(x) 98W11747 USA Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Alembic Club » Owning an Alembic » Serial Number / History Requests » (x) 98W11747 USA « Previous Next »

Author Message
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 873
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2013 - 8:11 pm:   Edit Post

I found this Epic 5 string in a pawn shop & was wanting to see if you have any info on it.

Thanks!



groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 755
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 - 6:24 am:   Edit Post

Rusty...what are you doing? :-)
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 874
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 - 9:00 am:   Edit Post

Just checking Mike! My guitar player sent me a Craigslist ad for this bass, so I went after work & checked it out. I don't really want a 5 string, but if I can get a great deal on it I might. It needs some work, the neck is bowed & strings are about 1/4" high so it doesn't play well. but it's an Alembic so I'm sure that is fixable! I told my wife that I felt like I just went to a pet store & saw this sad little puppy begging me to rescue him & take him home & love him! LOL!
groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 756
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 - 12:51 pm:   Edit Post

Testing the limits of the "Alembic Monogamy Theory" already?
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 875
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 - 12:58 pm:   Edit Post

Apparently the Dallas bunch was a bad influence on me! :-)
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2952
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 - 3:29 pm:   Edit Post

My confession ;

Resistance was Futile , I have been Assimilated . I accept it . I have complied. { Rationale = Not such a bad thing }
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3503
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 5:30 am:   Edit Post

Don't fight the urge within if you "really" want that bass. However from my own experience, if what you ultimately want is a series bass, this route you are taking will not quench that thirst and you will end up with a progressive collection that increases the desire for as a series bass but when it comes to selling from your collection to get one, man that is so hard to do. There is subliminal psychology present in every bass as a no cost feature and I agree with sonicus resistance is futile :-)

Jazzyvee

(Message edited by jazzyvee on June 15, 2013)
mike1762
Senior Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 997
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 11:17 am:   Edit Post

I have an Orion with that electronic package. It sounds like a really good Fender... nothing like the packages with filters and certainly nothing like a Series.
mike1762
Senior Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 998
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 12:29 pm:   Edit Post

BTW... how does an Alembic wind-up in a freakin' pawn shop??? That has to be a desperate situation.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 884
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Sunday, June 16, 2013 - 9:39 pm:   Edit Post

OK, here's the Epic update...I went back to the pawn shop, tool kit in my hand & talked the owner into letting me tweak the Epic to see if I could get it playing like an Alembic should. He agreed & after about 20 minutes I had the neck straight & the sitar sounding G string was gone! I had the low B at .090 (3/32) on the Stew Mac gauge, & the G string at .080 (5/64). I also replaced the battery & brought the pickups up to a respectable level which really brought out the punch in the bass. My only concern now is that I noticed a rattle up by the headstock which sounds like the truss rod is loose inside the neck. Both truss nuts turned easily with the right amount of resistance you would expect & I didn't have to bottom them out to get the neck straight, So I don't think the truss rod is broke, but something is rattling inside the neck when I played a low B. Any thought on the rattle? I didn't buy the bass yet but told the owner I just saved him $100 on a setup! The intonation is perfect, even with the extremely dead strings, I did 2 string octaves on all the strings all the way up the neck & it was perfectly in tune.
espresto
New
Username: espresto

Post Number: 4
Registered: 7-2013
Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 9:42 pm:   Edit Post

I am about to buy this bass (sight unseen), and had no idea about the rattle. Any thoughts on this?
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 900
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 11:06 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Michael, I went back to the pawn shop a few days after adjusting the truss rod & brought a Schecter 5 string with me to have something to compare the Epic to before I decided if I wanted to buy it. The Schecter had a similar rattle on the low B so I think it may just be the string vibrating when you play it open. I didn't hear the rattle on the Epic when I played it through my amp. I have never owned a 5 string so that may be normal. I only heard the rattle when I played an open B without the bass plugged in to an amp. It's not a loud rattle, I had to put my ear on the headstock to hear it well. After hearing the similar rattle on the Schecter, I was not concerned with the rattle on the Epic, that is why I didn't mention it in the for sale post. The only reason I didn't buy the Epic is that it was more than I had to spend & John was unwilling to come down on the price. I think that you will be very happy with this bass & blown away with the quality & craftsmanship of your first Alembic!
espresto
New
Username: espresto

Post Number: 5
Registered: 7-2013
Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 11:42 pm:   Edit Post

Alright, thanks for being forthright. I never thought it was dishonesty, I just was wondering why it wasn't in the other post. I'm sure this bass will be everything I expect and more.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 901
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, July 05, 2013 - 2:38 pm:   Edit Post

Be sure to post some pictures of you with the bass when you get it!
that_sustain
Advanced Member
Username: that_sustain

Post Number: 204
Registered: 8-2012
Posted on Friday, July 05, 2013 - 3:34 pm:   Edit Post

I think that rattle will settle. The neck just went through a big adjustment, right? It could be the tuners..or a loose nut screw. It could even be that the A string wasn't wrapped around the tuning peg "correctly"(try muting the A at the headstock). Alembic truss rods don't strip out like all the rest of the bass manufacturer's do.

My advice is to just take it slower with neck adjustments.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 902
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Saturday, July 06, 2013 - 12:42 am:   Edit Post

It's possible the rattle was from a loose nut screw, although that wouldn't explain the similar rattle I heard on the Schecter bass. I didn't strip the truss rod, as I said, both nuts turned freely & never bottomed out & I only had to turn them about a half turn to get the neck straight. Not sure how muting the A string will affect a rattle on the B string but after playing the bass for the 3rd time I didn't hear the rattle through my amp that I brought to test it with & felt like it was a non-issue at that point. Even with dead strings it sounded full & punchy through my amp.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8437
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2015 - 6:06 pm:   Edit Post

Here's what I found in the file:

top: California Walnut
accent: Maple pinstripe
body: Mahogany
neck: 5-piece Maple with 4 Walnut pinstripes
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony
side markers: bronze dots
pickups: MXY56
controls: "Epic"
finish: satin natural polyurethane (oil-look)
originally made for: Guitar Center, TX
birthday: September 8, 1998

Except for the fact that it wound up in a pawn shop, we haven't heard from this bass since it was shipped to Texas all those years ago.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1560
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2015 - 6:45 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks Mica! This is the bass that got the ball rolling for me to eventually wind up with my Blue Orca! Before investigating this bass I had no desire for a 5 string, now my Europa is my main bass!

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Username: Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here.
Password:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration