Author Topic: "Alembic 6 string guitar" !?! (Read 355 times)

brb9911 · « **on:** April 11, 2008, 09:34:00 AM »

Hey gang -- check this one out! I've never seen one quite like it (but that's not saying much, as I'm new here) ... It's gorgeous, to boot:

link

With a starting price of $1000, this beauty is sure to find a new home ...

(Message edited by davehouck on April 14, 2008)

brb9911 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:36:56 AM »

oops -- Alembic 6 stRing guitar ..... still pretty cool even with my typo! ; )

[edit: title corrected]

(Message edited by davehouck on April 14, 2008)

olieoliver · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:39:52 AM »

Does that serial number seem correct for a 1981 model?

OO

room037 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2008, 10:26:47 AM »

Hi,

The guitar is Distillate guitar for Japanese version.
These serial numbers have no model code.
You can see Distillate basses on showcase.

Eiji

brb9911 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2008, 10:32:47 AM »

Thanks for sharing, Eiji! Looks like a great guitar.

tdukes · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2008, 11:39:38 AM »

I put this one on my watch list.

Does anyone know if the laminates are purpleheart? The look a little brown, but I guess the finish could have yellowed a bit in the past 27 years.

Todd.

elwoodblue · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2008, 12:04:52 PM »

I like the simplicity of it...one pickup...less than 30 knobs/switches...tempting,

good luck in your auction

brb9911 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2008, 01:18:14 PM »

Yeah ... I'm watching it too, tdukes, but I'm just a looker ; )

I am quite curious to know how she sounds, based on the simplified electronic configuration ... with the one pickup, I'm wondering if it might tonally resemble a Skylark -- sort of like a first generation version.

Eiji -- have you heard one?

Good luck if you go after it!

mica · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2008, 01:33:54 PM »

All of the original Distillate guitars like this one had Maple and Purpleheart necks with Zebrawood and Mahogany bodies. You're right, Todd, purple + yellow = brown. In person, there's likely a reddish or purple cast to the browning though.

room037 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2008, 08:46:24 AM »

Hi Brian,

I had heard the sound at Music trade show in 1979 or 1980.(the debut of Distillate for the market)
I don't remember about the guitar.
But I own Distillate bass, and the sound is my reference since 1981.

If you are interested the guitar, I send you the scan of Dis-G from 1979 brochuer.(It's large for upload)

Eiji

brb9911 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2008, 06:22:13 PM »

Thanks, Eiji, but no need to go to all that trouble -- I am just curious.

Check out the Q&A, though ... answers a lot! Here it is ...

Q: The electronics and the body shape look the same as the Disilate bass that Alembic made in 80's. I have never seen one of these guitars, Alembic would custom make anything you could dream up. the controls would most likely be as a Distilate or now a Europa model; vol, low-pass filter with q switch, and a quick tone change switch.. Hope this helps..Alembic never made anything overseas, in the 70's they had a distributor,Rothchild, who sold an imported brand called Pan-Alembic, this may have caused confusion about this. Hope this helps.. (I use to be an Alembic dealer in the 80's-90's.)

A: Hi, thanks for the info. I'm posting to help out buyers. This particular, guitar came from the son of a member of Parliament- Funkadelic. Fortunately, it was placed in a case and not played for many years.

room037 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2008, 07:56:03 AM »

Hi Brian,

Please look Alembic's History The Long Story.

1979 We moved Alembic to 45 Foley Street in Santa Rosa, CA. It was home to the company for 12 years. We developed the Distillate Bass and Guitar. Yamaha was our distributor for the Pacific Rim countries. They wanted to promote us in a very big way and so we signed a $990,000.00 contract with them, all based on the purchase of the Distillate bass and guitar. They were pretty fond of the F2B preamp as well and ordered hundreds of them.

Yes, It means All Distillate guitars and basses were purchased and distributed by YAMAHA.
Of course I know Distillate series were continued with serial No. D.
But first series of Distillate was 1PU Guitar.
Then Distillate Bass was announced. (I was waiting for bass version for several months.)

Now, I talk about the confusion of serial number.
Alembic produced only series 1 and 2 models at that time.
Distillate series has quite different looks and specs, so it was not necessary own model code.
Therefore the serial number of 1PU Distillate is simply Year-Number USA.

It is my opinion, but I have seen Alembic in Japanese market from late 1970's.

This guitar is first Distillate guitar from 1979 brochure by YAMAHA.
It has different shape of top plate.

Eiji

lbpesq · « **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2008, 05:42:52 PM »

Over $2000 for a single pickup Distillate!!?? WOW!!!!

Bill, tgo

tdukes · « **Reply #13 on:** April 15, 2008, 06:20:34 PM »

Yeah. I had deceived myself into thinking I could pick it up for about $1250.

Todd.

brb9911 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 16, 2008, 09:29:39 AM »

After reading more about it from Eiji, I was surprised when it topped $1500. Then again, you won't find this kind of build quality on a new PRS or Gibson in this price range, either ... but not many people outside The Club seem to appreciate that.

Personally, I would have needed to spend some time with it to justify going that high. Maybe the P-Funk provenance -- however slight -- influenced the price ...