Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: DistillaMatto on August 16, 2023, 06:03:40 AM

Title: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 16, 2023, 06:03:40 AM
This is a weird one. The original electronics look like they are in the case. They've replaced the pickups with p-90s?!
https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k1102727621
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 16, 2023, 07:21:14 AM
Man, would I sure love to find that over here somewhere... an old Series II medium-scale guitar, with its electronics replaced with P-90s. Play it until you fix it. I'm going to be stewing about that one the rest of the day.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: lbpesq on August 16, 2023, 08:39:23 AM
According to the yen/dollar converter, this one is a little under $1400!   Buyer beware!

Bill, tgo
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: gtrguy on August 16, 2023, 09:55:40 AM
I think it says Auction. This would make a fun project that might turn out pretty OK, assuming you could actually get it. I like the, "If you wish, we could include the original electronics" bit! Duh...
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 16, 2023, 10:52:31 AM
Maybe Bill TGO is concerned at that price it may be a scam? I am not familiar enough with Japanese auction sites to know if they are like what we are currently experiencing on Reverb etc, but if I found that guitar around here somewhere, I'd be on it like a duck on a junebug. At twice that.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: adriaan on August 16, 2023, 11:02:48 AM
As much as I'd like to take a closer look, it would appear the Yahoo auction site for Japan will not show for a Western European or UK audience. "From Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Yahoo! JAPAN is no longer available in the EEA and the United Kingdom"
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 16, 2023, 12:02:41 PM
Here is what we are seeing Adriaan... looks to be a stripped-out medium-scale Series II guitar, Padouk top/back, #78-1046.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: adriaan on August 16, 2023, 12:22:51 PM
Thanks Greg!
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: rv_bass on August 16, 2023, 03:26:04 PM
Cool grain pattern on the headstock :)
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 16, 2023, 05:20:32 PM
I live in Japan and have bought a few guitars on Yahoo Auction. I don't think it is a scam. My concern is that it is a Frankenstein from other guitars. The paper work has Rick Turner on the list. These auctions can go up a lot in the last hour. If everyone out there thinks the body and headstock are real I'll try bidding on it. I'm still waiting for a quote and confirmation on getting a custom made so I won't go too far in the bidding. I wrote a question to the seller if the original pickup and electronics are there.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 16, 2023, 05:54:57 PM
The story is that it was a nuisance to use a power supply for the active pickups so they had some custom p-90s made.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: rv_bass on August 16, 2023, 06:39:52 PM
Maybe ask if there is a photo of the serial number stamped at the top edge of the headstock
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 16, 2023, 07:31:05 PM
Maybe ask if there is a photo of the serial number stamped at the top edge of the headstock
I'll do that. Thank you.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 17, 2023, 03:01:16 AM
Headstock photo.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 17, 2023, 04:56:59 AM
Looks 100% legitimate to me. One unusual thing; #78-1116 which I had the pleasure of caretaking a while, was completed May 11th, and this one has a little later 'Birthday' of Aug. 4th. Doesn't really mean anything other than it took longer in production.


*man, this one really tweaks me! 😍
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 17, 2023, 05:47:18 PM
I'll keep an eye on it. Right now it is a steal but there are still four days and I've expierenced these auctions before. They can go up thousands in the last few minutes.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: pauldo on August 17, 2023, 06:51:46 PM
She is tweak worthy.  Would be tweak-tastic with Alembic electronics… Or maybe the existing package compliments the structural craftsmanship.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 21, 2023, 06:16:57 AM
Any thoughts on how the top fret intrudes on the metal neck plate?
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 21, 2023, 06:44:43 AM
Notched out for LED wire? (I can't see the detail very well...)


*these would probably be inoperable without the Series II electronics and external power. I suppose it's possible whoever performed these modes configured a way to power the LED's with batteries.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 21, 2023, 07:00:47 AM
I am wondering if whoever did this didn't have those pickups made to fit the original pickup cavities. Those don't look like any P-90s I've ever seen. Some of you guys with some old-school experience chime in if you have, but these look like some custom jobs to me. It would sure be nice if somebody did not hack this one up.


Here is what a medium-scale Series Guitar looks like without pickups. It happens to be a 1978, made within a few numbers of this one.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 21, 2023, 07:43:38 AM
I am wondering if whoever did this didn't have those pickups made to fit the original pickup cavities.
Yes. In the Japanese explanation he says he had the pickups made for it.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 22, 2023, 06:22:35 AM
It's sold. I was out and couldn't bid in the final hours. It sold for about 2,369 U.S.
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 22, 2023, 07:35:46 AM
That's a great deal. I bet it resurfaces in a while, perhaps in some other iteration. I'll keep #78-1046 in my memory banks here!
Title: Re: More Alembics in Japan
Post by: DistillaMatto on August 22, 2023, 05:32:24 PM
I've seen this happen before. They usually show up on Reverb for three times as much.