| Author | Message | ||
| nipperooney
Junior Username: nipperooney Post Number: 23 Registered: 8-2007 |
I was looking at some of the Alembics for sale and was staggered by the price of some of them (guitars that cost $21,000, etc), and I got wondering what s the most expensive Alembic bass and guitar ever produced? Does anyone know? Maybe you have it? | ||
| bassfingers
Intermediate Member Username: bassfingers Post Number: 190 Registered: 11-2005 |
I remember a report when the 25th Anniversary bass came out and the article quoted a price of $25,000.That was some time ago so lord knows what it'd be now. Still,if I had the money I'd order one in a heartbeat!. | ||
| ulf
Junior Username: ulf Post Number: 25 Registered: 5-2008 |
I remember that Stanleys Black Bass seen on the cover of his first album is offered by spellbinder.com for about $150.000 | ||
| pierreyves
Advanced Member Username: pierreyves Post Number: 356 Registered: 11-2006 |
crazy this thread !!!!! If I will order one day...with all my whishes, It would be localisate around 25000??? I hope !!!! | ||
| ulf
Junior Username: ulf Post Number: 26 Registered: 5-2008 |
the album with this Black Beauty was "I wanna play for you" the correct website: http://www.spellbindercorp.com/index1.html | ||
| bassfingers
Intermediate Member Username: bassfingers Post Number: 191 Registered: 11-2005 |
I guess we don't have it so bad if you think about it.Sure you can spend huge amounts but compared to orchestral musicians or concert pianists we get off kinda lightly. That said,I'm still light years from affording to replace my 20th Anniversary Alembic :o( | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3520 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jerry Garcia's "Wolf" guitar sold at auction for $789,500. I suspect this is the most ever paid for an Alembic. Bill, tgo | ||
| pas
Intermediate Member Username: pas Post Number: 159 Registered: 3-2003 |
Didn't "Tiger" end up going to Jim Irsay, owner of the NFL Colts, for just under $1,000,000.00...? | ||
| tmoney61092
Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 58 Registered: 9-2008 |
yes, i'm pretty sure that "Tiger" sold for over $1,000,000 | ||
| speicky
Advanced Member Username: speicky Post Number: 345 Registered: 3-2005 |
what about the Roman Conqueror ? not in terms of money, but in relationship. It almost ended in a divorce (or did it actually ?) I wasn't too far away from that point either, hehe  but we're doing fine now, as long as I keep away from the bay or this "for sale or trade"-section of this board, which really is porn sometimes... | ||
| tmoney61092
Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 59 Registered: 9-2008 |
holy crap!!! i never heard that part of the story, but i must admit, the owner has very very nice taste in looks, i do not own any Alembics, but is it worth going through a divorce to get one? | ||
| kenbass4
Advanced Member Username: kenbass4 Post Number: 322 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just FYI Roman Conqueror | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3521 Registered: 7-2004 |
Tiger sold for $957,000, but it wasn't an Alembic. That one was an Irwin. Why is divorce so expensive? ......... Because it's worth it. "Divorce" - from the latin word meaning to extract a man's wallet through his testicles. (credit to Robin Williams) I knew a man who had been married and divorced four times. He told me if he ever thought about getting married again, he was just going to find someone he hates and give them a house. nyuk, nyuk Bill, tgo (Message edited by lbpesq on February 11, 2009) | ||
| tmoney61092
Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 60 Registered: 9-2008 |
oooohhhh, Alembic just does a tribute to it, thanks for the info Bill ~Taylor | ||
| hendixclarke
Senior Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 404 Registered: 6-2007 |
The most expensive Alembic has not been purchased yet. | ||
| tmoney61092
Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 61 Registered: 9-2008 |
wait, do you know of one that is being built that will cost a crazy amount of money? | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2049 Registered: 2-2006 |
All of those are great axes but they weren't "produced" at those prices. I would imagine the most expensive at time of build would be a Classico. (which is why I don't have one at the moment). I do have an idea of how much the most expensive one in Mesquite Texas is. OO | ||
| hendixclarke
Senior Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 405 Registered: 6-2007 |
The most expensive Alembic has not been made yet. | ||
| hendixclarke
Senior Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 406 Registered: 6-2007 |
It only takes one millisecond, and one penny more to be wrong on that question "I honestly don't know this question...". Out the gate... on a guess, I would say the "Dragon Breath" (The covenant Alembic that was awarded to Stanley Clarke.) That bass is: "That One" to me, yet still I am sure someone will have a better answer. Good post Julian. | ||
| hendixclarke
Senior Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 407 Registered: 6-2007 |
"The best things in life, are... Free" The Dragon Breath was a wonderful gift... from a great company, to a wonderful man. | ||
| tubeperson
Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 60 Registered: 5-2005 |
I am the fortunate one who purchased the Roman Conqueror. The sellers reasons were personal and therefore I will not discuss them. While I am sure in his heart, the bass was worth to him what the behemouths mentioned above sold for, it did not get to that level. Not to rub it in, but I also own the Triple Omega that Ed Roman used to feature on his website. It was important to me that an Alembic Club player take possesion of that one, since Ed is all about marketing Shtick. I also own a lovely Mark King Deluxe once owned by the infamous Rory Lane. He's quite knowledgable, although some might not agree with his positions on certain matters. I find him refreshing. Finally, I own a Stanley with Superb Walnut front and back. Still I dream of a 4 string brother to the Roman Conqueror, perhaps the Jewish comic? Gotta love Capitalism!!!! | ||
| oujeebass
Intermediate Member Username: oujeebass Post Number: 143 Registered: 10-2002 |
The most expensive Alembic is the one that isn't getting played | ||
| alembic76407
Senior Member Username: alembic76407 Post Number: 597 Registered: 5-2002 |
I own that one !!!!!!! | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 2057 Registered: 2-2006 |
I saw you play it once David. (I think) OO | ||
| hendixclarke
Senior Member Username: hendixclarke Post Number: 409 Registered: 6-2007 |
From what I am told, Alembics are worth more as virgins... Which means: zero holes drilled for strap holders/pins or pegs. Now somebody might come out with a new product and say: "I give you.. the new bass holder strap system! It works like a glove by encasing around your virgin (un-drilled) guitar body, and the straps connects to the case...allowing the collectors of un-drilled axes, complete playing freedom, without devaluing your guitar(s) with drilled holes and straps. Save your investment, and put this on, and go drill-less..." "Buy my product..." heeeh heee.... | ||
| hifiguy
Intermediate Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2006 |
I have dreamed up a bass that would certainly be among the most exotic and expensive creations from Alembic. Let's start here NECK FEATURES 4 string 17700.00 Right-handed 0.00 Medium scale 32 inches 0.00 1 Ebony neck laminate 775.00 Ebony fingerboard 0.00 Fretted 0.00 Classic fingerboard taper (narrow bridge) 0.00 No inlays 0.00 No front LEDs 0.00 Side LEDs in amber 0.00 Crown peghead 0.00 Bevel front and back of peghead 300.00 BODY FEATURES Coco bolo top 1200.00 Bookmatched top 0.00 Mahogany body 0.00 Coco bolo back 1200.00 Polyester clear gloss finish 0.00 Balance K Heart Omega body shape 500.00 Tummy and elbow contour 400.00 HARDWARE FEATURES Inlaid logo with shell 0.00 Bridge block 0.00 Bird tailpiece 0.00 Continuous wood truss rod cover 300.00 Continuous wood backplate (for model electronics) 0.00 Gold plated hardware (estimated) 0.00 Gold Alembic Gotoh machine heads 0.00 Gold strap locks 0.00 ELECTRONICS FEATURES Series II electronics 0.00 Total Price Series II Quotation 22375.00 Now things get really interesting: Rays below logo Inlaid abalone ankh on back of headstock Custom designed (by Susan/Mica) silver hieroglyph fret markers And now her namesake, the goddess Isis in woods and silver, all set into an ebony oval flush with the front of the bass: See here http://alembic.com/club/messages/402/32393.jpg $40K retail, minimum. Perchance to dream..... | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 403 Registered: 10-2006 |
This should probably be in "Dreaming for Now", but since you started, and that section's not "Dreaming Forever"..... Not enough of the features are in the generator to make it much of a starting point, so we'll just have to guess at price NECK: ebony-framed mahogany, maple pinstripe, ebony, maple, vermilion (reddest you can find), maple, ebony, maple pinstripe, mahogany; double-beveled crown headstock, vermilion HS lams instead of PH; 32” scale; 10” radius; feel – .8” behind 1st fret, .9” at heel; taper – 1.688”@ nut, 2.062” @ 24th fret; red side LEDs; 6230 fretwire; gold inlaid logo w/shell; on back of HS, MOP inlay of Shimer College elm tree logo; gold tuners; abalone sun inlays starting @ 1st fret (can't get the drawing to import, but I'm no artist & it would need MUCH work from Susan anyway); at 24th fret, inlay Greek letters lamba sigma delta. BODY: Balance Point upper bouts w/Val II lower bout lines (but no omegas) - or, alternately, a scaled-up version of a Skylark, or of Ezra's guitar; mahogany core w/ash center lam, maple pinstripe, ebony veneer, maple pinstripe, coco bolo (as close to Fell's wood as possible) front & back – front BTC; CW truss cover, backplates, bridge block cover, maybe HX & p/ups; gold hardware; bird w/tail, maybe ebony shim; Schaller Secur-Locs; maybe gold (or CB, or ebony) thumb rest? ELECTRONICS: Series II w/wide-set p/ups; no battery or ¼” jack; phase switch; LED dimmer knob; filter bypass switch X 2; treble cut/boost knob X 2; bass cut/boost knob X 2; mid-range cut/flat/boost switch X 2; and the Mark Sheppard Control Assign Switch. I am, as I have said before, the World's Worst Guitar Player; if I were to order this & start practicing for it, I figure by the time it's built, I could be the World's Worst Bass Player as well. Now if Publisher's Clearinghouse would just cooperate.... Peter | ||
| hifiguy
Intermediate Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 158 Registered: 10-2006 |
Nice one, Peter - she sounds delish. I forgot the Dunlop 6230 fretwire. That is the only thing I can beef about with Alembic. Many bassists, like you and I, like those old school, narrow, peaky frets like those Fender used on early Jazz basses. Wide flats are great for guitarists that bend a lot, but I have never been able to understand their utility for bassists. I've even considered mandolin frets.. Precision is my thing, not bending! | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 810 Registered: 4-2005 |
 This may not be the most expensive, but I love this guitar. It was offered at Gruhns for $25,000. It was Johnny Winter's 1974 Alembic. Does anyone know where this one is now? It has been shown and discussed on the board several times that I know of. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 893 Registered: 6-2002 |
You can ask Mica for a quote to build this guitar again. I'm sure they'd do it. Just prepare yourself for some serious sticker shock! | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 400 Registered: 5-2002 |
I heard that Phil Lesh put $30,000 into his first Alembic, the one that had the quad pickups, known as the Osage Orange bass. Keep in mind that this is in 1973 dollars. I bet a lot of it was into electronics research. Edwin | ||
| hifiguy
Intermediate Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 163 Registered: 10-2006 |
I finally remembered what the original inspiration for my Isis bass was. When I was but a teenaged sprout, I read an article, almost certainly by Charles M. Young (good Dog, why do I remember that??), in the late and lamented Crawdaddy about the Jefferson Airplane. I suspect it was in 1972 or '73. I had just begun to play bass guitar. A couple of pictures of Jack Casady playing Alembic #1 were prominently featured. The pictures inspired an immediate and undying obsession with all things Alembic that continues to this day and I swore that I would own one someday. I was floored that something like that bass could even exist and then I heard it a couple of years later on "30 Seconds Over Winterland" and the obsession redoubled itself. But the thing that inspired my dreams for Isis all those years ago was Young's description of Jack and his playing: "He is the musician one would choose to play at the coronation of an Inca emperor or the funeral of a Pharoah." 37 years later, I can still quote that phrase, and it inspired me to design Isis. I hope I live long enough to see her built and play her. |
