Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: rv_bass on September 27, 2025, 04:44:02 PM
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https://reverb.com/item/92389137-alembic-series-ii-graphite-neck-1980-very-rare (https://reverb.com/item/92389137-alembic-series-ii-graphite-neck-1980-very-rare)
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someday.....
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yeah, i saw that. made me think a minute. but only for a minute. i have an all-graphite (non) alembic bass that's been relagated to emergency backup status because i just like the sound of wood better and i'm willing to deal with the hanging weight on my shoulder for it. there's certain music it sounds real good on. my bandmates like it. i don't.
i gotta wonder if a wood body and high-end electronics would sway me. but - alas no LEDs. 4 strings. plus it looks like no truss rods. does that limit you to certian strings/tension ranges? not really willing to drop $14k USD to find out.
good luck to all!
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Thanks for posting that bass. As it happens shop is about 1/2 hr drive from me and with a day off next week. I'm now plan to check it out, unlikely I will make any impulse buys as that's not my nature. However I will take a couple of my own alembics with me to see if a trade is possible, I don't need to add anymore basses to my arsenal.
I don't know anything about graphite in basses, how they perform and how the material affects sound. Are the necks solid, laminated, hollow, web core?
Seems some reading of the forum is in order.
Yes I know I have said in the past that I am not a fan of the large bodied classic alembics, that's stili largely true, but there are always exceptions. ;-)
Just done a search and found the link.
https://club.alembicguitars.com/index.php?topic=24090.msg241050#msg241050 (https://club.alembicguitars.com/index.php?topic=24090.msg241050#msg241050)
It seems it's a medium scale bass not long scale as described.
https://reverb.com/uk/item/70121600-alembic-series-ii-graphite-1980-graphite-neck (https://reverb.com/uk/item/70121600-alembic-series-ii-graphite-1980-graphite-neck)
Well we've see this here before and was sold for almost 1/2 the current selling price.
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Interesting. That one immediately preceeds my other bass, 80-1684. (also a medium-scale) Even has the same 'birthday'.
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Good research there Jazzy,
The medium scale is a surprise to me because I believe there was only one "mold" used for the graphite neck experiment back around 1980. But the photos reveal quiet a bit of space beyond the tailpiece and the fingerboard ending just as the body begins, so it does appear to be medium scale simply by offsetting the bridge, tailpiece and using the shorter fingerboard.
Structure-wise, they are made up of a kind of 1/2 round trough which is then capped with a graphite plate making a structurally solid "beam". Much of the neck could be hollow but I also know they used quite a bit of graphite so the thinnest parts of the neck could be solid from front to back.
There is no truss rod so any serious change to the action would need to be done through fingerboard and fret shaping. That said, it should be as flat as it was when it left the factory in 1980. Bridge height should do whatever you want to the action unless you really prefer a big "bow" in the fingerboard.
I will add that the sustain, compression, and evenness of the sound resulting from this super-solid structure is pretty amazing. My original 1980 Series I fretless is graphite and I feel lucky to have happened to have it built right at that moment. For the fretless, that added sustain and compression is a lovely thing!
Side story: I loved that fretless as soon as I got it (and still do!) so I had a fretted version built shortly after. I played that '82 fretted graphite bass on a couple tours but decided the compression was too much for me in a live situation. I felt like I couldn't play as dynamically as I was used to with my wood bass. So I had that bass rebuilt as a fretless which serves as a backup to my original. But here's the thing .... I happened to play it in its original form on a Holdsworth tour which resulted in a video from 1984 - and I like the sound. The natural compression actually recorded very well. The joke's on me!
Jazzy, you should go check it out and see what you think, you may really like it! Let us know.
Jimmy J
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Everything's just ^ slid up ^ three or four frets... 😊
Let us know how it is in-hand Jazzy... looks nice.
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My #1 guitar sports an old Modulus Blackknife neck, along with a Warmoth body, Flame Koa over Black Korina, and Alembic pickups and electronics. I LOVE the graphite/Carbon Fiber neck. Feels great, plays great.
Bill, tgo
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My #1 guitar sports an old Modulus Blackknife neck, along with a Warmoth body, Flame Koa over Black Korina, and Alembic pickups and electronics. I LOVE the graphite/Carbon Fiber neck. Feels great, plays great.
Bill, tgo
I wasn't really sure what I thought of the whole idea.
Then I played this guitar.
A Modulus/Alembic Strat is now on Dream List!
We look forward to your report, Jazzy. That is gorgeous fiddle (if a bit spendy)!
Petedr
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I had a Modulus Blackknife Graphite neck guitar (I think I sold it to someone on this forum) and liked it a lot. My only complaint was the whammy bar which stuck up kinda high. I thought the graphite neck sounded fine. Didn't Bob Weir of the Grateful dead play a similar guitar?
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Didn't Bob Weir of the Grateful dead play a similar guitar?
A number of them.
Peter
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Interesting. That one immediately preceeds my other bass, 80-1684. (also a medium-scale) Even has the same 'birthday'.
and it predates mine, 80-1694, also medium scale!
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Jazzy,
I have 2 short scale Alembic basses with Graphite necks. The necks on mine are hollow. The headstocks are hollow too.
Michael
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I would much prefer a short scale with a graphite neck if I had the choice, although 32" is a good compromise. All depends on the sound and playability I guess.
I had a look at their web site and they do accept part exchanges so will take a couple of my alembic basses that haven't seen many gigs in recent years and see if there is any mileage in a trade. I personally think it is over priced even given it's graphite rarity and, that it was previously sold for around 1/2 the current listing price.
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I reckon the graphite neck beam is considerably lighter than a comparable maple/purpleheart one, but with it stuck out there that way, I'm guessing it plays more like a long-scale, at least from a posture standpoint. Offhand I'd guess you're probably 6'-2" Jazzy. Shouldn't be much of a reach issue for you. Go try it out... I love medium-scale and wouldn't have it any other way. ;)
*agree on the pricing, but might be an opportunity to swap that bocate Europa and trade upwards... no way they've got that many £££'s in it.
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Looks like there was a thumb rest removed above the hum Concealing dummy pickup. If that is true that takes me out.
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I reckon the graphite neck beam is considerably lighter than a comparable maple/purpleheart one, but with it stuck out there that way, I'm guessing it plays more like a long-scale, at least from a posture standpoint. Offhand I'd guess you're probably 6'-2" Jazzy. Shouldn't be much of a reach issue for you. Go try it out... I love medium-scale and wouldn't have it any other way. ;)
*agree on the pricing, but might be an opportunity to swap that bocate Europa and trade upwards... no way they've got that many £££'s in it.
Hmm quite and interesting observation Greg, most people think that, and by American basketball player standards i'm quite short at 5'10". Strangely due to the way the alembics I have hang, the 34" long scale basses feel less of a stretch to first position that my short scale basses, so it will be interesting how this one hangs with a large body and medium scale neck. :-). mkazaria, I didn't notice that but I kind of don't mind something like that on a vintage bass if everything else was to my liking. I think my main concern is the amount it's been flipped for considering it's last known selling price.
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it’s on hold for someone who is paying today. 🥳😁
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Ha! Then we are the same height, but I would never have guessed it. Maybe an Europa would make me look taller...
The secret, if there is one, to playing the Standard Point body is to shift it to your right side more. This won't work for everyone's style, but it's completely comfortable to me. I would struggle to reach the furthest frets on a long-scale at my 5'-10" frame, but the medium-scale works out just fine. Wearing the bass this way also distributes the weight better.
*Soooo... were you able to negotiate a trade with them, or is this 'someone' someone else?
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If you are in the market for a short scale Graphite bass Jazzy: I think Edwin has one he might want to sell @ Bass Connection. https://www.connectionbult.com/wp (https://www.connectionbult.com/wp)
https://club.alembicguitars.com/index.php?topic=8318.0
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If you are in the market for a short scale Graphite bass Jazzy: I think Edwin has one he might want to sell @ Bass Connection. https://www.connectionbult.com/wp (https://www.connectionbult.com/wp)
https://club.alembicguitars.com/index.php?topic=8318.0
I just looked; the only Alembic he has showing is a '77 small standard Series I with what looks to be maple & walnut for the neck (and a Boogieman power supply! Heretic! Unclean! Unclean!).
Peter
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He has a couple for sale, not all are listed :-)
I think he never listed the Graphite bass, but he did ask me a couple of times what a reasonable asking price would be. I'm pretty sure I will go there later this week, will check 'em all out. (and will let Edwin loose on my SII) :-)
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I have had contact with the shop a couple of times this week. They contacted me to let me know the original buyer backed out, then when I contacted to go check the bass out. It was out for a service so would not be back to yesterday. Contacted them yesterday and was told another person has said they will buy it but there is a fault with the small blue master volume pot which they are having trouble sourcing at the moment. I offered to check my stores stash to see if I had one. I do have a stacked blue master vol pot but it is not the same part number as they relayed to me. I will pop the numbers on here today and maybe you will know if it is suitable and if so, what price I should sell it to them for. I do have a few of the larger metal can style dual pots but no idea if they are a suitable alternative.
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IIrc the master volume for Series was about $75 ten years ago. Larger pots are most likely for the Filters (or maybe old volume controls?)
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Numbers in my new one:
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Double pot numbers:
Mastervolume: 475-009
Filter: 475-007
CVQ: 475-008
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So is it still for sale? They don't understand that all the pot needs is exercise... Don't let them tear the bass apart and in an attempt to "fix" it!
Jimmy J
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Well they said someone is buying it, no idea if they paid any deposit to hold it. just checked an the listing has ended but not sure if that means sold if Reverb terms.