Author Topic: Interesting Distillate (Read 347 times)

bassman10096 · « **on:** April 02, 2009, 09:09:01 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-Vintage-Bass-1981-L-K_W0QQitemZ220389281466QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item220389281466&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
Brass control plate on the front and single pickup. I think I remember there being some Japanese import Alembics with only one.

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** April 02, 2009, 09:24:19 PM »

These were made for export to Japan. There have been a number of prior threads about them; and there are a few in the Showcase section. If I recall correctly, there were some guitars as well as basses in this run.

to_81_0190 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2009, 09:42:32 PM »

Mine is in Showcase. Single pickup Distillate basses and guitars are available very often in Japanese market even nowadays.

tbrannon · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2009, 10:37:42 PM »

Take a look at the logo.... something looks strange- it could just be an incredibly tarnished logo, but it almost looks like the logo is missing? Looks almost carved or something.

Maybe it's just my eyes and this laptop. Anybody else see it?

lbpesq · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2009, 12:53:15 AM »

Using the magnifier on my mouse, the logo appears standard fare, just very dirty/tarnished. Nice wood.

Bill, tgo

precarius · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2009, 12:53:14 PM »

I bid $1500 on this bass and still wasn't enough for the reserve to be met. Too expensive in my opinion.

longhorncat · « **Reply #6 on:** April 06, 2009, 01:12:18 PM »

You guys did see that the owner, ireiki4u (Pam), posted in Toshiaki's showcase thread.

+1 on the $1500 valuation, although I've noticed used Alembics seem to be holding their value lately.

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2009, 02:04:31 PM »

Alembic values have been unusually high across the board compared to what they were a few years ago. We have people offering Persuaders and Spoilers for $2K now where you didn't make a guaranteed sale five years ago above $1K. The rest of the world markets haven't moved like that. Of course, the cost of a new Alembic has increased significantly over the same period, and that is probably factoring into the used market.

All that said, I just can't picture more than $1500 for a single pickup Distillate. Unless you really want that exact type of bass, there is a lot more you should be able to get for a little more money.

-bob

longhorncat · « **Reply #8 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:07:04 PM »

In the last 6 months, I've seen the value of used instruments really drop hard.
Easily 30% for 70's - 80's Fenders, Rickenbackers, Wals ...
Alembics seem to have held their own during that same period.

to_81_0190 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:26:28 PM »

Pam might reffered to Japanese market price for the reserve. He said that he found some info from Japan in my Showcase thread. Few Distillate basses can be found under $2k in Japan.

Toshiaki

bsee · « **Reply #10 on:** April 06, 2009, 08:11:08 PM »

Thanks, Toshiaki. The markets on other continents are clearly different than in North America. It has been the case that you can pay almost the same number of UK pounds for a bass in Europe as you would pay in US dollars here. That's maybe a 40% higher value. I don't know the market in Japan and surrounding areas since we don't have quite as many transactions reported there, or between here and there. I would not be at all surprised to hear that these single pickup Distillates trade in the $2K vicinity there. That doesn't make it what they are worth here, though. Of course, there can always be a few people willing to pay a higher price on occasion, but I wouldn't count on it as a regular thing.

I've lost a few opportunities for instruments that were being shipped to buyers in Europe and Japan because buyers there were willing to pay higher prices plus the hundreds of dollars in transportation costs and even import duties. I've also seen people selling USA-made instruments from Japan for seemingly inflated prices, probably because the market there is higher. On the other hand, some Japanese-built guitars can be acquired from there at quite reasonable prices.

-bob

to_81_0190 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2009, 09:57:50 PM »

This is a list of Alembics in Japanese market now. Distillate basses were sold around $1.2k before but the prices has been increased now.

Toshiaki

(Message edited by to 81 0190 on April 07, 2009)

bsee · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2009, 12:30:56 AM »

Thanks, I took a look at that Japanese site. If I am reading it correctly, one or two deals look pretty good, but a lot of the prices would be way high here in the US. Do the prices on that site represent the actual prices buyers will pay, or is there a lot of negotiating that would bring them down? Those two blue Persuader basses, a five and an eight, are very attractive. Between the prices and transportation, though, I could never touch either.

-bob

to_81_0190 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2009, 03:38:35 AM »

Bob, I don't know that there is a room to negotiate in prices or not. It depends on shop's policy. But some of them might be sold at bargain price when the shop is having a sale. Though it's a rare thing, I have seen wonderful Alembics for sale at incredibly nice price in Japan. For example, beautiful Custom shaped omega body Signature with Tree of Life inlay was sold for $5k last year.

Toshiaki

effclef · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2009, 08:59:11 AM »

Wow, that blue Persuader-8 is neat, Bob. $3761 according to the Yahoo currency converter.
The ALEMBIC AJ-I-HB-FL at $1671 seems like a bargain. I think there was some talk about those bolt-on neck ones and the history was interesting. Certainly wouldn't see many in the USA.