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What does an Alembic Mark King Deluxe 4 signature bass sound like?

Since most of us will never be able to get our hands on an Alembic bass, it’s nice whenever someone demonstrates one. It’s especially nice when a Mark King model is demonstrated, as you’ll see below.

From a builder’s perspective, this particular King model is quite a treat for the eyes as there is buckeye burl all over, a gorgeous purple heart fingerboard and LED markers. It is an amazing instrument.

In the demo below you’ll hear some of that famous “Q” filter Alembic tone. It’s great stuff.

And remember, if you cannot afford an Alembic, don’t feel bad about it because not too many people can afford a $10,000+ bass. If you can’t buy it, build it. That’s what we’re here for.

12 thoughts on “What does an Alembic Mark King Deluxe 4 signature bass sound like?”

  1. What kind of strings / what gage / ??. The frets are they JUMBO??
    Is there any bow in the neck or is it straight?
    thank you ,
    if you e-mail reply I will be thank.full
    peace
    Calvin

    Reply
  2. I purchased a 6 string custom made Alembic 2 years ago
    It is very nice and sounds very clean. I was lucky to get it for under $4000.
    This is the type of bass that I wish I had when I was young but the only thing that I could afford at that time was a $276 original fender jazz bass.

    Reply
    • The top notch construction has an affect on tone – which, besides aesthetics is the main reason for it. You notice this when you actually play an Alembic. The first thing you notice is the way it vibrates – the way it resonates up and down the neck and across all the strings. The next thing you notice is the sustain and the volume of the harmonics. And you notice these things acoustically – before you even plug it in. Once you plug it in you begin to notice other things. Like on stage, you’ll find the sound quality is pervasive. In other words, now any shortcomings of the bass rig matter much less. You’ll notice the responsiveness of the bass to the dynamics of your playing. You can affect the tonal character, either subtly or dramatically, by how you attack the strings. The dynamic range of the instrument is enormous. Very percussive – if you want it to be. This is my experience with the long scale Series I basses as well as the Signature basses. You can literally shape the sound with your fingers.

      Rick Turner is one of the smartest, most knowledgeable and talented people I’ve ever met. Mica Wickersham is one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to deal with. An amazing and historic organization.

      Reply
  3. quite enjoyable and informative, thanks… I would have liked to hear it through a bigger rig to let the bottom shine through, but the demo was an excellent example of what Alembic designed these things for.
    For you haters out there, just because a Ferrari is over priced, does not mean it would not be fun to take for a spin…. of course what it feels like under your hands and the moment you realize you are a better player when that ax is in your hands is the REAL thrill of an upper crust quality instrument, (and the rare example of miracle lesser ones that can do the same does happen) . I’ve played expensive ones that were mediocre and MIM’s that rocked, but a top quality ax, when it is one of the better individual examples, is a thing of beauty you have to experience to understand…

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  4. It would be nice to play so that I could explore full the range of tones and voicings. It appears to be solid in construction. Of course I will never know because I spent most of my family’s fortune paying off the national debt and an Alembic is just a little bit out of my grasp.

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  5. Terrific, distinct tones from this bass…..especially love the bass/guitar duo – it shows how well the Alembic stands on it’s own – very appealing! It sounds like a cross between a Rickenbacker and Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) Alembic bass tones – Awesome!

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