Alembic Distillate 1983 Natural on Reverb

[sethd]

Would like to get the club's take on this Distillate, and in particular how difficult it would be to replace the broken pickup cover.
https://reverb.com/item/33151249-alembic-distillate-1983-natural

[mica]

There is no cover on these pickups. You'll have to either try to make a better cosmetic repair on the mount or replace the pickup(s).

[sethd]

There is no cover on these pickups. You'll have to either try to make a better cosmetic repair on the mount or replace the pickup(s).

Thank you for the swift response Mica!

[pauldo]

Nice looking bass.  You could remove the pickup and do a better repair job.  But honestly it may not need to be moved. 

Looking at Reverb's rating system I certainly would not define this instrument as "Excellent", perhaps a few notches below that (again - by Reverb's definition).  Because of that fact you should be able to haggle with the price.

I would call it an excellent bass for a fair price.  It should be noted my opinion of Distillates is heavily biased. 

[sethd]

Thanks pauldo. Not as nice looking as your Distillate IMHO!

The seller wasn't able to answer several basic questions about the bass (weight, truss rod function, etc.) so buyer beware.

[hammer]

I’d have to agree that pushing this one as in excellent condition is a stretch. I’d also suggest that while a pretty much perfect condition Distillate might be worth this much, from what I see, this one is overpriced by $800 or so (and I have a soft spot in my heart for Distillates since one was my entry into the world of Alembic.

[pauldo]

Thanks pauldo. Not as nice looking as your Distillate IMHO!

The seller wasn't able to answer several basic questions about the bass (weight, truss rod function, etc.) so buyer beware.

Seth,
Thanks for the kind words, trust me close up my Distillate has some wear and tear on it.  I am not as meticulous with care as some members here.  But oh the stories she can tell.

Did the seller at least reply to you?  You should keep inquiring with the seller, not super persistent but often enough to show interest.  As Brian mentioned and I inferred, you could negotiate with that price and get a great bass for a decent price.   I noticed he has a “make an offer” option...  if it were me I would go lower with an offer and would NOT make a deal above $2k.

It is a sticky wicket... I for one appreciate a well kept bass and the woods that Alembic use are drop dead gorgeous but at the same time I am a (hypocrite) as I prefer function over form.  A ding here, a chip there, aesthetic issues don’t bother me, however you can pretend that it does matter to you a lot and use that as leverage with the pricing. 

It appears this hasn’t been on there very long so a casual persistence and the knowledge that no one in their right mind should drop that kinda coin for that condition could bode in your favor.

Good luck and wash your hands!

[hieronymous]

Also, what's up with the fretboard inlay? Coming unglued or discolored? (One of the last pics) Maybe another bargaining point...

[edwardofhuncote]

Seth, welcome to our hangout.

I think you've identified a couple red flags, but they aren't necessarily prohibitive of a deal. If you can get some assurance that the truss rods (there are 2 of them in that bass) are operable, (and they probably are fine) and get some satisfactory information on the weight, then you might be able to deal.

I would suggest emailing Mica about the cost of replacing the pickup, as that would be a worst-case scenario. Personally, I think it's fixable... I have repaired the broken 'ear' of an AXY pickup with Devcon epoxy. Mixed with a little black filler and it's a very good hide. That being said, Mica can set you up with exactly what you need right outta' the box, and you can sell your originals to defray costs.

Yeah, I'm with the fellas here. That bass is an $1800 - $2000 fixer-upper. (my favorite kind!) I think the seller just looked around at what others were pricing Distillates at and went just under it because his is rough.

FWIW, I bought a mint-condition Custom fretless Distillate for $200 more 2 years ago. Virtually unplayed 1985, still had wax paper on the brass parts and original hardshell case. I paid considerably less for a 1981 Distillate in VG+ condition a couple years before that.

Good Luck, and again, Welcome.

[sethd]

Thank you all for the responses and for the welcome edwardofhuncote.


The seller did respond. However, he did not know the weight and has not attempted to adjust the truss rods (nor did he offer to follow up about either inquiry after my second message). Answers about fret wear and action were vague.


I appreciate the pricing advice and am definitely looking for a player rather than a museum piece.