Author Topic: WHAT'S IT WORTH? Just bought this killer Distillate w/ Scorpion Body (Read 647 times)

blueroommusic · « **on:** June 18, 2007, 01:31:18 PM »

Thanks for any help whatsoever.

57basstra · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:49:09 PM »

Value is subjective ? what's it worth to you? Whatever you paid and or traded/did/promised and then some I will wager.It looks like a really nice one. If you want a monetary value it would help to have a serial number and more pics, backside, headstock, neck and a description which includes any small imperfections, if any. Do pickups electronics work well, does it have a case; what kind of case, etc. Any history?

I am going to say it's worth between $3,000 and $4,200 give or take a coupla hundred. If you want to sell it, price it around 3K and see what happens. if you want top dollar you will likely wait a while unless it is EXACTLy what someone is looking for, I think.

Someone else may chime in and give you a more precise estimate. Very nice! Welcome to the board.

drr

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2007, 04:25:33 AM »

An '81 Distillate with standard body just sold on e-bay for $2300. Whether the Scorpion body would raise or lower the value would, of course, depend on the buyer.

Peter

bigbadbill · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2007, 05:09:38 AM »

That's cool! Can't be many of those I wouldn't have thought. I really like the look of Distillates generally though. What is the balance like on a typical Distillate?

stoney · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2007, 06:54:02 AM »

Really nice bass, what's the headstock?

blueroommusic · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:15:59 AM »

I'll test the waters, I guess... Here's a link for the fleabay auction I just listed. I would kill the auction for a member or trades? The listing has a ton of cool pics. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330136806445&rd=1&rd=1

bsee · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:49:04 AM »

The prices you guys are quoting are pretty high relative to the value of the bass as a player and with the electronics package. That kind of money should buy you a newish Signature bass or a or a 20 year old Series instrument. The Distillate isn't much more than a Spoiler with purpleheart in the neck and quick tone switches. For these things to sell more than $300-500 above the cost of a Spoiler makes little sense to me.

With regard to this bass, the unusual body style and condition could give it more value. The rarity also would make it a collectible piece as there are few Scorpion bodies out there and maybe a handful of them would be Distillates.

If I were to value the bass, it would be at around $1800 for average condition up to maybe $2300 for mint condition. This would modify upward for the body style by maybe a few hundred to put it into the $2200-2600 overall range, but $4000? You can get a lot more bass than this for $4000. Heck, I couldn't get $2000 for the '82 Spoiler I just sold with Signature electronics. Same vintage and a more expensive/valuable electronics package.

If I had $4000 to spend on an eBay bass today, it would either be 76-286 or the $2900 cocobolo Essence. The latter would leave me $1000 to send it to Alembic for an electronics upgrade if I wanted one.

I'm not saying this isn't a great bass, just that I think the price is out of line. If it sells at this kind of price, it will be on the body style more than anything else. I have always said that the best ROI option you can add to an Alembic is an unusual body style. Exploiters have always sold for a premium over regular Spoilers higher than the cost of the body option. The Scorpion shape may do the same, but $1500 above the cost of a regular Distillate?

blueroommusic · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:58:55 AM »

As I said before, I'm just testing the waters and that's why the auction is being offered as a best offer type auction listing. I think it's a super cool bass.

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2007, 10:59:45 AM »

Bob:

ROI?

Really Organically Important?
Relying On Internet?
Red Orange Indigo?
Rare Or Intriguing?
Reasonably Offensive Incarceration?
Ridiculous Original Insurance?
Research Only Indians?
Radical Ombudsman Invesitgations?

?

Bill, tgo

kenbass4 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:48:33 AM »

Return On Investment

...man...you'd think a lawyer would know that
:-)

Ken

bigbadbill · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2007, 12:15:20 PM »

It kind of looks like someone saw JPJs Triple O and Greg Lake's Scorpion and married them together in a more affordable 4 string version....I like it. In fact, if I hadn't already put my name on something else, I may have been making an offer, although I agree the current price is maybe a little steep, judging by the Buckeye Triple O 5 which recently sold on here for not much more. What's the weight like, just out of interest?

bsee · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:29:32 PM »

Not to derail the thread, but my point was simply that a couple years ago you could add the exploiter body shape to a bass for about $400 list. Not sure what that option goes for today. 80's Spoilers made in the Exploiter shape were selling for $1500-2500 when standard Spoilers were doing $900-1200. That's a resale value increase larger than the cost to add that option to a new instrument.

As far as I can tell, there's no other option you can add to your custom Alembic that will give you 100% or more of the upgrade cost back on resale.

lbpesq · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:48:49 PM »

Ken:

I ain't the kind of lawyer who knows all the financial stuff. Now if you start talking 420, THC, CBD, GCMS, that I'll understand.

Bill, tgo

flaxattack · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:59:19 PM »

there goes mr bob rain on your parade see again....
bill
its 4.20 somewhere!
15 minutes!! in oakland
i have 4 tix for mets-a;s friday night
cmon out!

Bradley Young · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2007, 02:34:06 PM »

Running On Interminably?

Rubbery Orange Inveiglement?