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Alembic Club » Swap Shop and Wish Lists » Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere » Archive 2006 » Archive through March 12, 2006 » An affordable 1984 A;lembic Spoiler « Previous Next »

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dibolosi
Junior
Username: dibolosi

Post Number: 28
Registered: 1-2004
Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 9:07 am:   Edit Post

Often I wander the www to see what other Alembics are out there (in my quest to talk myself into affording a Series 1)

I found this ...

http://basspalace.com/dynamic/displaybass/4StringBass/4000

I know it's not showroom grade but after seeing so many overpriced Spoilers on Ebay, I thought this listing to be a bit of fresh air. My Spoiler is beat to &$*&^!

but it sounds like an Alembic
longhorncat
Junior
Username: longhorncat

Post Number: 46
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 12:19 pm:   Edit Post

Here is a Zebra Wood Spoiler on eBay in about the same condition and for about the same price:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7393069160
dibolosi
Junior
Username: dibolosi

Post Number: 29
Registered: 1-2004
Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 1:01 pm:   Edit Post

Yes. After I made this post I went to Ebay and saw that Zebra Wood. Of course I blurted aloud "oh NOW one shows up"

doesn't it always work that way?
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 635
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 1:09 pm:   Edit Post

The Swami is a great guy to deal with. This has 'MyFirstAlembic' writ large all over it.

If it were me, I'd

1)Talk him down to 8 or 9-hundred (WHO? US? FUSSPOTS???)

2)ReFinish it if you just have to, but certainly invest a couple of evenings' elbow-grease on the brass, etc.

3)Maybe reload with FatBoys since you stole it for $800

I'm not sure WHAT he means about the end of the fingerboard . . . hope it doesn't mean a partial refret and sanding down to good wood. Hopefully some lemon oil in medicinal amounts would bring it back, but you'd have to talk to the Swami to be sure what he's talking about here, and he's a square enough guy to tell you the truth. If it's gotta have major surgery, I'd pass in a heartbeat: No good stealing one, then spending a bunch of money on the back side of the deal.

Remember Paul's mantra!

Rosewood over mahogany is mighty fine, almost a 'poor man's cocobolo', and it's 32" like most SPOILERs.

I almost like fixer-uppers better than new. I get a big bang out of 'restoring' them. When your friends see it after you're through and it looks almost new, they wonder HOW you got it so cheap!

J o e y
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 3117
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:39 pm:   Edit Post

The auction that Bill posted a link to caught my attention - the serial number didn't look right at all. I talked to a very nice gentleman named Brian at the Guitar Center location that was selling the bass.

He was kind enough to help me with some detective work to see if we couldn't determine the actual serial number witch is 83S2960, just in case a Club member winds up with it.

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