Scott:
According to the reference page, Electrums were made from '78 -'85:
http://alembic.com/support/reference.html#sernum I have spoken with the folks at Alembic and my understanding is that they have made some custom order Electrums since then, and can still do so if a customer wants. I have seen Electrums set up both with two humbucker shaped pickups - see for example, mine:
http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/12743.html?1095369307 Others had three single-coil shaped pick ups, such as this one:
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:kgKctUNu1scJ:www.forestsong.ne.jp/naoki/intro/inst.html+alembic+electrum&hl=en (By the way, as I understand it, except for the series instruments, all Alembic pickups are humbucker type, even the strat shaped ones - they don't make single-coil. Someone set me straight on this if I am wrong).)
You might also notice that they came with at least two diffferent pegheads. Also, while most are neck-thrus, there are the occasional set-necks (like the current e-bay one). I might be wrong, but I believe that the set-necks were either special orders or for the japanese market, I forget which.
As for price, Susan told me, if I remember correctly, that a new one today would go for about $5000-5500, depending on the electronics. I picked mine up at the World Guitar Show in San Rafael, California this past summer for $1200. I don't think the seller really knew what he had. He certainly didn't have a clue about the controls.
They turn up maybe a couple of times a year on e-bay, (not including the one that is going around again right now with the gutted electronics (Seymour Duncans on an Alembic! Sacrilege!)). I would offer a guess that current market value is probably in the $1400-2000 range, well worth it, IMHO.
As for standard electronics, I can't help you. Mica tells me that the electronics on mine were upgraded in '93. Mine has a pan for the pickups, volume, low pass filter, Q switch, and a standby switch. As any regular on this site knows, I LOVE THIS GUITAR and highly recommend it. Any other questions? don't hesitate to ask. (And if you're thinking about the e-bay one, I'd say pass).
Bill, tgo
(Message edited by lbpesq on November 06, 2004)
