Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => For Sale & Trade => Topic started by: Bassman8416 on June 18, 2021, 02:53:47 PM
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Hi Brothers and Sisters of Alembic. I just got this amazing bass from a trusted forum member. In my haste, thinking I had found the bass I was looking for, I neglected to ask about the spacing at the bridge. The spec sheets 2.63" dimension at the end of the fingerboard should have been a heads up. It wasn't until I had mentioned the purchase to Mica, after payment and shipment, that she pointed out, I remember this bass it has a wider spacing at the bridge. Trying to be an optimist I was like i will get used to it. I played it at a big show at The Cutting Room last night in NYC and I feel like I ran a marathon with my hands. I have an arthritic left pinky and narrowness and shorter scales make things playable for me. I am taking the bass to luthier in NYC recommended by Mica. Putting Thomastik Flats on and having a setup done to see if maybe I can make it work.Here are a couple pics and the stats sheet. Being this is the Forum, I am being totally transparent about money paid out etc.I paid $10,350 for this bass shipped from Europe. Maybe there is someone out there hat has a narrower medium scale Series I. Would love an Omega, but standard point is cool, as is an EVH. 18 mm or less on the bridge spacing and 1.5 nut or less is a necessity. Bass has to be 10 lbs or less.
This bass is at 20 mm. and weighs 10.8lbs.
Being this the forum I would take 9K plus shipping with no fee transaction. That's a 1K hit, if I go much lower than that, I might as well send it to the mothership for a neck recarve. This was mistake and I have to start somewhere. I go to the luthier on Tuesday. So the bass will be in the best possible playing shape, maybe i can make it work, I know my body though. 60 yrs old now and I have to scale down.
Thank you for looking and your patience. Its been a road. Getting there.More pictures available. Just wanted to get things rolling
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Maybe this person would trade, looks like they are on Long Island…I have no affiliation, just a thought…
https://reverb.com/item/39443716-alembic-custom-series-i-short-scale-bass-guitar-w-side-leds?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiIyOTk2MjA2OC1hNGIwLTRkZjctOTYyYy0zYzQ4OGZmYzk2YTIiLCJpYXQiOjE2MjQwNjAzNjYsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiZDNiNTdlOGUtNjg5MS00NGRhLThjZTctODBkN2NlNjAwYWEyIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiZjVlZTBmYjEtOGY4Yi00ZmE3LTljY2MtMmEyOThiYzY3NjgwIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjM5NDQzNzE2Iiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.zfyqDBmp5q16fsG9btsVUTAoQzprALvBiwDhSw36G-U
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Maybe this person would trade, looks like they are on Long Island…I have no affiliation, just a thought…
https://reverb.com/item/39443716-alembic-custom-series-i-short-scale-bass-guitar-w-side-leds?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiIyOTk2MjA2OC1hNGIwLTRkZjctOTYyYy0zYzQ4OGZmYzk2YTIiLCJpYXQiOjE2MjQwNjAzNjYsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiZDNiNTdlOGUtNjg5MS00NGRhLThjZTctODBkN2NlNjAwYWEyIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiZjVlZTBmYjEtOGY4Yi00ZmE3LTljY2MtMmEyOThiYzY3NjgwIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjM5NDQzNzE2Iiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.zfyqDBmp5q16fsG9btsVUTAoQzprALvBiwDhSw36G-U (https://reverb.com/item/39443716-alembic-custom-series-i-short-scale-bass-guitar-w-side-leds?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiIyOTk2MjA2OC1hNGIwLTRkZjctOTYyYy0zYzQ4OGZmYzk2YTIiLCJpYXQiOjE2MjQwNjAzNjYsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiZDNiNTdlOGUtNjg5MS00NGRhLThjZTctODBkN2NlNjAwYWEyIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiZjVlZTBmYjEtOGY4Yi00ZmE3LTljY2MtMmEyOThiYzY3NjgwIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjM5NDQzNzE2Iiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.zfyqDBmp5q16fsG9btsVUTAoQzprALvBiwDhSw36G-U)
I did give that a thought and reached out. For sale only.Appreciate the heads up though.
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I'm just wondering Craig, could you simply have the string spacing narrowed a bit at each end? Would you be able to deal with it then, or is the actual girth of the neck the problem? 20mm is a bit of a stretch for some, but it always baffles me that 17mm is a no-go for the next guy because it's "too close". For that bass, before I did anything irreversible, I'd try a set of bridge saddles cut for closer spacing and a replacement nut. (I have a set, if you decide to try this, of course they won't be chrome-plated)
Believe me, I totally get the physicality part, man... every night, about 8:00, and I'm just staring down the barrel of 52. :P
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I'm just wondering Craig, could you simply have the string spacing narrowed a bit at each end? Would you be able to deal with it then, or is the actual girth of the neck the problem? 20mm is a bit of a stretch for some, but it always baffles me that 17mm is a no-go for the next guy because it's "too close". For that bass, before I did anything irreversible, I'd try a set of bridge saddles cut for closer spacing and a replacement nut. (I have a set, if you decide to try this, of course they won't be chrome-plated)
Believe me, I totally get the physicality part, man... every night, about 8:00, and I'm just staring down the barrel of 52. :P
Hey Ed,
Yes indeed, that is one of the options Mica mentioned. I am definitely interested in those saddles my friend. The nut is fine, just under 1.50" which is great for me. Hit me up at cfprivett@gmail.com if you can part with them. I appreciate you checking in brother.
Craig
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I put TI Flats on today and what a difference. Its getting there, If we can get it to 19mm spacing at the bridge with a new set of saddles , with slot location etc. I think I can do make it work.
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Gotcha' covered... Help On The Way. ;)
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The luthier did a nice set up. He gave me a really good suggestion and that's to take some time see if i can get used tothe bridge spacing and radius.
Hoping I can do it and it all works out. I am concerned about the arthritis, but it sounds so good. I have to try.
So, for now I am going to keep this add up for now and in the meantime I am going to give it my best.
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Fingers crossed that this one will work for you!
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Fingers crossed that this one will work for you!
Stephen,
Unfortunately, getting used to the neck isn't going to work. Its too much on the left hand, due to the arthritis stiffness and pain
get worse and at 60 yrs of age I have to use instruments that help not hinder and make things worse, that's what my hand specialist says. Really bummed.
Anyway this beauty is officially on the block.
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this might be a stupid question, but i looked at your posting and i couldn't tell if this is a long or a medium scale. can you enlighten me? speaking of lighting, can you post a picture of the LEDs lit up?
Thanks!
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I can empathize with your situation but for me the difficulty wasn't the string spacing or neck width as much as what Greg referred to as the neck girth. My initial 83 Series I has a neck girth far greater than that of my 2012.Signature custom which was my main bass at the time. Same string spacing and 1.5 to 2.25 neck width. When I first started to play the Series bass, however, I had hand cramps and both wrist and finger soreness that would last for days. Careful analysis and improvement of my technique and slowly (we are talking several months here) increasing the time I spent playing that bass eventually got me to a point where I can play it for four hours with no adverse effects.
The moral here is don't give up too quickly on this beautiful instrument. There is no way I could have initially played a show with my Series bass without being in pain but a slow, gradual process of adjustment and adaptation (sort of like adjusting one's neck relief with quarter turns on the truss rod) did the trick for me.
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Craig,
If the issue is neck depth (front of fingerboard to back of neck), could you ask Alembic if they could shave it down reducing depth and refinish with satin? I got to check out one of Phil’s current basses when I visited a couple of years ago and the neck depth on his is incredibly thin.
Another option may be a Spoiler/Persuader, the one I had from the late 80s had a very thin neck.
Lastly, I think you have a Starfire, which have pretty thin necks. Maybe upgrade your Starfire with Anniversary electronics and AXY/Fatboy pickups.
Hope it all works out and you can find an Alembic or Alembicized option that works for you!
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Sorry it didn't work out Craig... man, I thought that was The One.
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Many good suggestions here, the reality is, at 60 with arthritis I need to be making it easier on myself. I will be playing it while its with me, so we'll see.
This is a 32" and here is a pic showing the LEDS, which power up when engaged with power supply.
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Craig,
If the issue is neck depth (front of fingerboard to back of neck), could you ask Alembic if they could shave it down reducing depth and refinish with satin? I got to check out one of Phil’s current basses when I visited a couple of years ago and the neck depth on his is incredibly thin.
Another option may be a Spoiler/Persuader, the one I had from the late 80s had a very thin neck.
Lastly, I think you have a Starfire, which have pretty thin necks. Maybe upgrade your Starfire with Anniversary electronics and AXY/Fatboy pickups.
Hope it all works out and you can find an Alembic or Alembicized option that works for you!
I am seriously considering the Starfire idea. So comfortable to play.
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Cool…Mica and company were kind enough to Alembicize my Starfire with Anniversary/AXY and it sounds fantastic, especially through an SF-2 :)
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SOLD !!!
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Fantastic! I hope it goes to a home where the hands and fingers match the neck well.
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Fantastic! I hope it goes to a home where the hands and fingers match the neck well.
Yes indeed. I have to be much more careful on future purchases.