I was in contact with the actual seller with this bass. I was VERY interested. It sold for $3300.00 US dollars about a week ago. I made some offers, but it was not close enough. The bass had a buy it now option for $3300.00 and someone took it. I guess the ebay seller didn't bother to end the auction. It seems that the person with the Ebay auction is different than the actual seller! This is common in Japan from what I can see. Strange.
It was originally posted on Jauce.com which is a Yahoo based internet auction. The true seller posted it on Instagram. His Instagram handle is Afani.bass. I asked him for some very specific pictures and he responded back immediately with what I was looking for. I asked the same questions of the ebay seller but got no response. Go figure.
This bass is exactly what I am looking for THE zebrawood top, maple core and koa back. It's serial number is 75 216. Alembic made a few of these apparently back in the day in this same configuration. I know for a fact that this bass shares the same wood with 75-217, 75-215 and 75 219. (By the way there are two 75-219's. Both zebrawood but the grain is going in different directions.) There was another one that I am trying to track down in Japan right now and I am guessing it is serial number 75-218.
See my username on this site to help understand what sort of sickness I have. The bass that started it all for me is 75-217 with this exact wood combination. I have been chasing that exact bass since the start, way back when. I guess he will be buried with it.
What turned me off of the bass that just sold is the truss rod! There was some funny business going on there for sure. All of the other Alembics I've ever seen had a 1/4 inch nut for the adjustment. This one did not! It was some kind of allen head screw. ?!?! Although if someone removed the fingerboard it certainly did not look like the finish was disturbed. It is a real shame what has happened to this bass! Badass bridge, Strange truss rod, a strap button held on with 4 screws, etc..... Who know what was going on with that bass' electronics too. I kept looking at those 2 outer screws of that badass bridge screwed directly to the zebrawood top... ouch....
