Last time I posted here, I was contemplating what to do about getting a bass amp rig together. Some of you know I'm a guitar player, but I'm really starting to get into bass playing a lot too lately. My problem is.. I'm a total pawn shop $@!$. But sometimes.. It just pays off to be.

I go into a pawn shop a few days ago and run across an amp (well, a preamp) I never heard of before. Tag says $300 and change. As I'm looking at it, a salesman comes up to me and tells me that everything under the tent is 75% off. You mean this is 75% off?? Yup.

Well.. I've heard of Alembic basses. Remember seeing some over the years. They were always expensive. Says it has a tube in it. How much will this be? *salesman does math in his head*. $95..

Ok. I guess it's worth a try.

I take this thing home, and the sound that came out of it completely took me by surprise. This thing is insanely badass!!! I immediately took the tube out and popped in a NOS Telefunken LP and oh man. My goodness. I'd never heard of an Alembic F-1X before in my life. But I'm hearing it loud and clear now. I just wanted something to record some scratch track with. I have a few questions about power amping it. I think my foundation for a full blown bass rig is upon me. Time to build up on it.

So far, in one month, I've been able to achieve getting a mint condition Ibanez SR700 with Bartolini PUs and electronics, and the Alembic F-1X for a whopping $400!!

Any suggestions from some of you more experienced bass playing forumites will be greatly appreciated. Where would you go from here? My bass rig is sounding freaking phenomenal so far!!

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Suggestions? Yeah, sell that Alembic to me for 200.00.

Great score. You have some really top notch gear now. Enjoy your bass playing know you have it good. For non Fender gear.

I have a SR600 bass with the Bartolini's. Sound, looks and playability are superb.

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

Ted, good to see your post, the pre-amp looks like over a G new you got a great deal. With that I guess you can do anything big or small and inbetween. Cool piece of gear. Looking forward to hearing some bass guitar work.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Modwiz, the Ibanez is awesome sounding! I'm still experimenting with a few basses. I have 3-basses so far. The others are beginner/intermediate. For some reason, I really don't like slapping with the Ibanez. So I put a good set of flatwounds on it and play it smooth for a more reggae feel.
My Samick VA Jazz Bass copy is the one I punish. I'll slap that thing into next week. The 3rd is a Yamaha rbx170 (P and J) that the same place sold me for $25 (under the same tent).. I actually like it. I'm gonna get some better pickups for it. The action of the neck is perfect. The neck looks like new. As long as a guitar has a good neck, I can work with it.
The Yamaha really opened my eyes to something. I'm not so sure I like the Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups I put on the Samick. I'd Swear the P pickup that came stock sounds better. The Ultra Jazzs are clean, but not much power behind them at all.

Anyway. I'm really having a fun time in my Bass guitar adventures so far.

**Sbls, soon enough man. I never announced it to anyone, but I quit Haleamano. Too much greed and bullstiff going on. Once a band ceases to be a democracy, I'm out the door. But that's a conversation for another day. I'm setting out to write and record some solo stuff. I'll be playing guitar and bass (and singing and keyboard) on my solo stuff. I have 2 drummers lined up so far that want to be on it. The songwriting is going great so far. And I never knew I could play the bass the way I'm playing it now. I'd love to be prolific at both, so I'm practicing away. I play my Bass 2-hrs every night, guitar for 1.

So far, this is what I'm putting together for the recordings:

Alembic F-1X
DOD 830Q equalizer
Digitech TSR-24s effects
QSC Cx-302 (for live setup)

I'd like to get a true parametric eq, ans I'm still looking for a good 4x10 for the Live setup. I'm not even really sure why I'm putting together a live setup. I don't plan on playing bass live. But I've got to hear this thing kick. Its gotta just shake the ground. I love that kind of thing. I don't want to just hear it with headphones. I want it to shake my whole house!!! Haha.

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good to hear from you. i'm about to quit my band for the same reason. 3 years and we haven't added anything good to our set list. boring.
i played bass in a super heavy band for about a year. it was hard work but i've always considered myself a good rythym player on guitar. it was cool locking in with the drummer and laying down the groove.
i'm sure you wil do well and i'd like to hear it when it comes together.

When I first started playing as a teen I thought playing bass would be easier because it only had 4 strings...Maybe I should have taken up Ukulele...I'm no prophet but I see great things in your future with your new direction. PM Brother Dave he would be a good consultant.

Your new project sounds cool Ted. When ever you get things recorded will be excellent. You created some good music with Haleamano, might be time now for your music Bros

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.