| Author | Message | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 31 Registered: 12-2009 |
I'm looking for any history available on my Alembic Double Neck 4-string bass/6-string guitar. It was built around 1980. The headstock of the guitar has my initials engraved in it "G de M." I would really like to know if it is the only Alembic bass/guitar combo ever built? I'm interested in selling it - perhaps to a collector of unique instruments. Any help would sincerely be appreciated. Thank you! Peace, g | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 32 Registered: 12-2009 |
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| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 33 Registered: 12-2009 |
Another Photo of it inside its original custom roadcase.  | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 34 Registered: 12-2009 |
My initials in headstock.  | ||
| senmen
Senior Member Username: senmen Post Number: 976 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Gerard, this is really a cool Alembic. You want to sell that instrument? Oliver (Spyderman) | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 35 Registered: 12-2009 |
Hi Oliver, Yes, if I can get the right price for it. I am waiting to hear back from the great people at Alembic to find out if my instrument is the only one like it ever created. I know Alembic has made many double necks but I'm not sure if any are 4-string bass/6-string guitar. In any case, I can't believe that there would be too many like it. I would then hope to find more of a collector than just a musician - so it will be valued and so I can get my price. I would not part with it otherwise, I have held onto it for 30 years. This instrument was only used in 2 shows in New York City in 1980, then it was sealed up in its roadcase and literally never even opened again until I took the photos of it. Thanks for asking! | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 972 Registered: 5-2009 |
Very cool . | ||
| blackelan
Intermediate Member Username: blackelan Post Number: 133 Registered: 7-2007 |
That is very cool the only thing a collector wont like is the initials in the headstock unless of course you were a big time major label recording artist with a household name back then. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 977 Registered: 5-2009 |
Perhaps if a new owner would desire it would not be that hard to have Alembic add another thin laminate over the top and then the ALEMBIC logo. | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 36 Registered: 12-2009 |
I'm a new author with novels coming out by next year - perhaps if they sell really well, my initials will add value! 9-) The initials in the headstock help to make it unique - how many Alembic's have them? Besides, it's a double neck - the headstock has the Alembic emblem. 9-) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 980 Registered: 5-2009 |
My apologies to you if the contents of my post seems untactful . This is not my intention. | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 37 Registered: 12-2009 |
Not at all Wolf, black and your opinions are valid and appreciated. I just believe that my initials will add value, not detract from it. In my humble opinion, the exquisite workmanship that the Alembic craftsman utilized to engrave my initials, alone, enhance the value of the instrument. Thanks for weighing in with your thoughts! | ||
| tubeperson
Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2005 |
Now for the real question - what is the right price for this gorgeous piece. Any picures of the back available? Let the negotiations begin!! BTW - massive dings and doinks don't bother people, but initials do? What are we coming to? If is sounds awesome, I'd let all club members inital the piece, as testimony to the newfound harmony amongst us all (watch out for groupthnk). Seriously, I'd let the moderators, and the most talented Alembic employees from top to bottom initial it. Now that's a testimony well deserved! I hope your book sells really well. | ||
| senmen
Senior Member Username: senmen Post Number: 977 Registered: 7-2003 |
Gerard, I only did see two other doublenecks in here: the one from Hieronymous, a fretless 4 with a short scale 6-string bass and Christians Peggy, formerly owned by John Judge, beeing a 4 string fretless and and 8 string, see picture. That was me some years ago while I visited Christian. (Could you contact me at: senmen@web.de / more to talk) Greetz Oliver (Spyderman)  | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 38 Registered: 12-2009 |
Thank you brothers for the help and interest. Here is a photo of the back!  | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 39 Registered: 12-2009 |
Steve & Oliver! Thanks for jumping in! All I can say is the Alembic craftsmen did such a fantastic job on my royal initials (look up my name "de Marigny" for my family's nefarious background)! haha! (Thanks Steve, re: my novel, I hope so too) That would have been a fine idea if all of the Alembic team would have engraved their initials in my "Kuon Orthros," the nickname my bandmates called my double neck. I will contact you right off Oliver - thanks! I'm still waiting to see if I can verify if I indeed possess the only bass/guitar double neck that Alembic ever made. Wouldn't that be cool! | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 775 Registered: 1-2005 |
Hi Gerard, I've got one of the other doublenecks here, from '75 - as Oliver said above, it's got a short scale 6-string bass neck and a regular long scale fretless neck. I have corresponded with the builder, who thinks it might be the first doubleneck Alembic produced. Not sure about the guitar/bass combo. Too bad there wasn't a code for doublenecks! | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 40 Registered: 12-2009 |
Harry! Wow, that's great! Owning the first of anything or the only of anything is really cool, and it being Alembic makes it awesome! | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 776 Registered: 1-2005 |
Were you the only bass player in the band or did you switch off on bass & guitar duties with someone else? Or bass pedals perhaps? Was it a progressive rock band? Or metal perhaps? I'm going on the nickname your doubleneck was given! ;) (Message edited by hieronymous on May 25, 2010) | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 41 Registered: 12-2009 |
The band was originally a rock/jazz fusion lineup in 1978-1980. I was originally the bass player. By 1980, I wanted to play heavier, simpler music (Van Halen changed my life back then, instead of 8 musicians on stage, just 4 and getting all of the chicks they were!). Before I was able to handle all of the guitar duties, I was tasked with playing just a few of the songs on guitar, with our keyboardist, a fantastic musician named Frank Antico (played with Jaco Pastorius)handled the bass parts on keys. By the end of 1980 (right after purchasing K-O, we decided to totally change the lineup of the band and its style of music. By November 1981 we reemerged as a heavy metal 4-piece unit with me on guitar. The three Alembics that I owned by that time (a series one bass, series 1 bubinga guitar that our guitarist played and K-O) were all retired. I'm also not a large guy and everyone used to joke that it looked like there was a wee little man standing behind that big creature Kuon Orthos! haha! Thanks for asking Harry! | ||
| mike1762
Senior Member Username: mike1762 Post Number: 553 Registered: 1-2008 |
Remember this one:  It was a little too neck heavy for the owner, so you can see that he adopted a novel technique for playing it. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 996 Registered: 5-2009 |
I wonder if that Alembic "Work Of Art" is being imprinted on this child's psyche ? It could only have a positive effect! Such an endearing image __________ | ||
| gerarddem
Junior Username: gerarddem Post Number: 45 Registered: 12-2009 |
That's exactly what I looked like on stage with Kuon Orthros! Great photo! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 7046 Registered: 6-2000 |
Strangely, there is no file for this instrument  I made a new one, and we'll combine it with the original if it's ever located. |
