| Author | Message | ||
| room037
Member Username: room037 Post Number: 67 Registered: 9-2003 |
77's Series 1 is appeared on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1977-Series-1-Alembic-bass-in-original-case_W0QQitemZ7369225309QQcategoryZ118984QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem But the serial No."922-77" is curious. (It has "922-11") If so, it was wrote "77-922". It is not 77's No.922. It looks like FERNANDES. (No head logo, Different knobs, Wood quality, etc..) | ||
| marcky
Junior Username: marcky Post Number: 29 Registered: 11-2005 |
I think it's a Fernandez. I've seen a few of them and this one looks a lot like it. Be careful!!! | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 555 Registered: 6-2002 |
I too believe it is a Fernandes bass. Buyer beware!!!! I think we need to see a pic of the inside of the control cavity. It will tell all. Note the pickup selector knob and the position of the knob. Very Fernandesesque. When I first saw the listing, I was hoping it was real. I am kinda in the market for another Alembic. Hoping for a Polane finished, single truss rod, small body bass. Yuk. Fernandes. By the way I believe that an Alembic with serial number 922 would be a 1978. | ||
| harald_rost
Intermediate Member Username: harald_rost Post Number: 105 Registered: 6-2002 |
I had the possibility to A/B compare my 1977 Series 1 with a Fernandes FAB 180. And I was thrilled: There was NOT a big difference in sound. Comparing the building these early Fernandes are nearly perfect clones. I can't judge for the electronic but visible was only one big difference: a rosewood fretboard on the Fernandes instead of an Ebony one on my Sereis 1. So these Fernandes are no bad axes (of course with the exception of the lawsuit thing). | ||
| j_gary
Intermediate Member Username: j_gary Post Number: 151 Registered: 6-2005 |
They may be cool but this listing kinda makes me see red. I think it's disingenuous the way the bass is being represented. I may have given her a hard look as an interesting purchase, but not from this seller. You know, Phyllis Diller is genetically very similar to Pamela Lee. Me and Paul McCartney too. Hmmm...I think Pam and Phyllis reference may be closer. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2635 Registered: 5-2002 |
We don't know that the seller is aware that it is not an Alembic. Has anyone emailed the seller to ask for pics and details? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 775 Registered: 7-2004 |
I just sent the seller a message with a link to this thread. Since the bass is in Berkeley (next door to Oakland), I offered to check out the bass to determine authenticity. If the seller responds and lets me check it out, I'll give everyone here a head's up. Bill, tgo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2638 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks Bill!! | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 259 Registered: 7-2002 |
I too had a chance to A/B a Fernandes side by side with a Alembic at Ed Romans a while back. Tone wise, there was no comparison. Maybe there was something wrong with the Fernades but the Alembic just blew it away. Of couse the Alembic in question was the famous Buckeye Burl Ebony laminate Triple Omega 5 that is in all of Ed's recent ads. Perhaps not the fairest of comparisons but still.... | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 777 Registered: 7-2004 |
While the Fernandes' looked a lot like an Alembic, everything I've read says that the electronics weren't even close. Last year my wife got me a Fernandes Masterhand for my 49th b-day (well we went to the store and I picked it out). I believe it was made after Alembic let Fernandes know that the copies weren't appreciated. While it is clearly in the Alembic hippie sandwich style, the shape is not a direct copy, but rather strat-like. When I got it the electronics weren't working and the store couldn't find the power supply. I ripped out the old Fernandes stuff and the guitar is in the process (still!) of being Alembicized at a luthier's in San Francisco. Here's a gallery of Fernandes Alembic copies. There is a Masterhand bass about halfway down: http://www8.plala.or.jp/alembic/copy_gallery.html Here is picture of my Fernandes Masterhand before any mods. It's the one in the middle: http://www.fatdawg.com/334.jpg I haven't heard back from the seller yet. Bill, tgo | ||
| room037
Member Username: room037 Post Number: 68 Registered: 9-2003 |
Now this bass was relisted as Fernandes copy. The seller add description about the story. And the starting price was reduced $750, but reserve price is unknown. | ||
| kungfusheriff
Senior Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 423 Registered: 8-2003 |
Still overpriced IMO...I bought a nearly identical bass from Elderly for about $630 in 2001. | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 556 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yes. I think I paid $400 for mine in the 80's or so. I don't think that bass should fetch an Alembic price. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2656 Registered: 5-2002 |
I'm glad the listing was corrected! |
