Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: tree63 on February 28, 2011, 10:23:56 AM

Title: Heads Up
Post by: tree63 on February 28, 2011, 10:23:56 AM: ...piece of work...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Alembic-USA-model-Bass-Guitar-Case-/290539729897?pt=Guitar&hash=item43a58473e9 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Alembic-USA-model-Bass-Guitar-Case-/290539729897?pt=Guitar&hash=item43a58473e9)

...everything is a bright red flag...
Title: Heads Up
Post by: benson_murrensun on February 28, 2011, 10:40:45 AM: Oh yeah, a real tempter... a Jerry Garcia tribute guitar, to boot. (Didn't know Jerry played left-handed basses...)
Title: Heads Up
Post by: tmoney61092 on February 28, 2011, 11:24:08 AM: left handed Persuader in the Vector body shape, cool bass with a rare body but definitely not worth $2000 for only having 1 p/u

~Taylor
Title: Heads Up
Post by: lbpesq on February 28, 2011, 12:47:18 PM: Ebay will not let me have starting bid higher than 500, so if there is any bids less than $2000 i will not be letting this one go. I wanted to put this as the starting bid.

This is a train wreck in progress. The seller obviously is an eBay newbie along with being an Alembic newbie. He has no reserve listed. It's going to get ugly when the winning bidder (well south of $2000) wants the bass and the seller doesn't want to give it up.

Bill, tgo
Title: Heads Up
Post by: genstormbringer on February 28, 2011, 03:57:03 PM: well you have to use the reserve price or an auction w a reserve costs extra to do
Title: Heads Up
Post by: genstormbringer on February 28, 2011, 04:03:54 PM: +1 on the train wreck
Title: Heads Up
Post by: jseitang on February 28, 2011, 04:21:34 PM: oh gawd make that +2!
Title: Heads Up
Post by: tree63 on February 28, 2011, 05:59:10 PM: ...I bet this mess hits +50 before it ends...

Train Wreck is a cool name for Jerry's tribute left handed bass-o-matic...
Title: Heads Up
Post by: slarty on February 28, 2011, 09:25:14 PM: This would be just what I want, but only if it's short scale. The SC body shape doesn't work for me, and I need a big space between the end of the neck and the first pickup. I thought I'd never find this combination without paying full retail for a new custom job. What a kick in the teeth that it's left-handed. I was hoping maybe he mirrored the pic somehow.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: bigredbass on February 28, 2011, 10:16:29 PM: It's like a UFO sighting . . . I saw SOMETHING, but I sure as hell don't know what it was . . . .
is there any way this is actually an Alembic? Is this some obscure after-hours project axe? A really bad copy? PhotoShop?

WTF IZZITT ??

J o e y
Title: Heads Up
Post by: tmoney61092 on February 28, 2011, 10:46:52 PM: I feel extremely comfortable in saying this is an 80's Alembic Persuader with the Vector shape, similar bass can be seen here with same electronics

http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/55225.html?1220209033 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=9193)

~Taylor
Title: Heads Up
Post by: FC Bass on March 01, 2011, 08:36:01 AM: That's such a bad description and vague poor picture, it wouldn't surprise me if it turns out to be a right handed:

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/98243.jpg)
(pic altered by me)

If I'm not mistaken, the beaten black one (from Taylor's link) sold for a ridiculous low price (well south of $1000)

Looks like a nice bass though!
Title: Heads Up
Post by: 5stringfreak on March 01, 2011, 05:11:12 PM: I saw this, and it made my skin crawl!
Title: Heads Up
Post by: tcube on March 03, 2011, 11:33:47 AM: I asked for the SN, and was told 8gf3953 It's likely that the seller mis-read the SN and the g is a numeral that can look like a g.

Anyway, I searched for F3953 and there's been a discussion dating back to 2004 about a bass with that alphanumeric combination : http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/11481.html (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=20619)
and http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/11399.html?1090689730 (http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/11399.html?1090689730 target=_top)

From these 2004 discussions, it seems that the mysterious 'g' is actually a '6'. So, most likely an 1986 Further bass.

I also asked if it's really a lefty and not a reversed photo, and the seller simply said it was 32 inches. (wha?) Consultation of the Alembic records, given the correct SN, should clear that up.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: thumbsup on March 04, 2011, 05:51:47 PM: I sent detailed e mail to seller.
Waiting for responce.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: FC Bass on March 04, 2011, 06:28:16 PM: Seller found the club, check out the Alembic Basses & Guitars section.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: broncofantum on March 05, 2011, 12:38:21 AM: Oh puuleeeze! I can't believe anyone thinks that anything ever came from Alembic with that crude level of craftsmanship. If you will notice, it's the seller's first listing and he has craftily cut off the headstock in the one fuzzy picture that he provided. If that bass turns out to be an Alembic, I'll eat my thunderfunk (amp) on stage at Red Rocks.

Just my humble opinion, of course.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: FC Bass on March 05, 2011, 03:11:51 AM: I'm afraid you can start eating your thunderfunk ...

I'll eat my Mesa if it turns out to not be an Alembic :-)

As mentioned above, it's a '86 Persuader with Vector body shape. F in the serial number stands for Persuader with Fender style (Vector) body, not for Further (which is a guitar)

My guess is that it has a Bubinga top, Elan style headstock and for electronics: Volume and Filter with fixed Q.
3 piece maple neck, Ebony fretboard with plastic ovals and brass side markers. Schaller tuners, logo without script (can be seen in picture) bird tailpiece and bridge without bridgeblock.
Did I forget anything? :-)
Title: Heads Up
Post by: tcube on March 05, 2011, 02:17:22 PM: Aha I stand corrected! I didn't know F = Fender - the bass in question doesn't look anything like a Fender. Since the Alembic Showcase said F = Further, it seemed consistent with the fact that it was listed as a Jerry tribute (y'know, the Ken Kesey/Grateful Dead thing) and I quit reading. Had I looked further, I would have seen that Spoilers could also have a F serial number.

And guys, instead of eating your cabs, give 'em to me! I'll pay shipping!
Title: Heads Up
Post by: thumbsup on March 05, 2011, 05:49:17 PM: I'd be scared to bid on this one. Seller will not respond to e mail questions.
Hes already stated if bid is less that $2000 he wont let it go.
Inexperienced seller or very crafty by choice.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: broncofantum on March 07, 2011, 02:23:35 AM: It sold for $820 so, so much for not letting it go for less than $2,000. Did someone from the Alembic club here buy it? If not, I guess we'll have to wait for the buyers rabid feedback on eBay. For now, my Thunderfunk (and my digestive system) will stay in tact. Just for grins though, I'd love for Mica to chime in on this one.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: longhorncat on March 19, 2011, 06:44:19 AM: This bass's right-handed doppelganger just showed up on Craigslist (with a more reasonable $1500 asking price).
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/msg/2272601100.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/msg/2272601100.html)
Title: Heads Up
Post by: elwoodblue on March 19, 2011, 10:22:25 AM: I think that's the same bass, same mistake regarding the interpretation of an F in the serial meaning Furthur.

So it is a righty?

The seller showed up on another thread, I'm surprised he didn't communicate more with the group here.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: sonicus on March 19, 2011, 10:41:58 AM: Agreed. It makes me wonder. Now there is a phone number . Someone can tactfully let him know, with a smile . But it won't be me.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: lembic76450 on March 19, 2011, 11:19:22 AM: The 2 basses are shown in 2 very different cases, also the knobs look different.
Title: Heads Up
Post by: longhorncat on March 19, 2011, 11:26:38 AM: It's the same bass. I did email back and forth with the eBay seller and the serial numbers match.
At least he was listening when I advised him to list the bass on on Craigslist. That's a fair price and it shouldn't take him long to sell now.