This is an amazing and special bass. I was in the market for a short scale, saw this one, and, in a moment of weakness, said to myself, you need to buy this bass! But I really want a short scale. So, while I'm no hurry to get rid of it, I am open to trade offers (or sale offers to fund a new purchase).
This 1991 Series I was made for Alembic's 1991 NAMM display and owned by Metallica bassist Jason Newsted. I am the second owner. The store from which I purchased the bass took it in from Jason on trade, and I will provide a letter from the store owner so stating.
I'm certain this bass was used sparingly and carefully (perhaps in the studio), because it is mint -- just look at the brass backplates! It's as if this bass was put in a time capsule in 1991 and not opened until now.
This bass has a standard-point body, 34" scale length, and a full gloss body and neck. I love that the 1/4" output is wired for mono, so you can play it with a standard 1/4" wire and hear both pickups, but you can also play it through the 5-pin output for stereo. Best of both worlds....
As per Mica, here are the full specs:
serial number: 91 6288
model name: Series I
model number: LBI-4
top: Flame Walnut
accent: Maple laminate
body: Mahogany
back: Flame Walnut
neck: 5-piece Maple and Purpleheart
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: Mother of pearl ovals
pickups: SC-1 with HX
controls: "Series I" volume x2, filter x2, 3-position Q-switch x2, mono 1/4" output, stereo 5-pin output
originally made for: our NAMM show display
birthday: January 2, 1991
Mica wrote as follows on the "serial number" forum: “While this bass wasn't specifically built for Jason, I'm pretty sure he bought it on a visit to our shop - it sure looks like the one I sold to him, and I recall it was a NAMM bass, so it adds up. He was blown away by the tone and then had us change out all the electronics in his other basses for Series and everything we made for him after this bass was also Series electronics."
Comes with a hard case.
Suffice it to say that the bass plays like a dream and sounds exactly as you'd predict -- amazing. It is also extraordinarily quiet.
I am looking to trade this bass for a short-scale Alembic in excellent condition. Alternatively, I would entertain purchase offers.
I am located on Long Island, NY. I could meet to complete a trade or sale in the NY metropolitan area.
As pictured below, a hairline crack in the neck pickup housing, below the upper right screw hole, has been expertly repaired. The repair has absolutely no effect on performance and is virtually unnoticeable except upon close inspection.
