| Author | Message | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 323 Registered: 9-2009 |
I just completed the financial transaction and am awaiting shipment of one of the late Tim Bucher's basses (the beautiful custom Signature he got through Will Gunn). As a result I'm looking to sell my 86 Walnut Distillate and 73 walnut EB-3. I'm looking to get a fair price for each and have noticed that people are attempting to sell for a wide range prices both here and on eBay. I'll be posting photos when I return from Alaska (it was -28 F here this morning) but am wondering what fair prices would be. They are both in excellent condition with the Distillate being immaculate with no dings and not even a hint of crazing on the back. Does $2100 sound like a fair asking price for a Distillate of this age and does anyone know what a 73 EB3 would be worth? By the way...thanks a ton Jazzyvee. I never would have been aware of the availability of one of Tim's basses if not for your response to one of my postings. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5371 Registered: 7-2004 |
Blue Book on a '73 EB-3 ranges from: condition 60%/G = $575 70%/VG = $725 80%/VG+ = $900 90%/EXC = $1175 95%/EXC+ = $1450 98%/MINT = $1800 add $100-200 if it is the EB-3L (long scale - 34.5" Bill, tgo | ||
| mrlee2020
New Username: mrlee2020 Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2013 |
Hi I have been patiently waiting for an Alembic Distillate in great condition. I've been holding on to my tax return, so please post a pic . | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 324 Registered: 9-2009 |
Lee I've PMed you. Let me know if you didn't get my message. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1468 Registered: 5-2002 |
Alright you guys, even if this transaction happens off the forum, we all need some pictures! :-) | ||
| mrlee2020
New Username: mrlee2020 Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2013 |
Hey Hammer, Got it. Feels kinda like a blind date, she sounds beautiful, but still hoping to see her picture..LOL | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 325 Registered: 9-2009 |
Stuck in Fairbanks Alaska where I am coaching at the National Junior Olympics cross country ski meet so pics will need to wait until I return home to Minnesota next Tuesday. You would think that having lived in Minnesota for many years I'd be used to the cold but standing outside yesterday for 7 hours while the competition took place was numbing to say the least as we've had low temps of -25 to -30 F while we've been here. If I lived here I honestly don't know if I would ever let my Alembics out of the house in these temps. | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 326 Registered: 9-2009 |
1986 medium scale Walnut Distillate and 73 EB-3 are still up for sale. Original buyer for Distillate needed adjustable nut. Distillate is in great shape (see pics) $2,100 plus shipping.       | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5383 Registered: 7-2004 |
Interesting strap button you have there. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. It looks like a clever solution to get the bass to hang just as you like it. Bill,tgo | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2823 Registered: 5-2009 |
OH , yes , I think I have seen this horn extension before . Was this bass on Ebay a few years ago ? | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 327 Registered: 9-2009 |
More than years few now. I purchased it I believe in 2007 from a guy in Colorado. It looks a little different but does a great job preventing neck dive regardless of the position in which one plays. On the other hand, I've spoken with a number of other "distillantes" over the past several years and only one of them ever mentioned having a problem with neck dive. I hate to sell the thing but in the last three months I had a custom Signature Deluxe built and just accepted delivery of the late Tim Bucher's short scale, highly customized, Signature standard that he purchased from Will Gunn which Jazzyvee pointed out to me. | ||
| pasewark
Intermediate Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 200 Registered: 4-2003 |
I'd love to see Tim Bucher's short scale! | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 328 Registered: 9-2009 |
I'll have both the bass I acquired from Tim's wife and my own Signature Deluxe up in the Showcase section within the next day or two. I just need to get some good shots of them. | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 338 Registered: 9-2009 |
86 Distillate still up for sale! It's in mint condition and waiting to move to a new home where it will be played. With two signatures on hand it just isn't getting the attention it deserves. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2876 Registered: 5-2009 |
It's a pity that you are so far away. I would be interested in checking out your Distillate. Are you coming to the west coast any time soon ? | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 340 Registered: 9-2009 |
I hope to get out to Portland to visit my son sometime soon. It may be a while though. He doesn't want his mother and father visiting until he gets a job and a place of his own. I can understand that since he's currently living with about 10 different people with not much more than a guitar and a duffle-bag in to which he stuffed as much of his clothing as he could. I'll keep you posted. Though I am thinking of starting a new thread to ask the question "How many people sold their 1st Alembic and now regret it?" On the other hand, four basses at home isn't sitting that well with the Mrs. since I am only really playing the medium scale Signature Deluxe I had built and the sweet short scale signature standard with a SC body that I recently purchased from Tim Bucher's estate. | ||
| charles_holmes
Advanced Member Username: charles_holmes Post Number: 251 Registered: 3-2009 |
Please post some photos of your new axes!! | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 341 Registered: 9-2009 |
Photos were recently posted in the showcase section of the 3/4 size Signature Deluxe I had built. As you can see from the photos "I ain't no photographer" so I've sort of been waiting for a nice day to get the short scale SC outside for some better photos. Unfortunately we got 6.5 inches of new snow last night in my part of Minnesota so it might be a few days before I can do that. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2877 Registered: 5-2009 |
Brian, When the time comes if you still have the have the Distillate and with you on your West Coast visit, we could meet and I could check out the Bass and perhaps make a transaction. Wolf | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 344 Registered: 9-2009 |
Wolf: Will do. | ||
| afrobeat_fool
Senior Member Username: afrobeat_fool Post Number: 511 Registered: 7-2009 |
When you get to Portland, look me up. I have a couple of old Alembic axes hanging around. We can have a mini gathering! | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 856 Registered: 5-2007 |
silly question but what is an EB3? | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1841 Registered: 7-2007 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_EB-3 | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 345 Registered: 9-2009 |
It's a old but classic design Gibson bass, typically of the short-scale variety, probably made most famous through its use by Jack Bruce. A highly modified long scale (I think) version was used by Phil Lesh both prior to his getting his Guild Starfire modified by Alembic and after the Gibson was stolen (or lost). From what I recall the instrument had modified hardware, preamps, and Guild single coil pickups installed by Alembic as well as a crazy paint job. | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 346 Registered: 9-2009 |
Nick: Thanks for the offer. I'll do that. Of course it may be a while since my son wants the visit to be contingent on his first getting a job and then a place with a friend of his in which he is not a squatter. | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 347 Registered: 9-2009 |
Here's a old photo of Phil with his modified EB-3  | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1456 Registered: 10-2006 |
Phil's was originally an EB-0 (1 p/pup), and it was short scale. The Bi-Sonic p/ups probably came off a Guild, but they were made by Hagstrom. The paint job was by Bob Thomas, who also designed the Alembic logo & did the cover for Live/Dead. Peter | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 857 Registered: 5-2007 |
I always thought that was an SG Bass | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 349 Registered: 9-2009 |
It's only been recently with the reissues (IMHO crap) that Gibson has been referring to them as SG basses. The EB-0 had a single pick-up the EB-3 both a neck and bridge pup. The original EB-3 pups had a very distinctive muddy sound that I don't think had the clarity that Phil desired. Listen to some of Jack Bruce's live work with Cream and you'll see, or more accurately put, hear, what I mean. When driven hard I've read that Bruce referred to the sound as "sonic farting." | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 350 Registered: 9-2009 |
It was my understanding (mostly from what I've read in books on the GD's instruments and I don't know how accurate any of it is) that Phil initially played an EB-0, then moved to a Fender, then version 1 of the Guild Starfire, after which he switched to the heavily modified Gibson EB3. Eventually, he lost or had the EB-3 stolen and subsequently played the Godfather. But then again, I'm not a GD historian like some of the people out there so, I could be wrong as to some or all of these accounts. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 858 Registered: 5-2007 |
I always thought that was an SG Bass; use to call them mud-buckers | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2879 Registered: 5-2009 |
I really liked the sound that Phil got from that Alembic modified Gibson EB-0 . His finger plucking period sound ranks very high in my appreciation of his experimental nature. The live recordings that I have heard of his thunderous counterpointal playing from this period still inspires me daily. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1457 Registered: 10-2006 |
1966-95 (as near as I can remember without getting up off my lazy butt to check Grateful Dead Gear): EB-0 > Jazz > 1st Starfire (stolen) > Jazz > 2nd Starfire > modded EB-0 > modded Starfire* (Godfather, AKA Big Brown) > Alembic (Mission Control) > Irwin > Jazz > varius Moduli > Ken Smith > Moduli *The Godfather would make appearances off & on until - well, I think until now. And to de-hijack, how far into the wood does the strap button extension go? Peter (Who keeps GDG in the upstairs bathroom and, when finished, starts over. Perfectly normal.) (Message edited by cozmik_cowboy on April 24, 2013) | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1512 Registered: 5-2002 |
I think that's pretty close. However, I think there was only one Starfire. My reasoning for that is if you look at the early Starfire pictures (Rosie took a great one with Phil up against the amps playing feedback), you can see the plastic plate on the back that was added for access when it was originally modded. If you see pictures of the Starfire as Big Brown, it also has the same black plastic plate on the back (you can see it clearly in the Phil and Friends video from the Warfield with Scofield). The EBO with mods did get stolen. Dan Schwartz has told the story of meeting the guy who bought it in a pawn shop for $400 in the late 70s. He got in touch with Phil and offered it up to him for his cost, but Phil declined. Dan played the bass once, but lost touch with the guy who had it. So, last we know, it was sitting in a closet in Orange County, CA. I'd really like to find what remains of the Osage Orange bass. Apparently it suffered a few too many experiments and became structurally compromised and was last heard of somewhere in Chicago. There were some great discussions and some photos about these basses on the Dudepit, but they all disappeared when the site went down. Bummer. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2881 Registered: 5-2009 |
I am also curious as Peter as to how far the strap button extension rod penetrates the upper horn of the Bass. I am also curious how it is attached such as epoxy or threaded insert ,etc... How easy or difficult would it be to remove and restore to original ? Did Alembic install the extension and if not who did the work ? I realize that these questions might be difficult to answer but they have been on my mind since I first saw this Bass. Wolf | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1459 Registered: 10-2006 |
"However, Phil told me, 'My Starfire bass was stolen from a gig in L.A. just before Monterey Pop. I played a Fender Jazz at the festival and for some time afterward, until I could afford a new Starfire.'"1 "Not surprisingly, Phil was intrigued by [the Alembicizing of Casady's Starfire], and in late spring 1969 he turned over his own Guild bass....He switched back to his...EB-0, which had been hot-rodded itself....Phil would play this bass through the spring of 1971, after which he would unleash the 'Alembicized' Guild Starfire...."2 Peter 1 Jackson, Blair, Grateful Dead Gear: the Band's Instruments, Sound Sytems, and Recording Sessions from 1965 to 1995 (San Fransico: Backbeat Books. 2006), 54. 2ibid., 88. | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1517 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hm, interesting. The bass shown at the link below, is in 1968, and is clearly the bass that became big brown, and given the strap position, etc., is also probably the one shown in pix from 1967. It's possible that he could have done the same strap button move, but it looks very similar in so many respects (and no, I'm not a seen one Starfire you've seen 'em all kinda guy!). http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/24144634_mNDg7F#!i=2024029840&k=mRcGKXs Here's the 1967 version:  | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 351 Registered: 9-2009 |
No idea as to how far the strap button extension rod extends in to the bass or if it was done at the factory. It's not what I'd call a pretty addition to the bass, but it has been quite functional. Does anyone else have an extended strap button on their bass that was done at Alembic against which we can compare? Or at least a close up photo of an 85-86 strap lock button that we can compare to the one on my bass. By the way, my infor on Phil's bass came from a combination of the Gd gear book and a piece on Phil's bass history on Philzone attributed to none other than Edwin. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1461 Registered: 10-2006 |
Oh, crap, I just remembered - Edwin gets an acknowledgement in GDG; I'll shut up now! Well, soon, anyway; do you know when in '67 that pic is from, Edwin? Monterey was mid-June, so that leaves 6 months to get up the bucks for the 2nd Guild, move the button, and take the shot you post. Peter (whose post 1457 above should, of course, start "1965-95") | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1518 Registered: 5-2002 |
Well, I'm not that much of an expert. Just in the right place at the right time and pretty good at not shutting my mouth when I probably should. The '67 picture is from August, or so it's labeled. The provenance, though, isn't unimpeachable. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1462 Registered: 10-2006 |
Mystery solved: as the 1st Starfire was ripped off sometime before June 16, that would make all of those shots (and I agree, they're obviously the same bass) the 2nd Starfire, with some mods - like Michael before Vito's heart attack, training to become the Godfather. Is the extension screwed on? If so, would you be willing to unscrew it to satisfy Wolf's & my curiosty? (If not, no prob - I completely understand). Peter | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 352 Registered: 9-2009 |
Unfortunately, the extension is bonded in to the body. You would need a pro to get it off. I've been meaning to take it in to Brown's Guitar Factory which his located about 4 miles from where I live to see if I can have it removed, but have never gotten around to it. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2882 Registered: 5-2009 |
I have given this rod removal possibility some thought . The prime directive it seems would be to do as little damage to the bass it's self in the process of removing the rod. I have done quite a bit of tinkering in my time, both mechanical and electronic as well as working with wood. This could work ; 1) Cut the rod to within a 1/4 " from the surface of the penetration point on the upper horn of the bass. 2) Drill a pilot hole in the center of the rod 3) Tap the pilot hole with a fine threaded tap so that a stainless steel machine screw can very securely hold the the strap button. I would chose Schaller security strap buttons . The important choice would be to chose the correct machine screw pitch and dimensions for the job. NOT to small and NOT to big. I think a 8-32 countersunk machine screw might work. The dangerous aspect of this procedure could be that you only get one shot to do it right and then you have to go to a larger size such as 10-32 witch will not fit in a Schaller strap button . The strap button would have to be drilled out to fit a 10-32. Wolf | ||
| hammer
Senior Member Username: hammer Post Number: 405 Registered: 9-2009 |
Bump! Still interested in selling the 86 Distillate but would be open to a trade for a fretless. I am looking in to what it would take to take the extension rod out and install a more typical button. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3011 Registered: 5-2009 |
I have a fretless that I might be willing to trade . | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3012 Registered: 5-2009 |
I would take the Distillate as is . To save you time , trouble and money I would be willing to deal with the extension rod myself if we were to make a transaction /trade . | ||
| hammer
Senior Member Username: hammer Post Number: 406 Registered: 9-2009 |
What do you propose? | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3013 Registered: 5-2009 |
I propose that we could chat about this per phone at some convenient time in the very near future. I will contact you per email . |
