Vector/Electrum??? Anybody???

[Dave DeMarco (daved)]

Hi - just wondering if anyone has any photos of the rarely mentioned Vector or Electrum basses? I've been searching for years to see one of these and have never been lucky. If I didn't know better, I'd swear they were a joint venture between Alembic and the NSA; a hush-hush covert operation which no one is willing to discuss!
 
If anyone (owner or Alembic employee) has any photos, I'd LOVE to see them!
 
Thanks,
Dave

[mica]

There's this Distillate in the Showcase with a Vector nody shape and here's an Electrum we just shipped off to Switzerland on Friday:  
 

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Gosh Mica,
 
that wood goes very well on that guitar. like the linings seems to vibrate out of the PU's.
Cocobolo I guess?
 
Paul

[Dave DeMarco (daved)]

Wow! My first Vector sighting! I've waited years for this! I wonder why that is? There must be more of these out there...somewhere! Now, if someone will post a pic of an Electrum BASS...then my photo collection will be complete!
 
Thanks for the info!

[mica]

I don't think we've ever made a bass with the Electrum body shape, so you may have a complete collection now.   Here's a couple of old brochure pages that have Vector body shapes:

 

[mica]

The half-a-bass  in the 1991 brochure is a Vector body shape.  
 
You're right, Paul -- that's Coco Bolo and I am also very fond of how the grain radiates from between the pickups.  

[Jarek Michalski (basstard)]

 
 
(Message edited by Basstard on March 25, 2003)

[mica]

If you happen to look at the page in the short time between making the message and posting the picture, you'll only see the placeholder Your image here I bet if you refresh the view now, you should be able to see these.
 
(Message edited by mica on March 25, 2003)

[Jarek Michalski (basstard)]

Oh... I deleted my post when I saw the pictures, and then I saw your reply to the very post I'd just deleted...
 
Anyway, very neat! And I love the double Precision p-up configuration on the white bass! How many basses with that p-up configuration you made? And how do they sound (apart from fantastic, of course! ^.^)?

[Dave DeMarco (daved)]

Thanks, Mica! Great brochure pic of the Vector. I wonder why these weren't more popular? Backlash against Fender-ish designs back then, perhaps? Sooo...no one's ever done an Electrum bass, eh? Hmmmm......

[mica]

I don't know how many, but we did make an awful lot of them back in the day. The Vector hasn't been in the brochure since 1996, so that might explain the recent dry spell.  
 
The double P pickups are LOUD. Of course you can turn up the gain on an of the systems we make inside the cavity, but the P are even louder than the rest. mostly they sound they same, since we make the pickups all in a similar fashion.  P shape pickups are only for 4-string basses.  
 
Again, I don't know how many were made (the files are actually files in drawers, not in a computer). I will guess about 100 or so with the double P confiuration, but that's just a guess.

[Dave DeMarco (daved)]

Ok, my curiousity is really piqued now! I wonder why I've never, in 8 years of surfing for Alembics online, seen a Vector for sale? Of the 80's-early 90's regime, Spoilers and Persuaders abound, Elans show up fairly consistently, Distillates are frequent...but no Vectors? Granted if fewer were made, that would explain a low showing....but NEVER??? And I surf religiously (I've even been known to buy 1 or 2.....)

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

Dave, I search constantly too.  Everyday.  Always looking for the elusive piece.  Never seen a Vector. Hmm.

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

I jumped in my old folder and ... here they are!
So ... keep on drooling brothers
;-)
 
Paul
 

[Dave DeMarco (daved)]

BeeeeYooooTeeeFul! Thanks, Paul! Which cataog was that from? It looks like the early 90's one but I don't have that sheet.