| Author | Message | ||
| jix
Member Username: jix Post Number: 79 Registered: 1-2009 |
Hi everyone. Just saw this whilst having a skim through eBay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALEMBIC-SERIES-2-BASS-32-SCALE-COCOBOLO-NEAR-MINT-/330570669880?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cf78c1f38 Guessing that the spare set of pickups could mean that it's had the electronics' upgrade perhaps? It says it has a cocobolo top, but I can't say I'm fully convinced from the photos. Other than that it looks like a standard S2 with an Omega cut from what I can see - there's not much info on the posting. Cheers James | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 978 Registered: 10-2006 |
$11,00 BIN? Think I'd buy two others for same money. Peter | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 727 Registered: 4-2004 |
Awesome bass! If I recall, this was made for Stanley?!??? It's been for sale a couple of previous times in the past several years. | ||
| mike1762
Senior Member Username: mike1762 Post Number: 867 Registered: 1-2008 |
I think it is Cocobolo (it has a reddish hue to it). $11,000 is... ambitious (even in Europe). | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 980 Registered: 10-2006 |
I sent the seller a friendly message saying I watch the market & suggesting that he might be overly optimistic by more than twice; his reply: well, you might be right, however here is my point; All basses I have are a colectors grade,and since you are watching the Alembic market here is something that you may not be aware of. A new Alembic can not match the quality of the instruments made in the 70s and very early 80s. Why is that ? easy....back in the days they had real luthiers working there, people who new and care...today they have just employees leaving and coming all the time. Most if not all of the new Alembics these days go to lawyers and doctors- fans of Stanley, and what they get is a 22k guitar finished with polyester or achrilic(good for your car) instead of nitro. For the last 20 years ,there must have been 30-35 Alembics gone trough my hands and I have never seen any good one after 1983. Personaly I think Alembics are overpriced piece of crap. I own and play many basses in the 3-4K price level and yes for the TV I will pull out the Alembic, but for the real play Alembic stays in the closed. Now is time to clean the closed. Cheers - zmeyerol So, I guess since I watch, I don't know, and since they're crap, he can ask more? Oh, well. Peter | ||
| hifiguy
Advanced Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 295 Registered: 10-2006 |
Wow. This individual suffers from a severe cranio-rectal impaction if he thinks that today's Alembics are that different from yesterday's in any significant way. "Employees coming and going all the time" "they HAD real luthiers" ??!! In the words of the esteemed philosopher, B. Bunny, it is to laugh. As the late Hubert H. Humphrey once said, the right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously. | ||
| tubeperson
Intermediate Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 173 Registered: 5-2005 |
What a chip on the shoulder that seller has. We acknowledge that wood might and I mean might be better if aged, but the superior electronics of today more than equal that out. Plus, there are so many more choices of woods to use. He may have a valid point if comparing Vintage Fender to Fender today, but he apparently does not appreciate the Alembic quality. He can't even spell closet correctly so where can his head be? (Decorum prevents me from offering my idea of where it is). Finally, I am not a Doctor or Lawyer, and I do not play one on TV, I just own a business where I work my ass off, take care of my family, then buy Alembics. This person must hate capitalism. He hates Alembics but wants double top dollar? I say stay away and tell anyone else to stay away!!! | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 981 Registered: 10-2006 |
"He can't even spell closet correctly...." Or collectors, or knew, or acrylic........... Peter | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 704 Registered: 9-2008 |
new Alembics are quite pricey......... ~Taylor | ||
| poor_nigel
Intermediate Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 188 Registered: 11-2009 |
I have owned both older and newer Alembics. My choice? Newer ones have better electronics and better necks - in my opinion. I would not venture into the employee opinions he posited. You do not need to be a keen speller to love or hate anything, so I'll not argue against his opinions, much. He has a nice bass there, but terrible pictures. I would venture $3,500 on his pix and word it is not a basket case. $11K - I'm a bit amused at that price for anythjing except a newer, much newer, high-end Series II with ebony lams and woods no one would complain about regardless of their age, and probably other goodies you have to special order to see on a bass. I do not know if I have ever seen a used Alembic go for $11K+ on this side of the Atlantic, or Pacific, but good luck. Darn, three out of four of my Alembics are trash (Ya, I can get a little caty at times), as they are too damned new! I guess I'll have to have a yard sale. I was going to post this before, but decided not to - For $11K, I would seriously consider spending more and getting a custom made, just as I liked it bass, and wait for a good monthly special and use a reputable seller who offers a good discount. Then I would have an inferior instrument, made just the way I wanted it. It is kind of hard these days to get a 30 year old bass made just the way you want, so ya just got to settle for what you can get sometimes. | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 729 Registered: 4-2004 |
That reply seems to reiterate some of the same selling points a previous owner had made. Hey, it worked in the past, right??!? In the meantime the asking price has increased almost to the point where the spread could buy you another vintage Series instrument! There are some aspects to his argument that would split this club's opinions right down the middle. I do like the fit and finish of early 80's Alembics. I also like some the individuality of some of the 70's instruments.... Today with pretty much every instrument tailored to the owner it's hard to say, but the right set of options can definitely make for a superior instrument IMHO... | ||
| jedisan
Intermediate Member Username: jedisan Post Number: 153 Registered: 3-2008 |
I find it interesting that his seller page says he is in the US, and the bass is in NY, but he lists the bass on the eBay UK site. Anybody have a clue? | ||
| gtrguy
Advanced Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 370 Registered: 9-2004 |
Id sems dad everyun ho wandts over da top priceces always has mojer issues! | ||
| tubeperson
Intermediate Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 176 Registered: 5-2005 |
Hey GTRGUY - please translate Mon! One point we all need to address. Since the current Alembics are so custom oriented, we just take a hit on resale. It is so hard to find someone else who likes everything you (and Me) likes and wants to pay top dollar for. I am not a Vintage Fender person, but when I purchased the Roman Conqueror, it was sold not at the retail selling price, but at a reduced rate. Yes it was a used instrument, and yes to rebuild it would cost much more than even the original buyer paid (Jeff is a great member BTW). However, just like leisure boats or Audiophile electronics, buying used is a better value. The piece is only as valuable a what a real buyer is willing to pay in real times, just like a house. That is when we see what they are really worth! The only exception I can offer to the forum is that is for someone who makes a personal (perhaps even emotional buy), the premium you pay maybe worth it to you. Of course, I also bought the Ed Roman Triple Omega Buckeye Burl, just nominated as one of the sexiest Alembics, and I paid more than I usually would have been willing to under normal circumstances. That particular piece moved me, plus I resented Ed Roamn hilding on to it who later discontinued selling Alrmbics. For me it meant that this big husky boy has at least one sexy girl in his life (LOL, sorry and props to my darling wife who is also sexy but more needy that my basses, that's what she gets for hasseling me to sell my "children"). Give me Buckeye Burl and Quilted coco bolo, or even superb flame walnut or give me death!!!! One other wood will be added to my sexy list soon, if I ever receive it from the mothership (heh heh heh Susan , Mica and crew). Resale may be less however and in the right circumstance I accept that! I also have purchased used Alembics at a fairer price to me as a consumer, but had to settle for compromises. Oh well! | ||
| mike1762
Senior Member Username: mike1762 Post Number: 927 Registered: 1-2008 |
Relisted at $12,000. I offered $4500 (a reasonable offer I think), but was turned down. Oh well... | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2564 Registered: 3-2004 |
Clearly a misguided soul. There are other instruments out there and the market will reward him, or show him his error. As far as listing on the UK site, European prices do tend to be higher if you want to deal with the hassles of trans-Atlantic shipping. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2486 Registered: 6-2002 |
(Message edited by jazzyvee on July 04, 2011) | ||
| glocke
Senior Member Username: glocke Post Number: 876 Registered: 9-2002 |
Seller sounds like a jackass..I think Medium scale series II basses with an omega cut in coco-bolo are pretty rare and do not come up for sale often. As far as price goes, I think it is a little high, but probably not as high as others think especially when you factor in the wait time to have a new bass built. I can see someone with a "must have it now" mentality doing horrible things to their 401k plan to try and own something like this now instead of later..... | ||
| pasewark
Intermediate Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 104 Registered: 4-2003 |
$12,000 for a 1982 Series II? I have a bridge, slightly used, located in Brooklyn for the same amount if anyone is interested. | ||
| mike1762
Senior Member Username: mike1762 Post Number: 954 Registered: 1-2008 |
It seems to be a nice bass... no argument. But by the time you figure in the dealer discount and a monthly special to account for the Cocobolo upgrade... you are VERY close to the cost of a new build. But Greg is right: if somebody gets a bad case of the "impulse buy", they might hit the "BIN"... especially if they don't really understand the used market and the quote generator!!! There was a SC that sold here recently for WAAAAY more than I thought it would bring. | ||
| neilvg
Junior Username: neilvg Post Number: 34 Registered: 6-2009 |
this looks just like my alembic series II 1982 I sold a few years ago. It might be the same one! I can't tell it's identical from the rather poor pictures posted. I sold it for $6k to someone in central California. Someone can search my previous posts to find the thread with my pics. | ||
| neilvg
Junior Username: neilvg Post Number: 35 Registered: 6-2009 |
http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/77072.html its probably different note: mine also had an extra pair of pickups and the bag said's.clarke' on them. (Message edited by neilvg on August 10, 2011) |
