Author Topic: A stolen Alembic, with happy ending (Read 162 times)

buffalo86 · « **on:** March 19, 2007, 04:12:35 PM »

Hi, I'm new here. I own three Fender basses and enjoy playing jazz music. I was playing with some guys back east and the previous bass player had an Alembic. He sold it to my drummer (for $400) because I had no money, my drummer was going to hold it for me. Five years ago as he was trying to sell his house, someone broke in and stole the bass. A year went by and as he was driving past a local pawn shop, he looked through the window and there was his bass hanging on the back wall. He bought from the store owner and has decided he'd like to sell it. He says he'll take $1200. The bass looks like a Stanley Clark with a plain wood body, though he keeps saying Babinga whatever that means. It has a thirty two inch scale and the number starts with 85xxx. The instrument is nearly mint with a 1/8 nick at the A string tuner and 1/2 scratch on the side of the body below the tone knobs. The pick ups are offset type and say Alembic, the hardware is brass in excellent condition.
Do you think I should buy it?

I'll try to upload a pic of the general body shape.

buffalo86 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:29:33 PM »

serial # 85P3649

buffalo86 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:43:25 PM »

ooops, I guess it's a persuader

bsee · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2007, 06:59:45 PM »

If it were a Persuader, it wouldn't look like that...

Take a look here in the Showcase section of this board system and you should see some pics of Persuaders. $1200 is near the top end of the price range for a typical four string Persuader. $400 for that bass was a steal, though.

If you like the looks and feel of the bass and the tone is what you want then go for it.

dwmark · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:15:35 PM »

isn't that coco with PH lams? isn't that signature electronics? i'm a relative newcomer. does any of this make sense?

bsee · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:26:51 PM »

The original poster said it looked kind of like this, but is obviously new to the world of Alembics. The description and serial number are clearly a Persuader with P/J pickup configuration.

adriaan · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2007, 03:05:50 AM »

Of course they may have built a Persuader with a small standard body, but it would not be quite as elaborate as the picture above.

Original poster did say it was a pic of the general body shape, so don't give him a hard time, guys!

buffalo86 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:54:31 AM »

Yes, I am corrected.

dwmark · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:26:25 AM »

as am I.

David Houck · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2007, 08:40:23 PM »

Hi Dave, welcome to the board! And you've made an excellent decision in coming here to increase your knowledge of things Alembic. If you have some time, start reading threads. There is a wealth of information here about Alembic instruments. A great place to start is the FAQ and Must Reads sections. And the Showcase section is also very illuminating.