| Author | Message | ||
| badlybusted
New Username: badlybusted Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2015 |
This is a story of 3 bassists, 3 countries and two 1977 Alembic Series 1 bass guitars: In March, I set out to buy a vintage Alembic Series 1 bass to replace one that was stolen about 15 years ago. I joined the Alembic Club and looked at the Sale and Trade postings to narrow my search. I started talking with Bruce Dixon who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bruce had a beautiful 1977 fretless that he wanted to sell. If I bought this bass, I explored options to send it back to Alembic in CA to have it converted to a fretted. However, in the coming 2 months, I lost contact with Bruce and thought the fretless was history. In June 2015, Bruce resurfaced on the Alembic Club site with the Nova Scotia fretless, and was talking with Peter Inagawa from Berlin, Germany about a possible swap trade for his fretless for his fretted 1977 Series 1. They were not able to connect. I then started talking to both of them to arrange an international deal. We all agreed to a deal, and in June, I drove to New Brunswick Canada to meet Bruce and buy his fretless. Bruce, however, was actually playing a gig in Newfoundland the day before we were to meet. Bruce almost didn’t make it as his flight was delayed out of Newfoundland due to bad weather. But fortune was on our side and I met Bruce in St John, New Brunswick Canada on a warm, sunny day in the parking lot of a Home Depot where we closed our deal. Crossing the border back into the US, Customs picked my car for a "Random Search". With the seats down and the Series 1 in the hernia inducing Anvil Flight case, I knew they would be taking a peek at her. The female Customs officer came back to me asking "what is that beautiful instrument?" and told me that she left the case open because she couldn't figure out how to close it. This weekend Sept 18, 2015, Peter flew into NYC from Berlin with my fretted Series 1. We met in a NYC hotel where we exchanged basses and paper work. My bass was built from Peruvian Walnut top and back with a mahogany body core, purpleheart and maple center cores. It is believed to be built for one of the Rothschilds of world banking and financing influence. 7 months in the making, I now own a magnificent 1977 Alembic Series 1. Scott Gagnon - Boston MA | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Junior Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 13 Registered: 6-2014 |
I had seriously considered Bruce's fretless Series I too... that's a beauty. It's one of 5 Alembics that finally convinced me to commission a Custom. Congratulations & Compliments on your bass(es) and thanks for a cool story! Please post us some pictures when you can... | ||
| moongerm
Advanced Member Username: moongerm Post Number: 281 Registered: 8-2013 |
Congratulations! That is quite a story! | ||
| hammer
Senior Member Username: hammer Post Number: 752 Registered: 9-2009 |
Great story! Photos please!!!! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11941 Registered: 5-2002 |
Congrats! Nice story! Rothchild Musical Instruments was a distributor for Alembic instruments from 1976 to 1978; that may be the Rothchild reference in your story. By the way, Peter is a great player. http://alembic.com/club/messages/65124/212339.html?1441552753 |
