Pro's and Cons of thinning the Alembic herd

[jazzyvee]

I have a decent collection of guitars and basses and apart from a few that are sentimental to me, the rest have had amounts of use over the years depending on the type of music I'm playing or even the venue.  The problem is, that since I got into alembic basses, I find that the reward I get from playing them live and the impact it has on shaping the overall sound of the music I'm playing is much greater than the music where I would play guitar. That may be because the guitar gigs I have done in recent years have been reggae and mainly rhythmic so from a guitar point of view I'm embellishing the sound not defining it as would happen with the bass or if I was playing more guitar dominant music.  
 
Now, If I look at what instruments I've used for live playing over the past year. I've used my black europa for about 95% of gigs, and the series I and II for 2 or 3 gigs each, standard Europa & Elan once and the SC got no action.  As for guitar I've not done any gigs on guitar for about 3 years but I've been on a few jam sessions taking a strat. So my thoughts are should I be off loading those instruments that get little or no live use?
 
Specifically selling my Series I Dragon guitar crosses my mind quite frequently but I think it's one of those things that I would regret doing even though It's probably the sensible thing to do, but why sell arguably the best guitar in the herd to keep a lesser one? Deep down as a guitarist I'm still calibrated for a strat, with it's single volume, simple tone controls and pickup selector to change tones using the pickups rather than lots of knobs. So from that point of view my Orion guitar is more suited to me than the S1 which I don't feel I've bonded with yet, but really a 3 pickup alembic like the spectrum would be closer to a perfect fit.  
 
Thankfully I'm not in a situation where I need to sell for financial reasons so it's more about trying to decide if I should hold on to instruments that do not get live use. In the past I've never tried to justify things like this. Maybe it's an age thing since these days I question the wisdom of holding on to things I don't use sufficiently to justify their place.
 
The stories of regretting the sale of their alembics rings as clearly as an open A string so I am not going to make any rash decisions.
 
I would be interested to hear your thoughts about your own situation and how you came to the decision to sell or not to sell would be useful.

[moongerm]

For me in the past year I sold 2 Alembics. 1 Stanley Clarke Deluxe FC, and a Distillate (both 4 strings).  I also sold a beloved Carl Thompson 4 string (Tenor) which was played throughly enough to the point it was retired. All of those basses are funding a new Series II build. I would have loved to keep all of them but I simply couldn't justify having all those basses, plus I have a 4 String EVH with Anniversary which will back up the new Series build once completed.
 
So I am approaching things not so much from a collectors perspective but the usefull life the instrument will provide me.

[hammer]

IMHO low use usually says something about the goodness of fit or lack thereof between a musician and his or her instrument. Of course that can change as one's projects shift (e.g. more or less live vs. studio work) or there's a change in the music you're playing.   In the position in which you find yourself, unless you're extremely attached to an instrument for sentimental purposes or have given up thinking about that perfect build or used acquisition why not thin the herd (at least temporarily) so that the instruments get used and if you have an epiphany and decide to start a new build or the opportunity to pick up that perfect instrument comes along you can jump in it.

[hammer]

Oh yes...I've sold both a Distillate and a SC Standard in the last year and haven't really thought twice about it. Of course that's at least partially because the sales of both instruments led to the acquisition of basses that provided a better fit for what I've been doing.

[edwardofhuncote]

I've collected vintage guitars (and other stringed instruments) for years, most of which I bought in some state of disrepair, and fixed myself. Over the last couple years, I've thinned the herd considerably, often by selling three or four $500 guitars to buy one $2000 guitar. The goal I guess, is to trade up, while at the same time get the collection down to instruments I play regularly. In pursuit of a second Alembic, I have already sold several instruments, and got a few more to go.  
 
Will I ever be selling the Alembics to fund other Alembics...? Well, never say never, but at present time I can't imagine doing it willingly... I'm pretty attached to mine.

[moongerm]

Nice Brian, we had the precisely same tastes at one point .
 
The Series 2 build currently in production has all of the features that I desire across the instruments I sold. http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/206044.html?1425153291
 
Here was my logic:
- Balance of a Carl Thompson (Long scrolled horn reaching the 12th fret).
- 32 scale and bass/treble boost,cut, flat switches of the Distillate.  
- Narrow taper neck of the Stanley Clarke short scale.

[dannobasso]

I've cut my herd in half but added other makes. I only have the first I bought and the ones I had built. But I did have a lot of fun buying and selling. I currently use the various basses for recording and my Status 5 and 6's get the gig time. Headless and graphite, easier to move about and not smash into the guitarist on small stages. Jazzy, if you still have the black 5 w/leds, that would make me get another perhaps.

[5a_quilt_top]

Having worked at a guitar store for several years, my advice always is - if you don't need to sell - wait.
 
Selling under duress (or perceived duress) usually results in the seller taking a loss.
 
Believe me, we love it when someone thinks they absolutely have to sell an instrument because we know we'll get it for a really good price.
 
Like you, I have several pieces that I would never part with, but I also keep a list of instruments (usually secondary back-ups to my primary back-ups) that could be sold quickly if the price / situation is right.
 
As for Alembics - I recently sold my Spyder because I downsized my vehicle and it became too difficult to transport safely. Plus, due to its size, I risked damaging it every time I used it, which made me timid when playing it and compromised my enjoyment.
 
It was a difficult decision because it was a visually and sonically unique piece in my collection, but, as luck would have it another opportunity presented itself in the form of a 5-string Series II that will be a more practical fit for some of my projects. And the Spyder went to someone who really wanted her - so win-win all around.
 
My remaining Alembics would be the last instruments I would consider selling because they are all very unique and personal, which means that they would be very difficult to replace. Plus, due to their higher price and the relative obscurity of the brand, they would be much harder to sell quickly than a more well-known and less expensive Fender, Ric or Music Man.

[wfmandmusic]

I have been recently thinning my herd down with these thoughts. What instrument do I grab if I'm playing on the couch at home? Which one do I grab if I'm going to the studio and why? If I'm going to a jam session what do I take? but mainly I have been setting myself up for diversity and eliminating any repeats. I don't need instruments that I never play and are not sentimental. I have an old strat and for me it's the only electric guitar I need. I have a really nice Martin acoustic and a nice Guild acoustic. I bought the Guild because I regretted selling an old one I had. The guild sounds great but everytime I grab an acoustic it's the Martin. I don't have a acoustic /electric so I just bought a nice Martin for that and the Guild is going to be sold. I recently sold some other gear to purchase a Taylor 12 string because I did not have one and needed one. I loved my Distillate but could get the same sounds out of my series 11 so I sold it. Because having a choice in either the studio or playing live, I'm taking the series. I have kept my favorite fretless 4 string, 5 string and fretted 5 basses and sold the rest. I still have 2 very nice jazz basses and one has to go. The way I also feel is I get a lot of joy out of selling a nice instrument to someone else so they can enjoy it. If I had my run with it and now I'm done, I like to pass it along. I have a Ric, p bass, jazz, modern jazz, 5 strings both fretted and fretless, fretless hot rod p fretless, fretless series 1, upright bass, and a fretless hollow body acoustic/electric. I'm now totally covered for any situation thrown my way with the best of the best (in my mind anyhow)

[bigredbass]

It's an interesting proposition at this point in my life.
 
My 60th birthday is rapidly bearing down on me (I can NOT believe it . . . .).  I no longer gig, or even entertain any notion of it.  To be fair, it's barely a hobby at this point, but after so many, many years, I'd admit to finding it strange to be bass-less.
 
Eight years ago, I gave in to my one case of collecting-itis, and rounded up all three versions of the BB5000 Yamahas, all in matching white.  I enjoyed them, but ultimately sold them all and never missed them, which told me a lot about me.
 
I'd long since passed the 'object of desire' passion about basses, they were all tools which I enjoyed and took care of, but they were no longer mental centerfolds.  Maybe the Yamahas were my 'middle age fling' . . . . but I took the money from their sale and put it in other things.  
 
Maybe it was a subconscious reaction to distance myself from a dead-end street (most of my playing 'career'), but I find that at this point in my life, new experiences are far more important.
 
Which leaves me with the two Alembics, which I'd never sell.  Ultimately, there's nothing else I want or need, and replacing them would cost way, way more than keeping them, obviously.  
 
But I'd agree that barring any compelling money need, I'd sit on them.  I have lived long enough to know that another axe does not, for me, spur some flash of inspiration or a reason to stay at the wheel.
 
Joey

[terryc]

Joey..I am getting into the same frame of mind although I still enjoy the buzz of live performance(58 approaches in June).
I yearned for an Alembic ever since I saw Stan Clarke play one and yearned even more when Mark King had them and eventually I got one in 1998. Although not a Series bass I don't have the want for another as I now look at the fact of 'how many tone controls do I need' I also do not get anal about the myriad of amps, speakers, settings, which cable should I use, which strings are the best, effects or anything else. Right now I just plug in and play, I have come to the conclusion that the average audience member doesn't give a s**t about what gear you have as long as the music is good!
Since my minor health issue I too regard 'new experiences' far more important than all the above mentioned. Life is just too short to be worrying about 'how much should I turn that filter control'

[jazzyvee]

Terry, Stanley Clarke was also my trigger for getting an alembic and I got my first one in 2002.  It's refreshing to read your straight to the point additions to threads and to be honest they serve as a reality check for me when I think I'm getting a bit to overboard trying to work things out. I've now had the same main bass rig for a good few years now and more or less got my sound under my control. I generally to take my best gear to concert setting gigs because as well as the audience getting a better sound ( whether they realise or not), I usually get to hear things better too which is a good thing.
 
Anyway I watched a video yesterday of Eric Clapton about when he sold off a load of his guitars to raise money for  his Crossroads rehab clinic in Antigua and realised I don't really have that many guitars. But as he was a millionaire by the age of 23 and a pro for most of his musical life, he could easily acquire a huge collection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSpuyq0dxo

[terryc]

Yeah Jazzy, RTF on the OGWT, I remember seeing it and thinking to myself 'Thats not a Fender, is it a Gibson, and look at how long the neck is ? and how can anyone play bass that fast and like that?'
Along with the Mahavishnu they took me away from the rock of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and all the others that my mates were into. It was an absolute eye opener!
There is nothing like that now, back then it was totally original!
And on another note...too many controls spoil the sound(too many cooks spoil the broth) LOL!

[s_wood]

Jazzy, I am going through a similar process myself.  When I started to buy Alembics 20 years ago or so I divided my playing time pretty equally between 4 string and 5 string, depending upon the gig and my mood. Consequently, some of my favorite Alembics are 4 string basses that I've owned for a long time.  However, for the last 10 years or so 99% of my playing time is on 5 string.  My 4 strings rarely get played, and when I do it's out of nostalgia or guilt, mostly.  
 
I have finally decided to thin the herd by selling off my 4 strings.  In the end, I decided that musical instruments are meant to be played.  Somebody out there will love and play those basses that I don't really use any more, and for me that's a better thing than holding them on for nostalgia's sake.