Author Topic: Alembic #10 on Ebay (Read 223 times)

jake · « **on:** November 12, 2006, 08:53:03 AM »

I was wondering if anyone had any info on this guitar. It looks great of course, but it's too bad there are no bigger pics.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Collectors-Guitar-Handmade-Alembic-10_W0QQitemZ140051583116QQihZ004QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140051583116

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2006, 09:36:07 AM »

The BIN is only $37,500 and you want pictures big enough to see what it looks like too? Some people are soooooooooooo demanding!

Bill, tgo, TFPIC (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

FC Bass · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2006, 09:39:41 AM »

lg71 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2006, 08:06:55 PM »

I have just asked the seller if he's got some close-up/bigger pictures.
Maybe if we all stress him we can get some... I really like the look of this instruments, that's my personal taste.

It's amazing, I was telling my friend last week that I wanted to have a cut out/hole in the body of my heavy Arialembic MK2 (similar to the one on this picture), to make it lighter, but I wasn't sure how it would affect the sound and if it was a good idea.
Bu now that I see that it has been done, it's encouraging, and I guess that at the asking price, it would mean that it didn't make the instrument sound worse...

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2006, 03:39:50 PM »

LG; you would have to have the instrument refinished, the cost of and time for which depends on the quality desired. While on a neck through instrument, the neck woods contribute more to the sound than the body woods, the body woods do make a contribution. So to the extent you remove body woods, the neck woods will become more prominent in the sound.

lg71 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2006, 04:51:15 PM »

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the advice. Well, I'll clarify few things;
- I hate lacker, I love oil finish, and if I was cutting some wood through the body, it would mean that the whole bass would be stripped (then oiled). If I am lucky enough to be able to hold on to my basses for as long as my heart desires, they will all end up fully striped (lacker removed), and finish with several layers of oil.

At that stage, if I was doing everything myself, I would save a lot of money... and the main reason for doing this type of work, would be because the bass is very heavy, well before the visual aspect. really, my Aria SB900 is really heavy, I cannot stand up with it, due to health problem, and even when I seat, after few hours, the weight of the bass against my thigh really hurts, to a point that I have to stop.

This bass was planned/created for recording, the other red Arialembic MK1 is much more lighter, and is supposed to be used for practicing, so while all of this makes sense, I need PUs for the lighter bass, and I really look forward to have two clones, a light (practicing) and a heavy (recording).

I am not planning drilling/carving anything yet, while it's early stage, it's good to know that it's been done on high end Alembic instruments.

jake · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2006, 04:53:43 PM »

LG,In my opinion as someone who does this kind of work, I don't think cutting holes in your bass would add anything to it [no pun intended]. I went back a few posts and saw your pictures of it, and I can't really envision a cutout on that instrument. just my two cents.

lg71 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2006, 05:14:50 PM »

Hi Jake, thanks for your advice.

It wouldn't be to ad anything, but to take some off, to make it Lighter.

Although, saying that, it all depends on one's ability to make things look nicer than they already are, some are gifted some aren't...

Personally I like the look of my Bass an see some potential, carving is an option, thinning/slimming down the body is an other one...

But I understand what you mean, no-one really commented on my bass, I am fine with that, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

0vid · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2006, 03:04:27 AM »

The tasteful way of weight reduction is to route from the back and put in matching 1/8 or 1/4 wood plates to cover the hollows. This will allow a decent distribution of weight so that the instrument still balances whether strapped or rested on a thigh.

The plates can be glued in, and refinished or bolted back on like control backing plates. The solidbody effectively becomes a semi solid, not unlike the Stanley Clarke one. Being a thru neck intrument is is harder to lop off the whole back, but with patience and handiwork it can be planed off and done, and will look more professional than the suggeston to use 'plates'. I have taken 1/4 off backs and worked on the body, installing a new 'back'. This is of course easier if the instrument is a bolt on and the whole body can be sent through to a thicknesser and reduced. It would be the same process as 're-topping' a guitar, except you may wish to interfere with the core of the body. Since the popularity of figured tops with PRS and the like, many people now offer this service, incl, the infamous Ed Roman.

Then again, if the weight difference works out, and you don't mind the losing the pinstripes of the thru neck, you could route the rear for hollows and glue on a nice looking back, thus increasing the thickness of the instrument but losing enough weight in the process.

(Message edited by 0vid on November 15, 2006)

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2006, 04:58:48 AM »

Geez that's alot of money this cat is asking ....but what the hell it's a VERY OLD alembic!,,,,,Now I'm wondering what my old #12 is worth then.

adriaan · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2006, 05:33:15 AM »

Keavin, not to take anything away from the mighty #12, but I guess the astronomic asking price for #10 is based on the alleged fact that Jerry Garcia owned it at some point.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2006, 06:39:32 AM »

And it's a bargain at that - about a year ago, George Gruhn had a Byrdland that Jerry owned on his website - he was asking either $60K or $100K, I disremember which.
Peter

jsaylor · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2006, 06:07:52 PM »

lol only $37,500. Suppy and demand, and I see no demand.

lg71 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2006, 07:18:10 PM »

$40.000, phew, it's nothing for someone like Tom Cruise or Brad pitt!

Well, I asked for photos, but haven't heard anything from him... he must have sense that I couldn't afford it!

-----------

Hi Ovid, thanks a lot for your valuable advice.

That is nice and constructive, and it gives me some newer ideas, like for instance, carving/thinning some areas at the front and back, and have it rounded/smoothed, that it becomes part of the design/aesthetic. Without covering anything... I don't know how to describe it with words,much like your idea, but instead of carving deep + big chunks, you'd spread it over several parts at the back and front, more even and artistic looking, and the edges of the body would look a bit like a bagel, if you see what I mean.

lg71 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2006, 08:23:34 PM »

I always post too quick... just recived a link to the photos, still tiny though: Look