other mystified
    me but may have been a midrange tweak of some sort, it seemed like it
    was sweeping a boost across various frequency ranges...maybe  8^)  ???
    
    The fingerboard was quite wide and flat, much more like a P-bass than a
    J-bass.  The neck itself was quite slender, like early 60s Fenders
    tended to be.  The color, a transparent blue was kind of odd, but the
    wood beneath was nicely figured.  As with a lot of high-end axes, the
    case was your generic hardshell...at these prices why don't we see
    fitted flight cases and the like?  Heck, Peavey used to supply a fitted
    flight case with a $375 bass.... 
    
    Overall, this is one bass you should look into if you are shopping in
    the high end ranges.
    
    							Brian

    Ken Smith has been cranking out basses in his NYC shop for a few years
    now, but at prices in the $2500 and up range, it's no surprise that
    you don't see a lot of them around.
    
    Recently, Smith introduced the Burner line which has bolt-on necks
    rather than thru-body construction, and uses J-bass style pickups
    rather than his trademark soapbars.  The basses are made of various
    woods (price goes up as the wood gets better) and you can get 4, 5 or 6
    strings.
    
    The neck is 24 frets and very slim.  the headstock is tilted back so
    that string trees are not used.  Tuners are small enclosed units
    (Schallers, maybe).  The bridge is Smith's own design as are the
    pickups.  The pickups are passive, but there is a preamp with
    volume, balance, bass and treble controls.  An additional 12 db gain
    adjustment may be made internally.  Pulling up on the volume pot
    bypasses the preamp in case your batteries go south.
    
    The sound? Massive, with the EQ flat.  More massive with the EQ turned
    up.  The sound was full and punchy *everywhere* even way up on the
    neck on the G string, where most basses start wimping out.  The
    intonation on the one I played was incredible, good enough so that
    chords above the 20th fret came out clear and in tune.  The bass was
    *very* light, and quite comfortable to play sitting down.  The
    rosewood fingern=board was very fast, I found myself zipping around on
    licks where I normally choke up using my P-bass.  I was quite impressed
    overall with his bass.  One thing in particular I liked was that it
    has a much thicker sound than an Alembic or Steinberger.
    
    McDuff's in Shrewsbury, MA is taking on the Burner line.  They can
    also order the "regular" Smith basses if you like.  Pickups, bridges
    and preamps are available as parts for retrofitting your Fender (but
    not cheap, a P-J setup with preamp lists at $500).
    
    The prices:
    
    Standard: Alder body, solid finishes $1350
    Deluxe: Ash body, natural or transparent finishes $1450
    Custom: laminated neck, three-piece body $1650
    Artist: ??? even fancier  ???
    
    Add $150 for hardshell case, add $100 for five string, add $200 for
    six-string.

    You don't really say, are there any sonic differences between the 2000
    and the Series II?  Or is it just cosmetic.
    
    I can't recall exactly, but I think it was Mark King in a recent
    article who said his one beef with the Status is that it plays *too*
    evenly; you can't get any significant effect by moving your picking
    hand towards or away from the bridge.  Comments?
    
    /rick

    Re.-1
    
    There is quite a difference between the two expensive basses,  The
    Series II is alot woodier,  and consequantly has a greater tonal
    variety.  Mark King uses the 2000 mostly,  and I would agree that on
    his setting amp wise, there is little difference,  if you use more mid
    range than he does then the harmonics on the string are very apparent.
    
    What I also forgot to say is that the action is incredibly low,  lower
    than most guitars are,  and the intonation is spot on.  They are all
    fully set up before leaving the factory,  and Status will always re do
    it if you aint happy Free of Charge.  I don't know anyone who isn't
    happy however.  In the four years that I've had it I haven't had to
    touch the bridge, what so ever.
    
    Rob Green has always been there to answer any questions that I may have in
    person,  and when I needed a new jack socket nut it was on my desk within
    eight hours from them, in time for my gig,  and again with no cost. 
    Basically they put alot of emphasis on customer satisfaction,  and that
    also counts for alot in my books.
    
    Nigel

    Followup to .6:
    
    Paul Reed Smith no longer makes basses and will not even do them as a
    custom order.  Looks like these might be good collector's investments.
    
    Add reggae great Robby Shakespeare to the list of PRS owners.  His
    advice to PRS in a recent interview: "Keep making those basses, mon". 
    Too late, Robbie  8;(  8;(
    
    							Brian

    Just as an aside, I was surprised to discover during my Christmas
    vacation in Annapolis, MD (my home town) that PRS has offices or a
    factory there. I gather that must be their home base. I just happened
    to run across it when I was looking up music stores in the Yellow
    Pages. No reason why this should be of any interest to anyone else - I
    just thought it was a little unusual, since Annapolis is not exactly
    what you would call a big industrial city 8*| I was thinking of
    stopping by to see if they'd give me a tour, but ran out of time. Maybe
    next vacation.
    
    - Ram

    Well, the news is official:  Gibson has bought up Tobias, and all
    production is being moved to Nashville.  Michael Tobias is staying on
    as "consultant".  We'll have to wait and see if this works out better
    than it has for Steinberger (another Gibson subsidiary).
    
    							Brian  

    Just saw a blurb in Bass Player for basses from a David King of
    Amherst, MA.  Custom headless 5-string (looks like a Status) with ebony
    board, body and neck of rare woods, custom wound pickups, etc.  Prices
    start at a mere $1000, the picture bass was $1300.  If it plays and
    sounds as good as it looks, a bargain.   Being semi-local, I'd like to
    check this guy out. Support the local economy and all....
    
    						Geezer Mc Kagan

    Sounds worth checking out.

    In a similar vein, I was slummin down in Rhode Island this weekend and
    spotted a few Campellones for sale.  Mark Campellone has been hand making
    high end basses out of the smallest state for several years now.  These
    are gorgeous instruments, on par with the best from the high-profile
    custom builders like Tobias, Ken Smith and Fodera.  They're typically
    maple neck through with multi-layer body wings of various exotic
    hardwood, custom brass hardware and Bartolini electronics.  The workmanship
    on these is exquisite, but the best part is that Mark is also a monster
    player and this is reflected in the playability of his instruments.

    The basses I saw were a turquoise metallic 5-string fretted with
    gold hardware and ebony board with cool "brainscan" inlay for $1200,
    a figured walnut/maple/mahogany 5-string fretless also $1200, and
    an all figured maple 6-string fretted for $1500.  This last was Mark's
    most recent bass, #89.

    Attention Danny Weber: I hear Mark has been branching out into custom
    archtops as well.  Haven't seen any of these myself, but someone in
    20th Century Guitar recently wrote very favorably about them.  Sounded
    very high quality at about half the expected price.

    /rick

I think Will ought to log in here and tell us about his new bass...
It's purdy!  Neck thru, 24 frets...What is it Will, an Alembic or ??

    Rick,
    		What is"20th Century Guitar" a magazine ?
    
    	Inquiring minds want to know
    
    	Mark

    It's an Alembic Essence.  It is reviewed in the 1993 bass players
    buying guide.  It has tone for days although I am still getting
    used to playing way up on the neck since I am not used to having
    the extra frets.  It is great for slapping/popping but also works
    for any other style including heavy metal.  it has three knobs;
    one volume, a trebble/bass tone control which is cool since the 
    output is balanced well beteween trebble and bass volume, but the
    most usefull is the pickup pan.  The bass has two active pickups,
    one at the neck and one at the bridge.  The neck position is great for
    most applications but when soloing past the twelfth fret by panning
    the pickup pan knob to the bridge pickup the tone is out of this world.
    I typlically have it set to about 3/4th's neck pickup and 1/4 bridge,
    since I find this best for all arround and I just use different a
    attack for rock or funk and just set the tone to more bass for blues.
    the pickup pan knob also has a detent at mid-position which when set
    there has the perfect jazz tone (immho) which my Ibanez (P-bass clone)
    could never acheive.  I think the list is 1750 dollors and I found 
    that by brother-in-law, who is the manager of a large guitar store
    chain and gets me cost+10 for anything and no sales tax (I am in
    Colorado and he is in California and if anybody wants anything
    for that send me mail off line) could get it for $1299 out the door
    with case but he had this used one in perfect condition w/case
    and shipping for $800.  Some guy had just purchased it and then needed
    some money %~(
    
    Dana, a fellow DEC bass player stopped by yesterday to show me
    this cool Midi bass he has (I cant remember the name though) and
    asked how the sustain was on the Alembic with the thru the body neck 
    so I plucked a note (not an open string) and I think it finally 
    stopped this morning!  Big time sustain.
    
    
    
    Will

    I second the sustain/tone comments...  And I might add that the
    bass LOOKS good too.  I hate ugly basses.
    
    Sure is nice playing with a bassist who can PLAY the fackin'
    things...  Man, you been taking lessons from Guido?
    ;-)

>Man, you been taking lessons from Guido?
    
    Why?  Is he getting worse?

    :-)

    I heard a group this weekend, and the bass player played a five string
    he said was a Ken Stein.  It sounded terrific.  Is this a custom shop,
    or is it even a high-end bass?
    
    Dave

    Never heard of these, tell us more!

    I never heard of them either.  The body was shaped almost exactly like
    a Carvin (I have their catalog), with long, pointy horns and a neck-
    through body.  The finish was natural; the center (neck) part of the 
    body was lighter colored than the sides.  No pickguard.  It had two 
    pickups that looked like EMGs and sounded active.  The headstock was a 
    traditional style (non-pointy), three keys left and two right, with an 
    ornate 'S' inlaid at the top, along with some other inlay between the 
    keys.
    
    In reading through these replies, I notice there's a maker named Ken
    Smith, but I'm sure the guy said this one was a Ken Stein.
    
    Dave

    The description sounds somewhat like a Ken Smith.  Smith pickups have
    exposed polepieces, unlike EMGs.  They look kinda like Gibson
    humbuckers.   I wouldn't describe the Smith horns as "pointy" though. 
    So maybe it wasn't a Smith.
    
    							Brian

    I didn't get a close enough look to see polepieces, but the horns were
    definitely pointy, and longish and slender.  I thought it was a Carvin
    until I looked at the headstock.  I seem to recall the owner saying it
    was made on Long Island somewhere, or maybe Brooklyn; I don't hear too
    well after a good set and a couple of beers.  %^)
    
    Actually, if anyone wants to check it out and hear some great music, the
    group was the Herman Johnson Quintet; they play at Ryle's in Cambridge,
    MA, every Friday and Saturday night.  The guitarist blew me away, the
    bassist was perhaps the best I've ever heard, the drummer was
    outrageously good, and Herman's no slouch on tenor, either.  And let me
    know what that bass really is, and how I can get one without taking out
    another mortgage.
    
    Dave

    Went to the Music Expo in Boston yesterday and finally got to try out
    one of those Hamer 12-string basses.  For those who've never seen one,
    it's strung as four groups of three; typical E-A-D-G with *two* octave
    strings for each.  These were popularized by Tom Peterson of Cheap
    Trick and Doug Pinnick of King's X, although interestingly both players
    seem to have stopped using them on their latest records.
    
    I always wondered what the big deal was with these.  Well, despite the
    fact that I already own an 8-string bass (one octave string per), I
    walked away from the Hamer thinking about some creative financing.
    This is one beast of an instrument; each note is like a punch in the gut!
    (I mean this as a good thing :-).  Something about that extra octave
    string just seems to work (as Nick Lowe once said of his twelve, "it
    sounds like a train wreck").  The sound was big, rich, full, intoxicating.
    I could've spent the whole afternoon fiddling with it.  Pickups looked
    like standard EMGs, three knobs (volume, balance, tone?).  The bass
    sounded good no matter where they were set; different colors, but all
    of them usable.
    
    You would think that with all those strings on the neck things would
    get kind of crowded, but playing it was breeze.  It felt comfortable
    immediately, not too wide, and I had no trouble getting clearly fretted
    notes right off the bat.  The scale length is 30.5 inches, shorter than
    the standard Fender 34".  Shorter scale length means less string
    tension and this was probably a very good idea on the twelve; this one
    played like butter.  Shorter scale also usually means less power in the
    low end, but the nature of the twelve seems to make up for this.  Trust
    me, there is no lack of low end power with this monster.
    
    Body style was a straightforward double cutaway, like an old LP Junior.
    I think the body was maple, definitely a maple top, flat with a slight
    flame, nice transparent golden-yellow stain.  Hamer's twelve-string
    headstock design is way cool; simple, functional and stylish.  The bass
    was a medium weight, not light but not uncomfortable, a little neck
    heavy but again not much of a problem.  Note that they also make a 35"
    scale version of this instrument, but I would expect it to be
    significantly more neck heavy and harder to play.
    
    /rick_who's_got_some_new_blisters_on_his_fingers_today

>        I could've spent the whole afternoon fiddling with it. 
    
    With 12 strings, you could have spent the whole afternoon TUNING it!

    >With 12 strings, you could have spent the whole afternoon TUNING it!
    
    Not Rick ... Mr. ears of steel!

    >>Not Rick ... Mr. ears of steel!
    
    Uh oh, is that like "ears of tin"?  You must've heard me play fretless!