Fretless Alembic Distillate

[Dr. Cheese]

I've been down the Alembic rabbit hole lately. As a huge Stanley Clarke fan, these were the first boutique basses I ever wanted. I eventually owned two: first a four, and then a five. It would have been nice if I had kept one, especially the five. I traded it for a Steinberger, in one of what I now know was an ADHD impulse purchase. That said, cool as it was, it was a nice bass, not the end all and be all, but I can certainly understand why someone might call one his/her desert island bass.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

This my old five that I traded in 1992.

 

[ModuMan]

Wow, that would be tough to let go.

 

[alembicbones]

Doc I've been living the Alembic rabbit hole for many years. As also a huge Stanley fan (saw him play at this jazz club here in Seattle last summer), I was fortunate to pick up the bass in my avatar a couple years back. It's truly a wonderful bass. Really inspires you to play. I'll be using it at a show at the end of the month.

My first custom, a Europa 5 string w Series I electronics is my pride and joy. I've had it since 2003 and it is still a joy to play.

Bones

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Wow, that would be tough to let go.

I was an undiagnosed person with ADHD. I got rid of very nice Ken Smith on a whim too. Understanding how my brain works has slowed my impulsive tendencies, but they have not disappeared. The other thing that has slowed me down is experience and age. I know that even under the best of circumstances, I have seen more days than I will see and know that no bass is going to give knowledge that only study can provide. I also have accept that I'm not going to catch those hotshots posting on social media, so there is no need to break the bank buying basses.

 

[TonyP-]

I've been down the Alembic rabbit hole lately. As a huge Stanley Clarke fan, these were the first boutique basses I ever wanted. I eventually owned two: first a four, and then a five. It would have been nice if I had kept one, especially the five. I traded it for a Steinberger, in one of what I now know was an ADHD impulse purchase. That said, cool as it was, it was a nice bass, not the end all and be all, but I can certainly understand why someone might call one his/her desert island bass.

Jaymi is good friend of mine and He is great.

 

[ModuMan]

@Dr. Cheese I hope I didn't imply anything more than "what a cool bass".

We are all wired differently. Though I suppose it's not too much of a stretch to say that even the classification of "musician" means we're all a little different to start with!

In any event, you did indeed get to own and play some remarkable instruments and each one of them helped you along your journey, along with the ones you use now to further your study.

 

[MVE]

That thing sounds wonderful.
Not a bad sound no matter what he does with the knobs.
Great playing too.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

@Dr. Cheese I hope I didn't imply anything more than "what a cool bass".

We are all wired differently. Though I suppose it's not too much of a stretch to say that even the classification of "musician" means we're all a little different to start with!

In any event, you did indeed get to own and play some remarkable instruments and each one of them helped you along your journey, along with the ones you use now to further your study.

I was in no way offended.

 

[edwinhurwitz]

I love Alembic fretlesses. Listen to Jim Cammack. He gets a fantastic tone.

 

[J Wilson]

You traded away a KOA Alembic? Doc . . .

 

[Les Fret]

Love these Distallates. I have some GAS for one now, although I have an Alembic Spoiler already. I guess they are similar in sound? My only concern is that the neck pickup is so close to the neck on the Distallate. I think it will hinder me in my three and four finger slapping technique….

 

[Lo-E]

In the mid/late 1990s I was on a mission to find a fretless 5 that felt comfortable to me. Comfortable to me basically meant a very wide, flat neck and an unmarked, ebony board.

At the time, very few off-the-shelf fivers had wide string spacing. The only two I was able to find in NYC (wow, do I miss 48th St!!!) were a Fodera and an Alembic. Smith was also making wide fivers at the time but there weren't any fretless in the city when I looked.

The Fodera was everything I expected it to be. It was fantastic and, if I had sold a kidney, it could have been mine. I decided to keep the kidney.

The Alembic was a surprise. I thought all Alembic fives had narrow string spacing but this bass was wide and flat, just like I liked. I can't remember the model. It sounded great and it felt great but, despite being cheaper than I expected, it was still a little on the expensive side for my budget.

I ended up getting a custom bass from a local luthier who I was friendly enough with to get a great deal and I don't regret that decision (it's still my #1) but I have to admit that Alembic stayed in my mind for a long time. It was a really beautiful instrument.

 

[Lo-E]

In retrospect, I think it might have been an Alembic Essence but I wouldn't swear to it.

 

[J Wilson]

In retrospect, I think it might have been an Alembic Essence but I wouldn't swear to it.

Alembic arcane-ery:

They label a bass, regardless of the body shape, by the electronics package.

So the pictured bass, even with a Spoiler Five body, is indeed an Essence because of the circuit: Volume, filter, pan, with no Q-switch, with AXY4 pickups for that neck pattern, their 'Classic Taper' which on a five is 2" at the nut flaring to 2.5" at the fingerboard end (both of mine had this and I loved it, the strings were almost parallel the length of the fingerboard).

That one also had the 'deluxe' laminates, the maple neckthrough with three purpleheart stripes. Combined with the 1/4" ebony fingerboard, it's strong as hell.

Oh well . . . . .

 

[Lo-E]

They label a bass, regardless of the body shape, by the electronics package.

That's fascinating. I never knew that.
The one I really liked, if I'm remembering correctly (it was almost 30 years ago and I only played it for about a half-hour!) had fairly plain appointments; a fairly plain maple top and simple neck laminates. It was neck-through. The electronics were simpler than other Alembics I had tried - maybe even a simple two-band pre…. I just can't remember. The body was the offset Essence shape.

What I do remember - quite clearly - was how much I liked the 2" nut width and the strings were not at all almost parallel as you describe. The spacing at the bridge was a full 3/4" and the strings spread out just as a Fender P-bass would. It was exactly that wide spacing that made me like it so much. Every other Alembic 5 I had tried had those almost parallel strings and that just wasn't my thing.

 

[Gunga Din]

I was an undiagnosed person with ADHD. I got rid of very nice Ken Smith on a whim too. Understanding how my brain works has slowed my impulsive tendencies, but they have not disappeared. The other thing that has slowed me down is experience and age. I know that even under the best of circumstances, I have seen more days than I will see and know that no bass is going to give knowledge that only study can provide. I also have accept that I'm not going to catch those hotshots posting on social media, so there is no need to break the bank buying basses.

I found out about this ADHD condition last year, and the symptoms ticked so many boxes for me it scared me. But I'm too long in the tooth now to worry about it, or getting clinical diagnosis. Simply understanding what promoted negatively-impacting actions and the dreadful forgetfulness/carelessness throughout my life is now enough for me.

I, too, have made so many impulse-buys and gone to extreme lengths to do so. And I have gotten rid, on a whim, of basses that I spent years desiring/tracking down.

Sorry for the slight derail.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I found out about this ADHD condition last year, and the symptoms ticked so many boxes for me it scared me. But I'm too long in the tooth now to worry about it, or getting clinical diagnosis. Simply understanding what promoted negatively-impacting actions and the dreadful forgetfulness/carelessness throughout my life is now enough for me.

I, too, have made so many impulse-buys and gone to extreme lengths to do so. And I have gotten rid, on a whim, of basses that I spent years desiring/tracking down.

Sorry for the slight derail.

I'm glad you shared. Getting formal diagnosis is worth it.