Author Topic: An unusual Exploiter... (Read 310 times)

dfung60 · « **on:** October 19, 2005, 04:23:08 PM »

My bro sent me this link earlier today:

http://www.craigslist.org/nby/msg/104292071.html

It's a nice looking bass, regardless of what the seller is asking for.

But there's something wrong with this bass. I've never seen a Series bass that was missing it's hum-canceller. Everything else looks like a Series bass (although it looks to me to be a Series I with master volume added) - not only the cannon connector on the front, but the battery plate and EQ plates on the back, all of which look right. I've got a 1983 Series I Exploiter and it looks pretty much the same except my older bass has the round battery cover and I don't have as many neck laminates. The knob layout on this maple bass looks sort of odd, but that's probably because there's a master volume crammed in there that I don't have (my knobs are in the regular rhombus layout).

Is the hum canceller hidden? This can't be a mis-identified Distillate, since the latter has a solid body and placing the second EQ board would have been a royal pain. Perhaps this Series was built with humbuckers instead of single coils? It's not like the dummy coil is an obstruction since it's flush with the body.

David Fung

richbass939 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2005, 05:53:35 PM »

http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/21457.html?1129534742

Here's another thread about it. It's about as fishy as a tuna.
Rich

dfung60 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2005, 06:17:56 PM »

There are little details that don't seem right, but there's way too much that *is* right to seem like this is a fake. Like I mentioned before, I've got a bona fide real Series Exploiter, and the similarities seem way beyond chance (and would be a heck of a task to fake out like this).

It's not suprising that there's no action on this, as I believe that it is miscategorized as a Series II instead of Series I and the asking price is too high for much serious interest.

richbass939 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2005, 09:32:03 PM »

I should clarify what I said. I cannot make any statement about the bass itself as I have no idea about it. I was referring only to the sale listing.
Rich

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2005, 07:25:17 AM »

My initial guess is that it is the real thing and that the hum canceller is hidden in the body; but it's only a guess. The fact that he states in the Ebay listing that it does not have the hum canceller is bothersome. While the firm price on Craigs List, and as listed in the seller's post to the thread sited above, does indeed seem too high, the no reserve price on Ebay of $3,500 does not seem too unreasonable for an Exploiter with Series I electronics, although it does need a power supply. If there is indeed no hum canceller, then it seems likely to me that the bass not have Series electronics. There is enough uncertainty about this bass, together with the zero feedback Ebay rating, that anyone interested should really do their homework on this one.

dwmark · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2005, 09:24:36 AM »

i checked in with the seller and got a serial number (90 6077) that is consistent with its being a series. assuming that alembic confirmed that the number and the offered bass were consistent, i was thinking of trying to do something at 3K WITH an escrow close, but now there is a bid at 3500, so i am watching with interest. if anyone else wants to take the serial number and explore further, go to it.
in my spare time, i was wondering why someone would try to get 6K one place and 3K somewhere else. i wondered whether the ebay listing was really by the same person as the craigslist. just wondering fwiw.

dw

mica · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2005, 12:28:22 PM »

The seller did contact Valentino and confirm the bass is a custom Series. It's a Series I with a master volume, something we call a Series I-1/2 around here. There is no notation in the file about the lack of a humcanceller. So it's either make with AXY pikcups (there are a few of these) or with a hidden humcanceller. Without inspecting it, we won't be able to determine this since this detail was not recorded.

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2005, 04:15:19 PM »

Thanks Mica! I did not know that Series electronics could be mated with AXY pickups. I've learned something new!

worldfamousandy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 24, 2005, 07:18:09 PM »

There is a lot of action on this auction. Funny, that all of the bidders have no bid histories. I can't think of a reason that would be a scam, but I have never seen it before. Is this anything?

dwmark · « **Reply #9 on:** October 24, 2005, 07:48:07 PM »

i like the bass but have been staying clear of it for that reason. plus, the price seems too high for the equipment (not that I'm going to call the factory tomorrow with an order, but at this price, I'd order a new one with the upgraded series electronics). it's one of the more interesting stories i've seen here for a while though.
dw

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** October 24, 2005, 08:04:22 PM »

I just posted about the same thing over here. It is interesting indeed. All three bidders have zero feedback and two have new accounts. I also noticed that two of the bidders had account names that were quite similar - first name, last initial, four numbers - but that may just be an Ebay covention for new members that don't specify a username. The seller, mentioned above, did contact Alembic about the bass and has been posting to the thread I cited; and it seems likely that it is just coincidence that he has no feedback and a new account as well. However, there does seem to be the possibility of some bogus bidding going on; and the seller should take care when completing the transaction. Hopefully for all concerned, everything will be found to be ligit.

ed_r · « **Reply #11 on:** October 25, 2005, 08:00:25 AM »

The only reason I'm not bidding is that I don't need the bass. I don't think there's anything sneaky going on with that auction.