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Alembic Epic
- Thread starter StarchMan
- Start date
I had a wenge top epic 5 and I didn't like it at all. It had a bad hiss and the top end was abrasive, like chalk on glass. It also weighed a ton.
I don't think they have the magic of the real, higher end Alembics.
Aloha,
Jonathan
I don't think they have the magic of the real, higher end Alembics.
Aloha,
Jonathan
Jonathan Starr said:
Pretty much my experience, too. I had a sixer with a wenge board (I forget what the top was). Didn't like the electronics and the upper register was just plain nasty. The thing was a clunky, boat anchor, too, with a fat neck.
Everything is subjective, of course, but I wouldn't pay 11 for a used one, no matter how good the condish.
Take my comments with a grain of salt, however. I didn't like the Custom Series 1 I had, either. And Alembic treated me poorly from a customer service standpoint so I'm no fan of them OR their basses!
I have maple topped one that sounds great. I have been nothing but happy with it. The electronics are just fine and dead quiet. No problems at all for me. This link has the tone of Epic:http://magnatune.com/artists/music/New Age/Trip Wamsley/Its Better This Way/
Play clip #4. Maybe you will like the tone. Hope this helps. Hope you like the tune too! 
Play clip #4. Maybe you will like the tone. Hope this helps. Hope you like the tune too!
You sound great, Trip! Was that the Alembic playing the fretless melody or the background parts, or both?
The fretless on that track was a Status Stealth II. Some of the other clips have Zon and Alembic Fretlesses and Manring is on a two tunes as well. Of course he was using Zons.
i want one 
, i get to try one in a few weeks, as long as a mark king sig and a series 1 small body short scale......but i want a epic with zebrawood top and ebony fingerboard, and a small body with a 32" scale with the same woods..mmmm hmmm
random fact: flea used an epic to record the album one hot minute
, i get to try one in a few weeks, as long as a mark king sig and a series 1 small body short scale......but i want a epic with zebrawood top and ebony fingerboard, and a small body with a 32" scale with the same woods..mmmm hmmmrandom fact: flea used an epic to record the album one hot minute
That's funny, I only ever liked the tones he had on that album on Aeroplane, and that was recorded with a ray .
That said, I've played a few of the lower-end Alembics and I found them to be quite nice. Never played an Epic specifically though.
.That said, I've played a few of the lower-end Alembics and I found them to be quite nice. Never played an Epic specifically though.
I had an Epic 6, Vermillion top, and it sounded great, however, the treble was hissy, but I never needed to add any, so it wasn't that bad. It was a bit heavy, but not bad, either. Overall, it definitely had some (IMHO) minor limitations, but I got lotsa compliments on the sound, and the action was awesome. The general quality is definitely there.
TRIPSTER said:I have maple topped one that sounds great. I have been nothing but happy with it. The electronics are just fine and dead quiet. No problems at all for me. This link has the tone of Epic:http://magnatune.com/artists/music/New Age/Trip Wamsley/Its Better This Way/
Play clip #4. Maybe you will like the tone. Hope this helps. Hope you like the tune too!
I've got to say, your music is incredible, not just tune 4! I stream your songs regularly at work. Got to buy your CD!
ive played a couple Epics, i loved them all, big thick body, fat neck, tight B string, and i thought great electronics.
it is heavy, but its a big thumpin peice of mahogony
it is heavy, but its a big thumpin peice of mahogony
Played an Epic 5 back in 93 and I recall loving it.
Oh, Trip - track 4 is pimp.....
A touch of reverb, and a touch of delay going on there? Sounds damn nice.
Oh, Trip - track 4 is pimp.....
A touch of reverb, and a touch of delay going on there? Sounds damn nice.Kavorka said:
Thanks! I appreciate that!
Oh and to Bimp; Yes on the reverb and about the delay, I don't remember. I'm a total slug that way. That tune was done rather quickly, I just asked the engineer to do something neato. I trusted him implicitly though. On the Alembic note, I don't find the treble hissy at all, as a matter of fact I found those electronics to be quieter the than the top of the line electronics on one of my other basses that cost almost twice the price of an Epic. Just my experience though. Love to all....
It may depend on which year your bass is, too. They did a preamp change at one point which was supposed to address this problem. I know I called them about this and they gave me a couple capacitor values to try, but I found that (essentially lo pass at a very high freq point) to just take away tone a bit too much, so I left it stock. Maybe you got one of the "post update" ones?TRIPSTER said:On the Alembic note, I don't find the treble hissy at all, as a matter of fact I found those electronics to be quieter the than the top of the line electronics on one of my other basses that cost almost twice the price of an Epic. Just my experience though. Love to all....
Basically, the bass was bright enough without boosting the treble, and at the 0 point, it wasn't that hissy, so I was happy with the tone. The reason I sold it was because I just couldn't get comfy on the 6 string format.
TRIPSTER said:I have maple topped one that sounds great. I have been nothing but happy with it. The electronics are just fine and dead quiet. No problems at all for me. This link has the tone of Epic:http://magnatune.com/artists/music/New Age/Trip Wamsley/Its Better This Way/
Play clip #4. Maybe you will like the tone. Hope this helps. Hope you like the tune too!
Great music!! Sounds fanstastic. And while making a bass sound great should not be discounted, I would love hearing the same piece through another bass for comparison (say through a Lakland 55-95). Thanks for sharing your very excellent recordings!
I wouldn't want to pay $1100 for a 4 string Epic. 5's go for more than 4's of course, and I got my 5 for $930. It's a great sounding, extremely well made bass, IMHO the level of workmanship in Alembic's lower end basses rivals that of some other makers' top end instruments. Never noticed any treble hiss, but I always left the tone controls flat. I'm biased however...
