Author Topic: Alembic and the separation from GC (Read 555 times)

lbpesq · « **Reply #30 on:** September 16, 2005, 10:25:06 AM »

The real problem is TPC - The Phone Company. They own everything. If you don't believe me, rent The President's Analyst starring James Coburn. Also, Chevy owns Ford, Nissan owns Toyota and Honda, the U.S.A. owns Mexico, Canada, and a half interest in Nepal. Kelloggs owns Post, Coke owns Pepsi, and somewhere in the world a dog named Peabody owns a young boy named Sherman. This is all true, believe me. I heard it from my friend's neighbor's mailman's barber's mechanic's plumber. It has to be accurate! (nyuk, nyuk).

Bill, tgo

keith_h · « **Reply #31 on:** September 16, 2005, 10:40:35 AM »

And they're all after our precious bodily fluids.

Keith

811952 · « **Reply #32 on:** September 16, 2005, 11:44:35 AM »

The Epiphone story comes from manufacturing negotiations with a Korean company some years back, and ultimately didn't come to pass. My bad, which as you'll note I'm admitting. Other than that, yes Gibson owns Epiphone.

Now I'm off to shed some of those pesky bodily fluids the aliens hold so precious...

John

jetbass79 · « **Reply #33 on:** September 16, 2005, 03:57:57 PM »

My whole point in posting this thread was to find out from the source what caused the separation of Alembic and GC...I could care less whom controls or owns whom...I'm glad to be backed up though because if there's one thing I cannot tolerate it's lots of misinformation. But whatever...I am still waiting for the answer to my question and whenever the people who have created these fabulous instruments have some free time, I would like their input. I certainly would not want to take away from their busy work schedules, however. I'm a man of patience.

811952 · « **Reply #34 on:** September 16, 2005, 05:57:02 PM »

John,

If you want it from Mica and/or Susan, then I would recommend emailing them directly. The Alembic/GC discussion has come up several times in the past, and I don't recall them ever giving an answer more direct than the our business models were different sort of response. For legal reasons, this being their official corporate website, I can't imagine they would want to post the gnarly details (if there even are any) for the world to read in perpetuity via cached pages on Google. They are both extremely busy, but also extremely responsive to direct queries of all sorts. And it's just an awesome cool feeling to get an email from a Wickersham (and from you too, Val).

As far as that goes, maybe directly contacting one of the old-timers off-list wouldn't be a bad idea either. Some of these guys (and gals) know very nearly all there is to know about things Alembic.

I am not a fan of misinformation either, and the web is unfortunately mostly just that. The friendly and informed discussion is what makes this forum one of my most-visited sites, and I look forward to reading and participating in the Brain-share with you and everybody else until my eyes quit working...

John

lbpesq · « **Reply #35 on:** September 16, 2005, 08:15:42 PM »

It occurs to me, given that Alembic is already able to sell every instrument they make and that all of us know the wait to have our axes built, Alembic just doesn't need GC.

Bill, tgo

rockbassist · « **Reply #36 on:** September 17, 2005, 06:19:45 AM »

John, I could be wrong in my assumption but I think the main reason that GC does not carry Alembic or any other high end bass or guitar is because of what I explained in my earlier posting. They make too much money on repeat business to beginners and intermediate players. Why tie up thousands of dollars in inventory that a very select few people will consider buying. GC does of course have a limited number of vintage instruments in every store but I believe that it is more for the so-called WOW factor. (Wow look at that 65 Jazz Bass, Wow look at that 59 Les Paul, etc). It's an interesting topic. I have a good firend who works for GC. I will see what I can find out.

811952 · « **Reply #37 on:** September 17, 2005, 10:02:15 AM »

Kevin,
I think we are (and have been) in complete agreement on that. Bill's post addresses it very succinctly from the other side. Neither of them need the other. Taking it a step further, neither of them could be what they are with the other involved. I would love to be able to walk into a GC (or any other store for that matter) and see a wall of examples of the full Alembic line (or at least one or two instruments), but recognize that would be like having a Bugatti or two at every Volkswagen dealer. Which would be waaay cool, but that's not my point.

BTW, my sourcing for some of the statements made earlier consists of a former Epiphone employee, more than one former Gibson people, a former distributor rep (those people will tell you anything) and someone who has had intimate dealings with FMIC. So you can understand my trusting a lot of their information. They don't all know each other. Oh, and the Honda owns part of HD came from a Top-Ten Reasons Why Other Riders Don't Wave list, so I have no idea if it's true or not. Truth is usually stranger than fiction though.

John

valvil · « **Reply #38 on:** September 19, 2005, 02:02:43 PM »

Hello John (jetbass),

if you look up Danno's first post on September 14, on this thread, he's got the story right there.

Valentino