Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: slarty on July 10, 2007, 11:43:13 AM

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: slarty on July 10, 2007, 11:43:13 AM

This guy wonders why anyone would take the decal off an Alembic bass. Does anyone have a suggestion?:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260138051375 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260138051375)

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: olieoliver on July 10, 2007, 11:59:04 AM

The real question is, why was an Alembic decal put on this bass in the first place?

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: FC Bass on July 10, 2007, 12:05:29 PM

I guess Mica is not available to contact ebay and report this...

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: effclef on July 10, 2007, 12:23:46 PM

Listing has already been ended because of an error in the listing.
 
Wow...we were just talking about the fakes. Looks like this was one which was around the block once before.
 
PS Ollie, this is an example of the (Texas area) scammer who was putting P-bass copies in pawn shops with Alembic decals on the headstocks - usually they said Alembic Elan - when the pawnbroker looks up Alembic, wow, high priced bass, here's some money, pal. Guy never collects, and so pawn shop tries to sell on Ebay for big price, gets big surprise. Usually it's us-folks who watch Ebay and alert them. It's a shame it happens in the first place.  
 
Do a Forum search on Fake Alembic Elan and you'll find discussions.
 
EffClef

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: lbpesq on July 10, 2007, 12:34:59 PM

I sent the seller the following:
 
David's right. This is definitely NOT an Alembic. How do I know? Aside from owning four Alembics and being friends with the company owners, I also know that Alembic doesn't make bolt-on neck instruments. Alembic pioneered neck-thru construction and also makes some set neck instruments, but no bolt-ons. Alembic also makes their own pick-ups and electronics. In fact nothing about this bass is consistent with Alembic. Don't believe me? Check out their web site at www.alembic.com (http://www.alembic.com).
 
Bill
 
 
He replied thanks within  minutes.  I'd like to think the best and that this wasn't a scam, merely someone who made an error and corrected it when he learned the truth.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: effclef on July 10, 2007, 12:38:37 PM

Oh, absolutely, Bill - I wasn't implying the pawnbroker was the scammer. He was the one who got scammed when he took the bass in.   Same goes for other people trying to sell these things on ebay. Glad he pulled the listing right away. In the past, Mica has told them to remove all traces of the fake name logo and sell it as a P-copy.
 
I am guessing there's some sort of blue book of guitar prices and they list Alembic Elans (only, or did at one time) and that's why these horror shows come around.

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: jimmythesaint on July 10, 2007, 12:58:37 PM

Sorry to go off topic, but does anyone know where I can get a nice Fender decal for my Stanley?

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: longhorncat on July 10, 2007, 02:48:05 PM

eBay, of course!

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: David Houck on July 10, 2007, 05:47:36 PM

Nice first post, Jimmy!

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: dwmark on July 10, 2007, 07:23:57 PM

Dave, even better when you consider that he waited 19 months to pull the trigger on that post.
 
dw

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: bracheen on July 11, 2007, 03:10:26 AM

Hmmm, thinking before posting, interesting concept.
 
Sam

Title: Gordy needs help
Post by: richbass939 on July 14, 2007, 09:41:10 AM

This bass has the decal removed most of the way but, interestingly, the SN 73950 (I suppose this is meant to be serial number) was left on.  Since Alembic is only up to about 14,000 something, that in itself is pretty telling to someone doing a bit of research.
Jimmy, welcome to the club.
Sam, I agree. Thinking before posting is an interesting approach.
Rich