Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Wanted & Wishing => Topic started by: FlyingV73 on March 16, 2025, 09:19:40 PM
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Wanted: Moonstone Flying V Bass
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It's not a Moonstone Flying V but I've got a beautiful Moonstone M80 5-string bass. What makes it exceptional is that it was built with Alembic electronics and hardware (with Alembic's permission I believe). I don't know how many basses Steve Helgeson made during the time he ran Moonstone, but I know that there appear to be a lot more of his guitars out there than basses.
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GC has an exploder
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Moonstone/Vintage-Vintage-1980s-Moonstone-EXPLODER-BURL-MAPLE-Electric-Bass-Guitar.gc?algoliaQueryID=9130853817791316668b415ae4decebd&algoliaIndexName=guitarcenter
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It's not a Moonstone Flying V but I've got a beautiful Moonstone M80 5-string bass. What makes it exceptional is that it was built with Alembic electronics and hardware (with Alembic's permission I believe). I don't know how many basses Steve Helgeson made during the time he ran Moonstone, but I know that there appear to be a lot more of his guitars out there than basses.
That is a superb looking bass. I remember a couple of years ago being tempted by one of these on reverb.I would happily get rid of my noo alembic bass for a moonstone like this. It's gorgeous.
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Even the Exploder looks nice.
I recall seeing my first Moonstone at…. :o some music store on National Avenue in Milwaukee.
Same place I saw my first Series I in person. I was in awe of a lot of the instruments there.
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My primary interest in the M80 was due to its Alembic electronics and hardware which are original. Most Moonstone basses use Bartolini PUs. I communicated with Mica before the purchase and she confirmed the quality of Steve Helgeson’s work and that they did in fact sell him the electronics for this custom. The bass has some interesting aspects beside its Alembic connection in both the inlay and the fact that the typical Moonstone logo on the top of the headstock was replaced with Moonstone “written in elfin.” Along with the guitar came a picture book of its construction and some notes that indicate that Steve went back and forth numerous times with the customer who wanted to make changes and add things to the instrument, at times, after work on a specific aspect of the build had been completed.
One unusual thing about this bass is its need for extremely long strings (it’s a 35). Long scale doesn’t come close and my favorite TI flats in extra long are too floppy even for me. Does anyone have recommendations for extra long scale flats that have some tension.
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One unusual thing about this bass is its need for extremely long strings (it’s a 35). Long scale doesn’t come close and my favorite TI flats in extra long are too floppy even for me. Does anyone have recommendations for extra long scale flats that have some tension.
If you measure your current string from the ball end to the headstock side of the nut, then again from ball end to the closest tuning peg (B string on this bass), you can reach out to Jason at FretNation.com and he'll get you strings with an appropriate winding length and will make a recommendation that suits what you're looking for.
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Just saw your response. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll follow through on that recommendation.