Author Topic: New member needing advice. (Read 290 times)

beasy · « **on:** June 24, 2006, 05:32:04 AM »

Hello to everyone. Beasy here in the UK. Been playing bass for about 30 years,had numerous basses in that time. Have a Couple of Fenders and a Rick 4001 copy. Anyway, I have seen an Alembic in my local shop, I have looked through all the photos of members Basses but cannot find one identical. The serial number is 8493132, anyone know which model this is. Price is ?1200 GBP, about $2182.00, I don't know if that is a good deal or not? It has some fret wear but plays and sounds wonderful. Any help with photos asap would be great or it will be sold before I know it. Thanks!

grateful · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2006, 06:39:25 AM »

Hi Paul and welcome to the club. The serial number of my custom Further, completed December 2005 is 05F13551. Alembic S/Ns start with a two digit year number which is usually followed by a letter. If there is no letter, it's a Series bass (which means ?1200 is a bargain). The S/N you've quoted is not right: it has one too many digits for an '84 bass.

Here is the address of the UK dealer's Alembic Bass page for some UK prices.

Mark

(Message edited by grateful on June 24, 2006)

richbass939 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2006, 06:46:57 AM »

Beasy, welcome to the club. I don't know what the serial number 8493132 would mean. Here's what I understand about the serial numbers. (Someone please step in and correct me if I get this goofed up.) The serial number format is 84 for 1984, a letter code (sometimes) for the model, and 3132 meaning that it is the 3132nd instrument Alembic has made. An exception for the letter code is for the Series instruments which have no letter code. The 9 where the letter code would normally be may be a letter that is hard to read (a P or Q, maybe?). You can look in the showcase section. It has a line Has letter code __. As far as I can tell the number 3132 would be about right for a 1984. Look in the showcase section for a letter that may look like a 9 and see if they look similar to the one you want to buy.
Rich

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2006, 07:00:21 AM »

In addition to the above responses see also my response to your post in the Serial Number section.

beasy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2006, 08:15:50 AM »

Thanks for your help and info. Dave was correct that the serial Number should be 84S3132 and that it is a Spoiler Bass.
Thankyou! Paul.

beasy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2006, 05:56:40 AM »

Hooray! I have managed to purchase the Alembic Spoiler I had been looking at. Serial Number 84S3132. I have to say I have had a lot of basses and guitars in my time but this is truly the best bass I have had the pleasure of owning. I could not put it down from the minute I got it...plays like a dream and the sound is stunning! Only problem I have with it is the tuners for the E&D string, is this a single cast unit as regards the securing screw? Looks like mine has been tightend and broke the casting in half causing the tuners to be at a slightly odd angle. Playing is not affected, it stays in tune perfectly. I hope I can get replacements? Not being familiar with these types of wood I still am not 100% sure what the laminate is. I have looked at the wood type chart but is it Vermillion, Bubinga or what...help please! Anyway, what a bass..I have to start saving to buy another!

(Message edited by Beasy on July 02, 2006) (Message edited by davehouck on July 02, 2006)

FC Bass · « **Reply #6 on:** July 01, 2006, 06:43:53 AM »

Hello, very nice Spoiler!
I don't think there's anything wrong with the tuners.
I think you can easily refit them in the way they should be,
the casting has been cut to make them fit.
here's a picture of the back of my Spoiler headstock:

Good Luck!
F.C.

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on July 01, 2006)

grateful · « **Reply #7 on:** July 01, 2006, 07:11:56 AM »

Congratulations Paul. There really is nothing like an Alembic as you've now discovered. I don't think it's vermillion; it doesn't look red enough.

Mark

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** July 01, 2006, 08:40:25 AM »

Paul:

Congrats and welcome. We can always use another Paul around here! Very nice bass. My guess on the woods is walnut top over mahogany body. You'll soon know for sure as I see you've already posted a request in the serial number/history section. Given that this is essentially a 4 day holiday weekend on this side of the pond, (you remember that little spat our countries had about 230 years ago? We celebrate it Tuesday by blowing things up), I'd expect you'll have a response from Alembic later next week. In the meantime enjoy one of the best-sounding basses in the world!

Bill, the guitar one

(Message edited by lbpesq on July 01, 2006)

palembic · « **Reply #9 on:** July 01, 2006, 02:25:21 PM »

AS I said before: it's GREAT to be a Paul!
Especially in this community of Alembicians: a close encounter of the lower frequency kind!

Paul TBO

Ok-ok-ok there ARE some higher pitched weirdo's around here ...y'now ...the kind of playing those six thin strings and making that hell-uf-a-noise through small amps. always remember: those with the Olympics are the good ones
Hehehehehe

beasy · « **Reply #10 on:** July 01, 2006, 02:53:31 PM »

Thanks Mark, Bill, Paul & fc_spoiler. I have been a Fender man for the most part and dabbled with Gibson, Ibanez,Aria and had Rick 4001's in the past but the Alembic will take some beating. I thought my Fender jazz was good (recently sold) and indeed it was, but not as good as the Alembic. It is strange but the Alembic seem to put tunes in your head and they come tumbling out! Thanks fc_spoiler for the close up of your tuners, not knowing much about Alembics I did think mine was damaged but can now see it is easy to correct and not a fault.It is odd that I have never before even thought about getting an Alembic, although I have admired the look of them for a long time...probably because they are expensive I have never contemplated getting one. I have been missing out all this time!! There is no rush for the data/info about my Spoiler...it's not going anywhere that's for sure. I just bought a mag off ebay dating back to 1989 with an Interview with Stanley Clarke...interesting, but an added bonus was a 2 page feature on the Alembic Distillate Anniversary model....very nice!!
Cheers Paul

FC Bass · « **Reply #11 on:** July 01, 2006, 04:21:39 PM »

Hey Beasy! I'm glad we could help. I've been a Alembic fan ever
since the first time I saw Jason Newsted (Metallica) play these fine basses.
Currently I'm trying to sell my Jazz Bass.
Oh yes, I've got the incurable Alembic syndrome...
Cheers!
F.C.

btw: If you click in the upper right corner of your July 01, 2006 - 5:56 am post,
you can edit it. (edit post)The pictures appear like: jpeg_alreadyuploaded{00000,}
If you hit ENTER behind I have to start saving to buy another! the pictures
will appear under the text, repeat this behind every picture.
This will make this thread much easier to read.

Cheers!
F.C.

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on July 03, 2006)

beasy · « **Reply #12 on:** July 02, 2006, 01:13:33 AM »

F.C. Thanks on the editing tip, I did wonder what had happened there. I'll get the hang of it eventually. So, your selling your Jazz too..wouldn't be to fund another Alembic by any chance? Your right, I have caught the Alembic syndrome

FC Bass · « **Reply #13 on:** July 02, 2006, 07:00:43 AM »

It never hurts to help!
Have you tried your Alambic onstage yet? I see you haven't got a band right now, but you could try jamsessions.

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on July 02, 2006)

David Houck · « **Reply #14 on:** July 02, 2006, 02:31:45 PM »

There is a previous thread on this subject here that you might find helpful.