Alembic
Founded in the very rehearsal space of the Grateful Dead, the Alembic brand has an almost mythical quality attached to it. At the heart of Alembic lies innovation at every step of the way. Completely unseen-before pickup designs, the first 5-string commercial bass, the first ever graphite neck bass – the list goes on.
Creativity and individuality underpin each Alembic bass, no matter how old, and anyone who has had the fortune of owning or playing one won’t let them go. We’ve seen a few over the years and they don’t tend to stick around for long. Notable players include Phil Lesh, John Entwistle, Stanley Clarke, and many more.
The Alembic of today offers a pretty wide range of basses: Series I, Series II, Crest, Europa, Rogue, Essence, Orion, and Excel are all available, alongside several signature models, and this range has grown quite a bit since the 70s and 80s. Lucky players can still pick up a vintage or used Alembic bass when they show up, and we highly recommend doing so.
FAQs
What makes a used Alembic bass special?
Alembic basses are another unicorn in the bass industry, with a relentless focus on creativity and quality over quantity. You simply don’t see many in the wild, and the building process can span months for new models today. Every single instrument is 100% custom-built to the requested specification, often with a range of extra quirks and add-ons that can go unnoticed at first.
Check out our blog post about why Alembic basses are so special to learn more.
Are vintage Alembic basses good?
Good is a massive understatement… Incredible might not even quite do them justice frankly. A vintage Alembic bass is a beast in its own right, with a completely individual character and a storied history attached.
The pickup and preamp design imparts a startlingly transparent sound that is both unmistakably Alembic, while managing to let the player impart their own sound and style. Every Alembic bass we’ve tried has been effortlessly playable and a truly musical instrument in every sense of the word.
Regardless of the year of production, any Alembic that’s been played and looked after is worth the price tag, and a discerning player will recognise it from the first note.
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