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Alembic Club » Swap Shop and Wish Lists » Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere » Archive through November 26, 2011 » 1975 Series 1 @ Elderly « Previous Next »

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crobbins
Senior Member
Username: crobbins

Post Number: 939
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 6:44 am:   Edit Post

http://elderly.com/vintage/items/55U-4741.htm
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2142
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 6:55 am:   Edit Post

Very, Cool. Nice Bass

I have purchased many sets of Pyramid Gold flat wound strings from Elderly. I have had good purchase experiences with them.
wookie
Junior
Username: wookie

Post Number: 37
Registered: 8-2010
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 7:20 am:   Edit Post

I've never palyed a series bass and I'm going to go play that one! my Girlfriend lives about 10 minutes from Elderly So if anyone has any requests or things for me to look for let me know. I sure can't buy it and to me it's missing a string or 2 or 3:-) So I can take notes for anyone interested. Yes, elderly is cool but they'd be cooler if they'd carry Alembics again! it's all Fender now. There is no place in Michigan to actually touch Alembics besides my house and I met one doctor that has an essence or something.....weak.
peetee
New
Username: peetee

Post Number: 10
Registered: 1-2011
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 8:46 am:   Edit Post

I'm in the market for a used Series bass, post your thoughts here!
poor_nigel
Advanced Member
Username: poor_nigel

Post Number: 203
Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 6:57 pm:   Edit Post

I'm still having trouble getting over the inlays were overly thinned during a refret job . . . . Was a floor sander used on the fretboard to grind the previous set of frets off??? One must use the right tool for the job.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2143
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 7:08 pm:   Edit Post

Good point , perhaps it is time for some measurements . What would be the thickness of the original fret board? what is it now ?
crobbins
Senior Member
Username: crobbins

Post Number: 940
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 - 9:01 am:   Edit Post

Step away from the beltsander!
pasewark
Intermediate Member
Username: pasewark

Post Number: 130
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 - 9:07 am:   Edit Post

I once met a guy who wanted to make his BC Rich bass fretless, so he used a rasp. True story.
artswork99
Moderator
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 1612
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 - 11:51 am:   Edit Post

Wow, check this out (in regard to this bass)...
crobbins
Senior Member
Username: crobbins

Post Number: 941
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 - 1:06 pm:   Edit Post

Maybe Allen knows what happened to the fretboard.
ag73
New
Username: ag73

Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2011
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 - 10:51 pm:   Edit Post

Yep, this was my bass, and I hope to get it back, but 4 grand seems pretty steep. I'm working on it. Traded it for an upright about twelve years ago or so. The asking price for the upright was around 1,200...and I had to add some cash as well. So I lost money then...but I traded it with Nashville Used Music, and I know they are in business to make money. I bought it many years earlier from Guitar Ressurrection, a wonderful shop in Austin. First of all, the inlays are abalone, not pearl. Second of all, the inlays are probably just showing signs of wear after 36 years. If they were ground down when someone sanded the board...it was after I sold it. The jumbo frets had some flat spots when I had it, but it still played fine. I can't imagine the board needing sanding after all these years. Pretty hard and stabilized ebony. If it had a fret job, wouldn't most folks just replace the frets? And yes, I sent it in for some rehab...electronics needed work...just screamed a high pitch tone every now and then. Anyone else experience that with an Alembic? And yes, Ron did it. It was few years before I sold it. So at least fifteen years ago. The way Elderly describes it..."silent electronics"...are they just saying there is no noise? It almost sounds like he installed some custom electronics, but all he did was rebuild/repair what was needed. Elderly is probably passing on what the previous owner told them, who got it from Nashville Used Music, who got it from me. So there is a little lost in the translation. Other things that are not being disclosed...I would not call it excellent, I would call it good or very good. I had to use a dowel and wood glue to repair the strap locks, and it is noticeable...there is kind of a hole that has been filled next to the strap lock on the horn. You can sort of see this, if you know what to look for. And finally, the bass was dropped once, straight back, hit its head. Head/neck did not break, but the laminate split. I think I asked them to repair it as best they could when I sent it in for the electronics. It would still be a little noticeable, but not bad. Can not see it in the pictures. I also remember the points of the omega cut out being damaged some, from being set on the floor.

This is tough for me, I have really wanted it back, I gave it up not only to get the upright, but 1. It is very heavy , shoulder hurts after a while. 2. It is very head heavy, so if you don't hold the neck, it wants to drop. 3. I was tired of tuning down when I needed a five string, so I have been playing a five string for all of these years. But...it is an Alembic. And nothing sounds like an alembic. My main bass, believe it or not after owning an Alembic, is a Carvin. The Carvin is light!!! and is does have a very nice sound. But not the harmonics and overtones of the Alembic. Slapping it does not compare at all. There is a reason Stanley played Alembics. You can add compression...you can play through solid state...but you can not replicate the sound of the Alembic. Although I have thought about getting the Alembic pre amp and playing through it. But it would not have the feel of the Alembic, jumbo frets. Sounds like I am trying to talk myself into it. Of, course, I can say I am buying it to pass on to my son! And Mica...thanks so much for developing and keeping up this forum. Never would have found it without it. I'll update with a post about the reunion! Now...Anyone seen the blond on blond 71 Strat I traded for a 62 P bass back in the early 80's?!?! :-) Thanks.
poor_nigel
Advanced Member
Username: poor_nigel

Post Number: 205
Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 12:15 pm:   Edit Post

Similar story - After looking for almost 30 years, I was reunited with the Alembic bass I bought so long ago and lost because of financial crisis.

http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/99496.html?1300851621

I pulled a 401K loan and bid twice what I thought the bass would go for. I paid a bit less than what the bass retailed for back in 1980, but that did not really matter. I missed the bass so much over all the years spent without it, and it was the bass I used to judge all others by. I was lucky inj that most of its life apart from me, it spent in storage, so the only thing damage on it was the Anvil flight case's foam deteriorated over time. If it had come back in terrible shape, I would still be glad to have spent the money in its recovery. I think you will be glad to have your old bass back in your hands, as it is the memories that are important. The fact that you actively were looking for the bass when it got posted on the club site screams to me that you must have it back. Alembic basses are in my opinion not a good financial investment. However, they are one of the best investments you can get for your wellbeing. I wish you the best outcome in your situation.
pace
Senior Member
Username: pace

Post Number: 793
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 4:26 pm:   Edit Post

>>>Alembic basses are in my opinion not a good financial investment. However, they are one of the best investments you can get for your wellbeing. I wish you the best outcome in your situation.<<<

Well said, Tom. You need to mediate the next round of negotiations with my "senior mgmt"..... :-)
lee90029
Junior
Username: lee90029

Post Number: 20
Registered: 7-2011
Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 - 7:53 pm:   Edit Post

Check out my 1976 for sale on the for sale topics!

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