Grateful Dead Music Forum

I don't play the bass, nor am I in the least bit familiar with Phils gear.  That said, if you were developing a modern interpretation of the ideal Phil bass for that early-mid 70's Phil sound, what would the requirements be?  Scale, # of strings, electronics, weight etc. Everything except for the aesthetics which I think I'm set on.  Thinking in terms of a good user friendly instrument that takes all the good and omits the bad!  

you may consider posting your query in the "Phil sound" discussion

Alembic pickups and electronics.

Bill, tgo

Not sure you need to spend that kind of dough for electronics.( at least right off the bat)( of course you COULD...)
This is on my list,with a neck pickup eventually being added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2_mDGKn42M

and a little better tone on this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVcBr5SsdYs

Phil’s Starfire was highly modified with Alembic guts. There is nothing like the sound of Alembic PUs. If you look around, and are patient, you can find a P-Bass set of Alembic PUs and electronics for under $300. I recently finished my first bass build using a set of these I scored for around $250.

Bill, tgo

You need this:

zambiland wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:34 pm You need this:

Guild with Alembic hardware. What pickups/electronics?

ac4468 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:42 pm

zambiland wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:34 pm You need this:

Guild with Alembic hardware. What pickups/electronics?

Series II pickups and electronics. Did the picture come through? I can't see it here.

Picture didn't but I was able to copy the embedded link. Ideally I'm looking for a commercially available setup. Kind of hard to rely on a used or vintage product that's available for repeat builds. So what's a setup that will get it done and is available?

https://imgur.com/S7Fznvk

You can get several different PU/electronic packages brand new from Alembic, but they aren’t inexpensive. You will save quite a bit going used. And if you get a used set with any issues, the folks at Alembic are remarkably helpful and will treat you as if you just dropped $20K on a new instrument! If you want to go in a non-Alembic direction, a lot of the bass players in the Alembic forum say good things about Dark Star pickups.

Bill, tgo

That's exactly where I'm headed as of now. Several people have recommended. Can't find them though??? Are they still production? I thought they were Hammonds. Are the the Curtis Novacks?

Dark Star pickups haven't been made in quite some time. Novak makes some that can be similar, depending on what configuration you order, but they are expensive and at that point, you might as well look at Alembic, which aren't that much more.

I put Alembic pickups in my '83 Modulus neck through and with the right settings, it can do a credible early 80s sound.

Getting the right gear to get that tone isn't cheap.
Another factor is the Alembic F-2B preamp, although other companies make preamps with that kind of design. The Sarno CTP is an excellent rendition of the classic Fender preamp (which is what the F-2B is). That design is very versatile, even Bootsy Collins used them for years.

Early seventies Phil was the Bisonics,then the Alembic pickups came into play.
That's 2 different sounds there.
Alembic price list:
http://www.alembic.com/prod/prices.html#ACTIVATORS
pickups at the bottom.
Still way more expensive than the Novaks.
Guild is offering their Bisonics as well.
I might add,that after it's all said and done,
where you pick with your right hand and what notes you play puts you
at least half the way there.

There's also these :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvtHaFXm_R0
Made in early 80s

Don't forget the Pyramid Gold flat wounds!