Author Topic: Ok, this is very strange....1942 Alembic? (Read 308 times)

ajish4 · « **on:** May 31, 2006, 05:47:01 AM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/1982-Series11-Collectors-Alembic-4-string-Bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ7419363358QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Got me!?!

ajish4 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2006, 05:50:10 AM »

OOPS, I guess he caught the error, in the title anyway!

adriaan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2006, 05:52:32 AM »

I just hope this is not the same tsunami relief action as the one for a Sri Lankan village that was sponsored by a Dutch national newspaper. It turned out it was set up to help the owner of a holiday resort to rebuild his resort, and provided absolutely no relief to the people from the devastated village. Yikes.

(Message edited by adriaan on May 31, 2006)

keith_h · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2006, 05:59:17 AM »

This looks like the same bass and seller as this thread.
I remember it saying the same thing about the charity.

Keith

kmh364 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2006, 06:28:31 AM »

Sounds like it, same add with no pix, except the price has increased from $6k to $8k. Caveat Emptor!

dwmark · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2006, 06:36:08 AM »

Yes. Yes. Yes. After my email exchange with him on price (remember, he told me he was going to increase the price), he solicited me for the charity.

So, ladies and gents, as I advised in the other thread, go play your instruments. Better use of time. I can't tell whether he is shady or clueless (and I recognize that there is overlap) but am convinced we're not going to change him.

pmoran · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2006, 06:46:34 AM »

and, as was noted in the other thread.......zero ebay history and no pics. very, very, very dicey to say the least.

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2006, 07:20:57 AM »

*chuckle*

effclef · « **Reply #8 on:** June 01, 2006, 05:31:40 AM »

Hey, cmon fellas, what are you waiting for? You can cure crotch itchiness, according to the guy!

LOL

PT Barnum was right!

EffClef

u14steelgtr · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2006, 09:43:55 AM »

This listing got me curious enough to do a bit of investigation. I expect the owner of a Series II to indicate greater knowledge of the instrument than this seller does.

You too could could be the first person (this week) to purchase and never receive a series eleven Alembic.

The lack of pictures does not surprise me too much. About half of the instruments I have sold on eBay did include pictures of the actual instrument I was selling. For all of the others I used something like looks similar too with a generic promo picture from the manufacturer or a picture of a similar instrument. The only times I have included pictures of the instrument I was selling was when I had saved the pictures from the auction under which I purchased the item.

I contacted the seller with the following questions:
Does this instrument come with a preamp?
What type of case does it include?
Please email me some pictures so that I may see what it looks like.

The reply was:
No it does not have a preamp but does have 5 point cable which has a little box at one end so I do not know if that is a preamp. I got rid of the old big case and now I have an carry on case bu Mooradian. You need to send me your email address to send the photos.
Evan
612-920-0363

The seller emailed pictures to me. See them at: http://www.fj45.com/eBay/7419363358/
Having pictures and not posting them is clearly a red flag.

The following email header (excerpt) from the seller appears legitimate and indicates that he has DSL service in the city indicated in the listing:

Received: from 209-181-225-176.mpls.qwest.net (HELO EvanLaptop) (209.181.225.176)
by mpls-pop-05.inet.qwest.net with SMTP; 31 May 2006 23:47:59 -0000
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 18:47:53 -0500
From: evanmpls

Of couse this could be done by any computer-savvy hacker that knows how to utilize a remote-control utility.

The seller does provide the serial number #822121. I seem to recall that I went through some sort of process when I got my Alembic in which I registered my serial number to my name & address. I have no idea whether this one was registered or how to look-up a registered owner from a Serial Number but I would not be surprised if someone at Alembic does this when a suspect instrument is listed on eBay.

I see plenty of red flags here:
1. No mention of what type of case it has.
2. No eBay history
3. no mention of the body shape (omega, stinger, or custom)
4. No mention of which if-any preamp is included.
5. No reason is listed for selling it.
6. Asking too high a price
7. ...got rid of the old big case
8. Seller description says antique bass and 1982. LOL... why not mention its shoe size in the same sentence you claim it has its original tires.

So many red flags. And yet so many traits of a brand-new to eBay listing.

bsee · « **Reply #10 on:** June 13, 2006, 11:58:16 AM »

The listing now contains the contact info for what appears to be a legitimate music store. It says that you can contact American Guitar Boutique at 651-644-2333 (they also list the toll free 877-644-2333 on their website) and confirm the deal there.

This was one of the most bogus listings I could recall when I first took a look at it, but I wouldn't be afraid if I could execute the deal through the music store. Maybe they could take a charitable write-off of their normal transaction fee to handle it under the circumstances?

It would be a generous offer on the part of the buyer, though, since the typical street value of this instrument is at least a couple thousand lower than the asking price.

Chances are pretty good that no one will take a shot at this with only a few hours left, but it may come around again...

precarius · « **Reply #11 on:** June 13, 2006, 12:08:26 PM »

Apparently this bass is from the little known Alembic San Hose factory.