Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on February 21, 2003, 10:10:18 AM

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on February 21, 2003, 10:10:18 AM

Hi - just wondering if anyone has any photos of the rarely mentioned Vector or Electrum basses? I've been searching for years to see one of these and have never been lucky. If I didn't know better, I'd swear they were a joint venture between Alembic and the NSA; a hush-hush covert operation which no one is willing to discuss!
 
If anyone (owner or Alembic employee) has any photos, I'd LOVE to see them!
 
Thanks,
Dave

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: mica on March 23, 2003, 08:24:17 PM

There's this Distillate (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=9117) in the Showcase with a Vector nody shape and here's an Electrum we just shipped off to Switzerland on Friday:  
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/3966.jpg)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Paul Lindemans (palembic) on March 24, 2003, 12:01:15 AM

Gosh Mica,
 
that wood goes very well on that guitar. like the linings seems to vibrate out of the PU's.
Cocobolo I guess?
 
Paul

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 24, 2003, 12:14:34 PM

Wow! My first Vector sighting! I've waited years for this! I wonder why that is? There must be more of these out there...somewhere! Now, if someone will post a pic of an Electrum BASS...then my photo collection will be complete!
 
Thanks for the info!

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: mica on March 25, 2003, 02:32:17 PM

I don't think we've ever made a bass with the Electrum body shape, so you may have a complete collection now.   Here's a couple of old brochure pages that have Vector body shapes:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/4001.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/4002.jpg)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: mica on March 25, 2003, 02:37:22 PM

The half-a-bass  in the 1991 brochure is a Vector body shape.  
 
You're right, Paul -- that's Coco Bolo and I am also very fond of how the grain radiates from between the pickups.  

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Jarek Michalski (basstard) on March 25, 2003, 02:37:45 PM

 
 
(Message edited by Basstard on March 25, 2003)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: mica on March 25, 2003, 02:40:05 PM

If you happen to look at the page in the short time between making the message and posting the picture, you'll only see the placeholder Your image here I bet if you refresh the view now, you should be able to see these.
 
(Message edited by mica on March 25, 2003)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Jarek Michalski (basstard) on March 25, 2003, 02:49:59 PM

Oh... I deleted my post when I saw the pictures, and then I saw your reply to the very post I'd just deleted...
 
Anyway, very neat! And I love the double Precision p-up configuration on the white bass! How many basses with that p-up configuration you made? And how do they sound (apart from fantastic, of course! ^.^)?

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 25, 2003, 04:23:52 PM

Thanks, Mica! Great brochure pic of the Vector. I wonder why these weren't more popular? Backlash against Fender-ish designs back then, perhaps? Sooo...no one's ever done an Electrum bass, eh? Hmmmm......

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: mica on March 25, 2003, 04:49:40 PM

I don't know how many, but we did make an awful lot of them back in the day. The Vector hasn't been in the brochure since 1996, so that might explain the recent dry spell.  
 
The double P pickups are LOUD. Of course you can turn up the gain on an of the systems we make inside the cavity, but the P are even louder than the rest. mostly they sound they same, since we make the pickups all in a similar fashion.  P shape pickups are only for 4-string basses.  
 
Again, I don't know how many were made (the files are actually files in drawers, not in a computer). I will guess about 100 or so with the double P confiuration, but that's just a guess.

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 26, 2003, 02:55:11 AM

Ok, my curiousity is really piqued now! I wonder why I've never, in 8 years of surfing for Alembics online, seen a Vector for sale? Of the 80's-early 90's regime, Spoilers and Persuaders abound, Elans show up fairly consistently, Distillates are frequent...but no Vectors? Granted if fewer were made, that would explain a low showing....but NEVER??? And I surf religiously (I've even been known to buy 1 or 2.....)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Michael Delacerda (dela217) on March 26, 2003, 07:37:50 AM

Dave, I search constantly too.  Everyday.  Always looking for the elusive piece.  Never seen a Vector. Hmm.

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Paul Lindemans (palembic) on March 26, 2003, 07:46:45 AM

I jumped in my old folder and ... here they are!
So ... keep on drooling brothers
;-)
 
Paul
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/4036.jpg)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 27, 2003, 03:16:20 AM

BeeeeYooooTeeeFul! Thanks, Paul! Which cataog was that from? It looks like the early 90's one but I don't have that sheet.

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 27, 2003, 03:16:39 AM

Very odd indeed, Michael. I remember asking you if you had come across any several years ago and you hadn't then. Whoever has them must be holding on to them. Is it just a coinky dinky that EVERY other model shows up on the used market and no one has ever sold a Vector online? Or is there something about this model that endeared itself to the owners so they never had the desire to sell? It's kind of a cross between an Elan and an Essence, but closer to an Essence albeit with what appears to be a 32 scale from the pic Mica posted. Is it the Fender shape that people loved so much? And how is it that as far as we know, no one in this club owns a Vector???? ARGHH! Where are they hiding????

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Paul Lindemans (palembic) on March 27, 2003, 04:35:35 AM

Brother Dave,  
   
I don't have the copy with me right now but (help) I think it must 91 something.  The page Mica showed is also in my folder.
I didn't copy the page as a whole. I scanned just the part with the 2 vectors. It was in that folder the last page showing guitars.  
Why it wasn't popular? Beats me!  
I guess that buying an Alembic has everything to do with standing out and be different. That involves the sound (of course) and it involves the looks. BTW: remember that Ron was an engineer and Susan an artist.  
Now given that fact I can understand that a guitar with an almost Fender P look wasn't THAT succesful in the general product position of Alembic. It didn't stands out on that moment.  
OTOH: it does now! Just because WE know there are so little of them!  
Just my ideas.  
   
Paul (the bad one)(the one WITH the but)  
 
(Message edited by palembic on March 27, 2003)
 
(Message edited by palembic on March 27, 2003)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dino Monoxelos (dean_m) on March 27, 2003, 06:38:24 AM

Hey Guys,
 
Brother Mark Dufresne has a Distillate with the Fender body option that looks just like the Vector body shape.  Check this link out http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/2684.html?1048614704 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=9117).
Just my 2 cents worth!!
Dino (Paul, the fake one)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dino Monoxelos (dean_m) on March 27, 2003, 06:43:04 AM

Duh,
 
Stupid me!!!  I just saw that Mica had linked to that page up above, second message from the top.
 
OOPS

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Paul Lindemans (palembic) on March 27, 2003, 06:45:37 AM

I was going to say the same thing Brother Paul-the fake one!
Wake-up man!
Stay away from the Duvels!
 
Paul-the bad one

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dino Monoxelos (dean_m) on March 27, 2003, 08:20:46 AM

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually it was Harp last night.  What can I say, I was playing an Irish pub.
 
Dino(BPTFO=Brother Paul The Fake One)

Title: Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???
Post by: Dave DeMarco (daved) on March 28, 2003, 03:07:36 AM

Paul - that makes sense. Now, I wonder if we'll ever see one on the used market?