Author Topic: 77 med scale series I (Read 378 times)

keavin · « **on:** February 26, 2006, 03:39:41 AM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/1977-Alembic-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ7393877437QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2006, 06:38:49 AM »

Michael will love this!

palembic · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2006, 06:56:39 AM »

Medium scale small bodies Series basses?

? And one huge fan ovehee this side of the pond!

PTBO

dela217 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 26, 2006, 07:26:30 AM »

Dave - You are right, I love it! I remember this bass. When it was for sale a loooong time ago, (before it was on Ebay the 1st time) I passed on it. It has all the stuff I like, LED's, medium scale, and that lovely finish. I passed on it for 2 reasons. If you look closely under the strap button by the heel, there is what looks like some sort of strap button anchor. As though the screw stripped out in the body and someone put in a wall anchor or something. Funny thing about this though, is that it is UNDER the finish. Hmmmm. Also at the time, the bass had a rattle in the neck. Broken or loose truss rod perhaps? Don't know. Maybe this has been repaired by now.

Not that it mattered to me, but the bass once belonged to the bassist in the band Kansas.

FYI,
Michael

tommyreynolds · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2006, 09:26:36 AM »

Micheal,

How did you get the neck to rattle? I'd like to know the right question to ask the eBay seller.

dela217 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2006, 11:02:09 AM »

When it was available some years back, it was through a vendor. I think it was through Daryl Jones, www.lowdbass.com or through The Low End. I remember the person describing to me over the phone that the truss rod would rattle and it could possibly be broken. I don't remember if it was during playing, or if it needed a shake to hear it. Sorry I could not be of more help, but that is what I remember. That is DEFINATELY the same bass. Maybe it was repaired. Maybe the seller knows about a neck repair. On the off chance, maybe the rattle was something else altogether. Good luck! I think this is a really nice bass. I love the medium scale with the standard body. I also like that the tailpiece is close to the neck so that LaBella Super Steps can be used. I hope one of our own gets this one.

Michael

eos35mm · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2006, 07:42:28 PM »

Hi Michael:

I also saw this bass on eBay. I did notice something on the 'heel' above the 'strap button' and wondered about it. Interesting information about the rattle. if it is the trust rod, how expensive would it be to fix? Also,do you remember how long ago you spoke to the 'person'? If you could remember anything else on this bass it'll great .

Thanks,

Roger

dela217 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2006, 07:11:18 AM »

I am not really sure but I am thinking it was somewhere around six or so years ago. Not that long ago, but long enough to not remember the details of who was selling it.

Michael

eos35mm · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2006, 12:21:25 PM »

Thanks Michael. I'll speak with the seller.

Roger

eos35mm · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2006, 12:14:52 PM »

For those of you who missed the oppoprtunity to buy this bass on eBay. The new buyer is asking $4500.00. That's close to $1800.00 more that what he paid, it sold for $2706.00. It'll have to grow another Alembic before I give him that kind of cash.
Here is his web site:
http://www.guitarbroker.com/guittxt.htm#BASSES
Oh, if you are looking to buy a car, you'll find one there also.

yggdrasil · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2006, 02:35:32 PM »

I've visited his site before - I always thought the prices were high, but someone is paying them - basses do disappear from the list.
I think I'll buy the Lovin' Spoonful Starfire at the blowout Price of only 12,500- seems like a good candidate for Dark Star Pickups! :-)

dela217 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2006, 03:14:31 PM »

Frank - I see that as a good DS candidate. I am personally looking for one of them M-85's for my conversion. At 12,500.00 it is a bargain!

eos35mm · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2006, 08:43:46 PM »

That's what I told him "Too High". But check this out, I am not an aficionado on Alembics. Has anyony one ever seen an Alembic with 3 cover plates? Also, the locatons of the bridge and saddle seems to be close to the edge of the body to me. This is a 1986 S1 Short Scale. The distance from the edge of the fret board to the first pickup appears wider than usual. He said that this was standard. Looking for feedback See attachments below.

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2006, 11:31:10 PM »

Might be a medium scale 32 one? Ask them to measure the distance from the nut to the 12th fret, multiply by two.

Over the years, the standard location for the neck pickup seems to have moved away from the neck. It is supposed to add a little focus to the sound.

The one thing I often wonder about with the Small Body is the shape of the horns - not the difference between the very earliest ones, like on the bass at the top of the thread, and later ones like this. They all look such different shapes, but it looks as if that is only suggested by the contrasts in the various wood combos. And by the way, that's a very nice bird's-eye maple top!

The round backplate is the cover of the battery compartment - in case you want to run the bass without the power supply. The two bigger backplates are for the two-part pre-amp.

(Message edited by adriaan on March 08, 2006)

eos35mm · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2006, 06:34:25 AM »

Adriann, thanks for the explanation on the 3 plates. I ask for the measurement. You may be correct in the difference in body shape. The 1st one, the earlier 1977 model appears to have a deeper cutaway almost parallel to the 23rd fret and the horns look closer together as compared to the 1986 birdseye maple model's cutaway looks parallel to the middle of 21st fret. All this could be due to camera angle but there does appear to be a difference.
What do you think of the sound difference between the long, medium and short scale?