Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: precarius on June 26, 2006, 01:57:40 PM
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http://cgi.ebay.com/RICKENBACKER-4003S-WITH-CUSTOM-ALEMBIC-FEATURES-4003_W0QQitemZ220001657682QQihZ012QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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UP FOR BID IS ONE RICKENBACKER 4003S THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN GONE OVER BY SOMEONE AT THE ALEMBIC STUDIO. RIC SERIAL NUMBER INDICATES A FEB ?84 BIRTHDAY. FROM THERE, IT IS ALLEGED, AN ALEMBIC EMPLOYEE TOOK IT IN AND ADDED SERVERAL NICE TOUCHES INCLUDING: REFRET JOB WITH LOW GLOSS FINISH ON ROSEWOOD BOARD, ALL ALEMBIC ELECTRONICS ? 2 PICKUPS; MASTER VOLUME; PICKUP BLEND AND INDIVIDUAL LO-PASS FILTER SWEEPS FOR EACH PICKUP, CUSTOM PICKGUARD, ALEMBIC KNOBS, INSET INTO THE BODY ARE BRASS FERRULES FOR EACH OF THE PICKGUARD SCREWS. THIS LAST TOUCH HAS BEEN AN ALEMBIC TRADEMARK FOR YEARS(IT PREVENTS DAMAGE TO THE WOOD) AND IS THE MOST TELLING FEATURE THAT THIS WAS MORE THAN A SIMPLE PICKUP SWAP. I DID SPEAK TO MICA WICKERSHAM AT ALEMBIC BUT SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM ACTUAL FACTORY INVOLEMENT. IT SEEMS MANY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES BRING IN PET PROJECTS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. HOW DOES IT SOUND? JUST LIKE ANY HIGH END ALEMBIC ? A DRY CLEAN TONE WITH A CERTAIN ?QUACK? TO THE ATTACK AND A LINGERING SUSTAIN. SUBTLE MANIPULATION OF THE LOW PASS FILTERS BRINGS OUT A WIDE SPECTRUM OF USABLE TOMES FROM EARTH SHATTERING LOWS TO LOFTY INFINATE-HEADROOM HIGHS. SO WHY AM I SELLING? I AM A MUSICIAN WITH THE TYPICAL MUSICIANS DISEASE. I ALWAYS WANT NEW GEAR SO ONCE AND AWHILE I MUST CLEAN HOUSE SO I CAN GET NEW STUFF. I WILL MISS THIS BASS BUT MY LOSS IS YOUR GAIN. YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED IN THIS ONE. THIS IS FOR SALE LOCALLY SO I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL AUCTION AT ANYTIME. BUYER TO PAY SHIPPING AND HANDLING PROBABLY AROUND $50 OR SO. I SHIP TO THE LOWER 48 STATES ONLY. I ACCEPT MONEY ORDERS, CASHIERS CHECKS, AND PAYPAL. THANKS FOR LOOKING AND GOOD LUCK BIDDING!(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/29338.jpg)
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I just love conversions like this that are not obvious. From across the room this would look like a perfectly normal 4001, UNTIL you plugged it in. Now whoever buys this should get that replacement HipShot Ric bridge and you'd REALLY have a stealth Ric that would own whatever stage it's on.
Extra style-points awarded for using the big Series knobs ! !
J o e y
(Message edited by bigredbass on June 27, 2006)
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Tried to post before but got an error message.
Before I was addicted to Alembics, I was a heavy Ric user. I declare myself in on this one too. May the best Club member win.
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Alemric-
There once was a man from Venus- Oh never mind.
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I showed this to a Ric-fiend friend of mine. He's mad at me, now. He has a P bass and wonders what the resale value would be. I suggested the best way to find out was to buy this Ric, then sell the P. He's still not speaking to me.
Very appealing modifications.
Curious - the knob pattern looks off for a 4003 and the pick guard looks like a semi-successful home job.
Geez, I might need to sell my remaining Fender...
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I have a 4003S and can see right off that the switch is missing. I'm at work and can't verify this, but suspect that the function of these knobs (one of them pans) makes the switch unnecessary.
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yes, it is. that would explain the custom pick guard...
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Custom, and/or broken in two?
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my guess is both. the absence of the stereo mono switch says it's custom, read: home made. I can't imagine why the guard would be in two pieces (the cut doesn't look very clean). Still, if the winner posesses even modest abilities with tools a replacement could be made.
Warmoth sells a variety materials to make your own...tortise shell would look pretty cool with the natural wood.
I'm afraid to check the auction.
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The bass just went for US $1,025.00?......24 bids, I think.......uh....wow...
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It looks like DWMark is the luck winner. When it arrives, you'll have to tell us about it.
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Overall, a strange auction. Was suspicious about the low feedback bidders. But just over a grand for a 4003S isn't bad. And, one with Alembic electronics and PUPS and newer frets. . . .
All I'll need is something better for a pickguard. And, maybe I'll take bigredbass's advice on the bridge.
dw
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The guys at the Rick forum said that same bass sold last year for $1500.
It looks like you got a good deal.
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Hey David,
If you decide you don't want to keep it, drop me a line!
My sniper malfunctioned, and never fired!
Thanks!
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Agent DW reporting in.
First, I've never played on anything alembicized before. Others who have may be amused at my reaction, but, OH MY!
While the effort here does seem to have a home-made spin to it (slight stress cracks from the new frets; something that looks like glue spots on the fretboard), this bass is an amazing dream. For those of us who grew up lusting for Rics and then figured out that the Holy Grail was Alembic, this is nirvana. The low end doesn't quit; the electronics make it sound like there is wood working that I can't see.
Only the first play, but I figured some of you would want to know what this monster could do.
Agent DW signing off.
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David -
What was the first tune you played with the your new Rick? Was it Roundabout? Long distance runaround? Freewill? Spirit Of radio? La Villa Stangiato? YYZ?
Just curious. I had a ric 4003 that was stolen and I've been looking for just the right Natural finish Chris Squire model. Congrats on your purchase!
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What was the first tune you played with the your new Rick? Was it Roundabout?
Lol, my thoughts exactly. Actually I'm pretty sure that playing Roundabout when first sitting down with a new Ric is law in some states.
-Jim
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Roundabout may be O.K. for basses, but when I received my Ricky 360/12 that I bought off eBay, there was one choice, and one choice only, for the first riff to be played when my fingers first touched the fretboard:
the opening riff to Mr. Tambourine Man - Byrds' version - of course!
Anything else violates natural law!
Bill, tgo
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YYZ; then Spirit; then the R30 Overture.
No, I'm NOT in a Rush cover band. Just playing with a drummer who can play quite a bit of the Pert stuff and finding Geddy to be a challenging way to exercise my chops.
I'm a bit older than my bandmates and grew up with the Jacks (Casady and Bruce) as my models. I find Geddy to be more of a lead guitarist playing on big strings but am beginning to appreciate the work.
A bit off topic. Bass is great. Using it for a lot of my four string playing.
dw
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Ha ha! Yeah, that's a cool song. I'm humming that riff right now. Last time I saw Yes was 2nd row at the Nissan pavillion at Stoneridge, in Bristow, VA following the opening act Dream Theater. Man that was a show. Steve Howe doing a Solo on his acoustic because of technical difficulties and being attacked by a killer Moth that was drawn to the Lights beaming on him. It was hillarious to watch him dodge his head around trying to get out of the way of the Moth without screwing up his solo. Awesome!
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Some of my fav's, I Wish, Sir Duke and Lazy. Not what you would call difficult but fun rifts to play. (And anything by the Ohio Players are easy to play but some cool bass line)
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Hey DW -
You just replied as I was writing that last post.
I was in a RUSH tribute band from 1989 - 1991 called Kid Gloves out of Washington DC. Geddy sure is a badass. My biggest challange emulating Geddy is playing keys with my right hand, hammering notes on the fretboard with my left, Playing the Taurus pedals with my right foot, and singing all at the same time. That Geddy is one bad MOFO! Is he accepting Students at this time? ( That would be cool, huh?) What Kind of amplification are you using? - Dennis
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Dennis
Just started using a Stewart World 2.1 with an Alembic F-2B. Driving an Eden 4x10 on one side of the stage and either an Eden 1x18 or Epiphani 2x12 on the other side of the stage (the guys on that side said they couldn't hear me and I usually don't go through the mix).
dw
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First real concert I ever went to was Rush, Blue Oyster Cult and Angel in 1976. When I saw and heard Geddy Lee I thought he was from another (bass playing) planet.
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Angel? NO WAY!!!!! Punky Meadows. He grew up a couple miles away from me. I remember catching that cat when I was a little kid, he played Wheaton regional ICE rink. KISS totally stole their act. They were using PYRO way before Kiss ever did. Gene Simmons was informed by tour promoters that Angel would be splitting the bill...Simmons said Angel will never open for KISS Obviously he was scared. Angel would have blown them away!
Take care - DM
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It was September 1976. I was a freshman at Murray State University, (Ky.), after having stayed out a year after high school to try the working world. First two weeks in we had the BOC Concert with Rush and Angel. Of the three bands I could not really say which was best. The whole thing just blew me away. BOC was using its laser light show at that concert and was banned from use during that tour because the lazers had a habit of hitting people in the eyes and detaching retinas. Angel was first up, then Rush then BOC was the headliner because they had Don't Fear the Reaper on the charts. Angel got the show started and I could not believe they were a warm up act for anybody. .........there were numerous arrests and Murray State didn't have a hard rock concert again for many, many years....
(Message edited by 57basstra on August 04, 2006)
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Wow! Waycool! Yep, Angel kicked ASS!