Mystery Alembic for sale... Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Alembic Club » Swap Shop and Wish Lists » For Sale & Trade » Archive through August 14, 2015 » Mystery Alembic for sale... « Previous Next »

Author Message
dave137
New
Username: dave137

Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2015
Posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - 5:44 pm:   Edit Post

This instrument was in a lady's closet for close to 40 years, it had belonged to her late husband. I believe it to be a circa '70s series 2.
No serial number anywhere, perhaps it was a special order, a prototype, or an emplyee's project. All the pups, pots wiring had been robbed, so I had these Seymore Duncans put in. It's such a beautiful guitar, in needs to be restored. I have seen no photos of anything simular. I'm asking $3500.00. Let me know if you are interested, or know anythng about it. I have more photos
Thanks
DaveIn the shop
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 6113
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - 11:22 am:   Edit Post

Dave:

I might be interested. Can I get more pics? Also, can I see what it looks like under the brass pickup plate?

Bill, tgo
dave137
New
Username: dave137

Post Number: 3
Registered: 6-2015
Posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - 2:39 pm:   Edit Post

Bill, I sent some pics….
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - 9:01 am:   Edit Post

Beautiful
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 3
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 7:13 am:   Edit Post

Those neck marking look an awful lot like Phil Lesh's Osage Orange inlays
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 453
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 8:23 am:   Edit Post

Yep, very similar. There's a few good shots of the inlay on the "Mission Control" Omega bass here:

http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1922.html?1418110838

Given the likely age of that guitar, they may have both been works-in-progress around the same time.
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 4
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 8:56 am:   Edit Post

Oh wow. Yeah. Very striking. And mysterious. Killer guitar. Shame there's not more info on it.
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 455
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 11:13 am:   Edit Post

I'm going to be playing a gig within an hour of Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday, August 1st. I have some time to kill that morning before soundcheck/rehearsal... so if any interested Club member here needs a firsthand account, I'd be glad to go assess in-hand, take pictures, etc. (provided they're open on Saturdays) Honestly, I'd like to go see it just for the experience of examining an early Series instrument. Just don't want to waste the guy's time, since I'm not looking at buying.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 6149
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 2:07 pm:   Edit Post

I've seen pics of what is hiding under the pickguard. It's not pretty. Someone did some serious routing under there. Probably not restorable to Series electronics.

Bill, tgo
swisstime
New
Username: swisstime

Post Number: 3
Registered: 5-2008
Posted on Friday, July 17, 2015 - 9:14 am:   Edit Post

Dave,

I'm very interested in purchasing this guitar. Please let me know if it's still available.

Bobby
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 459
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Friday, July 17, 2015 - 3:41 pm:   Edit Post

Bobby, did you try emailing the seller at his contact here? (clicking on his username should access a contact email)

Good luck... that's a nice old guitar, just needs some tlc.
swisstime
New
Username: swisstime

Post Number: 4
Registered: 5-2008
Posted on Monday, July 20, 2015 - 11:00 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Edward!

I tried contacting the seller twice with no response… I'd love to own it.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4362
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, July 20, 2015 - 11:11 am:   Edit Post

Ask the seller to send you pictures from under the pickguard for full disclosure and no unhappy surprises and buyers remorse. :-).
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 5
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 6:28 am:   Edit Post

I bought this guitar. It's been treated pretty bad. But I aim to bring it back to life. However painful.
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 471
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 6:37 am:   Edit Post

Outstanding - looking forward to pictures!
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 6
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 6:51 am:   Edit Post

Having issues uploading pics. Wanna show the detail of neck inlays. And also the silver on the neck binding. Really amazing
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 7
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 7:47 am:   Edit Post

.

.





elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 1656
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 9:43 am:   Edit Post

Coool....Congrats !
hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 1542
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 10:31 am:   Edit Post

Cool! Love the raised logo!
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 474
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 12:31 pm:   Edit Post

What a fascinating instrument!

I'm anxious for the expert panel to weigh in, as there are some very unusual features here I've not seen before.

Congrats on a cool find, and Welcome.
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 8
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 12:41 pm:   Edit Post

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4366
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 1:12 pm:   Edit Post

Congratulations ! May we see a pic of what is under the pick guard ?
I am curious .
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 9
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 1:55 pm:   Edit Post

The not so pretty part Go easy on me.


sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 4367
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 2:11 pm:   Edit Post

It actually looks better then some that I have seen that have lost the original Alembic electronics in the course of their existence . I think that I have seen far worse. Nice figure in the wood ( maple ?) Also a very interesting flying bird tailpiece. Thank you so very much for showing us.

Wolf
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 2250
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 2:23 pm:   Edit Post

If your thinking of restoring it to Alembic electronics your best best is to look into a nice wood pickguard/pickup mounting plate. If you wanted to stay more period then I would consider a brass plate. Other than the front side which to me seems manageable in a tasteful way the rest looks to be in pretty decent condition.

Keith
edwardofhuncote
Senior Member
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 475
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 3:19 pm:   Edit Post

Shoot, that's not so bad.

We're this one mine, and the endgame a restoration to Series I specs, I would first rout those cavities to an exact template, then fill with wood and re-rout for correct size/shape. Then I'd do an inlaid wood pickguard to cover the work.

That's a unique guitar you've got there! And sure enough, the inlay is reminiscent of the Lesh "Osage Orange"... not exact, but I'd say definitely one influenced the other.

Anyone got a comment on the logo? I've never seen one quite like it.

Thanks for sharing!
tomhug
Intermediate Member
Username: tomhug

Post Number: 186
Registered: 7-2008
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 4:11 pm:   Edit Post

Even though I am primarily a bass player I *almost* made an offer on this. It's that intriguing. I love these embryonic proto-Alembics when they surface.

The "not so pretty part" is not nearly so bad as I imagined. I think it's easily managed. I suggest that a hammered thin brass plate could be a perfect, simple, and period-correct solution.

That is truly a special and unique instrument and I hope your path to restoring/rehabbing/making it sing again is a smooth one!
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 2075
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 7:42 pm:   Edit Post

I think it's not bad at all. I would even just get the right pickups and electronics in there and either fill the screw holes or just leave them as they are. Nothing wrong with the artifacts of history. It's a gorgeous instrument and from a distance, they won't be noticeable at all. I wish I was in the market, as it looks right up my alley.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 6164
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 11:32 pm:   Edit Post

It's not just the screw holes. The original routs for Series guitar pickups are narrow, somewhere between Strat single coils and P-90s. This has been routed to fit humbuckers. I don't know if bass-size Series pickups would work in a guitar. Otherwise you would need to make some wood inserts to fill the humbucker routs, or use a pickguard. Of course a hand beaten brass pickguard would look cool and be period correct.

Alternatively, it could be set up with non-series Alembic electronics and would still be a killer guitar.

Whatever you wind up doing, you have a very cool and unique instrument, Jason. I hope you stick around and keep us up to date on what you wind up doing with this most excellent guitar.

Bill, tgo
fordhornsby
New
Username: fordhornsby

Post Number: 10
Registered: 7-2015
Posted on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 8:04 am:   Edit Post

I found a set of electronics someone had come a Alembic guitar. I'm wondering if this is useable? I just got them


cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 1912
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 8:08 am:   Edit Post

Sorry I don't have time to search for it right now (She's calling me to chores), but that heavenly SII guitar thedavidkeith sold a while back had, IIRC, Series bass p/ups (w/the HX molded into one of the shells).
So, leave the scars showing, route a little more & go bass p/ups, or use a pickguard. I'd lean to the last option, and yes, definitely hammered brass!

Peter
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 6165
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 9:53 am:   Edit Post

I saw those on eBay. I'm not sure about the three push-buttons (if that's what they are). I've never seen controls like that on an Alembic before. But then again, there is little about unique Alembic stuff that would surprise me. I can tell you that these are not Series electronics.

Bill, tgo
pasewark
Advanced Member
Username: pasewark

Post Number: 271
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 9:57 am:   Edit Post

I think they're trim pots?
pasewark
Advanced Member
Username: pasewark

Post Number: 272
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 9:57 am:   Edit Post

I think they're trim pots?

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration