| Author | Message | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi! My dad gave me his 1980 Alembic S-1 about a year ago, since he bought a tobias. I've been wondering how much this bass is worth now a days. I dont really know much about this bass, but I do know its in mint condition with the original case. Does anyone know an approximate value on this bass? | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 124 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hello Tommy, That's not a lot of info to go by. Generally a Series One will sell on E-bay for a minimum of 2000$ or (much) more depending on condition and options (like premium woods, side leds, etc). Is the power supply included? What body style is it? If you can post a picture that would make it easier to figure out. Also, if you are unsure about the woods used in your instrument you can ask Mica for the record on your bass, if you can provide the serial number. | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2003 |
Thanks Valvil!! I'm gonna try and barrow a friend's camera so I can get a picture for you here. Give me a couple days and I thinnk I'll be able to do that. I know I have 5 or 6 different woods in it. Oh, and I do have the power supply as well. However, I'm sure the pictures will be much more help. Thank you for your post, Tommygun 40 | ||
| palembic
Advanced Member Username: palembic Post Number: 382 Registered: 9-2002 |
Tommygun, welcome to the club and ...consider yourself as a VERY lucky guy with such a present! Great dad...great bass. However ...I think your dad will regret this one day. Count on it! | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2003 |
Palembic, Yeah, I feel very fortunate to have this bass. Whenever I go to Guitar Center, I have a hard time finding a bass that sounds as good as mine. However, my dad doesn't seem to be missin' his alembic ever since he bought his Tobias. I must admit, it does sound better than the olymbic he gave me. I'm gonna get a picture on by Thursday and then hopefully one of you guys can help me out.  Tommygun40 | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2003 |
Here are the pictures of my alembic. Let me know what you think for its value. Also, I do have the power supply as well as the original hardshell case for it. Let me know what you guys think in terms of value for this bass. Thank you--tommygun40.  | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2003 |
closeup1  | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2003 |
closeup02  | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2003 |
backview  | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 8 Registered: 4-2003 |
closeup-backview  | ||
| palembic
Advanced Member Username: palembic Post Number: 387 Registered: 9-2002 |
Wew ...I want such a dad too! ;-) | ||
| malthumb
Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 82 Registered: 5-2002 |
If I'm buyin' I'm somewhere around $2,500 based on what I see. If I play it and it totally knocks my socks off (keep in mind I've owned 2 Series I & 2 Series II basses so I'm jaded) I might consider going $3,000. Remember, this a sample size of one. Others will have varying views of your bass's value. Some higher, some lower. Peace, James | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 126 Registered: 7-2002 |
For what it's worth, I totally agree with James. Those figures sound right to me. Valentino | ||
| adriaan
Junior Username: adriaan Post Number: 20 Registered: 6-2002 |
So you got this great bass. Now read the first paragraph of http://alembic.com/family/history_bodyshapes.html and take another look at the picture: something's not quite right there. Hey hey, I'm not angry - pamper that bass and it will be your friend for life! | ||
| tommygun40
New Username: tommygun40 Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hello! Thanks for all your guys' replies. I really appreciate it! Oh, and dont worry Adriaan, I always keep my bass on a stand. I was actually at practice with my church band and I forgot to bring the stand with me. You couldn't see it, but I had a little box behind the bass so it stay straight. Well, thanks again. I'll be checkin' this more if you guys have any other comments or questions. thank you thank you!! Tommygun40 | ||
| bigredbass
Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 94 Registered: 9-2002 |
TommyGun40: THANKS for posting the pictures of this S1. The photos really got to me. This is to me the classic ALEMBIC: The point body, the Crown headstock, the oval inlays, the Series electronics, and my own ideal for the woods with the honey-hued maple over mahogany, the purpleheart stripes, Schallers . . . THIS is the guitar that haunted me from the first time I ever saw one, the first time I ever heard one, appearing in my mind almost as if it had been transported here from some parallel universe. I could never look at Fenders or anything else mass-produced the same again, and everything that came after it from the other independent builders were incomplete or derivative in ways that showed they just didn't get it . . . this bass was THE TRUTH made whole. This is a landmark instrument, the same as a Lloyd Loar mandolin, a Black Beauty Les Paul, a Bosendorfer grand, a Stradivarius, a Selmer Paris horn .... the product of an engineer and an artist, and their families, that rewrote history. And now in the VERY good hands of their next generation. My deepest congratulations to you. If you are like most of us in this forum, after a while you will realise that the S1 owns you, NOT the other way around ! J o e y |
