Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: h82w8 on May 11, 2009, 06:29:45 PM

Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: h82w8 on May 11, 2009, 06:29:45 PM: Anybody know what this bass might be worth? Condition looks fair to good (belly wear on back of upper bout/horn), looks like zebra over mahogany and standard electronics. Also the owner says Alembic didn't make a neck-thru in '94. What were the run years of Epic basses...apparently they are no longer made.
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: David Houck on May 11, 2009, 07:05:59 PM: Alembic has always made neck throughs. Epics are still being made, and have been since 1994. Estimating a value without good pictures is difficult. There is an Epic 5 on Ebay right now with a current bid of $1,675 with a little less than two days to go. That should give you an idea of the current market for an Epic 5.

Hope that helps.
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: willie on May 12, 2009, 08:37:30 PM: I believe all Epic's are set necks not neck through unless it was a custom order to have it made with a neck through. Excel's are also set necks. All other models are neck through.
I think Alembic started the Epic and Excel line to appeal bass players that wanted a bass of Alembic quality at an easier to handle price than their big brothers. Also you do get a different sound from a set neck than a neck through neck bass and some people prefer the punchier midrange of a set neck or bolt on neck, (ala Music Man Stingray, Fender Jazz Bazz etc), compared to the tone of a through neck design. The though neck design is much more stable physically and since the vibrating length of the string stays o the same pieces of wood it allows for more ceativity with the body woods and top laminates. Hope that helps.
Did you just get the bass and why do you want to get rid of it. Also do you know the scale length? I think 5 strings are better with a 35 scale but thats just my opinion.
Willie
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: FC Bass on May 12, 2009, 08:48:45 PM: Don't forget the set neck Orion ;-)
(apparently also available as neck through lately)
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: willie on May 12, 2009, 09:02:45 PM: Oop's, my bad Orion's are set necks as well
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: dadabass2001 on May 13, 2009, 07:46:51 AM: There was a custom neck-through Epic made a few years ago. It was mentioned but not pictured in a factory to customer thread for a custom Epic in the archives. Search ichinumba9

Mike
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: adriaan on May 13, 2009, 08:38:31 AM: Mike - somewhere Mica also said they won't ever do a neck-thru Epic again.

If you compare the Orion and Europa shapes, you'll notice that on the set-neck the horns go across the neck, where on the neck-through the inside curve of the horn continues towards the side of the neck. With the Epic body, the shapes around the neck are going in the wrong direction.
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: adriaan on May 13, 2009, 08:44:44 AM: Hm - maybe they could do a neck-through Epic like T8SK's 8 strings of power (http://www.alembic.com/info/8string.html target=_blank) where the outer neck laminates are the same piece of wood as the body wings.
Title: '94 Epic 5
Post by: rockbassist on May 16, 2009, 08:13:48 PM: Most of the Epic 5's I've seen on Ebay are selling for between $1,200 and $1,600. They are set in necks not neck through.