Spoiler Or Not?

[Edward J. Orr (oggydoggy)]

hey everyone my name is Ed i own other alembic basses but i have a chance to buy another one. This bass has been in a guitar shop for about ten years so i am told and the guy does not know what the model is. i played it once last summer and my recolection is blurry. anyway i live 5 hours away from it and i was wondering when was the last year they made Spoiler's. and if they were ever made with crown head-stocks?  can tell me if this is a spoiler or what model is it? it does have oval inlays. My e-mail Oggydoggy83@netscape.net

[Kent Fossgreen (xlrogue6)]

I'm sure we'd all love to help, but your post doesn't include a link to a picture or any helpful descriptive info.  In the meantime, we'll all visualize a Spoiler and see if it comes through psychically.

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Ed,
 
To my knowledge, Alembic still makes Spoiler basses.  I've never seen one with a crown h.s. though but, anything is possible when it comes to Alembic.
Is there anyway you can post a pix of the bass you are looking at so we can tell you what it is.
 
Peace,
Dino

[Valentino Villevieille (valvil)]

Even though the Spoiler is not part of the current Alembic catalog, as Dino indicated, you can still order one.  Any Alembic can be made with any headstock, and many customers like to change the headstock from the original body design.
 
Valentino

[Edward J. Orr (oggydoggy)]

hey thanks guys. i will try to contact the store owner for a pic. i knew it would be hard to determine from that little info, i thought i was the only one that was having a hard time. Thanks again  
later Ed

[Wayne McLemore (wayne)]

Ed-
 
Would it be easy for you to get the guy to give you the serial number?  That should tell us what the model is.  You could also get ALL the info on it from Mica (woods, b-day, etc.).
 
If it has a Spoiler looking body with a crown headstock, I'm led to think it's an old Distillate.  The bodies are very similar, but the Spoiler typically has a cone headstock.
 
Do you recall if it 1 or 3 switches?  Spoilers have 1 (the Q), Distillates have 3 (bass & treble quick change and the Q).  The Distillates also had the pickup selector out on the lower horn.
 
C-Ya............wayne

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

EJO:
 
Ya just never know about these ALEMBICs. . .
 
I own a 5-string SPOILER that has Crown 5 head, a Series-style body with the Omega cutout, deluxe purpleheart laminates and oval inlays, with the regular SPOILER circuitry and AXY5/6s.  It doesn't look anything like every other SPOILER I've ever seen.
 
Of course, the serial number could allow a search for the build record.  I always say ALEMBICs are like snowflakes:  They're all very similar, but no two of them are identical.
 
In some ways, my favorite ALEMBICs are like the one you describe here:  It's been there forever, they don't care what it is, they don't know what to do with it, they're just dying for SOMEBODY to wave a little cash under their nose just to get it outta there. . . see where I'm going with this?

[Earl Schreyer (eschreyer2)]

Hi Ed,
How much do they want for it? If you can, do get that serial number, that will tell the tale. Bottom line (no pun intended), if you like it, and it sounds good, plays good, and the price is right, snatch it up.
Earl

[Edward J. Orr (oggydoggy)]

Earl,
 They want $1800 and I found out that it is a Spoiler. I thought it had a crown head-stock but in reality it had the traditional spoiler HS. thanks for all your help i got the serial # and posted a question for Mica. later
 
-Ed

[Valentino Villevieille (valvil)]

Hello Ed,
 
just to get my 2 cents in, I want let you know that used spoiler/persuaders go for around a 1000$ on e-bay, give or take 200 bucks and some of them seem to be in almost pristine condition.  1800$ for a 1990 spoiler/persuader (which it seems to be judging  by the serial number you posted elsewhere) seems excessive even if it never left the store. It still must have been played a bunch.  I would try to make a much lower counteroffer and see what that  leads to. Of course if the bass in question has any upgrades (premium woods, sides led or anything like that) then things might be different. For 1800$ you can  get a used Essence or even a Rogue.
 
Good luck
Valentino