The Best Bass In The WORLD

[CallowHill]

I love you both.

[ssabass]

Malthumb, yeah I know how Clarke's bass is strung up & his tone still stinks. But, It suits his playing style, so his tone suffers. There's a story out there that says, Clarkes was using a Fender, with his style of playing & some cat told him after the concert, that what he was doing was impressive, but it sounded horrible. I heard thats when he turned to Alembic. Alembics tones are not bad. I have never played one, but I have heard a lot of different ones via utube. I just haven't heard one that floored me. None of the songs that you mentioned, bass tones really knocked anyone out. Louis Johnson is a great bass player, but I was never impressed by his tone. The Fender is probably the most versatile bass made. You can probably use a Fender for most musical situations. I only commented because you said that it was refreshing to hear that an Alembic can sound better in the hands of a more skilled musician. Most any instrument can sound better when you have the right equipment & a highly skilled engineer that knows how to get the best sound out of that instrument. I did a gig a few yrs back at this huge church & they had a sound system out of this world & someone that knew how to work it. Man, my Lakland sounded good. Haven't got that tone since, in a live situation. Laklands really shine when recorded though. Man, I guess I'm just a Fender junkie. The only reason I don't have one is because, in this area I can't find a 5 string Fender Jazz to save my life. Man make me a believer, video youself playing your Alembics.

[malthumb]

I hear what you're saying about Stanley's tone.  That's why i wanted to point out the issues with his set up.  My favorite Stanley Clarke albums are "I Wanna Play For You" and "East River Drive".  Because he plays more with standard tuning on those.  And spends a decent amount of time in the low frequencies.....below A.

The stuff I have on YouTube with my Alembics that I can post here are dining room recordings with my iMac, so the tone won't really come through.  You can, however get a sense for how different they sound relative to each other recorded in the same conditions.

5-string Series II
http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,68738.msg714094.html#msg714094

4-string Series I (ironically, I bought this bass from Stanley)
http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,62120.msg631061.html#msg631061


I can point you to the facebook of a power trio I just recently started working with.  The stuff is simple, but you can hear my 5-string played clean (ToneBone through an SWR Super Redhead).  I'll pm that one to you.

One of the things that pushed me to Alembic is Lequient Jobe's tone on "I Wanna Get Next To You".  When I first heard that song on the "Car Wash" album, I was like "Wow!!  That is BASS!!". Then I saw Rose Royce in concert and saw what he was playing and was like "one day.....". Then seeing Louis Johnson bangin' away on one, and Kool Bell, and finally Stanley, I was hooked on at least trying one.

[phbrown]

I love you both.

+1

[blacklw234]

Malthumb!  Crazy.  I felt a need to comment because it's a tough climate.  There's a reason all of us snobby expensive bass builders charge what we charge.  It's not greed, but necessity.  Alembics are RAWK-tastic.  You play space shuttles.

I never played a CallowHill. I have heard other cats play them and they sound fine. No offense or disrespect, but I was not overly impressed with the sound to go out and spend the money they cost. Not just CallowHill, but MTD, Alembic, Ken Smith, etc. In my opinion, you can only have so many bass brands out there before they all start to sound the same. Many of them are using the same electronics and internal parts. You may have some slight tonal differences based on the tree you decide to climb and cut down.

Now, there is one Bass brand in my opinion,  that seems to have a sound that is unique. I've never played it, but I have heard it. It appears to have a response that I have never heard before. That bass is the Performance Basses.  Again, this is just my opinion. But  will I go out and spend $5000 bones? I dont think so!!!!  Homey don't play that....  lol..lol

[browntree]

Callowhill, I don't think your basses are unreasonably priced.  Of "boutique" basses, I'd say you have pretty competitive pricing.  Bottom line is I have my eye on that MDM5...lol...

[blue_jays]

It's a good quality I am looking for the improvements they make on the pickups though

[malthumb]

It's a good quality I am looking for the improvements they make on the pickups though

The improvements who makes on the pickups?  Fender?  CallowHill?  I'm just not clear on your question.

If CallowHill, Tim is on this site and has been active in this thread and can answer that for you or through email from his website.

[malthumb]

...........There's a story out there that says, Clarkes was using a Fender, with his style of playing & some cat told him after the concert, that what he was doing was impressive, but it sounded horrible. I heard thats when he turned to Alembic.....

I read the same story.  I think what he was actually playing was a Gibson EB-O and the guy who approached him was Rick Turner.  At the time, Rick was one of the three major players in getting Alembic established.  He let Stanley use an Alembic, which Stanley later bought and which was soon after stolen.  Then he bought the one that became his signature style and sound.  Victor Wooten now owns that bass.  Rick Turner now has his own company and makes some outstanding acoustic basses.

[StooB]

The original question was Warwick or Fender. I have one of the cheapest Warwicks -Warwick Corvette Standard in bubinga with active electronics. I recently put light strings on it, turned up the treble, turn everything to the bridge and it growls like a lion, I'm so happy with it! It's got the gospel growl and my fellow musicians commented on how great the sound was, better than the other guys Ken Smith! Probably better than some Fenders.

But of course, it's all about how you play the darn thing