| Author | Message | ||
| glocke
Junior Username: glocke Post Number: 21 Registered: 9-2002 |
This is the second time I have seen this on ebay with no bids...anyone have any idea why? Is the guy asking too much? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=3753801965&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW | ||
| geddy
Junior Username: geddy Post Number: 23 Registered: 7-2004 |
way too high starting price imo, even though we all know it's worth it. The used market on series basses are way below what it should be. | ||
| 811952
Advanced Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 277 Registered: 10-2003 |
What kind of idiot replaces an Alembic bridge with a Wilkinson? | ||
| malthumb
Advanced Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 280 Registered: 5-2002 |
That would be my take on this one. Very nice bass, but I see used Series I basses going in the $2,500 - 3,000 range. Could also be that the right buyer hasn't seen it yet. IME, anything on the market above the $2,500 market is not getting the casual shopper. They tend to hang out there until someone looking for that particular type of instrument comes along. Peace, James | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 673 Registered: 7-2003 |
I've been watching it too. I suspect the owner may be a bit on the high side with his asking price. Used S1's seem to go much more often under $3,000. While this one appears to be a nice specimen (as owner says), it does have a few extra screw holes and admission of a little buckle rash. Also on the plus side is the bass's age - only a '97. If I'm not mistaken, that wouldn't that mean no need for an electronics upgrade?. As to the price, while many of the S1's that go for lower price have more age and wear on them, even those in very good shape seem to fetch less than this owner wants. Any other thoughts? Bill TBO | ||
| glocke
Junior Username: glocke Post Number: 22 Registered: 9-2002 |
I see used SI basses in the 2k to 3k range also, but they are generally on the older side... I bought one just like this in prsitine shape off ebay last year for $3900.00. At the time it seemed reasonable...but as I usually do I probably paid way too much... | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 594 Registered: 9-2003 |
As the resident site cheapskate, I don't think that price is out of line considering the age, condition and specs. EXCEPTING that the screw holes in the top RUIN the instrument. I think that without the holes in the top, this would certainly have been worth the asking price IMHO. If the asking price was lowered, Mica and co. could probably inlay something between the bridge and tailpiece because otherwise that beautiful 5A quilt top is ruined. | ||
| kungfusheriff
Intermediate Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 174 Registered: 8-2003 |
Agreed...Alembics tend to run against the grain of other "vintage" name-brand instruments. More recent=more expensive. My '82 S2, which I bought privately, cost me a little more than half what he's asking and that's as much as I could ever see spending on a used bass. I've had cars that cost less. | ||
| bsee
Advanced Member Username: bsee Post Number: 347 Registered: 3-2004 |
The screw holes would be pretty meaningless to me, being within the width of the strings and only in the maple of the neck, not the top. They are hard to notice. They would be really easy to hide with wood filler or a pair of ultra-simple inlay dots. Even little wood dowels or something of the sort would work. I really agree that the price point for used basses of this nature is in the $2500-3000 price range. There's a big penalty with an Alembic to buying new and then deciding to sell, so the list price just goes out the window. Some features are also pretty meaningless in the used market. For example, you'll never get your money back on chrome hardware when you go to resell. Odd body shapes, on the other hand, seem to maintain more of their original value. Go figure. Fortunately, used Alembics really hold their value. From my recent experience, I can also say that there are an awful lot of variations in Alembic instruments. If a person is looking for something particular, they can be willing to pay well above what you might expect for the right bass. On the other hand, something more generic won't generate that spark. Look at the vermillion short scale that just went on eBay. The price got close to $2600 for a short-scale Essence with purpleheart in the neck, Europa electronics and side LEDs. The majority of interest fell off when the bass hit $2K and only two people were willing to go up from there. The short scale with the ultra-thin neck was an unusual feature that created some extra drawing power for those of us looking specifically for that. I wouldn't have gone much past $2K at all if this bass had the regular signature neck profile, but I can't speak for the other bidder. I hesitate to say this about any Alembic, but the bass we're talking about here looks to be a garden-variety S1. I would think that it would garner interest at a starting price about $1000 lower and maybe work up to $3000-3200 depending upon the number of interested parties. If you really want to know the market value of an instrument, put it on eBay with a $1 starting bid and a high reserve. It will cost you a few bucks, but at the end of the auction you'll know what people were willing to pay. If you're happy with the results and really want to sell, you can then either make a deal with the high bidder, or relist with a more appropriate reserve without paying another listing fee. In the meantime, someone should sell me a short or medium scale four with a narrow neck at a reasonable price. I am so tired of waiting for the right bass to come along, and losing out on the short vermillion after offering several hundred dollars above what most others were willing to pay was kind of frustrating. -Bob | ||
| 811952
Advanced Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 278 Registered: 10-2003 |
One concern I would have with this bass is that if they swapped out the original hardware, there is a good chance someone had their fingers in the control cavity as well. I agree with Bob that the damage we see is easily repaired or at least covered-up, unless the holes go into wiring. I still have a hard time comprehending why someone would install a relatively crappy Wilkinson bridge on that thing unless they were trying to "fenderize" it... John | ||
| bsee
Advanced Member Username: bsee Post Number: 349 Registered: 3-2004 |
Thinking more about the bridge swap, there are two reasons I could think of. 1. Provide adjustable/variable string spacing. 2. Provide individual string height control, which would be important for switching to exposed-core strings. We all know there are better ways to accomplish these things, but not everyone would go back to Alembic for extra bridge saddles. I have no idea what the real motivation was, but these are the only things close to reasonable I could think of. | ||
| bigredbass
Advanced Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 315 Registered: 9-2002 |
A 97 chrome Series One for roughly a third the price of a new one seems just fine to me. For the 6 or 7G I saved I coud sure ship it to Santa Rosa to get the back buffed out (here's where 20 coats of clear comes in REEALL handy) and let them suggest a practical filler for the screw holes. And let Ron make sure the electronics are OK. I could get a couple of Excels with the money I saved. (But, just what the hell was somebody thinking? A Wilkinson bridge? Good thing he didn't have the money/time to put in E M G s ! !) My guess is this guy bought this on 'spec' thinking he'd make a quick return on EBay, but it looks as if he's wanting to get about 1/2 of a new price . . . let him run it once or twice more and buy it around $3G. This is how the REST of us can afford these fabulous instruments. J o e y |
