(x) Exploiter 83S2927

[Krizzo]

Mica,

I just bought my Exploiter and since it's my first Alembic, I'd like to know a little about it's heritage please.

Thank you,

Krizzo J

[mica]

Hi Krizzo,

Here's what I found out about your bass:

model name: Spoiler
model number: SMBX-4
top: Bird's-eye Maple
accent: none
body: Mahogany
neck: 3-piece Maple
scale: 32" medium
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: Pearloid (plastic) ovals
pickups: Alembic AXY4
controls: Spoiler (version SB-I)
originally made for: Zapf's Music, PA
birthday: October 21, 1983

The original owner was in PA. There are 2 more registered owners, one in California in 2003, and the next in Florida later in 2003.

[willie]

Hey Krizzo

My is Will. Your first Alembic Bass was my first Alembic Bass! I had it built back in 1983. I had it for about 20 years. It's a great Bass.
I had to part with it to pay for a Custom Small Standard Short Scale Bass. I've been wondering how and where it is.
It would be great if you post some pictures of it so that I can see it again.
Good luck with the Bass.
Thanks
Will

[Krizzo]

Mica,

Thank you very much for the information on my bass, I appreciate the time involved.

[Krizzo]

Will,
Good to hear from the original owner, it's unusual to be able to run across the former owners like that. I bought it from The Low End Bass Shop in May, when I received the bass it looked like it had been somewhere damp for quite a while as the brass was in bad shape. I spent a couple days cleaning and polishing and it looks almost new, it makes me wonder if it has been played much.

[willie]

Krizzo
It's good to see my old Bass. I don't know how the Bass has been treated or taken care of since I sold it. I kept it in perfect condition.
When I sold it there was not a mark on it. Like new except maybe for some fret wear. Glad you were able to get it cleaned up. I hope everything is working properly.
It looks like someone added side LED's to it. It didn't have them when I had it. My Alembics since then do and the last two have the front laser LED's as well.
I like them so much that now all my basses have to have lights!
Good luck with the Bass and I hope you are happy with it, and post more pictures as you get them.
Willie

[Krizzo]

Will,
The frets had a bit of corrosion on them and the bridge looked pretty bad when it arrived. I used the StewMac finishing oil on the ebony board and it came out like new, as did the frets. Everything cleaned up well and gave me a chance to really inspect everything at the same time. The finish was dull and after polishing it looks like new, it's been extremely well taken care of over the years. The LEDs are a stick on strip with a small box on the back on the headstock by a company called "Hot Dotz". I'd never heard of them until I saw the bass, it seems to work well and can't be seen from the front.

What year did you sell the bass, and do you have any original photos?

[willie]

Krizzo
I believe I sold it in 2000. It was on consignment at Guitar Villa in Nazareth PA. The Bass I had built to replace it is a 2000. And your Bass sold at just about the same time my new one was completed. I have plenty of pictures of it. I will have to try to figure out how to post them. I don't have them saved digitally right now. It was before the days of cell phones with cameras in them. But I'll figure it out. That Bass has a Satin finish over the whole thing. So it won't get as shinny as a Bass with a Gloss finish.
Willie