Author Topic: '77 Series One Guitar on ebay (Read 244 times)

brb9911 · « **on:** December 13, 2007, 09:39:30 AM »

Wow.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-1977-Vintage-Alembic-Series-I-6-strng-Elect-Guitar_W0QQitemZ160189520792QQihZ006QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wish I were in the market right now ... this one is a beauty, and at a nice starting price.

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** December 13, 2007, 01:03:06 PM »

This one does look to be in excellent shape and has all the case candy. Nevertheless, IMHO, the starting price is a little high. I picked up The Other One, my '76 Series I guitar in Feb., '06, and Big Irv, my '77 Series I 12 string last April, both off of ebay. Both in very good to excellent shape. Both in the $2500-$3000 range. I wouldn't be shocked if this ones sells to a single bidder for the opening price, but I would be surprised if it gets bid up much higher. And I wouldn't be surprised if it receives no bids and comes around again at a lower price.

Bill, tgo

brb9911 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2007, 03:00:09 PM »

Very interesting. Good to know that some of these older ones do pop up on occasion -- I'll be looking to buy again in a couple of years.

paulman · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2007, 06:06:41 AM »

Oh, drool!

barryr1 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2007, 07:34:03 AM »

Ok guys. No Laughing but I bought the series 1 on ebay. I looked at Gbase and saw that it was priced a little high but it looked really nice and with all the gear. I've never played an Alembic before but have loved the sound that I have heard when that odd pro plays one on the road. I'll take any tips the experienced heads have.

thanks

Barry

tbrannon · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2007, 08:01:42 AM »

Barry-

Congratulations. I'm sure that the concern over price will be forgotten once the case is opened the first time. Have fun!

brb9911 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 18, 2007, 08:59:32 AM »

Congrats on the purchase! Enjoy it!

lbpesq · « **Reply #7 on:** December 18, 2007, 11:10:08 AM »

Barry:

Congrats and welcome to the club! It appears to be a very nice guitar in excellent shape. And wait until you plug in. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING that sounds like a Series guitar. As for tips, I can offer a couple.

First, you may find that it picks up RF interference. There is a lot more of these frequencies floating around than back in the '70's. Depending on the instrument, and where you are situated, this may be a problem. If so, first try adjusting the hum canceller. If that doesn't work, Alembic can do an electronics upgrade to fix this problem, but it ain't cheap. I seem to remember somewhere around $1500, but I'm not sure. I can tell you that I live in an urban area - San Francisco Bay Area - and I have not experienced this problem with either of my Series guitars ('76 and '77).

Second, if your guitar is wired standard and hasn't been modified, the 1/4 output jack is stereo, so that if you plug in a regular mono guitar cord, you only get one pickup. If you want, this can easily be modified to provide a standard mono output with both pickups in the signal, just like a regular guitar. Alembic can do this mod for you, but you can also do it yourself fairly easily. If you contact Mica, she will forward the instructions and schematic.

You can find more info about the upgrade, hum canceller, 1/4 jack, and other Series related issues

One other thing: your technique is about to improve. After playing the Series a bit, you'll understand this last point.

You've made an excellent purchase, one that will undoubtedly bring you much joy for many years to come. Enjoy and play it in the best of health.

Bill, the guitar one

57basstra · « **Reply #8 on:** December 18, 2007, 12:06:59 PM »

Barry:

I bought the last (that I can remember) Series I six string that appeared on eBay (a year or so ago). It's a '78 Myrtle. I have not taken it to Nashville yet to show it to my friends at Gruhns Guitar, but I shall do that soon. Some of those guys have never seen one of these guitars in the flesh. I would not sell my 'Myrtle' for the price you paid for yours. To make a long story even longer, I think you got a great deal!

David Houck · « **Reply #9 on:** December 18, 2007, 05:16:41 PM »

Congrats Barry!!!

We thought the price was a little high just based on what we had seen the few that had traded go for over the last few years. But they trade rarely; and if you had passed on this one, you might not have seen another for a while. So given the rarity, the price you paid is not unreasonable; and I imagine that as more people become aware of them, the trading range will move up.

barryr1 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2007, 11:48:04 AM »

Thanks Guys

I can't wait to get it here. Been thinking about it for a long time. I also bought a set of alembic strat pickups on ebay last week. Will they need to be played thru the special pre amp or whatever is included with the series 1

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2007, 05:28:27 PM »

Barry:

I also have a few guitars with Alembic guts, including a 12 string Strat with the Alembic Strat set (to which I added a Q switch). The Alembic Strat set should come with a volume (pre-amp) and a filter. The power supply for the Series guitar is just that - a power supply. The Series' preamps and filters are all on board. Furthermore, while the Strat pickup system and, indeed, all non-series guitars run on 9 volts, Series instruments run on 18 volts - hence your new guitar will require two 9 volt batteries.

Bill, tgo

barryr1 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2007, 07:39:28 AM »

Hi Bill

This is what I got. I really don't understand it all but maybe I will when I get the Series. If the power supply is external then are the batteries external as well?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140189629127&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=004

Barry

David Houck · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2007, 07:55:51 AM »

Barry, the Alembic strat set that you picked up runs off a single 9v battery that attaches to the battery clip shown in the picture on the Ebay listing. This set does not use the external power supply.

Series electronics differ from all other Alembic electronics in that they require 18 volts. And because they run through batteries fairly quickly, most people use the power supply instead of the batteries. The other great thing about the power supply is that the same 5-pin cable that brings the power from the supply to the guitar, sends the neck and bridge pickup signals to the supply separately so that the pickup signals can be input into separate channels of a stereo preamp.

barryr1 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 20, 2007, 11:24:26 AM »

Thanks Dave

So in looking at the power supply in the picture one is 5 pin going to the guitar and the other 2 are output to amps? Then would i take those two outputs to two amps (or two channels of an amp)?

thanks