Inflation?

[DanFrank]

Just wondering if anyone else has been noticing that the price of used Alembics seems to be mirroring the inflation rate of Venezuela recently?  Some Spoilers and Europa's are being listed on eBay for astounding amounts relative to recent years.  Am I wrong?

[lbpesq]

Asking price is one thing.  Selling price is quite another.

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Yes I have noticed a lot of alembics on sale in recent years and I agree with Bill's sentiment most are  overpriced and remain listed for ages and gradually some have had to make more realistic price cuts to sell.

[edwardofhuncote]

Yep... I have noticed it too Dan. I felt like your Persuader was as nice or nicer than 95% of the ones currently for sale at higher prices. Bill's right though... I don't know if people are actually paying that kind of money for them, but they can certainly ask ambitious prices. Sure enough, an awful lot of these are continuously relisted. Like that beautiful quilted maple Spoiler with the interchangeable fingerboards... that poor thing has sat idle on ebay for two years at $1800. My guess is, for purely economic reasons it'll be there another two years... it would cost a minimum of $500 (IIRC) to get that fingerboard replaced (by Alembic) and $1800 will get you a darn-near mint Spoiler right here at this Forum, today. I personally offered $2500 for a Spoiler 5-string (just like yours, except Bocate-topped) on Reverb, and was declined. Wound up buying an even nicer Distillate for waaay cheaper. Go figure. 

I've also noticed a trend where several Alembics are listed twice or three times with different prices. I assume it's some kind of racket where one is a legitimate auction, and the others are piggy-backed onto the original. 

[gearhed289]

Asking price is one thing.  Selling price is quite another.

Bill, tgo

This ^^^

My favorite is when it doesn't sell at a certain price, then gets re-listed at a HIGHER price. ;P

[serialnumber12]

that's why it's important to do research & know alembic history cause there's no way i'll pay ( series bass money) for a freaking Signature model ,makes no sense thats why they sit on the Bay for soo long!   

[DanFrank]

I priced that Alembic Persuader to sell fast, Greg, because I just wasn't using a 4-string - hated to see it go but glad it is being played.  I also had been watching that quilted maple Spoiler - that seller must be very frustrated - but the turnoff was always that fingerboard for me as well.  I saw a 4-string Spoiler listed for over over $7400 and another over $4000 on Reverb, which always seems to possess most of the overpriced listings.  I also noticed that some Japanese posts on eBay and I guess they have no sense of a high price here in the US or that's a they're getting in Japan!?  A Japanese 5-string Europa with Coco Bolo and 5-string Lacewood Rogue are going for over $8300 & $8707, respectively.  Love that Coco Bolo and it brings me back to the one I found in a pawn shop in Maryland a couple years ago that was going for ~$2800, but I deferred because I thought it may have had problems with the electronics.  I can kick myself thinking about it now (but I'd probably throw-out my back in the process).  If I find one like that for a reasonable price again, I would have a hard time resisting!  Bill is right and evidenced by so many basses being re-listed so often - it's getting a bit boring doing my nightly searches lately :-)

[germansal]

i think that there are a lot of factors whem you want to sell an alembic,but nowdays you got to find the PERSON  who really worth the bass,because i insist there is a lot of ignorance about Alembic,and heard people comparing series basses with squires¡¡¡¡¡¡MY GODNESS

[hankster]

For me, price was always and issue, and never an issue.  Always an issue because I knew I could never justify spending huge money on an Alembic when I already had two or three entirely serviceable working instruments - they were just too expensive.  Never an issue, because since I knew they were out of my snack bracket, I just was never looking to buy, so I never got frustrated by the prices.  Then, lo and behold, I saw a signature standard on Ebay had been sitting just a little longer than I thought it should at a decent price, late one night.  Auction almost over.  So...I just watched for a couple of hours, snuck in, and got the bass at a great price.  The seller was happy enough, and I was ecstatic.  It was like a lesson in life. As Bill says - to sell, there may have to be a price cut.  I think you just have to be lucky enough to be there when it happens, and not be resentful when it hasn't happened yet. Or good things come to those who wait, or something.

R.