"Modified" Further.
https://reverb.com/item/95627198-alembic-further-2002-natural (https://reverb.com/item/95627198-alembic-further-2002-natural)
Bill, tgo
Amazes me. What kind of butcher takes to an Alembic and installs inferior electronics? If you want a PRS guitar.....then buy one! $11k for a butchered Alembic. YMMV IMHO FFS.
It reminds of about 35 years ago, the Oakland A's had a player named Jose Canseco. (Some described him as a billion dollar body with a 5¢ head). Anyway, he famously spent $70K on a Jaguar, then spent another $25K adding a spoiler, airdamn, fender flares, lights on the underside, etc., to make it look like a Camaro.
Bill, tgo
Quote from: lbpesq on April 03, 2026, 07:57:10 PM
It reminds of about 35 years ago, the Oakland A's had a player named Jose Canseco. (Some described him as a billion dollar body with a 5¢ head). Anyway, he famously spent $70K on a Jaguar, then spent another $25K adding a spoiler, airdamn, fender flares, lights on the underside, etc., to make it look like a Camaro.
Bill, tgo
Which reminds me, I cracked my sons up back then; one of them asked me if i thought he was good, and I told he was so good they wouldn't start a game without asking him if there was enough light.
"Huh?" they queried.
Sings Dad "♪ José, can you see?♫"
Yeah, that was their reaction too.......
Peter (who is here all week; tip your waitress)
I'll be the guy to post a potentially-unpopular opinion, and just say "Hey, cool, it's the '73-75 Wolf! Nice!"
If someone's going for Jerry authenticity, this seems like an ~OK deal compared to, say, trying to buy a new Scarlet Fire Wolf. Maybe still a little bit high on asking price.
... But why, WHY, WOULD THEY NOT KEEP THE ORIGINAL PICKUPS??!? :o Seems unbelievably stupid, or at least shortsighted.
I can sort of understand changing the PUs and electronics, especially if the owner was a heavy metal/hard rock type of player. Alembic PUs/electronics aren't the best for distorted crunch guitar, and are notoriously unforgiving when it comes to exposing sloppy technique. Of course one wonders why such a player would buy an Alembic in the first place. What I have trouble understanding is drilling a bunch of holes and covering up that gorgeous top with a plastic plate. I would have crafted two single coil mounting plates to fit in the two humbucker-shaped mounting routs without drilling new holes through the top or covering up any of that gorgeous Quilted Maple. If looking like Jerry is that important, put down the drill, and put on a black T-shirt!
Bill, tgo
I'm going to take the unpopular side for a moment as my band plays mostly classic rock covers. I LOVE my Alembics. A lot of the attraction for me is the aesthetic. That's what drew me to them in the first place. They are absolutely BEAUTIFUL instruments. The necks are also perfect for me...so playability is amazing. But the electronics aren't for everyone. As Bill has mentioned, they don't do very well with a lot of OD/Distortion pedals. It took me a lot of trial and error to find the right ones that worked well with my Alembics. Early on, I made the mistake of asking Mica and Susan if they would build me a guitar with DiMarzio Super II's, like Jerry had in Tiger. I've always loved those pickups. Obviously that didn't happen. And I understand why Alembic wouldn't entertain that request. But I also COMPLETELY understand why someone would buy an Alembic and replace the electronics. That way you can have the best of both worlds...depending on what your world is. And let's not forget that more than 99.99% of guitar recordings are done with those so called "inferior electronics."
I think I object more to the way it was modified than just that it was. I'm much less of a player, and talkin' as just the guy who has to plug a lotta' ill-advised screw holes...
It really could be worse... that is still a beautiful guitar. I'd pitch that plastic, make a decorative brass plate to cover, and live with it.
*FWIW, somebody bought it.
Hey, Jonathon! Long time no see.
Peter
Quote from: cozmik_cowboy on April 05, 2026, 12:22:00 PM
Hey, Jonathon! Long time no see.
Peter
Hey, Peter! Yeah...it's been a minute. Hahahaha!
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
Quote from: mica on April 06, 2026, 03:23:41 PM
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
Hahahahaha! I love that!!!!
I guess as long as the seller is honest about the guitar not having the original guts, then the buyer is not being scammed or mislead.
Quote from: mica on April 06, 2026, 03:23:41 PM
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
What you say is correct, however i wonder, on a personal level, Mica is there any hint of sadness when you see something like that on one of your team's creations?
Quote from: jazzyvee on April 07, 2026, 03:49:42 AM
I guess as long as the seller is honest about the guitar not having the original guts, then the buyer is not being scammed or mislead.
Quote from: mica on April 06, 2026, 03:23:41 PM
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
What you say is correct, however i wonder, on a personal level, Mica is there any hint of sadness when you see something like that on one of your team's creations?
I remember that when Mission Control resurfaced, Rick Turner had some disparaging words for the guy had chopped it up.
Peter
Quote from: jazzyvee on April 07, 2026, 03:49:42 AM
What you say is correct, however i wonder, on a personal level, Mica is there any hint of sadness when you see something like that on one of your team's creations?
It depends. If something is done without skill/care, it can be a little sad. I find that most actual modifications are done with at least some care. The ones that truly puzzle me are repairs, especially electronics ones, where they do things like cut the wires off right by the connector.
Many modifications are later reversed, so we often get to "mod the mod" if the next owner doesn't share the modder's view.
I also keep in mind that we did exactly the same thing before we started building. And some of the results were less than pretty. Like one of Jack Casady's Guild basses. He wanted the electronics in there so fast we didn't have time to do woodworking, so the electronics were mounted in magnesium extrusions. Definitely not a pretty outcome.
Quote from: cozmik_cowboy on April 07, 2026, 07:29:28 AM
I remember that when Mission Control resurfaced, Rick Turner had some disparaging words for the guy had chopped it up.
Yeah, that was truly a hack job. I don't think anyone that looked at it thought it was a good idea. Brutal removal of wood, unfinished modification left for someone else to clean up. Obviously that modder was in above their head. I suppose it's a good thing they gave up - it could have been even worse.
I'm not sure about how I'd feel if someone really modded-up one of our banjos or guitars, or just 'parted them out'. Maybe it's happened? On one hand, yeah, you commission/buy it, it's yours... have at it. On the other, if isn't doing what you wanted, I'd rather you sold it to someone else than ruin it or alter it so it becomes a monumental task to restore. We did take Honeytone #17 back from the original owner and upgrade/update his pot assembly to a Huber 'TrueTone' assembly some years ago and while in the shop we made a couple little tweaks to it. It looks the same as when new, just a slightly different machine, and we kept the original pot in case he ever wants to restore. That's us though, on behalf of the original owner who had commissioned the build back in 1993. Didn't mind at all... glad to do it.
I got another one in a while back for some work, that I just kinda' had to shake my head and remember that this is just my job here. This banjo had been treated so roughly that it bordered between carelessness and outright abuse. I wouldn't be surprised if it were left outside. In a field. Overnight. Regularly. That thing was filthy, and it even smelled worse. But it had had the ever-lovin' daylights played out of it in the 9 years since it left my workbench... and that's what it was made for after all. So I fixed it up again and sent it down the road. Charged accordingly for the work. Both parties happy, but there was a certain amount of detachment required.
I've been trying to help Dad track down several missing early projects. It's been amazing how many people still have them all these years later. They've kept them in great condition and think and speak highly of my Ol Man for building them a banjo. Most didn't even know his punk teenage kid with a bad haircut did the inlay and finish work. There's been a couple that surfaced that surprised us. And some we just never saw again. One got burned up in a house fire. I don't think anyone ever just hacked one up. I'd feel kinda' bad seeing that. The burned #20 was hard to look at.
Quote from: mica on April 06, 2026, 03:23:41 PM
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
Quote from: mica on April 07, 2026, 09:02:58 AM
I also keep in mind that we did exactly the same thing before we started building. And some of the results were less than pretty. Like one of Jack Casady's Guild basses. He wanted the electronics in there so fast we didn't have time to do woodworking, so the electronics were mounted in magnesium extrusions. Definitely not a pretty outcome.
Not necessarily related to the original guitar in question, but just wanted to say how much I respect Alembic's attitude here. As an inveterate tinkerer/modder myself, I completely agree that experimentation and freedom is what leads to innovation, and isn't that what Alembic was all about from the very beginning? RIGHT ON for staying true to that spirit even 50+ years later.
100% understand anyone who would never dream of touching a thing on their instrument (especially an Alembic). But if Phil Lesh hadn't decided to let Alembic / Ron Wickersham replace his Guild's electronics and try something crazy back in 1971, we never would have had Big Brown :D
Quote from: mica on April 06, 2026, 03:23:41 PM
Once it's your guitar, you can do anything you want with it.
BOOM!
I'm also a big Rickenbacker guy, but some of those folks freak out over the slightest modification. And to answer the questions of "why would you..." or "why don't you just buy..." To me it's simple. Maybe someone loves the look and/or feel of a certain instrument, but it's not getting the tone they want. Or vice versa. Just do a good job. :D :P
There's also a case to be made, there are whole categories, even brands of guitars that are thought of as mod platforms. I know people (myself included) who have bought a guitar purely for the purpose of modifying it. In my case I've usually put Alembic parts in them rather than take them out...
I have no objection to modifying an instrument. But I believe one should do so in the least harmful manner. It's like the Hippocratic Oath - "do no harm", or at least do as little as possible.
Bill, tgo
Quote from: lbpesq on April 09, 2026, 04:56:40 PM
I have no objection to modifying an instrument. But I believe one should do so in the least harmful manner. It's like the Hippocratic Oath - "do no harm", or at least do as little as possible.
Bill, tgo
Totally agree. While I can't speak to the basses, the issue with swapping out the Alembic electronics in a guitar is that you have to destroy those beautiful pickup routes in order to do so. Then you're committed to some kind of pickup surround, as with the modded Further here. And then, there's no getting rid of it should you decide to put the original Alembic electronics back. Don't get me wrong...I would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS gut one of my beloved Alembics. But I could see buying something like this Further if I was ever in the market for something different.
'Yep, with these new pickups, it quit making that dang wah-wah thing every time I turned tone knobs . . . . '
Quote from: bigredbass on April 09, 2026, 06:43:37 PM'Yep, with these new pickups, it quit making that dang wah-wah thing every time I turned tone knobs . . . . '
Hahahahahaha!!!!!!