Thoughts on this?

[Crispy77]

Trying to get into my first real Alembic (I have a Fenandes FAB-180, and a Kawai FIIB), and while I'm digging this one, I'm just not sure about the price (It's really hard finding historical data). Any thoughts from those much more knowledgeable than I?

https://reverb.com/item/75284880-alembic-distillate-bass-guitar-1986

[lbpesq]

Clean looking bass.  I’m not sure this is a Distillate.  The Distillates I’ve seen have front-loaded controls mounted on a brass plate on the top of the instrument.   This one is rear-loaded, like most other Alembics.  As for price, it seems a little high to me, especially for a Distillate, but Alembic prices seem to have significantly increased over the past 2-3 years.   Still, I suspect you could get a higher end Alembic for a similar price, or maybe just a little more.

Bill, tgo

[mica]

This is a Distillate. The original ones are as Bill describes, also all in Zebrawood and originally sent to Yamaha in Japan. Later Distillates are like this one with 2 pickups and a backplate. The Europa replaced the Distillate in our lineup for pricing/features. We still make Distillates on custom order of course.

[Crispy77]

Thank you both for your insight!

[StephenR]

Hey Crispy, that is definitely a Distillate bass, the ones with the controls mounted on a brass plate were all imported to Japan and sold overseas as Mica pointed out. I also think the price is a bit high and despite the seller sounding like a nice person I am not sure why he listed it under five-strings or more? As Bill points out prices have shot way up for used Alembics the last few years but there are a glut of unsold ones on Reverb a lot of which had price decreases recently. In the current market I would say $3750- $4,000 would be a reasonable price to pay. A few years ago it would have probably been closer to $3,000. If you are interested in the Distillate ask the seller for photos of the electronics cavity, if you post them here members will be able to tell you if everything is in order.

Were you looking for a Distillate in particular? My first Alembic was a Distillate and it was a really nice bass. Mica pointed out recently that the Distillate electronics are unique. The Series basses have Series pickups and electronics all the others except for the Distillate have Activator pickups and electronics. Thankfully there are no bad choices with Alembic electronics, they all sound fantastic. Good luck with your search!

[Crispy77]

Hey Stephen! Thanks for the info! Your thoughts on the price is perfect. Helps me level set what I was thinking.

Distillates seem to always be the ones I gravitate towards (and by that, I mean the ones that grab my attention when drooling over them online). I really like the body style on this one, prefer the crown headstock over the typical spoiler headstock, and tend to like the darker woods over Maple. At the same time, I don't want to let that sway me to pay more than I should.

[Spoilers!]

Hi Crispy,

As others have said, this one does seem on the high side price-wise although there aren't enough Distillates trading hands to really establish a typical price range.  I can say it's twice what my Distillate had been listed for in 2020 (I traded rather than purchased).  That was before prices on the older non-Series models took a big jump.

One other difference between this Distillate on Reverb and the Japanese exports or early US is the upper horn.  On the older ones like my '81, the upper horn was a bit shorter and they could tend toward being neck heavy.  Mine is just barely on the cusp of being a neck diver.  From what I've heard, the longer horns did reduce neck heaviness.

I love my Distillate's tone.  I usually set my Alembics up with low tension flats and dial the filter way down for a dubby tone.  My Distillate came to me with an old set of gold roundwounds, which I decided to keep on her.  Even with the rounds there is seriously thick bottom end.  And that's before I flip on the bass boost.

Ken

[Spoilers!]

Distillates seem to always be the ones I gravitate towards (and by that, I mean the ones that grab my attention when drooling over them online). I really like the body style on this one, prefer the crown headstock over the typical spoiler headstock, and tend to like the darker woods over Maple. At the same time, I don't want to let that sway me to pay more than I should.

I'm the same way with crown headstocks.  I have to admit that did factor into my decision to pull the trigger on my Distillate.  At that point in time I didn't anticipate a Series ever being in the cards for me, so the Distillate seemed like my only shot at getting to drool over the crown in person.  Even now, when the Distillate is hanging on the wall I find myself admiring the headstock.

The five ply neck with purpleheart laminates was another eye-catcher for me, compared to the three ply maple on most Spoilers and Persuaders.

Ken

[Crispy77]

I'm the same way with crown headstocks.  I have to admit that did factor into my decision to pull the trigger on my Distillate.  At that point in time I didn't anticipate a Series ever being in the cards for me, so the Distillate seemed like my only shot at getting to drool over the crown in person.  Even now, when the Distillate is hanging on the wall I find myself admiring the headstock.

The five ply neck with purpleheart laminates was another eye-catcher for me, compared to the three ply maple on most Spoilers and Persuaders.

Ken

I know there's nothing wrong with the 3 ply neck, but man, that 5 ply with the purpleheart is just so gorgeous.

Thanks!

[pauldo]

I have an 84 Distillate.  It brings great joy.  The tonal palette is massive.  The playing comfort is sublime.  It does not have everything that a Series level bass can bring… but I have zero complaints.  Pricing is subjective, everything costs more these days.

There is no such thing as a poor choice with an Alembic instrument.

[hieronymous]

I think it looks like a very cool bass and I bet it sounds great! Is it local to you? If so and it plays well, it may be worth the price.

FWIW, I once played one of the earlier Made-for-Japan Distillates that belongs to Club member Wolf, and it was thunderous!

[Spoilers!]

I think it looks like a very cool bass and I bet it sounds great! Is it local to you? If so and it plays well, it may be worth the price.

FWIW, I once played one of the earlier Made-for-Japan Distillates that belongs to Club member Wolf, and it was thunderous!

I haven't seen or heard one of the Japanese export Distillates in person, but I'd imagine they must sit somewhere between a regular Distillate and a single AXY Persuader.  That has to be a pretty sweet spot.  I'm always amazed at how much tonal range my Persuader can cover with just a volume and filter.  Adding a deep switch to that must be an earth-shaker.

I'm fighting GAS on the Persuader that's on Reverb now.  I have absolutely no need for it, but weighing just over 7 pounds is really tempting.

Ken

[Crispy77]

I'm fighting GAS on the Persuader that's on Reverb now.  I have absolutely no need for it, but weighing just over 7 pounds is really tempting.

Ken

That one has been in my watch list since it posted too, but I'm just so smitten with the crown headstock. That weight does make it really tempting though.

[edwardofhuncote]

One thing to be aware of with the Distillate models, they tend to be a little bit neck-heavy. This one has the extended upper horn that helps quite a bit. I had one of each...  an '81 with the old body style, and an '85 with a Standard Point body and longer horn. The older of the two was the classic case of neck-heavy, but it was such a lightweight Alembic that I wasn't bothered by it. The '85 was somewhat heavier, due to the extra lumber, but balanced perfectly.


That '81 was some kinda' sweet. It was my first truly 'vintage' Alembic. I miss it sometimes.

[sonofa_lembic]

I own two early 80's Distillates, and they are among the best Alembics I have ever owned.  They are comfortable to play, have a huge range of sound variations, and often are not too heavy.  The first generation of these would have the red LED on the top which indicated battery life.  The bass you are considering does not have the LED, so it is a bit later, and has basically the same circuit as a Europa.  They did away with the LED because it drained the battery faster.  The three switches allow for such a huge range of tonal variation, and other than the Europa, no other Alembic circuit offers the bass and treble boost/cut switches.  For me, they are a wonderful way to dial in your sound live.  In 1981, my first "new" Alembic was a birdseye maple Distillate I bought from Guitar Center in Hollywood.  It took me 9 months to save up the $1100.00 to buy it, but it was a wonderful bass, and I have always gravitated back to Distillates for their ease of use, great size and feel, and perfect blend of features like sustain block, purple heart stringers, and oval inlays.  You really can't go wrong buying that bass, and if I did not already have two of them, I would have bought it myself.  Prices are high on all used Alembics at the moment, but I paid between $4-5K for mine used, so I don't think the one you are looking at is too out of line.  The days of $3k Distillates is long gone.  Buy it!