| Author | Message | ||
| effclef
Senior Member Username: effclef Post Number: 402 Registered: 1-2004 |
http://cgi.ebay.com/ALEMBIC-DISTILLATE-BASS-USA-MADE-1983-4-STRING-2-PU_W0QQitemZ150012906069QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Up to $2000 already. Wow! EffClef | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 69 Registered: 12-2004 |
A beautiful Distillate but I am suspicious of the bid. Only 1 bidder (he bid twice) with 0 feedback. Why would someone start at $2000? Was there a minimum at the beginning of the auction? I'm thinking a schill bid by a friend of the Music Go Round store in Wisconsin. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1258 Registered: 3-2004 |
$2000 would have either been the starting bid or the reserve. Either way, $2K for a Distillate is way outside the typical range, so it doesn't really matter who or why has bid that much. I doubt anyone who has been familiar with this site would be thinking about outbidding them. | ||
| longhorncat
Member Username: longhorncat Post Number: 91 Registered: 8-2005 |
Uhh, the last two Distillates on eBay sold for $2350 and $2450. (Message edited by longhorncat on July 25, 2006) | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1259 Registered: 3-2004 |
Really? A year ago they were in the $1300-1500 range for the typical model. They are pretty close to the Europa in basic specs, so it isn't out of the question that they should be in that price range. You aren't talking about anything in the Exploiter body shape, are you? Those have always been a few hundred dollars more than the same bass in a more typical body style. I have played a Distillate and they are great instruments in every way. I just hadn't noticed that market demand had finally caught up. | ||
| longhorncat
Member Username: longhorncat Post Number: 94 Registered: 8-2005 |
I put this in the wrong thread, I'll just repeat it here: Alembic basses have been bringing record highs on eBay this summer. I still can't believe someone got $1700 for a Persuader. The rest for the market is in its usual summer slump. The Fender basses aren't coming close to what they were selling for a few months ago. Just look a few threads down from this one. These were just plain, but nice Distillates: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130002746354 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7422675901 (Message edited by longhorncat on July 25, 2006) | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1261 Registered: 3-2004 |
By the way, it's probably flame koa... | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 70 Registered: 12-2004 |
I'm sticking to my schill bid theory. The two recently sold Distillates had 18 & 22 bids and each started at a few hundred dollars and worked up from there. This auction has no reserve, no other bidders, so why would the first bidder come in at the top end pricing? The bidder's ID is only a few days old too. Oh well, Ebay is a strange place. It's a great bass and as Longhorn said $2K is accurate for a final price, I just wonder about $2K for a starting price. Let's see what happens. | ||
| bassjigga
Junior Username: bassjigga Post Number: 30 Registered: 8-2005 |
Yeah I think there has been some shady bidding going on on ebay - like the seller using a different ID to up the bids on their item. For example, I bid on something and then was outbid by quite a bit by a new person with 0 feedback. A couple days later guess what - a bid retraction. My theory - no one outbids and the seller doesn't want to screw themself. I've had successful transactions on ebay before, but it seems to be getting worse all the time. It's still ok to use, just be careful. | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 931 Registered: 7-2002 |
I agree, Bob; that's Koa for sure. Valentino | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 910 Registered: 9-2002 |
What's the saying about horses for courses? I think it all depends on the piece in question. THIS is hardly a typical Distallate with that gorgeous flame Koa top, purpleheart and birdseye neck, maple pinstripe, etc. As Distillates go, this is the nicest one I've ever seen. If I WERE after a Distillate and had been looking at some over time as they pop up, I'd be REAL interested in THIS one. Not nearly as 'down-market' looking as most of them. Plus as any of us long-term members here can attest, when you first get into ALEMBICs, it's hard to get an informed sense of what a given model is doing in the used market, as each one can seem so different from the last one, and the prices can seem all over the place. So I think a certain percentage go a little high, just like any used guitar: All depends how well the buyer knows his market. J o e y | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1263 Registered: 3-2004 |
Got to agree with you there, Joey. This is definitely a premium Distillate. On one hand I am still surprised that the prices for them have jumped so significantly in the past year. On the other hand, there's not too much difference between a Distillate and a Europa, so one would think the prices would be similar for instruments in similar condition. Distillates were always a bargain in my book. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4138 Registered: 5-2002 |
When I checked yesterday, there were three bids. The first and third were by the guy with zero feedback, and the second by a guy with a lot of feedback. Now there are no bids. The guy with zero feedback got an "administrative cancellation", and the other guy retracted his bid because "seller changed the description of the item". | ||
| longhorncat
Member Username: longhorncat Post Number: 95 Registered: 8-2005 |
With two bids made by the first bidder, I'm sure the second bidder was just marking the auction knowing he was not going to be the high bidder. When eBay cancel the first bidder, the second one bailed as well. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1264 Registered: 3-2004 |
I would think the second bidder was trying to find out how high the first guy's second bid was so he would know what he was up against. | ||
| skott
New Username: skott Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2006 |
Just wanted to drop by the forum to say hi. I am the owner of the Music Go Round store in Kenosha and noticed you guys talking about our bass. I spent some time researching this one and really couldn't find anything like it. The previous owner passed on, and his next of kin ended up selling it to us. We could not get much in the way of build specs direct from Alembic, so we are sort of at a loss for specifics, and unfortunately left to assumption. I did get a lot of basic specs from the site and am glad to see such a nice forum out there for these fine instruments. You guys are definately right about the Koa, and the neck striping, very unusual on a standard distillate. I had an employee run this auction, and just corrected their mistake. I also wanted to address the "shill bidding" theory that was brought up here. I can assure you that this is not the case. When we noticed the "shady bidder" we emailed him/her immediately asking them to give us a call to confirm that they were a real bidder and disclose their method of payment. We gave them until wednesday to do so, and go figure, we cancelled their bid. In response to the other bidder canceling, I don't blame him. I never get into a bidding war with a low feedback/new user. That's just common sense. We have excellent feedback on eBay and have no reason to try and bump up our bids. We always run no reserve auctions, so the price you see is the price you pay once you place a bid. I think our pricing is very fair on this bass. Not withstanding the upgrades, these instruments are not only going up in price, but the used market is scarce. I can tell you that we have never had so many people watching one auction before. I would not be suprised if the final bid sets a record in what you have seen distillates go for recently. Then again, we could only have one bid for 2k. I have been wrong before. If anyone has any questions i would encourage you to give me a call toll free at 1-888-USED GEAR (Option 3, zip code 53142). Just ask for skott. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4143 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Skott, thanks for the post! | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 916 Registered: 9-2002 |
Fellas, I think we should put Music-Go-Round on the 'Short List'. I'm impressed that Skott punched in to explain the bidding. I'd heard of Music-Go-Round before, knew they were a reputable store, always a comfort once you wade into the EBay swamp. THIS is EXACTLY why I prefer local music stores and why Susan put Guitar Center in the 'out' bin: You can talk to a human being trying to run a business properly and to be of service . . . what a concept. Also, it's interesting that here's a man in the business who sees 1) used ALEMBICs are scarce and 2) the market is going UP (not surprising in view of number one!). I honestly feel like a certain percentage of so-called exotic bass owners pay a forune for Bass A and are shocked to find it SOUNDS exactly like their bud's Ibanez or Spector as they both have EMGs, etc. Thank You, Skott, hope we can find a home for this exceptional Distillate here. Please come back to us when you have another Alembic. Or just hang out! J o e y | ||
| skott
New Username: skott Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2006 |
I think you hit that one on the head joey, we are a chain of over forty stores nationwide that really prefers to deal locally or on our own website. eBay is begrudgingly used only because it really reaches the "world market". the great thing about are site is that there is no bidding involved, and many things can be had for better pricing than when purchased on ebay. i originally did not think to post this bass for sale as i know that many forums frown on "commercial interests" on their forums. as we are not a private party selling, i just didn't see it as appropriate. s! | ||
| effclef
Senior Member Username: effclef Post Number: 404 Registered: 1-2004 |
Skott, I suppose it's up to the Moderators but I would think people would be happy to see your forsale post in this Forum. After all, a lot of us search just to window shop and love to see what's for sale out-there. EffClef | ||
| 57basstra
Intermediate Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 182 Registered: 4-2005 |
Wow! An actual thinking, concerned, enthusiastic, intelligent human being with whom you can communicate. What a concept. Best of luck to you in your sales, Skott. | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 72 Registered: 12-2004 |
Skott, thanks for taking the time to post details. The folks at Alembic should be able to give you a build record of the bass, I'm not sure how quickly they can find the record as they are very busy... It is a great bass and I bet several people here would love to have it. I thought that first bid was not right. Sadly, I know of music stores that use schill bids to run prices up on EBay, since this is not the case, my apology if I offended. I bought a G&L bass and accessories from Music Go Round in other states, and was always treated well. Any info you need about Alembics in the future, just ask here, there are lots of experts willing to help! Again thanks and welcome to the forum. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4151 Registered: 5-2002 |
Andy; I started writing a long response to your suggestion, but deleted it. Suffice it to say that after thinking about it for a while, I believe that your suggestion would open a can of worms that we don't really want to open. While the current instance certainly seems reasonable, consideration of the larger context of opening our forum up to free commercial advertising suggests that it's just not a good idea. I think Joey's point is significant. There are a number of members that have lists of web sites that they check for Alembics on a regular basis. Joey's observation is that after reading Skott's post, members will add his web site to some of those lists. Many of the posts in this Seen On Ebay And Other Sites section are links to Alembics for sale that members have found checking those sites. Skott is right, it just wouldn't be "appropriate". | ||
| effclef
Senior Member Username: effclef Post Number: 405 Registered: 1-2004 |
Actually, since I posted, I had been thinking about retracting anyway - thanks, Dave - I agree now, posting an as-seen message is different from advertising here. EffClef | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 73 Registered: 12-2004 |
Skott, I think your company's website just got added to a lot of computers... mine included. | ||
| skott
New Username: skott Post Number: 3 Registered: 7-2006 |
I always hate when i see "vendors" posting on forums that i belong to, it always just seems so invasive. I was reluctant at first, but i really wanted to put it out there that we don't engage in shill bidding and the such. I am glad that you guys have found what is likely the best kept "secret" in used equipment on the web. One thing i know for sure is that our pricing is usually spot on if not under market on many of our items. Check in to the "my music go round" link on the top of the homepage, it will save searches and email you when stuff comes in. We have been working hard on getting more pictures and adding features to the site. All in all I am glad that i posted here, and will definately keep checking in from time to time. I'm just a gear junky at heart. s! | ||
| robhagen
New Username: robhagen Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2006 |
hi guys, nice discussion, thought you'd like a followup. near as i can tell, my new '83 flame koa distillate has been siting in the case for most of the past 23 years. i may have paid too much for it, but it sure is nice. still waiting for history, i'm sure they'll get to it when they can. music-go-round shipped this out the same day i paypal'd the $$. could have been packed better, the case was literally falling out of the box by the time it got here. they sent via fedex, a good thing as it probably wouldn't have made it via ups. there are 3 slight wear spots on the bass from the case, don't know if that was sustaned from rough shipping or was there already, can probably be buffed out. my first alembic. i think i'm going to like it. have fun, -rob | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1559 Registered: 7-2004 |
Rob: Congrats and enjoy! Stunning piece of koa. You think you're going to like it? Oh yea, you're gonna like it! Bill, the guitar one | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 965 Registered: 9-2002 |
That's the way lots of us have come to Alembics, Rob: Amazingly, a certain number of the used ones are obviously 'low mileage' regardless of their age. I always wonder did the original owner decide he really wanted a Fender instead, they just didn't 'get it', did they want to learn to play and life took them somewhere else? It's a beautiful axe, and certainly an exceptional example of a Distillate. Most are just a bit more plain looking. But that's the beauty of Alembic: Like snowflakes, they're all similar but no two are identical. This should make you a wonderful bass, and good you found us. Like Jerry Reed said, " make it talk, son!" J o e y | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 74 Registered: 12-2004 |
Congrats Rob, a stunning bass. Given vintage guitar prices recently, don't worry about the cost, I wish all my investments would increase as steadily. Recently sold Distillates on EBay have been fetching well over $2K as Longhorncat pointed out above. You are now the owner of a classic Alembic bass, play it loud & proud! Please post pictures when you have a chance. Congrats again. | ||
| southpaw
Member Username: southpaw Post Number: 75 Registered: 12-2004 |
Sorry, double post. (Message edited by southpaw on August 17, 2006) |
