Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: jacko on August 19, 2006, 10:26:58 PM

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: jacko on August 19, 2006, 10:26:58 PM

here (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110021990940QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
 
Graeme

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: David Houck on August 20, 2006, 08:26:11 AM

Beautiful guitar!  The top and back woods are very nice.

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: keavin on August 20, 2006, 08:33:40 AM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30731.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30732.jpg)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: keavin on August 20, 2006, 08:35:54 AM

Isn't She Lovely!
 
(Message edited by keavin on August 20, 2006)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: series_iii on August 30, 2006, 08:45:04 AM

so what's the deal with this?  i'm not a guitar guy but it seems like a nice instrument.  overpriced? hidden issues?  shaky seller?  nobody likes 12-strings? (i have an 8-string bass and it rules!)
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110027159550QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110027159550QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: hydrargyrum on August 30, 2006, 09:17:26 AM

I think someone pointed out in another thread that all of the saddles were moved to the very front of their travel.  Aside from that, I am not sure what the problem is.  Looks as though the seller has plenty of positive feedback. Maybe just the fact that it is 12 strings is a deterrent.  (I simply lack $6,000 in mad money).
 
Here's the other thread:
http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30000.html?1154362257 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=12644)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on August 30, 2006, 10:09:28 AM

This one has been around the ebay merry-go-round at least three times now, if not more.  Each time the price comes down a little.  IMHO it is still substantially overpriced.  Six stringers of this vintage usually bring about $2500-3000  (I won my '76 Series I guitar on ebay last February for a little less than $2500).  It's hard to say if this is increasing recently, as used Alembic basses and some non-series guitars (Electrums especially) seem to have been increasing in selling price lately.  Series guitars come around so rarely that it is hard to discern a pattern.  Nevertheless, I'd be surprised to see this top the $4000-4500 range in an open auction, and suspect it would sell closer to the $3000-3500 range.  Still, it's a beautiful looking axe.  If I won the lottery (which, as the late great Herb Caen used to say, one has roughly the same chance of winning, whether you play it or not), I'd hit the BIN.  If anyone is really interested, I'd be patient.  Chances are good it won't get any bids and will be back again at a lower price.
 
Bill, tgo
 
(Message edited by lbpesq on August 30, 2006)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: David Houck on August 31, 2006, 12:32:19 PM

Tim; I tend to agree with Bill, there are just not that many people in the market for a $6,500 twelve string guitar.  There are not that many twelve string Alembic Series guitars floating around, so I suppose if the seller is patient, some collector may decide to go for it.  But I think Bill's market price estimate seems reasonable.

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on September 06, 2006, 04:47:14 PM

One around:        $6500
Next time around:  $6000
It's back!!!       $5500
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110029639096QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110029639096QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
 
Like I said, wait and ye shall reap rewards!
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on September 14, 2006, 07:08:07 AM

Here we go again.  Another $500 price drop, this time its $5000
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110033038179QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110033038179QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: effclef on September 21, 2006, 06:48:49 AM

Zero bids!  
 
It'll be around again. ;-)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: jacko on September 21, 2006, 07:00:39 AM

If it gets down to ?500 it's mine ;-)
 
Graeme

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on September 21, 2006, 07:44:59 AM

And yet another $500 price drop to $4500 with a $4750 BIN.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110035921592&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110035921592&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1)
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: 811952 on September 21, 2006, 07:47:00 AM

Fixing the issue with the saddles not having enough travel is probably as easy as a phone call to Valentino or Mica and a divestiture of a few hundred $$$.  Beautiful guitar though.
 
John

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: hankster on September 23, 2006, 08:34:16 AM

An electric 12 is a pretty unusual guitar to use much, and even when you do, it's often not in a capacity where the sound of the particular instrument will stand out over and above the characteristic sound that all electric 12's have in common.  For the kind of occasional use such a guitar gets, there are lots of great and much less expensive guitars around - unless you are a collector, it seems to me, the price of an alembic 12 is pretty hard to justify.  I suspect that is what is driving the absence of bidders.
 
Rick

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on September 23, 2006, 08:57:53 AM

Rick, Rick, Rick:
 
Shame on you!  
 
the characteristic sound that all electric 12's have in common  
 
With a name like Rick you should know better.  There is NOTHING that sounds like a Rickenbacker 12.  I have two electric 12s, a Fender Strat XII (MIJ version), and a recent Ricky 360 12.  The Fender is far more playable (Ricky 12s use the same neck as the 6s which is fairly narrrow to begin with), but the Ricky has that unique Ricky twang that is clearly different from the Fender or any other electric 12 I've heard.  I suspect the difference comes partially from the fact that Rickys are strung differently from most 12s.  The common set up is with the bass strings on the bottom of each pair.  On a Ricky, the bass string is the top string of each pair.  The idea of an Alembic 12 is very intriguing to me.  I have a set of Alembic strat pickups that I plan to install on the Fender 12 when I get the time.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: jalevinemd on September 23, 2006, 12:19:42 PM

I love the sound of a 12 string. Unfortunately, two of the things I hate most in life are changing strings and intonation. For me, a guitar like this would be one of Dante's nine circles of hell! Throw in the Series electronics that I'd need to learn how to master and my wife would find me swinging from the ceiling by my guitar strap.

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: j_gary on September 29, 2006, 05:52:40 AM

Jon, if you live as funny as you write, you could have your own reality show, Guitar MD.
 
All you would need is a goofy brother named Mikey.
 
I actually enjoy the hours spent setting up a guitar prior to dropping it off at the shop. They tell me it would be much cheaper to drop her off before I do my thing. I need a number of instruments as most are unusable once I attempt an adjustment.
 
I played a Rick bass for 10 years in the stink hole bar circuit without ever making any adjustments, including strings (wince), and never had a problem. Now that I have tools, time and a workbench, my guitars are all over the map.
 
I would set this 12 string on fire shortly after it arrived.

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: series_iii on September 29, 2006, 07:02:58 AM

relisted at $4450.  gotta wonder when the listing fees are gonna catch up with the item price.   kinda like that persuader with the 3 fretboards that GC relisted about 100 times a while back....

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: hankster on October 01, 2006, 06:36:02 AM

OK, I take it back.  I just bought the Miroslav Vitous/Larry Coryell tribute to Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro.  Coryell's 12-string playing is awesome.
 
Rick

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: hieronymous on October 01, 2006, 06:45:06 AM

Pat Metheny used to play electric 12-string a lot too, with Gary Burton's band and I think even on Bright Size Life.

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on October 01, 2006, 09:52:53 AM

Roger McQuinn.  'Nuff said.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: speicky on October 07, 2006, 04:56:57 PM

Deja vu  here (http://cgi.ebay.de/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110041414138QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: hankster on October 08, 2006, 06:33:06 AM

Don't get me wrong - I didn't say I didn't like the sound of a 12-string electric.  I've been a huge Byrds fan since about the time I could walk upright, and I think I am the only person I know with not one, but two McGuinn post-Byrds solo albums in my collection.
 
The point I was making - or trying, but failing, to make - is that so many people playing 12-string electrics are doing it primarily to get that kind of open, sweeping, jangly eight miles high sound - which is evoked by almost any electric 12-string, whether its a Rickenbacker or a Micro-Frets.
 
Who knows, if the price on the Alembic 12 keeps going down, someday I may actually get a chance to experience the difference.
 
Rick

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on October 15, 2006, 09:39:46 AM

It's back again, and the price has been reduced, IMHO, to the almost-but-not-quite-reasonable range. $4250 BIN
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110044035097&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110044035097&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1)
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: elwoodblue on October 15, 2006, 07:48:15 PM

I was thinking the same...
...I recently bought a 2004 stratocaster from the seller, everything went very smooth,immaculate strat.
 (I bought it to use the neck and parts for a 1994 aluminum strat body...once I recieved the 2004 I couldn't,she was too cherry).
cheers

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: 57basstra on October 22, 2006, 04:46:15 PM

What would a straight up '80 Series I  six string guitar in similar condition go for?
 
 Anybody considered buying this one and stringing it as a 6? (Well, I guess I have. Anyone else?)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on October 22, 2006, 06:19:39 PM

As I noted above, I bought my '76 Series I guitar in very good condition off of ebay last February for just under $2500.  You can see it in the showcase section. That's probably the low end, but you should be able to find one for $3000 or less, I believe.  They seem to come up 3 or 4 times a year on ebay, as I recall.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: 57basstra on October 22, 2006, 08:06:12 PM

Thanks, Bill. I sure would like to at least see one come up for around that $3K price. Not sure I could pull the trigger, though.  
 
David

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: lbpesq on November 29, 2006, 07:44:10 AM

It's back again with a price drop, this time with a $3999.99 BIN.  That's almost reasonable.  Almost.
 
Bill, tgo
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110062217230QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110062217230QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: drjenney on November 29, 2006, 07:49:36 AM

I'm sick of seeing this thing on eBay.  
 
Let's all chip in, buy it and give it a decent burial. Perhaps we could even stipulate that this seller never, ever, ever, buy or sell another Alembic again.
 
Can I hear an Amen?

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: jacko on November 29, 2006, 08:11:14 AM

Nooooooooooo!  Bury an Alembic?  Are you mad??????
 
graeme ;-)

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: inthelows on November 29, 2006, 09:35:01 AM

If we chip in and buy it, we could do a gig, drop it off to the next person, do the gig, so on and so on. We could go for the most seen and traveled 12 string Alembic in history. A more fitting end for the 12 string that wouldn't die!
NLP

Title: 12 string guitar
Post by: alembic_doctor on November 29, 2006, 10:19:59 AM

I'm in for $50.  Lets trade it by the week or month or something.  Maybe DW can have a contract drawn up.