ARE ALEMBICS TOO EXPENSIVE??

[white_cloud]

Heres one for discussion,
 
Are Alembic instruments too expensive? Honest opinions please..and no hissy fits
 
John.

[robinc]

No. Considering how long it takes to build an instrument and the frequency of instruments produced, I don't think Alembic would be able to stay afloat in the market of fine instruments if their products were much less expensive.
 
What gets me the most, though, is how drastically Alembic instruments loose their value if ever they are to be sold as used.
 
(Message edited by robinc on August 17, 2008)

[dnburgess]

Yawn.

[keavin]

Considering back in 1980 i paid nearly $2,500 plus a fender Jazz bass an Ibanez artist series,and a Vintage Old Ovation hollowbody fretless Bass. (alot of money back then)for an old alembic (#12) which had been sitting on the wall at guitar center in SF for nearly a whole year, back then nobody wanted it because it was overpriced & Old..... & when i finally paid it off, the salesman told me to 'NEVER EVER' get rid of this bass!.... looking back?.......to this day i see exactly what he meant!
 
(Message edited by keavin on August 17, 2008)

[white_cloud]

Keavin..thats the kind of intelligent opinion that this thread is all about!
 
Thankyou (David take note)
 
Im NOT saying Alembics ARE overpriced, I just want any members to share opinions on this subject!
 
John.

[garethnh]

I don't consider them too expensive. Compared to production line models I suppose they are BUT these aren't production line models. They are (IMHO) works of art; skillfully and lovingly hand made to a customers exact specifications (if wanted). For proof check out the build info for Alan's Spyder replica. From day 1 nothing has been left to 'Oh, that'll do'. For that type of quality and care you have to pay and I for one wouldn't mind...if I could afford it! They do lose value but that's the way of the world and if they didn't, many people wouldn't get a chance to own one of these great instruments!

[811952]

Given the man-hours and materials, sometimes I wonder how they stay profitable even with the prices as they are.  I strongly suspect that the featured customs might might sometimes leave no profit margin for Alembic whatsoever.
 
Sure, there are cheaper and more efficient ways they could build these instruments to a set specification, but that wouldn't be custom now, would it!
 
John

[dlbydgtl]

When i first considered an Alembic i thought of my brother who is an avid skeet shooter and shotgun collector. When he orders a custom gun the price isn't in the same realm as going to your local sporting goods store and buying one off the shelf and it's usually a strong year wait. Well worth it? he thinks so and they sure are very cool. So, i am a bass player and wanted the best because it's my hobby well worth it? I think so. And he says it's very cool.(At least we don't collect cars). Now that i have played an Alembic thats all i'll play and hopefully that will be a long time. So, cost spread out over time, minimal.  John. Also, each Alembic is different and unique to the so, essentially every bass is one of a kind (why would anyone ever want to sell?)

[ajdover]

The question of whether something is overpriced is, IMHO relative and a very personal thing.
 
There are folks out there that will pay thousands for a pre-CBS or even 70s Fender.  Lately the vintage market has been going crazy price-wise - the '73 Jazz I have now that I bought for $1350 6 years ago goes for about twice that these days.  There are qualities these instruments have (or they believe they have) and to get them, some people will pay the price.  Now, many of these instruments have serious quality control issues (you should see the neck pocket on my Jazz - a good 1/8 gap between the neck and the pocket!).  Yet folks will pay to get them.  Is it because they're rare and becoming rarer?  Nostalgia (that's pretty much why I bought mine - I had one when I was younger)?  Who knows.  The bottom line is these instruments are worth the price to those who pay it.
 
Same goes with an Alembic.  I don't think they're too expensive.  To wit:
 
     They are custom made - no two are alike.
     The components are world class.
     The workmanship, when compared to most mass produced instruments, is world class and second to none.
     The attention to detail is unparalleled.
     
I won't go into tone or feel, or even playability.  Those things, IMHO are also a very subjective and personal thing.  We all know folks who wouldn't touch an Alembic, but love, say Warwicks (which I wouldn't play if it were the only instrument on a deserted island).  To each his own.
 
One also needs to remember that Alembic is a small, family owned business, and for the most part has always been that way.  They are not some mega corporation.  Their shop/factory is in an industrial park off the 101 in California, and it is not an overly large place (though adequate for their needs from what I could see).  They do not buy huge amounts of supplies (e.g., wood, hardware, etc.) like companies such as Fender, Gibson, etc. do, and as a result most likely do not get volume discounts on their products.  They pay more, so it only makes sense that customers do as well.  If they charged less, it would be suicide from a business perspective.
 
Their interaction with customers is personal.  I know this because when I call or email, they know who I am, what instrument I'm having made, etc.  I called Mica last week and she reminded me about the amber tint I was having done on my custom, for example.
 
Finally, without waxing philosophic, owning an Alembic is being part of a family.  Alembics, when compared to other, more abundantly available marques are a relatively rare thing.  Not everyone has one, and makes them a bit unique IMHO.  It draws Alembic owners together, and I think that's a good thing.  I have personally been to a get together, and it was a wonderful thing.  I got to play great instruments and meet some very fine people.
 
So are they overpriced?  For these reasons and many more, IMHO no.  Besides, no instrument (or possession) is worth more than one will pay for it.  IMHO, Alembics are worth any penny for the endless smiles they bring to my face every time I pick one up and play it.
 
Alan
 
(Message edited by ajdover on August 17, 2008)

[lbpesq]

All Alembics that I can't afford are overpriced.  All that I can afford are not overpriced.  If I win the lottery, the overpriced ones will no longer be so!  It's all in the perception.  I will say this, in response to Alan's musings:  I have a '61 Strat that I bought in '75 for $125.  It's apparently worth a little more than that today.  In fact, it is easily the most valuable instrument I own.  It is a wonderful guitar, but, truthfully, pales in comparison to any of my Alembics.  Certainly there is no logical reason why it is worth 10 times as much as my '76 Series I guitar.  But Jimi and Eric didn't play Purple Haze and Layla on Alembics.
 
Bill, tgo

[klinkepeter]

compare the price of a good handcrafted upright bass with electric instruments in general and you understand that alembic is still pritty cheep. I know upright basses from 50$ to 250000$ (my former teacher owns an old italian bass for nearly 250000$).
Also if you think about how long you will play a good instrument. I have an old Series I since november last year, I did 2 recordings with and a few gigs and I know: as long as I can hold a bassguitar, I will play this girl.

[senmen]

Well, everytime I look inside of my wallet I must say: they are too expensive... :-)
No, just kidding. Those pieces of art are worth every cent.
You can?t compare them to anything else.
 
Oliver (Spyderman)

[82daion]

As long as there are enough players willing to pay for them, the answer is obviously no.  
 
My ownership experience with them hasn't been as pleasant or trouble-free as some peoples', but it wouldn't stop me from buying a new one. It is unlikely, however, that I will ever buy a used one again without being able to play it first.

[malthumb]

Value is in the eye of the consumer.  And the consumers' optic nerve is connected to his/her wallet.
 
IMO, justifying an Alembic by the number of hours put into it or the fact that it is a family owned small business or that they are often on a first name basis with their customers is kind of a red herring.  They are indeed factors for some customers, but there are a number of small, high quality luthiers that can make similar claims.  This could quickly disintegrate into an is Alembic better than Ritter / MTD / CallowHill / Jerzy Drozd / name your favorite exotic bass company argument.
 
It all boils down to as an individual, if you had the cash to buy the bass you want at the price Alembic asks, would you?.  If your answer is YES, then for YOU Alembic basses are NOT too expensive. You may not be able to afford one, but you still consider it to be fairly priced for the value provided.  For example, I think the new Corvette ZR1 is a bargain at twice the price, but I don't have $100K laying around, so I won't be getting one anytime soon.
 
If your answer is NO, then for YOU, Alembics ARE too expensive.
 
In my case, given enough available cash, I'd order another custom.  But until some higher priority expenditures are managed, I'll be out of the market for awhile.
 
Peace,
 
James

[mike1762]

Although the craftsmanship does make an Alembic a work of art; ultimately, they are a tool for most of us.  Are there cheaper tools out that would get the job done?  Of course there are.  I doubt anyone could listen to any of my songs and tell me which ones were recorded with an Alembic and which are my $300 MIM Fender Jazz.  That being said, the tonal palette of an Alembic far exceeds any of my other basses.  I could easily dispose of ALL my other basses and never miss them from a tone perspective.  If you need to justify the purchase, you can easily convince yourself that you are effectively buying 3 or 4 basses in 1!!!  Since I bought all of my Alembics used, there is definitely no buyers remorse.