Marvin Isley’s Series 1, 1976

[Quasar1]

NICE 

https://reverb.com/item/87138577-marvin-isley-s-alembic-series-1-1976

[edwardofhuncote]

I saw that one the other day. Looks pretty solid... got a little provenance... been through the Mothership for a check-up. All that helps. Best of luck to them. I don't see this stuff moving at that price. The super-nice '78 Trevor sold the other day is still sitting on Reverb for less, and I think priced pretty fair for its merits.

Road cases, in my opinion, are not a selling point. Maybe they are for someone else, or for a road musician who actually needs such a thing. I carried a 3-1/2 lb. '50 D-18 in one of those idiot things for two years... I can't imagine carrying an 11 lb. Series bass in one. I actually have one I keep meaning to re-line and sell. Who on Earth would want it remains to be seen.

[dela217]

I remember his bass being Zebrawood.   Unless he is like most of us here and had multiple Alembics.   I just looked at the Reverb listing.    They show a picture of him playing an Alembic.    But not the one pictured for sale.    Hmmmm.

[BeenDown139]

some interesting SI's showing up all of a sudden, kinda sorry it's not my thing.  maybe in 5 strings?  long scale?

i'm partial to things '76.  don't ask why:
https://reverb.com/item/79045707-alembic-series-1-1976

nice top, a little damaged:
https://reverb.com/item/86982482-alembic-series-i

another nice one:
https://reverb.com/item/86708929-alembic-series-i-4-string-bass-guitar-medium-32-scale-1978

Road cases, in my opinion, are not a selling point. Maybe they are for someone else, or for a road musician who actually needs such a thing.

one of the barriers to taking the ebony amazon out & aboot is how to transport it without precipitating a security or damage incident.  i take it to rehearsal in a leather gig bag but when we start playing shows it's gonna hafta be a different story.  ya might could find jimmy hoffa in this thing.  i could probably fit two regular HSCs in it.  got its own wheels.  weighs a ton.  barely fits in my clown car, gotta fold all the seats down and take everything else out to wedge it in.  other than that, not a problem! 

[StephenR]

The Isley bass is nice, I like the look of the early Alembics.

My Series II five came in a road case, I can't carry it with the bass in it due to the weight, and it barely fits in the back seat of my car, so I got a second case for gigging. Since I live in an earthquake zone it is a much better way to store an expensive instrument and I felt confident there would be no shipping issues when I bought it. Overall, though, impractical unless you tour and have a road crew.

[FC Bass]

My Series II came with a standard case, but when we go out it goes in the roadcase (swapped with the Elan) :-)

[BeenDown139]

but when we go out it goes in the roadcase (swapped with the Elan) :-)

i wish i could get away with that.  the ebony amazon is aboot 16" (inches, that is) wide at the hips which actually sticks out the sides of a standard HSC. not to mention aboot 51" long, which means something is gonna hang out the ends.  i can barely squeeze it into a large gig bag.  everything about that bass is either oversized or over the top. sheeesh!

[edwardofhuncote]

Maybe I ought to revisit the idea of restoring that old road case and moving it on to someone who would use it. 🤔 I'm never going to.


Back to Dela's point on this bass; he's 100% correct, this looks like a different bass than the one Isley is pictured with, both here and the Reverb ad. Perhaps this plainer Alembic was his backup?

[rv_bass]

Whatever the case (pun intended 😊 ) looks like the bass sold.

[garyhead]

Wonder if it would pop up in a Hard Rock Cafe.

[keith_h]

Looking at the listing I don't think it is misleading claiming it was Isley's bass. The bass belonged to Chris Jasper and based on his letter it was used by Marvin Isley on occasion in the studio and when they were on tour.