Author Topic: Help!? (Read 234 times)

endryq · « **on:** July 06, 2004, 04:57:31 PM »

Hi everybody!

Two days ago I bought my first Alembic!
I tried 8 months to buy one and last week a friend of mine sold my me his Epic 4 because he got a Warwick Dolphin. I put the Epic on the backseat in my car (in a gigbag). In a roundabout traffic somebody crashed into the side of my car. Nobody was injured but the Alembic was completly destroyed (the neck broke two times & some cracks on the body...). The car is a total loss a well. Impossible to repair.

Now I need a new Alembic...
There are very often very nice Alembics at the American ebay. I contacted lots of sellers but during the last 8 months but:
- I got no answer
- Seller didn't want to ship to Europe (I live in Germany)
The insurance is going to pay for that (I don't know how much but I hope enough...). So if there is anyone who wants to get rid of his essence/epic/orion please contact me (tigmatebratak@web.de) or post something at this thread!

(P.S.: I know this is the wrong category but I'm
DESPERATED!!!)

Hope somebody can help me!
Thx
Hendrik

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2004, 05:39:36 PM »

Hendrik; the most important thing is that no one was hurt. Still, a tough experience losing your car and your new Alembic. All I can advise is patience; and keep your eye on the Swap Shop board of this forum.

senmen · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2004, 03:48:13 AM »

Hendrik,
sorry to hear this. I also have bad luck at the moment as I lost my job last week.
Where are you located in Germany? I live in Dueren, near Cologne. Send me a mail and I will try to help you.

Many greetings
Oliver (Spyderman)

jet_powers · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2004, 04:35:43 AM »

Wow.

A streak of bad luck indeed is running through Germany. Keep your heads held high though, things always get better.

Oliver, I guess this means you're going to have to put off your purchase of Quarwood for a bit?

John Paul

pookeymp · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:25:57 AM »

Hey Hendrik,

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss, but am very happy that you and all other parties involved are ok. Good luck in your quest to replace your Alembic.

MIkey/

smokin_dave · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:55:06 AM »

http://www.connectionbult.com/
Check out Edwin's site.He may have what you are looking for and if not,I'm sure he can get it for you.I hope you find a replacement soon 'cause life is too short to go with out an Alembic bass.I'm glad you escaped without injury.

u14steelgtr · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2004, 08:18:19 AM »

No one suffered serious injury. I would think that the person that hit your car would be responsible for compensating you for the value of your car and it's contents. So you should be able to get back on your feet when you ultimately receive payment for the damage. If an insurance company is involved it could take a while to recover your loss.

Recently someone ran in to my car and my car was declared not worth repairing. I did not have any instruments in my car with me when I was hit this time. While getting run in to is unfortunate: I feel lucky that I did not sustain serious or further injuries. I know how difficult it is to replace a car and to replace an instrument: I have tried to do both at various times in my life.

To put the above statements in to context: I have been living with a neck injury since 1982. The car accident which caused my neck injury was not my fault; in fact I was a pasenger. I can not put a price on what living with pain has meant to me. My damaged neck can not be repaired or replaced. My neck parts are made from unobtainium; and the technology to fully restore my neck to its previous condition does not currently exist. But the cost of replacing my car or an Alembic can be estimated with some accuracy.

Regarding your Epic. Do not write it off too quickly. You would probably be shocked to learn how much a good instrument repair person can accomplish given the time to effect the repairs properly and carefully.

I urge you to post some pictures on this forum that will detail the damage to your Epic. I think that this Forum includes numerous people that are familiar with instrument repair. Then again perhaps I am in denial and/or delusional. I have done numerous instrument repairs over the years. I am not among the instrument repair persons that have accomplished a miraculous repair, walked on water, or turned wine in to Series II Alembic. So I am not the person you want to have perform your repair. But seek the opinion of your peers.

Regards
-- Eugene

endryq · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2004, 03:39:50 PM »

Thanx!

The insurance is going to pay the costs (Car & Alembic). But they are not sure how much (they never had to deal with an Alembic).

David, thanks you for the link. There are very nice Alembics!!!

I build bass guitars by myself (just for me and my friends nothing special...) and I really tried to fix it somehow. But you the neck is completly
ripped of and broke two times. It really didn't
broke clean. There are lots of splinters (I tried to pick them all up but I couldn't find lots of them...). There are a couple of big cracks near the bridge section as well (lots of splinters as well) and I think you have make to a new body+neck. It sounds sad but I'm sure that repair and shipping (Germany-U.S.A.+U.S.A.-Germany) to the Alembic factory would cost much more than buying a new Epic/etc..
Eugene, thanks for your support!

Hendrik

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2004, 01:18:28 AM »

Horrible, horrible.
Give her a good burial, or perhaps an Art installation on the mantel.

bsee · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2004, 05:44:13 AM »

It may seem surprising, but there are a couple hundred dollars worth of electronics in there if those aren't wrecked. Unlike most basses, the guts of an Alembic have significant value on their own.