Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: Philip-M-Bass on September 30, 2017, 11:31:51 AM

Title: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on September 30, 2017, 11:31:51 AM
Beautiful Wood!!!

https://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/item/2914176/alembic-series-ii--long-scale-fretless-bass-guitar
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: lbpesq on September 30, 2017, 01:41:34 PM
Another one with the pickups incorrectly mounted.

Bill, tgo
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: adriaan on September 30, 2017, 02:31:46 PM
And in Australia, I would think.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on October 02, 2017, 12:52:42 AM
Very strange to see a clearly loved series 2 in that shop. Its just down the road from me. Will take a look and report back with a serial number. Anyone in the club missing this bass, stolen?
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: adriaan on October 02, 2017, 10:55:04 AM
Here's a link to the Stolen Alembics page: http://www.alembic.com/info/stolen.html
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on October 03, 2017, 01:32:21 AM
My dad went in there today and saw the bass. Couldn't find a serial number! The shop said it was a custom and wouldn't have one! Highly suspicious. May see if i can go in there, open the rear plate and find a number on the pf6 card or in the cavity.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: adriaan on October 03, 2017, 10:36:52 AM
Difficult to say how old it is, but if it's a 70s instrument then the serial might just be stamped into the top edge of the peghead, to either side of the point on the crown.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: flpete1uw on October 03, 2017, 11:27:31 AM
The lack of an adjustable nut indicates a 70's or very early 80's.
Don't know when the adjustable was implemented, my 1980 series is not adjustable.
Pretty bass
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on October 03, 2017, 11:49:14 AM
Afternoon Gentleman,

Anybody know what kind of wood was used for the top & back?
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on October 04, 2017, 03:56:49 AM
Nara maybe? Hard to say from those pictures, but it does look like both the top and back are from the same stock.

I know - IT'S TREE-WOOD!  ;D
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on October 04, 2017, 04:24:24 AM
 No imitations!!  you wouldn't lie to me now, would you?   :)

Thank you Edward!!!
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: hammer on October 05, 2017, 05:47:11 AM
Too bad it's in Australia as its pretty close to what I've been looking for. However, at the going price, even if it's in Australian dollars, that's a pretty expensive piece of "tree wood."
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: sonofa_lembic on October 06, 2017, 03:46:53 PM
With the round, non-inset battery plate, it should be 1980-81.  The serial number would have been stamped in the end of the fingerboard, but on a fretless, they likely would have left it off.  In the electronics compartment, it could be stamped into the core wood.  Does it have LEDs on the side of the fingerboard?  If not, then it has a replaced fingerboard, and that may be why it has no serial number visible. 
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: sonofa_lembic on October 06, 2017, 03:55:50 PM
My dad went in there today and saw the bass. Couldn't find a serial number! The shop said it was a custom and wouldn't have one! Highly suspicious. May see if i can go in there, open the rear plate and find a number on the pf6 card or in the cavity.

Have your father go back and look at the end of the fingerboard.  I can see the serial number stamped in there in the photo.  What is unusual about this bass is the added walnut strips on either side of the neck.  Most of the time that indicates a replaced neck from Alembic, or at least a mistake from the factory.  The bass looks legit to me, and if the serial number is there on the fingerboard, it likely is legit.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on October 06, 2017, 04:45:35 PM
Ok just looked myself. Serial number is 79 1444. Bass is nice with a few issues. Needs a setup, one pickup chipped, plastic non original nut. Some deep scratches and marks ib the back. No power supply or 5 pin.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on October 06, 2017, 04:48:05 PM
Some poor guy got a loan against it and didn't pay the loan out....very sad. It's a 34 inch scale.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: hammer on October 06, 2017, 05:39:33 PM
I anticipate it being around for a while with what you found and the current asking price.



Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 15, 2017, 10:48:28 PM
they offered it at a much more reasonable price so I bought it today. Merry Christmas everyone.😁
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on December 16, 2017, 04:17:25 AM
Congrats Garth,

Glad I posted it when I found it!!

There are site's both here & abroad that put Alembic's up for sale!!!

As I find them I will let everyone know!!

Great Christmas to you as well!!!
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 16, 2017, 04:28:24 AM
Thanks for finding it. Just couldn’t let this one stay in cash converters...its no place for an Alembic...especially a 1979 series 2. It’s cleaning up really well tonight.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on December 16, 2017, 05:53:10 AM
Nice score man... yeah, vintage Series II's don't come along very often.   8)
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on December 16, 2017, 05:55:38 AM
Garth ,

When you get her up to speed, please post some pic's! !!!

My search continues !!!!
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 19, 2017, 09:50:01 AM
Looking good
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 19, 2017, 09:54:27 AM
Picture 2
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 19, 2017, 09:56:12 AM
Picture 3
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on December 19, 2017, 09:57:57 AM
Quite proud of my ebony nut. Took a few hours to make :)
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on December 19, 2017, 10:14:28 AM
What a Beauty!!!!!

Be blessed Garth !!!

As I said to another member ,

All the paintings must have fallen off your walls when you hit the first note !!!!!
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: rv_bass on December 19, 2017, 01:05:51 PM
Wow, beautiful bass, great job on the ebony nut! 
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on December 19, 2017, 01:43:50 PM
Bravo on the ebony nut!   :D
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: growlypants on December 19, 2017, 04:23:34 PM
That's a beautiful bass, and I send my heartiest congrats on its acquisition!!  But, help me out for a sec - why the ebony nut?  Is it less sustain-y than the brass?  Or just aesthetically a nice change?  It's so unusual, and definitely pretty... I wonder why it isn't more widely sought out.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: tbrannon on December 19, 2017, 04:28:46 PM
I'm generally not a gigantic fan of the big Standard Point bodies, but that thing looks so right.

I'm a horrible fretless player, and an unlined board is a death sentence for me, but I'll be darned if I don't absolutely love the way they look.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: hammer on December 19, 2017, 04:42:25 PM
Beautiful bass that looks so much better cleaned up.

Glad you waited it out and didn't jump on it when originally posted. Sometimes one has to be willing to lose before one can actually win. 
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: garth4664 on January 11, 2018, 03:51:07 AM
growlypants just saw your post on the last page. The ebony nut is an attempt to make the open strings sound similar to a held note against the (also ebony) fingerboard. Seemed to work, as open strings don’t stand out to my ears when moving through a scale. I guess a brass nut on a fretted bass follows a similar approach. Double basses traditionally also use ebony nuts. It’s easy to make one from an old piano key using a set of needle files and a hacksaw.
Title: Re: Alembic Series II Long Scale Fretless on Cash Converters!
Post by: growlypants on January 11, 2018, 06:29:13 AM
Thanks - makes sense!