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hostilemex
New
Username: hostilemex

Post Number: 2
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 9:08 am:   Edit Post

A friend of mine recently came to my house with a big guitar case and asked me to see how much this strange looking "thing" was worth, while opening the case, all the cushion inside began to fall off and inside was a beautiful Alembic. He continued to tell me that his grandmother had it in her closet for over 30 years and she gave it to him. I immediately told him do not take it to a pawn shop,if you want to sell it let me know! When I was a kid my brother had an Alembic Bass and he would freak out when I would merely look at it! Playing his Bass was out of the question and I always wondered what the big fuss was about, Now I know! So back to my friend with his new found Bass, he asked me one day If I was interested in buying the Alembic and I said sure, how much? His words straight from his mouth struck me like a bolt of lightning, "Is a 100.00 too much? I didn't have a hundred at the moment but I had $ 50.00 he said well, since the case is all but gone that will do. I felt bad for getting it a such a low price and I told him this Bass is worth a lot more that that, and he said, "Yea, I figured that after I saw your eyes pop out when we first took the bass out." He continued to tell me, "think of it as a early Christmas present" The only thing that is wrong with the bass is that someone put emg pickups on it, but he still had the original pickups in a bag! stamped on the headstock are the numbers 75-192 I will try to post a pix when I figure out how to do this, Any suggestions about the pickups? Also he had no pin plug or power supply for the bass. Anyway, I just joined the Alembic Club and wanted to share my story, Thanks
Art Saucedo
spose
Member
Username: spose

Post Number: 68
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 9:18 am:   Edit Post

yikes!!!
holy sheep dip!

pics please..
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 507
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 10:12 am:   Edit Post

Art, welcome to the club and congrats.
Holy moly. That's an incredible story. Almost, almost like finding out that grandpa's old violin is a Strad. Merry Christmas to you. You are already getting off to a great start!
Rich
kungfusheriff
Senior Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 442
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 11:08 am:   Edit Post

Dear Art,
Get bent.
Just kidding...I've been waiting my whole life for a find like that! Congratulations!
You might be able to get a power supply and cable from a Club member, and if not, you can always order new ones.
PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES, as we say around here, and welcome.
bassfingers
Junior
Username: bassfingers

Post Number: 31
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 12:29 pm:   Edit Post

Welcome Art,

In the past I've read about incredible guitars and basses that people have picked up for next to nothing.I honestly thought in this day and age,with the access to information available to us,that stories like yours were forever consigned to a bygone era.

It's really good to know it can still happen.I'm sure a great many of us will curse and wish it could have happened to them,myself included.If that sounds like envy it's only because it is!!.

Envious as I am,Congratulations to you on an amazing find.And yes,WE WANT PICTURES!!.

Best Wishes,

Simon.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 2882
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 1:40 pm:   Edit Post

Nice story!!
gare
Advanced Member
Username: gare

Post Number: 316
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 1:50 pm:   Edit Post

Art..wanna double your investment ? LOL

Welcome and festive holidays
Gary
malthumb
Advanced Member
Username: malthumb

Post Number: 363
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 8:48 pm:   Edit Post

Art,

Christmas definitely came early for you. Regarding those pickups....When I acquired 74-84 a few years ago, it had EMG pickups. First thing you oughta do is remove the backplate that has several holes on it. Is it still attached to what looks like a computer citcuit board? If so, you are truly fortunate, because you still have the heart and soul of the Series I / II electronics package. If not, bringing it back to spec can become expensive, though nowhere near what the bass is worth.

Val or Mica can help guide you through what it takes to refurbish your instrument.

Welcome to the club.

Peace,

James
beelee
Intermediate Member
Username: beelee

Post Number: 154
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 10:41 am:   Edit Post

nice story ..........Alembic Suprise is an understatement...........lol

welcome to the club and good luck with your bass

Bruce
j_gary
Intermediate Member
Username: j_gary

Post Number: 162
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 2:39 pm:   Edit Post

WHAT??????? I don't know Art. A bad case, and it probably needed new strings. I think you could have beat him up a little more on the price.

Good grief, you better run to the 7/11 and pick up some lottery tickets. This is your lucky week.

Great find, congrats!
dannobasso
Advanced Member
Username: dannobasso

Post Number: 326
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 8:51 pm:   Edit Post

And to think I offered a guy $150 more than he was asking for a wenge rouge 5 because I know what he could get for it on ebay!
Dios mio!
jlpicard
Advanced Member
Username: jlpicard

Post Number: 286
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Friday, December 30, 2005 - 5:24 pm:   Edit Post

Whoa! talk about good karma?!
hostilemex
New
Username: hostilemex

Post Number: 3
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Saturday, December 31, 2005 - 3:01 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks guys, I'm proud to belong to such a respectable group of Alembic Owners, I will post some Pixs as soon as I figure out how !

Art-

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