Author Topic: #43 on Ebay (Read 899 times)

harald_rost · « **on:** February 15, 2004, 11:33:22 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3704325791&category=4713#ebayphotohosting

This seems to be an early one. Nice peace of history. Do you know this bass, Michael?

harald_rost · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2004, 11:42:55 PM »

Argh, not enough coffee in the morning and no way to edit messages after posting to correct typos? Anyway, of course it should be: Nice piece of history.

Harald

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2004, 06:29:57 AM »

Harald; I've just started my first cup this morning and know what you mean. To edit your message, click on the little paper and pencil icon on the top right hand corner of the message.

harald_rost · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2004, 07:06:15 AM »

Ah, thanks for the advice Dave. It's always better to look everywhere in the windows not only at the top and bottom.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2004, 07:56:10 AM »

Harald: I agree. Looks nice and for that vintage, particularly nice. I'm curious about the neck woods. The outside laminates look dark - I've Emailed the seller to try and find out.

Bill

dela217 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2004, 10:44:57 AM »

Of course I know a bit about this bass. The seller of this bass, if I remember correctly, is Jim Frost. He has been trying to sell it for a while. For at least a couple of years that I know of. Go to www.harmonycentral.com. He has advertised it there before. Go to the classifieds and set the search for a year. It should turn up. It seems like a nice bass, but not my cup of tea since it is a large body, long scale. I like my Alembics little. Anyway, one thing about the bass is that it is fitted with PF5 electronics. They are a different animal than what we are used to today's Series basses. I have a bunch of pictures of this bass somewhere, I just have to dig them up. I probably have them on a CD somewhere. One thing I have noticed about this bass over the years is that everytime I have seen it for sale, the price goes up. I don't know if there has been work done on the instrument to reflect the price or not. I think at one time it was under $2000.00 now the auction is at $5000.00 and the reserve not met. Hmmmm... I also know that the bass is located in Canada, so the exchange rate is a bit better for us in the US.

I think that the outer laminates of the neck are walnut. When I get home later, I will search for the pics if someone is interested.

(Message edited by dela217 on February 16, 2004)

poor_nigel · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2004, 10:57:15 AM »

I, too, could have sworn he was starting it at $5,000, but it is listed at $4,000 now. I think he relisted it at a lowered price while I was looking through the Alembics the other day, as I thought I was losing it. Then again, maybe I have the power to do this. I looked, I thought $5,000 - NO WAY! Poof, I looked again and it lowered a grand. Well, back to eBay for further testing now . . .

harald_rost · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2004, 11:26:56 PM »

Unfortunately the pic is bad. Would be nice to see details of this early Series 1.

Harald

lembic76450 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2004, 08:07:52 AM »

Poor Nigle, Whatever you are doing seems to be working. The price is now down to $3000. Do you think you could do something for my utility bills?
Kenn R

poor_nigel · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2004, 10:01:03 AM »

Should it come down yet another grand, he will start getting bids on it. I ain't using my power again, until I have some money to take advantage of it. Too bad the picture is sooooo poor. I was hoping Dela would post the pictures of it he has. It is just too easy to forget you're broke, when it comes to Alembic goodies . . . .

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2004, 10:43:36 AM »

While the opening bid has dropped there have been no clues the reserve price--what he will actually sell the bass for--has also been cut. My guess is that he still hopes to get better than $4G for it, or perhaps his wife demands he at least make an effort to sell, hence the apparent lack of effort in the auction.

dela217 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2004, 11:23:08 AM »

Maybe he does not really want to part with it! Yep that must be it.

I looked through all my archived photos last night. I could not find it. I know I had pictures of it at one time. It must have been a couple of years ago though, so the pics could be anywhere. My pc was reformatted dozens of times since then. I did find a pic of an almost identical bass though. I thought I found it at first, but it was a bass that looked identical except it had PF6 electronics. I'll look again later.

poor_nigel · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2004, 01:37:46 PM »

Well, he is back at $3,000 - again. I have again focused on it and used all my powers to get him to lower the starting bid - which means I shot him an e-mail pointing out that since he has a reserve on the bass, why not lower the starting bid to $1,000 and see where it goes from there?! I am curious to see who will bid what.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2004, 06:21:58 PM »

Nigel: Looks like he took your suggestion at least part way to heart - The bidding start was revised down to $2,500. I still agree that he does not want too badly to part with the bass.

Going back to Dela's comments on the background of this bass:
Dela - How would PF5 electronics differ from what Alembic does today? Is it simply a matter of inadequate noise suppression for today's airwaves? Or are the PFs fundamentally different than today's series electronics in other ways?

Bill

poor_nigel · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:31:33 PM »

My suggestion was never heard, as I got a rejected message stating his eBay listed address is invalid. Not a good way to run a business.

I, too, am quite interested in the differences between series electronics and the PF5 setup on the early basses. Need more input . . . . No disassemble. PF5 alive! Sorry, couldn't resist.

(Message edited by poor_nigel on February 23, 2004)