"Toucan" Alembic style bass

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Author Message gtrguy Intermediate Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 165 Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 10:14 am:    There is a local guitar store selling a Toucan bass. It's looks very much like a fretless series one with a sandwich body and Alembic style brass hardware. It takes two 9 volts and has a couple of partial frets on the neck near the body to help slap sounds. Very nice looking bass. Anyone ever heard of them? There is very little info on the web and only a post or two here. Thanks, Dave crgaston Senior Member Username: crgaston Post Number: 506 Registered: 11-2005 Posted on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 12:02 pm:    I used to have a bass lesson book in which photo examples featured a guy playing a Toucan. I was struck by how much it resembled an Alembic. That's about all I know, though. Sorry. jorge_s Intermediate Member Username: jorge_s Post Number: 173 Registered: 8-2002 Posted on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 2:01 pm:    from a previous thread http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/25886.html?1141751495 2400wattman Senior Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 655 Registered: 11-2005 Posted on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 3:23 pm:    The Guitar Center in Indy had a fretted four string a few years back. I got to try it out and my impression was that it played great but sounded o.k. It did sound good but to compare to an Alembic I would'nt try. How much are they asking? I seem to remember the one I played had a price around $950.00 gtrguy Intermediate Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 166 Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 - 10:55 am:    They want $650. I agree with your assesment, it looked great but sounded just OK. It had two 9 volts inside it. Build quality looked very good, however, this one was kinda beat, with a lot of finish cracks in a pattern that suggested a pretty serious blow at some point. I remember seeing ads for them in magazines some years ago and it mentioned how the two little half frets were put there to help the slap sound. That did not catch on! Hanging on the wall it sure looks like a series one. Even playing it it felt like one. crobbins Intermediate Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 200 Registered: 6-2004 Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 - 7:14 pm:    Made in China? gtrguy Intermediate Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 167 Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2009 - 10:47 am:    Nope, nice quality US older bass with nice inlay work. gtrguy Intermediate Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 168 Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2009 - 10:49 am:    Nope, nice quality US older bass with nice inlay work. It's at a store in Portland OR called 'Trade up Music' if interested.