| Author | Message | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4267 Registered: 6-2002 |
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alembic-Distillate-Bass-Guitar-1982-/251688501774?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a99cdc20e Price is pretty low at the moment.  | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 942 Registered: 5-2007 |
Oh man! I am bidding | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4272 Registered: 6-2002 |
13 bidders on it at the moment so likely to be hot towards the end. All the best. | ||
| stephenr
New Username: stephenr Post Number: 9 Registered: 9-2014 |
One thing to keep in mind with the early Distillate basses is that the battery life is pathetic. Something like 20-25 hours due to the little LED that comes on when it is plugged in. I really liked my Distillate bass but the battery drove me crazy. If you gig a lot you have to change the battery preemptively. If you don't and the battery starts to go when you are playing the sound goes from great to horrible to nothing and it happens quickly, not fun in the middle of a tune. The LEDs were removed from later Distillates. Other than the LED issue they are great basses. | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 3161 Registered: 6-2002 |
I know there is a work-around for the LED issue, don't let that scare you off. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3691 Registered: 5-2009 |
I have an 81 Distillate with that "power on LED ". I love that Bass ! (Message edited by sonicus on October 25, 2014) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3692 Registered: 5-2009 |
I have an 81 Distillate with that "power on LED " among other Alembics. The LED issue on mine is not really all that bad . | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5859 Registered: 7-2004 |
Not being an electronics maven, I suspect that 1981 LEDs might consume a little more power than LEDs produced more than 30 years later. And I imagine that swapping the old one out, or just bypassing it, would be a simple job for anyone who has ever been introduced to a soldering iron. Bill, tgo | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3693 Registered: 5-2009 |
 | ||
| mtjam
Advanced Member Username: mtjam Post Number: 217 Registered: 11-2011 |
My first Alembic was a Distillate that I owned until last week. It had the LED, but I never felt that the batteries went dead too quickly. Anyway, Distillates are great! | ||
| stephenr
New Username: stephenr Post Number: 10 Registered: 9-2014 |
Not trying to scare anyone off from the bass. The Distillate model is one of my favorite Alembics I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat and the LED looks kind of cool. But... I thought the short battery life was a good thing for potential buyers to be aware of if they gig a lot so they know to change the batteries regularly. Having my bass go dead mid-tune at a gig was not a pleasant experience. I don't know how to bypass the LED but imagine it is not very difficult. Is that the workaround you are referring to Adriaan? | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 1311 Registered: 6-2006 |
Is it a trick of the light or is there a gouge on the back of the neck that runs horizontally in the picture? My 84 Distillate has pretty decent battery life. As mentioned when it does start to die she goes pretty quick - however, IMHO the distortion sound just before she drops out is very righteous. | ||
| gearhed289
Junior Username: gearhed289 Post Number: 25 Registered: 5-2004 |
I bought a'86 (no LED) over the summer, and it's great! I think they're one of the best bang for your buck basses on the used market. |
