1975 John Entwistle Series 1 at Bass Direct UK !!

[Philip-M-Bass]

A real piece of history !!

http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Alembic_Series_1.html

[tx196059]

"There is no serial number which is common for artist built instruments that were made by Alembic." 

Is that true?

[elwoodblue]

yumm,


So much 'The Zebrawood'.

[edwardofhuncote]

It happened. The Tiran Porter bass escaped without a number stamp, though it is suspected to be #73-44, the only closeby missing number. And I've never seen a bonafide reported number on McVie's '76 Custom Omega-cut Series I either. Duplicate numbers pop up from time to time too. And mysterious numbering sequences. The mystique of a particular Alembic is part of the draw, I think. Each is an individual entity.

[bazzer]

Not to be overly critical, but this bass is first referred to by the sales agent as a 1975 model, and is immediately thereafter referred to as being from 1974. The description further states that this is a 5 string instrument. Now I’m not a spring chicken any more, but my eyes still work to some degree, and I can see the photo clearly enough to count only 4 strings. An interested party might wish to clarify a few specifics before sending off the 12,999 pound asking price. That’s a lot of rubles, drachmas, clams, or bitcoins, even for an instrument as beautiful as the one in the photographs.

[jazzyvee]

I personally wouldn't pay that premium, but we generally find alembic basses set at higher prices generally in the UK and Europe than in the states so we end up finding instruments priced pounds for dollars or euros for dollars. But with the Entwhistle connection it may generate the expectation of a higher sale price, but as often stated, the market will decide and a keen buyer/fan may feel that price is a bargain or at least worth it to them. Whilst I appreciate the beauty and attraction of that body style is just not my thing. However I think i'd find it hard to resist if Stanley Clarke's Dragon's Breath bass came up for sale around that price, but I think it would be much more expensive and .........well..............let's not even think about that too much......!

[senmen]

Guys,
this bass is genuine and in fact ex JE.
And of course a 4 string. 
Below you find a link of one of my posts showing different old
Photos of JE‘s Alembics back in the day and this one is shown in fact.

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8108.0


Greetz
Oliver (Spyderman)

[hammer]

The bass is of course beautiful, but unless I was a collector and a BIG JE fan I just don't understand the logic of paying extra, sometimes a lot extra, just because a famous musician's fingers have the touched the strings of an instrument.  Of course that's just me and to each his/her own.

[senmen]

Hammer,
I fully agree.
14 years ago when I started my WHO tribute band I was nuts about JE and bought and would have bought anything at any price. 
Nowadays, older and wiser, not anymore.
I would rather go for another nice Alembic than a tribute owned bass.

Greetz
Oliver (Spyderman)

[mica]

"There is no serial number which is common for artist built instruments that were made by Alembic." 

Is that true?

It's much more common than I ever would have thought! But it's not limited to "artist built" (whatever that means).