Misdee

Mentions "two tone knobs" in the description, that sounds like the knobs I'm referring to. That is a stunning bass, by the way.

Re. wear on the knobs, some of the basses from the mid-1980s came from the workshop with knobs that were in a kind of very dark brown slightly distressed finish, for want of a better description, rather than the usual black. I noticed the knobs on this bass and I suspect they may be from that batch. My bass teacher had three MK1 customs, and his wenge one from 1985 had those very distinctly different knobs on. When he sent it to Wal to be serviced in the early 1990's he had them swap the knobs for black ones.

Looks like a nice one. Probably American walnut. My old bass teacher back in the 1980's had a very similar example.

I was agreeing with you, not criticizing you. I quoted to endorse your post, because I thought it echoed my own thoughts. My apologies, I should have made that clear. The self-styled savvy muso types are very much people I have known in real life., not anyone on Basschat. .

There's no need for folks who enjoy the aesthetics dimension of various basses to apologise. I'm certainly in that category, and as long as I can remember there has been a implicit assumption from self-styled savvy "muso" types that if you aspire to or own some nice basses then you can't be a good player. This is,of course, complete bollocks. I've been fascinated by bass equipment since I started playing, and I don't care what anyone else thinks about it. Other folks can judge all they like. I'll probably be too busy adjusting the neck relief on my fretless for optimal "mwaaa" or some other similar mind-bending bass-related activity to notice.

I've tried both the basses you mention and they are much more comfortable all round, for my taste anyway. I lived in the Bay Area at the time they were new models and in stock at local music shops. It's worth pointing out that Alembic were the original custom bass builder, and they can build anything you want. If you can afford it they will use their formidable skills to help you get your dream bass. If I won the lottery (would need to start buying a ticket first, but ...) one of my first acts would be to contact Alembic and set out my design brief. I'd probably go along the lines of a Balance K Omega with a chambered body. Never tried one but the balance and playability is supposed to be much improved. It's also just about the most beautiful Alembic I've ever seen.

I know for a fact that back in the day, Pete and Wal took great pride in the fact that their basses were in the hands of "ordinary" working musicians and that they were out there doing pub gigs ect with the basses they had made. I expect they would be a bit bemused by their basses becoming too valuable to gig for some players. A big part of that company was that they were happy to service the basses, whether you bought them new or used. There was no need to treat a Wal bass with kid gloves. And they weren't anywhere near as expensive as nowadays anyway.

Don't know anything about the Human Base. The Stingray 5 is a great bass in many respects. However, potential pitfalls, depending on your personal preference, are the weight, the 17.5 mm string spacing and the G string having a tendency to slip off the edge of the fingerboard. The Status is a great bass too, but very different. They've got their own inherently modern tone and feel. I seem to remember 18mm string spacing, so a bit wider than the MM 5. Either would be eminently suitable for pop/ funk, albeit in slightly different ways.

A great bass can isn't necessarily an expensive bass though, and an expensive bass isn't necessarily great. You can definitely find some gems that don't cost a fortune but they are few and far between. I've played and owned some excellent inexpensive basses that were useful and satisfying instruments. I've played and owned some high-end basses that were poorly made, badly designed and not worth the asking price. A great example would be the JV Squire basses I had back in the early 1980's when they were new. I had a Jazz and then a P Bass too. At the time they were the best I could afford, and I was just waiting to buy something more modern with active electronics ect, as was the fashion at the time. I eventually got through loads of high-end basses, good, bad and indifferent. Now 40-odd years later armed with knowledge and experience, when I can have anything I want, I would be perfectly happy with the JV Squire basses.

In the days before internet forums I had no idea that Rickenbacker basses had a questionable reputation for quality. I have wanted a Rickenbacker since before I played bass. In fact, one of the reasons I started playing was so I had a reason to get a Jetglo Rickenbacker. Still never had one though,due to the fact every time I pick one up I'm reminded of the multiple reasons why I can't play them.

Funnily enough, I'm in the market for a relatively inexpensive bass at the moment. Even funnier than that though, is that all the ones I want turn out to be out of stock and currently unavailable. I've already got a Harley Benton, by the way, and for the money it cost it's been terrific value considering the fun I've had playing it. I'm definitely not knocking less expensive basses, just questioning the aspiration to collect them for the sake of having a collection. Versatility is one of the most overrated qualities in a musician. Most of the greats have developed a unique style because they use their limitations creatively. Most of the best famous players have a signature sound, rather than a plethora of tones for different situations.

Put one string on each and you've got a Rickenbacker 8 string.

When Forest Gump said "Life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get" he could just as well said "Life's like getting a new Fender..." You definitely get good ones and not so good ones. My experience though, is that some( not all) super-Fender boutique basses lose the essence of what makes a Fender so good. It's that grit and grunt thing.

I can see your reasoning, but one of the beauties of Fender basses (and Leo's other designs, for that matter)is that they're inherently robust. And they still looks alright when they've got some wear on them. Like a pair of jeans, if you want an appropriate clothing analogy.

I'd have one decent bass over several cheap crap ones. That's just my preference, and I respect other people may make different choices and have different priorities in their lives. Each to their own, but I'm often surprised by how many folks seem to acquire lots of entry level basses rather than progress to better quality instruments. It's the opposite of my own sensibilities. For a long time I only had one bass, or two at the most, but they were always pretty good ones and sufficient for my needs. Whatever held me back, it wasn't the bass.

I'm feeling a lot better about not buying an Alembic now.

That's the first thing I thought when I played an Alembic bass. But back then I thought the fault was with me, because it's an Alembic and if JPJ, John Entwhistle, Stanley Clarke et al can play them then so should I be able to, too.

An old Streamer LX is still the best Warwick I ever played. Good choice. I also took the train down to the Bass Centre at Wapping to buy a "budget" Alembic. Must have been 1992 and it was an Essence. They had two, but they sold the one I wanted the day before. I didn't fancy the maple one, and I was less than enthusiastic about the neck profile anyway, so it's not just you. I too left empty handed.

Regards customer service, we're talking about more than thirty years ago, pre-internet ect. Transatlantic communication was a lot more difficult and a lot more expensive. I think the issue with Alembic basses inherent complexity is essentially that of durability. Despite the undoubted quality there's a lot to go wrong or wear out. When it does sometimes only Alembic can fix it properly if you want your bass to stay at factory spec. I suppose it just depends on how careful you are and what kind of use the bass is getting. The proprietary electronics and overall design are by their very nature esoteric and if you want a full-tilt Alembic that's part of the deal. FWIW, Wal basses are similar in certain respects regarding serviceability. That's a whole other thread.

That must be a Paul Herman-era bass. Without wishing to cause controversy or upset anybody, the more recent Wal basses are a different proposition to the vintage ones. Yes they cost more, but they are better made with more attention to fine detail. That's why I can't say the new basses are ridiculously overpriced. Their cost and overall quality is in line with other builders offering the best instruments money can buy. And FWIW, for my taste only Alembic basses can rival Wal in terms of tone.

Like it says in the Old Testament, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Wal. I was brought up with the understanding that a deal is a deal. Both parties are honour-bound to stick to what's been agreed. Before you agree a deal by all means thrash out the best terms for yourself that you can, but whatever you finally agree on you've got to stick to. This whole thing with Wal basses has got a bit daft. They're great basses with a unique tone and great history but they're not worth getting involved in a blind auction with spiraling prices just because of dwindling supply and burgeoning demand. I remember when Wal basses were fairly commonplace. No one was gazumping each other to get one back then. Buying a bass is one thing, selling your soul is something else entirely. There's plenty of other nice basses out there. I'm not having a go at the new owner particularly, I think his only real crime is over-enthusiasm. Good people often make errors of judgement, doesn't make them wicked. And the American chap still has his money intact to buy something even better when he sees it.

I remember that review! It was Rob Burns, a devoted Wal enthusiast from what I recall, who got to try it out and he was well impressed. I played a nearly identical example at the Bass Centre in Wapping around that time. It was epic, but heavy. Still, I would have bought it if I'd had the money at the time. I seem to remember the late and fondly remembered Pete Academy of this parish recounted how he bought a 20th Anniversary from the Bass Centre and had an ongoing problem with the pickups, which after much tooing and froing had to be replaced. Apparently it was a right carry-on lasting months and he was not best pleased, quite understandably. Maybe I had a lucky escape. That's one of the down-sides of a fairly complex design that can be quite temperamental, I suppose.

I've wanted an Alembic since I first started playing when I was twelve years old. It's always been the ultimate bass to me. I've never had one but that's no tragedy in the scheme of things. Sometimes it's better to travel hopefully than arrive and all that. The practical reality is that I find the ergonomics of the classic LSB a bit difficult to get on with, and the weight would also a bit much for me nowadays. That doesn't mean however, that I don't still get excited whenever I see an Alembic bass and occasionally think about getting one. There's a mystique to them that no other brand can match, quite rightly too because they have been such an iconic and innovative bass maker for so long.