Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Wanted & Wishing => Topic started by: jhulcher on May 14, 2020, 05:30:07 PM
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Hi Folks - My first post and it's long overdue. I'm searching for a needle in a haystack--"the one that got away."
I once owned a 1985 Series I Fretless. It was quite unique and I loved it so. I purchased it from Midwest Music in Cincy back in ~1991 or thereabouts. I don't have the serial number. It was pretty much mint at the time--plastic sticky protective paper was still on the brass plates on the back of the bass. Over the next few years, life happened and my wife and I learned we were going to have a child. I had zero money, because musician, so around 1995/96 I sold all my equipment and got a "real job." Alembic, amps, etc... All sold to support my family. I lived in Louisville, KY at the time.
Fast forward a couple decades and I'm a lucky guy. Still playing music, great family, daughter all grown up, I've done well professionally, etc... But rarely a day goes by when I don't long for that Alembic. I'm now on the hunt for it and hoping someone here either knows about it, has it, or can help in some way.
The atached is the only picture I have, taken in the studio while recording an album. Cheers to you all, and thanks in advance for your time/support.
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Welcome! Cool looking bass. I think this may have been for sale online a couple years ago, or one very similar to it. I’ll poke around and see if I can find the thread.
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This is the one I was referring to...
https://reverb.com/item/4078616-alembic-series-1-fretless-1981-series-1-fretless-rosewood-1981-rosewood
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Rob beat me to it, but yeah... that one was a heartbreaker. If she turns up here again we'll ping you.
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And maybe you could contact the Reverb seller and see if they can put you in contact with the person they sold it to.
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Thank you both so much. I can’t thank you enough. Really. I just got emotional after seeing the reverb post. Since I sold it I’ve only seen the one pic of my bass and forgot what the back looked like. Damn. (Edit: I was darn sure it was a 1985 model but the reverb post says 81–either I’m not remembering correctly or the seller was incorrect.)
And, indeed, I messaged the seller.
You all are the best. Bless you.
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Good luck, I hope it finds its way back to you! :)
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Seller connected me with the buyer’s reverb info. I contacted the buyer and await a response. Fingers crossed. :)
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If by chance you registered it with alembic after you bought it originally, and you get the serial number of the one on reverb there is a good chance Mica would be able to confirm if it is the same bass.
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Hoping for a happy ending.
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Good luck OP...
I can't believe that bass sold for 3k..
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If by chance you registered it with alembic after you bought it originally, and you get the serial number of the one on reverb there is a good chance Mica would be able to confirm if it is the same bass.
Alas, I didn’t register it at the time. One of the many actions/inactions I regret.
Thank you, friend.
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Good luck OP...
I can't believe that bass sold for 3k..
I know. Had I only been on top of this 3 years ago. I’d have readily taken it.
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Hoping for a happy ending.
Thanks so much.
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Rob beat me to it, but yeah... that one was a heartbreaker. If she turns up here again we'll ping you.
Thank you!
I spoke with a previous owner. Very interesting story and an emotional chat. It was apparently stolen and the somehow ended up with Mica and there was an attempt for a bit to find the original owner. It wasn’t successful so it ended up with the fella I spoke with earlier tonight. He said he got it from Mica. He’s trying to track down who he sold it to. I found another seller on reverb and have yet to hear from him/her.
I’ve been told to make a pitch on Talk Bass so that’s my next step. Wish me luck!
Again, many thanks to all of you for your genuine care for my long lost bass. I won’t stop until I locate it.
Cheers!
John
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I had the opportunity to play that bass some years back. It played nicely and had a great tone though as I recall it was heavy.
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Good luck in tracking down your old bass. I saw it when it was listed and almost went for it as I was looking for a fretless at that point. I don’t remember why I didn’t pull the trigger because its quite a nice bass. Now I’m glad I didn’t because if I were owner I would feel the need to sell it back to you.
Hopefully it was purchased by someone just getting into fretless who found out it wasn’t their bag so it’s now sitting in its case in a closet and they’ll be glad to work something out with you. Keep us apprised of your progress as we all love these reunion stories.
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I owned this bass at one point. I've owned two fretless Alembics, but I never spent the time to develop the technique to play fretless properly, and sold both. I have a hard enough time getting my fingers to land in the right places on my fretted bass.
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These things have a way of working out here. I've seen it happen, been party to it before. Time will tell.
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David , I now remember when you were selling it . That is why it looked familiar to me . I had considered the purchase as well :) . Jhulcher , I wish the best on your search !
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I owned this bass at one point. I've owned two fretless Alembics, but I never spent the time to develop the technique to play fretless properly, and sold both. I have a hard enough time getting my fingers to land in the right places on my fretted bass.
That's amazing. Thanks for sharing. I've often wondered what kind of life the bass lived after I sold it ~25 years ago. Nice to know it was in your hands. Neat story: After I got it I just couldn't get it to play as I wanted--it was playing me instead of me playing it. I went to my local vintage guitar store to consign it. They called me saying someone was interested but I needed to send it to New York as the interested party was on tour and would only be in New York for a couple days. This conflicted with a gig I had so I didn't send it. Turned out the interested buyer was U2's bassist. It was fate, because shortly after that I finally "played" the bass and fell in love with it.
These things have a way of working out here. I've seen it happen, been party to it before. Time will tell.
I belong to a Rickenbacker forum and witnessed an amazing reunion, so I'm hopeful for the same at some point. The guy's Ric was stolen, sold, purchased and refinished. Once he posted on the Ric forum and gave the serial number, a forum member contacted him and gave him the bass back. It was great to see. Cheers to you.
David , I now remember when you were selling it . That is why it looked familiar to me . I had considered the purchase as well :) . Jhulcher , I wish the best on your search !
Thank you, sonicus. It's been an interesting start to this journey.
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Good luck in tracking down your old bass. I saw it when it was listed and almost went for it as I was looking for a fretless at that point. I don’t remember why I didn’t pull the trigger because its quite a nice bass. Now I’m glad I didn’t because if I were owner I would feel the need to sell it back to you.
Hopefully it was purchased by someone just getting into fretless who found out it wasn’t their bag so it’s now sitting in its case in a closet and they’ll be glad to work something out with you. Keep us apprised of your progress as we all love these reunion stories.
I really appreciate your sentiment. Cheers to you.
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Found it! Alas, it’s in Korea. But it’s the latest buyer from Reverb 3 years ago. Not sure how attached he is but will inquire as we exchange messages. If he’s loving the bass and not keen to sell it, I’m not keen to press him but will ask he contact me first if he plans to sell. Heck, good reason to visit Korea me thinks.
At least I found it. That makes me happy. I wouldn’t have gotten here this quickly had it not been for you fine folks. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
More to come, hopefully...
John
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Korea, wow, that’s quite a journey! Hope it works out :)
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Enjoy this thread while you wait, John. Allen [allgood] eventually got his bass back... from Japan, after 15 years. I'm hoping lightning strikes again. This place is magical.
http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=24205.0
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Enjoy this thread while you wait, John. Allen [allgood] eventually got his bass back... from Japan, after 15 years. I'm hoping lightning strikes again. This place is magical.
http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=24205.0
Inspirational thread, edwardofhuncote. Thank you for sharing. Gets me all warm and fuzzy. I will keep this thread posted when I have updates.
Cheers!
John
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I had the opportunity to play that bass some years back. It played nicely and had a great tone though as I recall it was heavy.
Heck yes it’s heavy! I called it a dinner table with strings. But it balanced well and I loved it so.
Great news! The current owner from Korea is keen to get it back in my hands. He seems like a really great guy. We will need to sort the best way for this to happen logistically and I’d want to ensure as little trouble for him as possible. I can be patient to do this right.
My question for those following this thread: What is a fair price for me to offer? He bought it for $3,000 USD 3 years ago. He said he’s taken care of it and even sent me a pic. Said he doesn’t use it often. To his credit, the gent didn’t mention an asking price but I want to be fair.
Thank you all a million times over. I can’t freaking believe this is happening.
Peace,
John
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Great news! The current owner from Korea is keen to get it back in my hands. He seems like a really great guy.
Such great news...I bet that feels good ;D
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What a good story this has become. we have had similar stories here in the past where a member has been trying to find an alembic they sold years ago. I am glad your story is evolving into a happy ending with a successful reunion. "Sellers Regret" is a strong emotion.
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Well that worked out quickly! Welcome to the club!
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If you purchase the bass there are a couple of things to keep in mind about shipping it back to the US. First is to be sure to list that it is a US manufactured product returning to the US in order to avoid tariffs and other duties. The other is to be sure to have the CITES paperwork in order. This is particularly important since this bass has a rosewood top and some varieties of rosewood are protected under the treaty. I seem to recall they have relaxed some of the rules for instruments but I would still get a definitive statement on what paperwork you need. When I last read about this, years ago, you would need US approval for importation and the seller would need to get South Korea approval to export. Failure to do things correctly can result in the instrument being seized by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
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I told you, John; This Place is Magical. Very happy for you. Please stay around and update us. :)
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Such great news...I bet that feels good ;D
What a good story this has become. we have had similar stories here in the past where a member has been trying to find an alembic they sold years ago. I am glad your story is evolving into a happy ending with a successful reunion. "Sellers Regret" is a strong emotion.
Well that worked out quickly! Welcome to the club!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement!
I told you, John; This Place is Magical. Very happy for you. Please stay around and update us. :)
Indeed, it is. I now have zero doubt. Thanks for your support.
If you purchase the bass there are a couple of things to keep in mind about shipping it back to the US. First is to be sure to list that it is a US manufactured product returning to the US in order to avoid tariffs and other duties. The other is to be sure to have the CITES paperwork in order. This is particularly important since this bass has a rosewood top and some varieties of rosewood are protected under the treaty. I seem to recall they have relaxed some of the rules for instruments but I would still get a definitive statement on what paperwork you need. When I last read about this, years ago, you would need US approval for importation and the seller would need to get South Korea approval to export. Failure to do things correctly can result in the instrument being seized by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Thanks a ton, Keith H. I found a good Reverb article on this topic and it mentioned CITES and Brazilian rosewood, specifically. It also seems rules are a bit relaxed if the instrument was made before 1992, which this one was. Still, I'm not taking any chances. I'll take whatever time is needed to ensure a smooth transaction/transition.
I'll keep y'all posted. Getting closer...
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Always love a story with a happy ending! Best of luck getting it home quickly and safely from Korea.
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Always love a story with a happy ending! Best of luck getting it home quickly and safely from Korea.
Thank you so much!
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Hey! How exciting! As Greg mentioned, I was reunited with my 73 S1 last year. There were several posts, but one real long one that told the whole story. I was afraid of CITES, but fortunately a relative was able to bring it home from Japan. Mine was purchased by a Japanese collector from Elderly Instruments for $3,500 years ago, and ended up in a guitar store in Tokyo, for sale for twice that. It was through the help of Alembic Club members that it was located. To your question of how much to pay... I would say whatever it takes, if you have the money. It’s only money. And I don’t say that sarcastically. Truly the experience is so much more valuable than money. Though I expect I paid well over its market value, I have no regrets. And a funny thing, I recently sold an Essence... to the person that sold it to me! Best of luck! I look forward to reading about it when you are reunited!,
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Hey! How exciting! As Greg mentioned, I was reunited with my 73 S1 last year. There were several posts, but one real long one that told the whole story. I was afraid of CITES, but fortunately a relative was able to bring it home from Japan. Mine was purchased by a Japanese collector from Elderly Instruments for $3,500 years ago, and ended up in a guitar store in Tokyo, for sale for twice that. It was through the help of Alembic Club members that it was located. To your question of how much to pay... I would say whatever it takes, if you have the money. It’s only money. And I don’t say that sarcastically. Truly the experience is so much more valuable than money. Though I expect I paid well over its market value, I have no regrets. And a funny thing, I recently sold an Essence... to the person that sold it to me! Best of luck! I look forward to reading about it when you are reunited!,
Thanks a ton, allgood. Indeed, I read your story and it was motivating. And thanks for the input on what I might pay. I agree with you (and thankfully my wife does, too) given the sentimental value. But you know all about that. I get a vibe the current owner isn't interested in the $$ aspect of things so I'm hopeful his request is within my means. I can certainly pay him what (I believe) he paid for it and of course I'll handle the exporting rigmarole. I contacted the US Dept of permits and the lady I spoke with was very nice and knowledgeable. She said it should not be an issue so long as the CITES export forms are complete.
I still await a reply from the chap. Communications have only been through Reverb and have been painfully slow, but I'm not pushing him. He has my email address. In the meantime I asked an old friend who took the only picture I have if he had any other pictures. Low and behold, he found a couple of me playing it from the early '90s. So cool to see.
Heck, I'm just glad I found the darn thing. I can be patient for its return.
Cheers to you, allgood!
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Hi Folks! I'm grateful to have your support on my quest to reacquire my Series 1 fretless. And since many of you asked I'm providing updates as I get them.
Communications between me and the owner in Korea have been a bit slow, but still ongoing. Turns out he's a notable Korean film composer--listened to a lot of his stuff and it's damn good. Impressive. He also plays in a notable Korean band. Cool guy. Best of all, based on our communications he understands how much this bass means to me, and thankfully it appears he's not attached to it. I'd not want to guilt him into selling it if he really loves it.
And get this: He's agreed to sell it back to me for only his purchase price. Of course, I'll pay for all shipping and complete the CITES export form for him. I'm blown away by his generosity. How lucky am I? He also told me he wasn't getting into the fretless thing, and hence he was about to "remodel" it. Good timing on my part, I guess, as it remains unaltered.
I've been saving $$ so I think I have the funds if my guess on his purchase price is correct. I'm confirming with him. But... looks like this is happening.
More to come...
Cheers to you all!
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Awesome!
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That’s awesome. And finding a photo of you playing it... 25 or so years ago?! I bet that kind of sealed the deal for you! And here’s something else to think about... depending on the costs of shipping, how long might be in jail with customs... wonder how much a trip to Korea would cost? Because if you are carrying it on the plane, checked or in cabin, no cites concerns, from what I understand. And that was my cousin’s experience, who brought mine back. My wife was all about us going to Japan to get mine!
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allgood, i am with you on that, when I looked at the costs of shipping and all the other charges associated with getting my own series II bass from the states. I felt it was better and safer for me to fly over to pick it up. Helped greatly by Bill, tgo who kindly made. his spare room available to me for the week I was in the states. It all made the bass more personal and in my case I got to visit alembic, the staff, and some members of this forum. JHulcher I hope the reunion with your old bass all works out without any complications.
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That’s awesome. And finding a photo of you playing it... 25 or so years ago?! I bet that kind of sealed the deal for you! And here’s something else to think about... depending on the costs of shipping, how long might be in jail with customs... wonder how much a trip to Korea would cost? Because if you are carrying it on the plane, checked or in cabin, no cites concerns, from what I understand. And that was my cousin’s experience, who brought mine back. My wife was all about us going to Japan to get mine!
allgood, i am with you on that, when I looked at the costs of shipping and all the other charges associated with getting my own series II bass from the states. I felt it was better and safer for me to fly over to pick it up. Helped greatly by Bill, tgo who kindly made. his spare room available to me for the week I was in the states. It all made the bass more personal and in my case I got to visit alembic, the staff, and some members of this forum. JHulcher I hope the reunion with your old bass all works out without any complications.
Thank you both, very much.
I wish travel to Korea was a possibility for me and my wife right now, but alas it's not. Not only would I love to visit Korea to see the country and get my bass in person, but the guy who owns my bass is in a killer band called LEENALCHI and they just released an album. I call it "Korean Folk Indie-Pop." Funky music with vocals of traditional tale. I find it captivating (he doesn't use my bass on the album). Check it out on Bandcamp: https://leenalchi.bandcamp.com/album/sugungga
Also, here's a cool vid. The guy who owns my bass, Younggyu Jang, is playing the white Fender. He also produced
the album.
Turns out he's also a notable Korean film composer. But mostly, he's one hell of a guy because he realises how much this means to me and therefore will only charge me what he paid for it 3 years ago plus shipping. How cool is that?!
Finally, here are pics of me playing the bass in 1992--practicing for a studio session and then a pic of the bass against a brick wall while in the studio in 1992. I listened again to what we recorded at that time. Hadn't heard it in a while and it was emotional to hear my bass. Can't wait to get it back.
Stay tuned...
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Thanks for posting... What a fun video! I especially like the guy in what I will call a Mariachi suit! ( I apologize if this is not a correct description.). The video makes me wonder what the lyrics are. And those are great photos of you and the bass. Did someone cut the lower horn off at some point? Or was she born that way?
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Thanks for posting... What a fun video! I especially like the guy in what I will call a Mariachi suit! ( I apologize if this is not a correct description.). The video makes me wonder what the lyrics are. And those are great photos of you and the bass. Did someone cut the lower horn off at some point? Or was she born that way?
Hi allgood! Yes, indeed, a fun video. I thought the same about the Mariachi suit and would also love to know what they are saying. I'm working on getting a translated version.
The pics you see of the bass are how she was born. No bottom horn or cutaway. Unique, me thinks.
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This is from a post in the comments that look like the lyrics. Couldn't tell you how accurate it is.
A tiger is coming down, a tiger is coming
A beast is coming down through the deep valley in the pine woods
His body is freckled,
His tail is stuffed
which is longer than a grown man's fathom.
Making the high hills shiver,
his front leg is like a quiver,
his hind paw is like a jar,
Both ears are ripped ajar.
Brandishing his sickle claws,
'Charrrr!'
He splashes grass roots and pebbles.
Opening his crimson jaws,
'Worirung!'
he rumbles.
Like the sky falls and
the ground settles down,
The turtle hides his head and
on the ground bows down.
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...”longer than a grown mans fathom“. ! How soon can I find the situation to use that in conversation?! :D
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Having worked with translators in my prior life as a working stiff I'm guessing something has been lost in translation.
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Update for those interested: Communications are slow going with the owner but mainly because he's been busy promoting his band's new album. He contacted me with an update yesterday saying he'll soon have time to deal with the bass. I'm in no rush. I've been following them and am really enjoying it. It's gotten me interested in Korean culture, too. Ugh, be it not for COVID I'd go to Korea and time it to see one of their performances and bring my bass back with me.
Cheers, all!
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:)
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What great story John, glad the guy is that cool... I'm starting to think every Alembic owner has something special, a camaraderie thing.
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What great story John, glad the guy is that cool... I'm starting to think every Alembic owner has something special, a camaraderie thing.
Thanks, Mario. He (Younggyu Jang) is indeed a cool guy. I'm so lucky in many ways--he's cool and willing to sell it back to me, he's a great musician and has a killer project right now that I'm really into, and I'm learning about Korean culture.
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John... it has been over a year ... thought I would check for an update on your quest... any news? I expect covid may have stymied your efforts.
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Looks like it's been since February since John checked in here... hope he did make that connection, but it was a mighty long shot.
Good to see you again though, Allen. How's Rosie? ;)
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Thanks Greg, she’s in great shape. I have been trying to decide what to do about the old tarnished side markers. Polishing did not have much effect. finally decided to use a little dab of some glow in the dark paint. That worked well. Been playing more lately. Bought a Road Runner gig bag which is working great. (Carrying the heave original case is much heavier than it was when I was 20 years younger!). Trying to get back into the theatre/musical scene. Humidity got to my upright this summer and the tension broke my bridge. Hope you are doing well.
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Hi Everyone!
Great news! After about 1 1/2 years after first contact with the owner, my Alembic is on its way back to me from S Korea. Should have it next week. The owner was so busy with his latest project but finally got the time to deal with it. He’s a great guy. I’m emotional typing this and will share pics when I’m reunited. Can’t believe this is happening.
Cheers to you all. I’m forever in your debt as I’d not have found it if not for you fine folks.
John
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John... it has been over a year ... thought I would check for an update on your quest... any news? I expect covid may have stymied your efforts.
Looks like it's been since February since John checked in here... hope he did make that connection, but it was a mighty long shot.
Good to see you again though, Allen. How's Rosie? ;)
Hi! Just updated with good news. See above. 😊
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Fantastic, congratulations! :)
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Congrats!
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Fantastic, congratulations! :)
Congrats!
Thank you both!
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Folks - We are reunited. Wouldn’t have happened if not for you all. More to come. Emotions are high right now. Will share pics soon.
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Sweet!
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Excellent news at at time that excellent news is hard to find! Look forward to hearing more about the reunion once you come back down to earth... meanwhile play it in good health.
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Very cool, congrats and enjoy!! :)
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Great news, i saw some photos on facebook last night.
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Wonderful news! Reunited and it feels so goooood!
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Wonderful news! Reunited and it feels so goooood!
Thanks, Mica! And thanks to everyone on this forum who took interest and/or helped me with this reunion. Here are a few pics from just minutes after opening the case. Yes, I'm misty-eyed.
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So glad to see this. I've seen it three times before here. Long lost Alembics, returned.
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So glad to see this. I've seen it three times before here. Long lost Alembics, returned.
Thank you for your involvement early on. Apart from needing new strings and a bit of TLC, it’s all there. All I remember is there. Despite crappy strings it sounds lovely. It’s in lovely shape.
However, the DS5 power supply (original) is a bit fried, specifically the 1/4” mono input. Works if cable is carefully plugged but if touched it fries out. Alas, it doesn’t seem easy to find a new one unless I’m missing something obvious (which is likely). Any guidance would be most appreciated.
Cheers!
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I would send it to Alembic for repair. Can't be that much wrong with it if it works at all.
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The DS5 is pretty basic. If the bass is getting power through the 5-pin then the power supply is ok. What you are calling the mono input is the DS-5 output to your amplifier. It is nothing that a local tech couldn't figure out for you if you are not comfortable doing it yourself.
I don't know if your DS5 has a separate stereo/mono switch or if it is built into the 1/4 inch jacks. If it is a switched jack I would start by getting some Caig DeoxIT contact cleaner to clean the contacts while exercising the jack. If that doesn't clear things up or you have a separate stereo/mono switch I would look at replacing the jack. I've included a schematic of the DS5 below.
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:)
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👍🎉😊
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I would send it to Alembic for repair. Can't be that much wrong with it if it works at all.
The DS5 is pretty basic. If the bass is getting power through the 5-pin then the power supply is ok. What you are calling the mono input is the DS-5 output to your amplifier. It is nothing that a local tech couldn't figure out for you if you are not comfortable doing it yourself.
I don't know if your DS5 has a separate stereo/mono switch or if it is built into the 1/4 inch jacks. If it is a switched jack I would start by getting some Caig DeoxIT contact cleaner to clean the contacts while exercising the jack. If that doesn't clear things up or you have a separate stereo/mono switch I would look at replacing the jack. I've included a schematic of the DS5 below.
Thank you both! And, Keith, thanks for the schematic. Turns out a longtime Alembic dealer/player lives near me and agreed to spend time with me to give the bass (and hopefully the DS5), some TLC. Alas, I’m not very good with these types of things so would only trust a pro at this point. The fella also offered to teach me how to adjust the neck, clean the bridge, etc… He’s a class act.
But if he can’t help with the power supply I can take it to a guitar tech I know who is very good with electronics and could certainly fix a wonky jack (if that’s all it needs). And if that’s not successful I’ll send to Alembic.
Otherwise, the bass is in wonderful condition. Put new strings on it and am confident it needs only a little TLC.
Cheers!
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Awesome. I’ve been right there... having a photo taken of me and Rosie, reunited after many years. I would post here if I can find it. I think I posted when it happened. (Greg will probably find it!😁). So happy for you!
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I was sleepless one night and fried-as-a-goat on pain meds when Allen logged on here looking for a long-lost Series I Omega. I knew exactly which one he was looking for. It was in Japan, on ebay about 15 times... the definition of a long shot. It took a while, some finagling, determination, and maybe even an Intervention. He sent me this picture a few minutes after being reunited with #75-183, Rosie.
Glad it worked out again here.
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Awesome. I’ve been right there... having a photo taken of me and Rosie, reunited after many years. I would post here if I can find it. I think I posted when it happened. (Greg will probably find it!😁). So happy for you!
I was sleepless one night and fried-as-a-goat on pain meds when Allen logged on here looking for a long-lost Series I Omega. I knew exactly which one he was looking for. It was in Japan, on ebay about 15 times... the definition of a long shot. It took a while, some finagling, determination, and maybe even an Intervention. He sent me this picture a few minutes after being reunited with #75-183, Rosie.
Glad it worked out again here.
What a fantastic story. It's a feeling I thought I'd never experience. So happy you and Rosie were reunited.