Alembic Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instrument manufacturing |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Owsley Stanley |
| Headquarters | Santa Rosa , United States |
| Products | Electric basses, guitars, preamplifiers |
Alembic Inc. is a privately held American company renowned for crafting premium electric basses, guitars, and preamplifiers. Established in 1969, the firm initially focused on producing preamps before progressing to the manufacture of complete instruments.
History
Alembic was established by entrepreneur Owsley Stanley in a workshop located within the Grateful Dead's rehearsal area near San Francisco, with the goal of improving the band’s entire sound system, spanning from instruments to audio reinforcement. Early activities included modifying guitars and basses, sound recording, and designing public address systems. The company’s emblem, designed by artist Robert Thomas in 1969, represents Alembic’s foundational principles of vitality and human connection.
By 1970, Alembic was formally incorporated with three partners holding equal shares: electronics specialist Ron Wickersham (formerly with Ampex), guitarist-turned-luthier Rick Turner, and recording engineer Bob Matthews. In 1971, Alembic took over Pacific High Recording Studios and renamed it Alembic Studios.
Motivated by the broad frequency range of Hagstrom Bi-sonic pickups used by bassists Phil Lesh and Jack Casady, Wickersham and Turner engineered low-impedance pickups combined with active onboard preamps to improve bandwidth and signal strength—a process they termed "Alembicizing."
The company’s initial instrument was a custom bass guitar crafted in 1972 for Jack Casady, incorporating sophisticated electronics and adjustable pickup configurations. After divesting the recording studio in 1973, Alembic introduced a standardized bass line inspired by the Guild Starfire model and expanded operations with manufacturing in Cotati and headquarters in Sebastopol. That year also saw endorsements from prominent musicians like Stanley Clarke, boosting Alembic’s profile despite prices reaching up to triple those of Fender instruments—positioning the brand as a leader in high-end, premium-priced bass guitars. Matthews exited the company in 1974 as Alembic streamlined its business.
Initial production models featured PF-5 electronics (later updated to PF-6) utilizing single-coil pickups paired with active hum-cancelling coils to deliver superior fidelity without noise interference—a technology that continues in use today. These instruments became known as Series I and II and were available in multiple scale lengths and body styles.
In-house luthier Doug Irwin created several notable custom guitars including the Eagle for Jerry Garcia before founding his own workshop. Irwin also built additional Garcia signature guitars such as Wolf, Tiger, Wolf Jr., and Rosebud.
In 1976, Alembic unveiled what is widely regarded as the first contemporary five-string bass (tuned BEADG) for Jimmy Johnson; by 1977 this model became part of their regular lineup with only a slight price increase compared to four-string variants. That year also marked the introduction of graphite-neck basses featuring necks supplied by Geoff Gould (later founder of Modulus Guitars), purchased notably by John McVie of Fleetwood Mac; production of these graphite-neck instruments ceased in 1985.
Rick Turner departed Alembic in 1978 to launch Turner Guitars. The following year, Alembic introduced the Distillate series—more accessible basses and guitars designed to expand their consumer base.
This progression highlights Alembic’s ongoing dedication to innovation and sustaining a competitive edge through advanced technology and superior craftsmanship within the musical instrument sector.
Products
Since the 1980s, Alembic has broadened its range beyond the original Spoiler, Elan, and Europa bass models, as well as the Electrum and California Special guitars, introducing designs such as the Epic, Orion, Excel, and Darling. The company maintains hallmark features including laminated necks that extend through the body, constructed from rare woods like Zebrawood and Cocobolo, paired with active electronics and brass fittings.
The distinctive Standard Point body contour was engineered to minimize headstock damage by promoting stand usage. More recent body shapes focus on improved ergonomics while providing visual differentiation among models. Alembic supports extensive personalization possibilities, offering detailed inlays and LED markers along the neck.
Every instrument incorporates Alembic’s exclusive active electronics system with adjustable tone controls and various pickup arrangements. Manufacturing operations are centralized at Alembic’s main facility in Santa Rosa, California.
Endorsements
Alembic typically refrains from celebrity endorsements but has made exceptions for significant figures within the music industry. For instance, Stanley Clarke was honored with a custom inlaid instrument celebrating three decades of collaboration. In 1986, Mark King received several Series 2 basses customized to meet his specific requirements.