Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: mike1762 on May 08, 2008, 04:40:21 PM
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I recently found out that I have a rare MM Cutlass bass (basically a Stingray with a graphite neck). I bought the bass new in the early 80's but never really played it (the neck made it play extremely stiff). The electronics crapped out on my main stage bass (a Stingray)at some point; therefore, I made emergency repairs by robbing the electronics from the Cutlass. After finding out about the bass' rarity, I decided to get it back in stock condition. But Earnie Ball refuses to sell me a replacement preamp without returning the old one!!! I did the electronics swap more than 20 years and 5 moves ago; as such, I now can't find the faulty electronics. I was willing to send the bass in and let them make the repairs...but they wont even consider that!!! I got the following Email from Scott Ball:
We do not sell our electronics because they are what sets us apart from the competition. If we sold electronics to every customer who has replaced or sold the old ones we would suffer on many fronts. We get TONS of requests daily for pre-amps/pickups ect, and if we sold them without direct replacements the market would be flooded.
Hope this sheds a little light on the subject.
Regards,
Scott
No it doesn't shed any light on the subject!!! It's a damn preamp!!! Don't get me wrong, I love my old MM basses (pre-EB), but this has left me with a bad taste in my mouth regarding Earnie Ball.
Anyway...Ive read posts from people who have aquired gutted Alembics and the Wickershams have always been there and willing to help bring their old instruments back to life. I really don't understand why anyone would do business any other way. I will never buy another instrument from EB, but Alembic is a company that I know I can rely on. Thanks for listening.
BTW, I bought an exact clone of the preamp on Ebay.
Hey...I just noticed I'm not a Junior member anymore.
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Alembic is definitely not like any other company I've ever bought anything from...
John
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It starts with the attitude you described and continues on with folks like Mica working on the design of something they are building for you as if it were her own. I know I don't need to say it in this group (because we all know it) but Alembic is a special place.
BTW, congrats on losing the Junior. I picked up a new designation a couple of posts ago and was happy to see it happen.
dw
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My MK is working perfectly but if it ever needs a re fret, re finish, electronics repair/upgrade it will be going back to the place it was made and no one else.
I visited the factory 8 years ago and it was a very memorable 2 hours.
It is a very special place indeed, now that the world is turning very fast into amount versus quality and service
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Oh my dear Aunt I have reached 500(now 501) and also a Senior Member just coincide with my 51st birthday next month