1975 Series II on Craigslist

[rv_bass]

No affiliation.

The price seems out of whack, so proceed with caution.

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/d/philadelphia-alembic-series-ii-bass/7841671079.html

[FC Bass]

very 90's look on the back of the headstock, could it have been replaced? (or are there more from that era that look like this?)

[edwardofhuncote]

I believe the bass is legitimate; #75-238, a refurbished Series I converted to Series II. I'd say that ad is a scam. The text of it is the same as the last seller (in Indiana) was using for a Reverb ad. Pictures are suspiciously familiar too.


https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=28788.0

[KR]

Good catch, Greg.

[sonofa_lembic]

This bass, while too dangerous to pursue via Craigslist, is an interesting case of multiple decade upgrades.  Made from "The Log" it certainly was born in the mid 70's.  Tailpiece too, but then in the early 80's it got the original nut modified to be adjustable, a new bridge and the iconic round battery cover.  Probably refinished at that time as well since it looks to have the typical hand rubbed Poly of that time.  I would love to live with that thing no matter what it weighed.  Back of headstock looks correct as does the whole bass.  Alas, if it is too good to be true............

[dela217]

Not only is the nut adjustable, but it is scalloped!     I have not seen another like that.

[edwardofhuncote]

Fellas, the here's the thread where that bass first showed up here. Mica links to the Reverb SOLD ad with really good pictures, confirming it as 238.

https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=28088.0

And here's the next time it sold. Note the ad text and pictures are the same as in the CL ad currently being run in Philadelphia.

https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=28721.0

Use extreme caution. I think this is most likely a scam. Saw the same thing recently on a guitar.

[rv_bass]

It's nice (and the core looks like koa) and would match nicely with my similar Series I, but as has been noted it doesn’t seem right. 

[sonofa_lembic]

Scalloped nuts were not uncommon in the early to mid 70's basses, and I think they just modified the original.  In looking closer at the rear headstock laminates, I was noticing some dark lines off to the side in the maple.  These may indeed be newer headstock lams, and were done when a broken headstock was repaired.  The dark lines may just be grain lines, but due to the angle and the prevalence of broken headstocks from this era, I would bet the headstock was repaired circa 1982 when all the other changes were made. 

[sonofa_lembic]

In looking at the original ad photos from Reverb, I do not see any crack on the left side of the neck at the headstock, but I do see a line in the photo of the right side of the neck.  Maybe it is nothing, but I would ask the seller.

[FC Bass]

Though they did experiment with the "tongue" style in the 70's (especially thinking of Marc Vanderkley's Series I: https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8475.msg99233#msg99233 )
I would expect a style much more like my '83 Spoiler (cone with d-tuner in the pic) The '79 I sold a while ago, had a very similar style.
The style on the '75 looks exactly like they did in the early 90's.

5 different styles in this pic :-)
1999 set neck volute, 2010, 2023, 1983 and 1988:

[FC Bass]

"No breaks cracks or repairs" in the listing from Mica's link :-)

[rv_bass]

Since it has the circular battery cover, I’m wondering if the whole neck was replaced. That’s what was done to my 75 bass in the early 80s, which has the circular battery cover.  Otherwise, why change the battery cover?  Maybe whoever owns it now will chime in.

[pauldo]

5 different styles in this pic :-)
1999 set neck volute, 2010, 2023, 1983 and 1988:

That’s really neat.  Thanks for sharing.

[Mlazarus]

It is a scam. The seller set me up with PayPal and had my bank AND PayPal didn't put a block on it, the guy would have stolen $4300 from me. The bank and
PayPal wanted me to contact them first to have me confirm if I was the actual person making the payment. I told PayPal and the bank I was. So, the bank and
PayPal unlocked the transaction to make the payment process again, only this time I was wise. I contacted the seller and asked him to call me first. He wouldn't
replay. I asked him about three times to talk to me on the phone. I told him I would not go through the payment process until he talked to me. So, instead, the
seller PULLS the ad off Craigslist!! Now i knew he was a scam artist. Also, the 75' series 2 bass should have been priced at $10,000 minimum. Too many flags.
Be very careful. It was too good to be true. This is the bass.