New guy here. Question about an Alembic Guitar

[jmbstudios]

I've played some Alembic basses and have always had one on my list.    But I am primarily a guitar player.   In the last few years I've been looking at Alembic guitars.   I've played a couple and was amazed at how articulate they are.   And the build quality is phenomenal.

Last year I found one for sale.   I'm not well versed on the models but I believe it's a Spectrum model.
It's in my favorite color, looks to be in great shape.
The post disappeared but I still have the owners contact info and wanted tonstart a dialog again and see if it's still available.

What is the value range of these models?   

Any historical issues that pop up on these that I should be aware of?
Thank you in advance for your knowledge and expertise.

Here are a couple of pics.

[fivestringdan]

Hello and welcome!

I haven't been watching the alembic market for very long. After the crazy covid buying spree guitars seem to sell around 6k. It really depends on what is under the hood. Spec sheet would help.

[jazzyvee]

Actually it looks more like a california special to me. If so i would think the extra switch would be for leds and one of the extra rear cavities for led batteries.  Possibly it's a custom with additional electronics in the second cavity maybe related to extra knob?

[jmbstudios]

Yes, it has LEDs down the neck.  I don't have any other electronics specs.   Just the obvious on the wood.   Maple (veneer caps I would guess) purple heart neck thru.

[adriaan]

The body caps are 1/4". The peghead has veneers (might  be triple veneers, though).

[David Houck]

Love that blue on quilted maple.

[jmbstudios]

Yeah,  I really like the quilted maple in blue.

Anyone have a suggestion on value?   
4k, 5k, 9k or one million dollars (insert Dr. Evil voice) 

As far as specs, I can only go off the Alembic site and what the owner said.  Add ons--   LEDs on the neck, neck is maple/purple heart/ maple.  I think the maple quilt caps are an upgrade too.   

[pauldo]

Someone here should be able to provide you with a reasonable price range.

No disrespect- the value of an instrument is whatever a buyer is willing to pay.  Some transactions take place that seem ridiculous (both high or low) but if the seller and buyer both feel good -  who is to say what is right?

Paul (feeling ambiguous this evening)

[jmbstudios]

A range would be a good start.   I'm not looking to nail it to the cent.    I agree it's worth the agreed number between the parties.

Hopefully some guidance from the experts here will help with the decision making and possibly negotiation.

Thanks Paul.

[edwardofhuncote]

I think the reluctance to post a range is legitimate; nobody knows anymore. I can tell you, I think the floor is about $4K now, at least for what someone will ask, publicly. In fact, there is a Club Member here who has a Skylark for sale currently at/about that. As far as I know, it's the most affordable Alembic guitar on the planet.

I agree with JazzyVee, that looks like a California Special... with a couple custom options. Those don't come up frequently, (I do recall a couple...) this one looks pretty good, no obvious issues, and if it's what trips your trigger, you might negotiate starting from $4K in a private sale scenario. If it's a retail sale, then all bets are off. I've watched guitars sit for years, made offers on them, even watched the price go up on a couple, still they sit on the online marketplace. Offhand, I'd guess that guitar sells for about $5-6K to someone who really wants exactly that.

That guitar doesn't check the right boxes for me, but to put it in perspective, the dream custom guitar I hope to have built would currently cost about $12K. I paid about half that price for a super-nice, basically unplayed Little Darling guitar to tide me over. I wanted to experience specifically those electronics in practice for the education. When the time comes, I may sell that guitar and apply the funds plus what I learned to the ultimate goal. Or I may keep both! I get attached to these things.

Alembics are beyond being the next level, there isn't much room left for improvement after that, and it really comes down to deciding whether putting the disposable cash into one gives you the return on the investment. Make sure you get what you want.

Good Luck, and Welcome. Make sure you post us some pictures of your new-to-you guitar when that eventuality comes along.

*BTW, here is the California Special page. https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=229.0 This guitar has some interesting tweaks. Extra switch is probably [on/off] for LED's, the extra knob... possibly a blend...? Or is it a switch with a round hat knob? I don't see any purpleheart laminates, looks like three maple layers to that neck. Might be worth a serial number lookup.

[StephenR]

If the seller has given you an asking price it would be easier to comment as to how "realistic" it seems than to give a firm estimate of "value". Especially since this model of guitar doesn't come up for sale very often.

Almost every used Alembic being sold online currently is overpriced, a lot of them have been sitting, in some cases for over a year, unsold. When they do sell there is usually no accurate way to determine what was actually paid. There seem to be less auctions now, it is more common to list at a high price but also accept offers. On eBay if an offer is accepted the "sold" listing shows a line through the asking price and "best offer accepted" but not what it sold for. I believe this is done to intentionally hide the selling price while driving up perceived "value" and jack up prices. I bought an instrument on Reverb and did not pay the listed price, the sold listing still shows the asking price. At least Reverb shows a reduced asking price if it was marked down by the seller prior to being sold and you can assume that is the price it finally sold for.

[jmbstudios]

I got a hold of the seller to get a number.
Asking price on this guitar is $3K.

[edwardofhuncote]

Seems like a good deal. Do it before the flippers get it.

[pauldo]

Seems like a good deal. Do it before the flippers get it.

Exactly… flippers (IMHO) are heartless individuals who have no intention of enjoying the instrument just turning a profit.   They have the Capital for it, meanwhile us lowly ‘hard-working Americans’ scrimp and save to buy a Dream and it gets jagged away at the last minute for the love of $$$ and nothing else.  😞

That sounds like a fair price, see if there is wiggle room.

[lbpesq]

That’s a fair and reasonable pre-covid price.  If you like it, grab it.  It is unlikely you will find a better deal.   And, if you don’t like it, you will be able to easily recoup what you paid.

Bill, tgo