Alembicized Starfire

RVBASS

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Hi, I’m new here. I just had my Newark Street edition Guild Starfire modified by Alembic. I like the result, combining the Guild hollowbody sound with the Alembic sound. I also have a stock ‘67 Starfire that has not been modified, and I love that classic Starfire/Bisonic sound as well.
 

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mellowgerman

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Hi RV, welcome! Cool basses. Love the look of the white Alembic pickups on the NS! Would love to hear and/or see a demo!
Several of us here also took the step to Alembicizing (or at least adding filter gizmos to) our Guilds to one degree or another... with obvious inspiration from our heroic predecessors of note :cool:
Of course we also all appreciate the classic, unmodified form of a Starfire! Every bass has its purpose.
 
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RVBASS

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Thanks everyone, I look forward to reading about modifications by others and other Guild bass info.
 
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Happy Face

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A lovely duo there.

Frono. I think I paid around $700 for the pickups and filters. Then there's the installation, which I paid to get done locally.
 

RVBASS

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Thanks, Hieronymous! :)


Fronobulax, here is a link to the currently posted Alembic price list:

Scroll down to Activators for basses and look for AXY/PVF (Pan, vol, filter), that was my starting point. I had the electronics modified a bit from there, then several other custom options plus labor. So comparing that with the cost Happy Face noted for his mod, you can see that the cost will vary based on what is specified for each build/modification.
 

RVBASS

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Here is a link to an online folder with clips of what it sounds like. The recording (iPhone) and my playing are both primitive, but kind of gives you an idea of what it sounds like, but it will sound differently depending on how a person chooses to set the controls, EQ it and other things (amp, cab, etc.). All are finger style except the one marked "Other". Can anyone suggest the best way to record clips for posting? Thanks!

 

mavuser

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that thing sound sweet. thanks for posting! The Other One sounds great
 

bassman10096

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Very, very cool bass. It sounds just like an Alembicised SF should. The Alembic pu’s and preamps are super clear. Based on what you said the control configuration and way Alembic offers activator pickups and preamps, I am assuming each pickup has its own preamp, vol and filter. That would account for two pots and a two toggles. What do the additional controls do?? Also, did Alembic furnish and/or install the budge mod?
I love your bass and would like to replicate it by modding my favorite NS Starfire.
 
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RVBASS

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Thanks, Bassman10096. It has 20th Anniversary electronics. So each AXY pickup has a volume, low pass filter, and Q switch. There is a master volume and a pickup selector. The toggle near the five pin is a mono-stereo switch for the 1/4” jack (the jack is on the side). The five pin provides power and individual outputs for each pickup and plugs into an Alembic DS-5 box that provides the power and mono-stereo output. It has a brass nut, tailpiece, bridge, and sustain block. Also, the pickup rings are laminated ebony, maple, and Purple Heart, to match the red, white, and black colors of the bass body and edging. Alembic suggested the lighter colored pickups and I like the way they look on this bass. There is a back continuous wood cover over the electronics cavity made from the body wood and edged with ebony, and a wooden battery box inside (for use with the 1/4” jack), All parts were hand made by Alembic. All of the work was done by Alembic. Alembic really does a nice job. I’ve been playing it a bit the past week and just starting to get used to it, I love it :)
 
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Happy Face

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Wow! That is WAY more complex than my simpler Alembic setup. No wonder your conversion cost some real money.
 

Rebosbro

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Somebody with an Alembic modified bass is a Dead Head! I like you already, RV!!
Payl
 

RVBASS

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I played it through an Alembic SF-2 filter the other day and the sound is really amazing, although at low volume at home. I’m looking forward to post-COVID to see how it sounds at higher volumes in a band setting.
 

RVBASS

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I have the single pickup and harness that came out of it if anyone is interested. They are the Newark Street versions.
 

lungimsam

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Congrats!! Sounds like a good setup!
Lately I have been running my Tonestyler/Ric HB1 pickup modded Starfire thru Aguilar Tonehammer and HS8 studio monitor. Sounds great. I highly recommend for home use over an amp!
 
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