'95 Custom Short Scale for Sale - Fender shape/dual p-bass/flame maple

[frank_orlando]

Hello all, I am selling my '95 Alembic Custom short scale. You may have seen it on this forum in the past. The S/N is 95C9527. It has a P-Bass shaped body with two P-Bass pickups. The body front laminate is flamed maple. It comes in a G&L hard case that fits it perfectly. The bass has excellent tone from the dual P-Bass pickups and is in excellent condition with one ding on the lower end where the previous owner may have bumped it. The tone is clearly Alembic. The E and A string really rumble compared to my Essence and the volume is much louder at the same settings using the same strings, probably due to the massive body and pickups. No buckle rash or scratches/dings in the body, head, neck, etc other than the one I mentioned. I am going to list it on eBay on Friday, 10/15 for a 10 day auction with an opening bid of $1600. Thanks for looking. I'll be glad to answer any questions. Frank  

[bsee]

If you're going 10 days, wouldn't you want to list it Wednesday or Thursday so it finishes on the weekend?  I don't get the value of the ten days, especially on items like this.  Anyone interested will see it and wait until the last second to bid anyway.  Especially with such a high starting bid for the item.  Isn't this at or above what you paid for it about six months ago?  
 
By the way, it's a very pretty bass!  Here are the build details from a previous thread:
 
1995 short scale 4 string custom bass  
flame maple top  
purpleheart accent  
mahogany body  
ebony fretboard  
maple neck with walnut pistripes  
essence electronics, 2 P-style pickups  
Alembic gotoh gold tuners  
plastic backplates  
Brass hardware  
completed 12/17/95  
sold with gig bag through Washington Music  
 
Good luck!

[frank_orlando]

Well, I asked for questions...  so here goes.
First, a 10 day listing on eBay gives me 2 weekends. Weekends are when people have time to look. Looking is what's important in my opinion. I don't care if it ends on a weekday. Once you see what you want you'll note the closing date and time and be there for the sniper attack regardless of the day of the week. Second, I know it is used, but when I bought this bass on eBay, I received a lot of email from people who I beat using Buy It Now. Their message was essentially the same... I want it and I am willing to pay more than you did. Those folks may still be shopping. Some may be on this forum. I paid $1600 on April 4th. Since I was willing to pay that amount I apparently don't consider $1600 a high starting bid. I won't take less than $1600 so what is the point of making the opening bid $1 and the reserve $1600? I don't think it depreciated since April and I added strap locks and the fitted G&L case. It had an SKB that didn't fit it as well.  
 
Well, that's my logic. If it doesn't sell I won't be heart broken. Frank

[bsee]

Just asking.  I think we have different views of how to work the eBay market.
 
I think I saw you mention somewhere that this neck is wider than your Essence.  Is that the case?  It's hard to say from the photo, but it looks like this bass has a Signature neck profile which is wider at the nut but narrower at the bridge as compared to the Essence.  Does that seem right to you?  
 
Finally, can you say why you're selling this one as opposed to the Essence?  Your previous posts on this bass suggest that you would prefer it, so I am surprised.

[glocke]

Man,
 
That is one sweet looking bass....I bet it can freaking sing!!
 
I have 1964 fender Jazz that I have often thought of using as a template for an Alembic bass...

[frank_orlando]

BSEE, this one is wider at the nut and the bridge than my Essence which has the SC spec neck. The reason for even thinking about selling it are complex. This bass does have more bottom than the Essence and does sound excellent but I have recently been told by a few musicians who I trust and were at my last few gigs, that the Essence has a better overall sound with more individual note clarity. On stage they sounded close. I am using different strings now and I have found my sound settings on my 3Pro which are also very different than the tone I was using back in April when I preferred the Custom. My new setup is much punchier and has made the Essence come alive! Another factor is that I bought a vacation home last month and the luxury of having an Alembic as a back-up bass for an Alembic is less important than it was 6 months ago. I'll have to use a mere mortal bass as my back-up. I am sure I'll regret this sale the second it is over. I have changed my mind 100 times in the last 24 hours. I have been at this crossraods before but priorities change.  Frank (www.mediacrime.com)  

[bsee]

Thanks for the info on the neck, the width will kill it for me, especially if it is wider than a signature spec neck.  Good luck with your sale!

[frank_orlando]

Back up...what I said is that the Custom is wider than the Stanley Clark (SC) neck I have on my Essence which is real narrow. The original owner of my Essence ordered it with the narrow Stanley spec neck and set it up as a picolo bass.  
 
The Custom neck is narrower than the Signature neck specs given on this website.    
 
The actual width of the Custom is 1-11/16 at the nut and 2-3/16 at the bridge. The Signature is  1/16 wider at the nut and 1/16 wider at the 24th fret. Frank

[bsee]

Ahh, I get it.  Sorry about that.

[frank_orlando]

No eBay tonight.. I may have a private sale. The longer I wait the harder it is to sell it. These Alembics have magic powers! They are so hard to part with. The reality sets in... what short scale am I going to buy to replace it that will sound half as good??? I have been living in Guitar Center and have found that my selection is very, very limited. Hmmmm, maybe I can sell some of my wife's stuff to pay for the condo....

[kungfusheriff]

Frank,
We all know she has two feet and 6,129 shoes (one is missing). I think the course is clear.