Author Topic: Brown Bass (Read 197 times)

juggernaught · « **on:** July 15, 2009, 03:48:49 PM »

Feels a bit stupid since I went through so much trouble to send this to Alembic and back to get this fixed.

This ad can also be found here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7678334#post7678334

I'm going to Europe for half a year, very possibly much longer, and I have decided not to risk bringing my expensive bass to get damaged/stolen/destroyed. It seems a waste to have this sit in storage while I'm gone, and I probably will need the money as well. Besides, there will be other great basses in the future. Probably not a Brown Bass though, it took me half a year to find this.

So I'm selling my 2005 Alembic Brown Bass with green LEDs.

This bass has amazing action and is super smooth to play. A joy to play. Easiest bass I've ever played.

This is in perfect playing condition. I recently sent this to Alembic because of a neck relief issue, which they fixed perfectly.

Cosmetically, the only real issue is that it received a nasty ding and a few smaller ones from the ship there and back because of the case I sent it in (see pics). Since this has a natural finish it's probably easy enough to buff out and refinish.

There is also a place near the pickups where my thumbnail has rubbed off some of the natural finish (also see pics). I'm sure that a careful application of oil finish is all that it needs. There are some minor scratches on the back brass plate. Other than that there are a few hard-to-find minute dings and scratches.

This comes with a OHSC in excellent condition.

CONUS buyers: I'm asking $4,500 + shipping, but am open to reasonable offers.

European buyers: I will be in Ireland from August 19th to 21st and can bring the bass with me if you can meet me between those dates. I am asking 3400 Euros which includes airline oversized luggage fees. In addition, I am asking for a 300 euro down-deposit.

Paypal or cash only please.

If you buy at the asking price, I will include a ATA rated case designed for a distillate. It needs to be repadded for the Stanley Clarke shape (this is why the Brown got damaged) but that's certainly cheaper than purchasing a new one.

hieronymous · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2009, 08:27:36 AM »

I had a couple of basses in storage for three years while I was in Japan for grad school - they were fine, and it was great to be able to play them again! If this bass really speaks to you, I would consider hanging on to it, but if not, then you're right - there will always be another!

juggernaught · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2009, 08:38:31 AM »

Yeh..... but I'm a minimalist. I don't like to have things I'm not using.

So if anybody has a travel bass (like a Steinberger) or a decent yet beat up bass (one that I wouldn't mind getting damaged more), I am willing to do a cash trade.

juggernaught · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2009, 09:51:36 PM »

Also, this might sound weird, but I would consider partial trades for an iPhone 3G as well.

Need a GSM/VoIP phone :/

karl · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2009, 01:30:57 AM »

Oooh, now that is going to need some serious thought - it's a beautiful bass, even after UPS's little mishap.
I'm actually in Ireland, which makes this look even more enticing.
A couple of questions, though: I indulge in a bit of slapping from time to time - would the rotary switch on the bottom horn get in the way at all?
And you mentioned the possibility of a part-ex for a travel bass. I have a 2003 Status Kingbass Artist (MK1, not the bigger MK2), which I currently use as a travel bass - it's small enough to fit in a guitar gigbag, headless and graphite necked, so travels pretty easily. It's not at all beat-up, though, so maybe too nice for what you're looking for. Red front and side LEDs, too. You can find pics of Kingbasses on Status's website: www.status-graphite.com. Let me know if that interests you at all anyway and I'll pass on more info about it.

K.

keith_h · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2009, 05:36:53 AM »

Karl,
I do some slapping and don't find the pickup selector to be a big problem. I have found if I get a little to boisterous I can hit the point. There are a couple of ways to resolve this. Some folks just turn the switch around so the pointer is down. I am going with a round knurled knob on my Series.

Keith

juggernaught · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2009, 08:12:23 AM »

Hey karl, thanks, she definitely does hold her beauty regardless of the damage.

I don't do any slapping, so I wouldn't know about the hand/pointer contact risk...

The Kingbass certainly is enticing... The ones at basscentral are beautiful. I'm sure they sound pretty sweet. Does it sound anything like Modulus or Zon?
While the size might get it into the overhead at Ryanair, I'm afraid you're right: if I owned such a bass, I wouldn't want to risk bringing it with me with what I'm doing. I'm going to be doing a lot of hostels and public transportation, so the risk of it getting stolen or damaged is pretty high IMO.

karl · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2009, 10:47:25 AM »

Hey juggernaught,

To be honest, I've never tried, or knowingly heard, a Modulus or Zon, so I can't say if the Kingbass sounds anything like eaither of them. There's certainly a sharpness and cleanness of attack that you get from the graphite neck that you don't get in a wooden necked bass. The Kingbass has a natural brightness and zing to the sound that can come across as a bit sterile, if you don't boost the lower end a bit to add some warmth. But the electronics are very flexible, so that's never a problem. They're certainly very solidly constructed: it doesn't seem possible to damage the neck (I've bashed it on a few banisters and walls by accident over the years, none of which has left a mark on it), and the body has the thickest layer of lacquer I've ever seen on a bass - again, a couple of knocks that would surely have dented my other basses did nothing to the Kingbass. And while you're right that it easily fits in the overhead on Ryanair, unfortunately the thieving b*st*rds have in recent years started insisting that I either purchase a seat for it or pay for it to go in the hold as an extra item of baggage, simply because it's a musical instrument (meanwhile I see my fellow passengers putting backpacks, suitcases and bags of duty-free, many of which are far bulkier than my bass, into the overheads). Anyway, enough of that - don't let me get started on Ryanair - you'll never hear the end of it!
The point is that the Kingbass has survived many a trip in a simple guitar gigbag in the hold of a Ryanair jet without so much as a scratch. So I wouldn't worry too much about damaging it - I'm starting to think it's bomb-proof. But you may be right to worry about it being stolen, especially if you won't have secure accommodation.
Anyway, the offer's there. If it's definitely a 'no' to part-exing against my Kingbass, let me know, because I'd still be interested in your Brown Bass - I'll just have to have a little chat with my bank manager and see what he thinks . . .

Cheers,

K.

juggernaught · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2009, 12:22:41 PM »

Hrm, I'm thinking mostly 'no' on part-exing on the Kingbass, since I'm pretty sure I'll have the same problems as with the Brown Bass. It is rather enticing though, especially if the airlines would let me bring it on the plane. But I'm guessing those cheap ass bastards wwouldn't let me, considering how much they charge for extra luggage...

Tell me what your band manager thinks!

juggernaught · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2009, 10:48:00 AM »

I forgot to post, I made a price drop over at talkbass:

$4300 + shipping in the US

3350 EUR if you meet me in Dublin. 300 EUR down deposit.

I'm thinking more an more that I may want to spend some more time in Europe, so the extra cash would help. Otherwise, I think I'd keep this bass.