Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: keavin on August 21, 2006, 07:08:52 AM

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: keavin on August 21, 2006, 07:08:52 AM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30747.jpg)http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-4-String-Bass_W0QQitemZ160021713814QQihZ006QQcategoryZ16222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: lothartu on August 21, 2006, 07:29:31 AM

That's a strange one.
 
-Jim

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: longhorncat on August 21, 2006, 07:52:07 AM

That bass is a set-neck.
 
Are there many other Alembics with a string-through bridge?

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: adriaan on August 21, 2006, 08:25:16 AM

Looks like a regular Alembic bridge to me ... The tail-piece is the standard bar style, perhaps more associated with the Rogue model, and 5 or 6 string basses.
 
The body looks like an Orion with a rounded bottom - nice! and easier to put on a stand, I might add.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 09:01:21 AM

Looks like STB to me... This is something I'd like to have on my dream custom, only with the 'classic' Bird tailpiece
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30752.jpg)
 
Edit: STB = Strings Through Body
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 21, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: effclef on August 21, 2006, 09:20:13 AM

Snagged a few more pictures before the auction goes away.  Set neck? Well I see the joint on the back, but without seeing the bottom end, it still could be neck-thru. The top is bookmatch to center.  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30758.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30759.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30760.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30761.jpg)
  EffClef

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: olieoliver on August 21, 2006, 09:25:38 AM

The joint shown in the close up of the rear (second from the bottom above)looks like a set neck to me.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 09:55:11 AM

Any ideas on the neck? Looks like Mahogany...
The black truss rods cover and the lack of 'fancy' laminates on the back of the headstock suggests a set neck, though me is not shure... Also it looks like the serial number is on the back of the headstock
Unique bass indeed. (but aren't all Alembics unique?...-LOL-)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: bigideas on August 21, 2006, 10:02:56 AM

the tailpiece isn't a standard bar. if you look at the second picture you can see that the strings pass through it into the body and have no place to hook into in the back of the tailpiece.
 
the wood colour match for the back of the headstock is very poor for an Alembic. as well it looks to be a either a non-scarfed neck with no volute or a scarf joint with no back laminates. that's not just strange, Mica's reply in this (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=6758) article implies it's something they just would not do.
 
it's a little suspicious, but that doesn't mean much. the page doesn't mention the serial # anywhere, does it?
 
(Message edited by bigideas on August 21, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 10:20:52 AM

Anyone with eagle eyes here?:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30764.jpg)
 
Looks like it starts with an 0 and I think I can see USA at the end...
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 21, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 10:31:50 AM

@ Bigideas: We're on the same wave length (is that proper english?) I've edited my post with the second picture to make it clearer...
Cheers!

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: effclef on August 21, 2006, 10:41:49 AM

Tuners are right, logo and script are right, brass adjustable nut, and hey, I just noticed the bridge has recessed hardware, doesn't it?
 
Highly custom, highly odd!
 
EffClef

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: olieoliver on August 21, 2006, 10:50:34 AM

I can see the A on the tuner

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 11:00:57 AM

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: lothartu on August 21, 2006, 12:39:08 PM

the wood colour match for the back of the headstock is very poor for an Alembic.
 
I was thinking the same thing. Custom or not I don't see the folks at Alembic letting something like that get out of the shop with their name on it.
 
Maybe it's another employee project that somehow ended up with an Alembic logo on it?
 
- Jim

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: effclef on August 21, 2006, 02:14:03 PM

Scary thought, Jim. Could the Fake rub-on-letter Elan guy be back?
 
Note the zero feedback seller and location in SANTA ROSA, CA!!!!
 
A lot of it does scream employee project but I would think an employee loyal enough to work there wouldn't scarf a logo out the door.
 
Orion headstock, looks like maybe only one top headstock laminate, no back headstock laminate at all btw, note the stripe!, no scarf joint.
 
One pickup and (probably) vol/tone or vol/filter are not unheard of; see the prototype Distillates.
 
Almost no contour carving.
 
Side mounted jack!
 
It is funny...the most awesome Series 2 doesn't phase us because we've seen so many Point and Omega bodies...but throw a weird set neck custom out and we're all over it trying to figure it out.  
 
 
 
(Message edited by effclef on August 21, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 02:35:59 PM

...Maybe a message from Santa Rosa could clear this one up...?
 
 
 
(sorry I couldn't help it...it was there..)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: alembic_doctor on August 21, 2006, 03:13:32 PM

I think I played this bass at a weekly gathering with friends from Alembic.  Seriously.  I think it was a prototype / idea for a new model.  Mica had brought it for the musicians in the bunch to play.  I am certain that Mica could clear it up.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: pmoran on August 21, 2006, 03:36:27 PM

here is my old persuader vector now owned by jim pollicita in colorado. notice the similarity between headstocks, not only as to the general shape, but then take a look at the similarity between the persuader body coloration difference and the back of the "unknown alembic" headstock back. my old persuader vector was a neckthru; however, could this have been a discarded persuader vector model just as the vector body style was ultimately discontinued for persuaders?  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30778.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30779.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/30780.jpg)
  (Message edited by davehouck on August 22, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 21, 2006, 03:44:37 PM

This Vector Headstock has the Elan headstock shape, the headstock on the mystery bass looks more like the Europa shape...

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: bigideas on August 21, 2006, 05:57:59 PM

the prototype idea makes sense.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: pmoran on August 21, 2006, 07:54:50 PM

i don't think you can say this headstock looks more like a europa headstock. i've got a europa and i see an evolution between that persuader headstock and the europa, w/this thing being maybe a little more europa than persuader; however, the way val explained my rather odd persuader vector, the headstock and body style were a work in progress. to me, w/the two control knobs together w/the headstock and the offset exposed wood on the top of my old bass and on the backside of the thing back headstock...........i don't know, but i see a commonality in design. am i the only one? it seems like a prototype persuader. or, it's a fake. don't know which.however, consider the two control knobs like on my old bass, which again, is now owned by jim pollicita in colorado. i wish i'd never sold that bass. never seen one like it. never played one like it. never head such a rich sound from such simple alembic controls and pups!

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: lothartu on August 21, 2006, 08:02:59 PM

Prototype is sounding right to me too.  It has too many well done Alembic features to be a fake. If someone were to put that much effort into a fake then they would go for bigger $$$ and try for a series I or II.
 
It does look like a lets try this out and see what happens bass.
 
-Jim

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: mica on August 21, 2006, 10:15:58 PM

The headstock on pmoran's Persuader picture is the Inline shape. The headstock on the listing at the start of this thread is very similar to the newest Europa shape.  
 
I think this is a personal project, I think I know who made it. A serial number might transform the thinking into knowing.
 
It is not a protoype.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 22, 2006, 04:08:40 AM

According to the Alembic site:
 

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/30793.jpg)
 
Elan 4
 

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/30794.jpg)
 
Europa 4
Orion 4
 
(Found it here (http://www.alembic.com/info/headshapes.html target=_blank))
I've emailed the seller...

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: keavin on August 22, 2006, 05:23:19 AM

85 Spoiler?crown peg head
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/30800.jpg)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-Vintage-1985-Spoiler-Bass-Guitar-XLNT_W0QQitemZ320019839301QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-Vintage-1985-Spoiler-Bass-Guitar-XLNT_W0QQitemZ320019839301QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 22, 2006, 06:26:38 AM

That's a nice one (hasn't this one been on ebay before?) Click here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270011147281&indexURL=1#ebayphotohosting target=_blank) I'm not sure....
This one is more likely to sell in the 1500-2000 range than the mystery  Bass I think.
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 22, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: apdavis on August 22, 2006, 08:38:38 AM

I think I played the custom.  Great slapper.  We were calling it the scrappy bass because we thought it was Alembic parts but built as a side project/experiment from scraps.  Turned out really well.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: David Houck on August 22, 2006, 06:01:19 PM

Thanks for weighing in on this Mica!

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 26, 2006, 04:23:44 AM

Still no word from the seller...

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: mica on August 26, 2006, 08:34:24 AM

Adam, I think the bass you and Doc played was a Vermilion Orion with a really thin body that James primarily constructed - we still call that one the scrappy bass, and it's still here. I honestly have no recollection of bringing this bass anywhere, or of even seeing it before this ebay listing. Again, a serial number will reveal if my recollections are correct.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 26, 2006, 10:09:28 AM

Just got the serial number from the seller: 00MG12451
 
The seller claims he registered the bass when he purchased it.
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 26, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: apdavis on August 26, 2006, 01:53:56 PM

Sorry Mica,
I can't remember if the Scrappy bass had a single or double pick up.  In my mind it looked less like an Orion and more like this creature.
. . . But my mind comes up with all kinds of things of late, some of which are true.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: 57basstra on August 26, 2006, 02:53:26 PM

Well, I am curious to hear the verdict on this one.

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 26, 2006, 03:07:38 PM

The serial number doesn't make sense to me, where does MG stand for? Maybe Genuine...???
But we'll see, this is all the info the seller gave me...
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 26, 2006)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: David Houck on August 26, 2006, 03:12:09 PM

Morris Garages

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: FC Bass on August 26, 2006, 03:31:11 PM

 
 
(Clickable smiley)

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: 57basstra on August 26, 2006, 07:07:15 PM

Now that's a baaad little truck!

Title: Rare alembic....
Post by: effclef on August 28, 2006, 05:41:37 AM

Ended with no bids...
 
EffClef