Alembic vs Warwick

[Bob_Ross]

I was simply disputing that Alembic was "ripping off" Status.
...[snip]...
Sure, Entwistle went to Alembic and commissioned some custom builds to his specs. That was between him and the Alembic staff. That is not Alembic "ripping off" Status.

Plus -- and maybe I've got this chronology all wrong, but this is sure how I remember it -- didn't Entwistle commission those Exploiter-shaped spider basses from Alembic long before he started working with Status?

My recollection is that it was Entwistle's dissatisfaction with the fragility of Series II electronics and outboard PSUs that prompted him to start working with Status and Warwick. He'd already been touring with the Alembics for years before he got his Status.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I think they're both boss.

I think they're both basses.

 

[UpperBout]

First of all, I love/hate threads like this. Love 'em because I love talking about/reading about (and playing) bass. Hate, because the vinegar usually starts around the 3rd or 4th post...

Second of all, if you play Warwick and think Warwicks are the best bass, you are correct. If you play Alembic and think Alembics are the best bass, you are correct.

Third of all, the chronology of John Entwistle's bass inventions and commissions is pretty well described here. John Entwistle Gear | John Entwistle Bass Gear | Whotabs

John was also working with Alembic on a new build shortly before his untimely death, which is described [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I happen to play Alembics and have for the past 30 years. I know the Alembic company and people are high-integrity innovators who have pushed the boundaries of what is possible with bass much wider and higher than anything that came before.

I don't know much about Warwick, except that some players I respect make music with them. That's enough for me.

 

[Delsan]

Heavy. Breathing.

 

[Delsan]

First of all, I love/hate threads like this. Love 'em because I love talking about/reading about (and playing) bass. Hate, because the vinegar usually starts around the 3rd or 4th post...

Second of all, if you play Warwick and think Warwicks are the best bass, you are correct. If you play Alembic and think Alembics are the best bass, you are correct.

Third of all, the chronology of John Entwistle's bass inventions and commissions is pretty well described here. John Entwistle Gear | John Entwistle Bass Gear | Whotabs

John was also working with Alembic on a new build shortly before his untimely death, which is described [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I happen to play Alembics and have for the past 30 years. I know the Alembic company and people are high-integrity innovators who have pushed the boundaries of what is possible with bass much wider and higher than anything that came before.

I don't know much about Warwick, except that some players I respect make music with them. That's enough for me.

I respect the heck out of Alembic. They're high quality basses, even though I've never played one. You can look and see the time and effort they put into those bad boys. As a Warwick mainer, you won't ever get any guff from me, watching Stan the Man whip out his mad funk.

However, I will say that they are inaccessible in the market, and while Warwick boasts prices between $800-$3000 for their basic production models, Alembics bust your pocketbook up, as most of the models I see on Reverb are around $2000 base.

That's okay- if you're looking for a quality instrument, you gotta dig for a few extra quarters sometimes. What I'm saying is, you're gonna find a lot of people who've gotten to experience Warwick, by comparison to a slimmer margin who've experienced Alembic. I, myself, have never even touched one. But I'm very content to wield the German Beasts.

I'm not sure how Alembics work, and it seems that they're mostly custom, handmade instruments. Respect- because custom shop Warwicks will run you about the same cost, so I can't even complain. But because Warwick HAS production models, I've gotten to experience a lot of them, and figured out the tones I like, and what makes a sound "my sound". Someone with one custom Alembic would have a really good sound, but it might not be "their sound", ya dig?

Like a Fodera. Or a Ritter. Or a USA Spector. Basses that put MAJOR goodness in one package, as opposed to a lot of good packages. I'm fond of the latter, but some prefer to just have their one go-to bass.

 

[GBassNorth]

I have several Warwicks and Alembics and I couldn't imagine bass life without either of those brands.

Both companies offer bold designs that venture far off the common Fender design path. Both have electronics that feature very useable and flexible tone shaping. Both have beautiful wood selections and stellar build quality. Both are capable of custom building a phenomenal signature bass or knocking it out of the park with their standard builds. Warwick is clearly more affordable but Alembic is clearly more exotic.

The biggest difference between the two offerings is that somewhere along the line Warwick decided to branch out to low cost builders in Asia so they could offer a less expensive entry level product. Not positive, but I think Alembic may have tried something similar for a short period of time by licensing a Japanese builder. The other thing that Warwick did is make a portion of its basses for distribution through normal large chain instrument stores. IIRC Alembic also did that for a short time with its Epic bass through Guitar Center. In both cases Warwick stayed the course and increased market share (possibly at the cost of diluting the perceived quality vs the original German built Warwick brand). Alembic for better or worse did not continue those strategies and to this day is perceived as one of (if not the) premium quality bass builders in business today.

Again, I love both bass brands and feel each one brings something to the table that makes it worthwhile to own. As individuals, some (maybe many) won't like the design or wood selection or weight or cost of either of these basses...

...but few would argue that either one isn't built using top notch materials and luthier skills to create a work of art that is perfectly capable of delivering the goods required for a stellar performance or studio recording.

 

[phillybass101]

Alembic. I'm an older guy with a background in Funk and later got the Fusion Bug. Who didn't want to be Stanley Clarke. The Brown Cover

 

[GIBrat51]

I'm assuming that your implied question is either 1) Which bass is "Better"? or 2) Which bass is better for You. If it's 1? Depending on the definition of "Better, AFAIC the answer is Alembic. If it's 2? I don't know you, and, anyway, I'm not your father. You decide what's best for you... Anyhow, I voted "Neither", there being no "Carrot" option. Why "Neither"? Simple:
1. I already have an Alembic - this one;
2. Warwick either doesn't make anything I want, or it isn't available as a lefty. And trust me - I've asked; and finally;
3. When I get a lefty long scale hollow body bass like this Gretsch - not a semi; a true hollow body - and a lefty Flying V bass (a Kramer XKB-10 would fill the bill nicely), I'll have all the basses I desire.
And unfortunately, I don't see a Warwick qualifying, any time soon...