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Alembic Club » Swap Shop and Wish Lists » Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere » Archive 2006 » Archive through December 12, 2006 » 12 string guitar « Previous Next »

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jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 757
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 10:26 pm:   Edit Post

here

Graeme
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 4293
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 8:26 am:   Edit Post

Beautiful guitar! The top and back woods are very nice.
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 899
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 8:33 am:   Edit Post

keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 900
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 8:35 am:   Edit Post

Isn't She Lovely!

(Message edited by keavin on August 20, 2006)
series_iii
Member
Username: series_iii

Post Number: 70
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 8:45 am:   Edit Post

so what's the deal with this? i'm not a guitar guy but it seems like a nice instrument. overpriced? hidden issues? shaky seller? nobody likes 12-strings? (i have an 8-string bass and it rules!)

http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110027159550QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 217
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 9:17 am:   Edit Post

I think someone pointed out in another thread that all of the saddles were moved to the very front of their travel. Aside from that, I am not sure what the problem is. Looks as though the seller has plenty of positive feedback. Maybe just the fact that it is 12 strings is a deterrent. (I simply lack $6,000 in mad money).

Here's the other thread:
http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/30000.html?1154362257
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1581
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 10:09 am:   Edit Post

This one has been around the ebay merry-go-round at least three times now, if not more. Each time the price comes down a little. IMHO it is still substantially overpriced. Six stringers of this vintage usually bring about $2500-3000 (I won my '76 Series I guitar on ebay last February for a little less than $2500). It's hard to say if this is increasing recently, as used Alembic basses and some non-series guitars (Electrums especially) seem to have been increasing in selling price lately. Series guitars come around so rarely that it is hard to discern a pattern. Nevertheless, I'd be surprised to see this top the $4000-4500 range in an open auction, and suspect it would sell closer to the $3000-3500 range. Still, it's a beautiful looking axe. If I won the lottery (which, as the late great Herb Caen used to say, one has roughly the same chance of winning, whether you play it or not), I'd hit the BIN. If anyone is really interested, I'd be patient. Chances are good it won't get any bids and will be back again at a lower price.

Bill, tgo

(Message edited by lbpesq on August 30, 2006)
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 4355
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 12:32 pm:   Edit Post

Tim; I tend to agree with Bill, there are just not that many people in the market for a $6,500 twelve string guitar. There are not that many twelve string Alembic Series guitars floating around, so I suppose if the seller is patient, some collector may decide to go for it. But I think Bill's market price estimate seems reasonable.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1595
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 - 4:47 pm:   Edit Post

One around: $6500
Next time around: $6000
It's back!!! $5500

http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110029639096QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Like I said, wait and ye shall reap rewards!

Bill, tgo
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1620
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 7:08 am:   Edit Post

Here we go again. Another $500 price drop, this time its $5000

http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110033038179QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Bill, tgo
effclef
Senior Member
Username: effclef

Post Number: 432
Registered: 1-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 6:48 am:   Edit Post

Zero bids!

It'll be around again. ;-)
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 824
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 7:00 am:   Edit Post

If it gets down to £500 it's mine ;-)

Graeme
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1639
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 7:44 am:   Edit Post

And yet another $500 price drop to $4500 with a $4750 BIN.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110035921592&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1

Bill, tgo
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 822
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 7:47 am:   Edit Post

Fixing the issue with the saddles not having enough travel is probably as easy as a phone call to Valentino or Mica and a divestiture of a few hundred $$$. Beautiful guitar though.

John
hankster
Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 59
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 8:34 am:   Edit Post

An electric 12 is a pretty unusual guitar to use much, and even when you do, it's often not in a capacity where the sound of the particular instrument will stand out over and above the characteristic sound that all electric 12's have in common. For the kind of occasional use such a guitar gets, there are lots of great and much less expensive guitars around - unless you are a collector, it seems to me, the price of an alembic 12 is pretty hard to justify. I suspect that is what is driving the absence of bidders.

Rick
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1650
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 8:57 am:   Edit Post

Rick, Rick, Rick:

Shame on you!

"the characteristic sound that all electric 12's have in common"

With a name like Rick you should know better. There is NOTHING that sounds like a Rickenbacker 12. I have two electric 12s, a Fender Strat XII (MIJ version), and a recent Ricky 360 12. The Fender is far more playable (Ricky 12s use the same neck as the 6s which is fairly narrrow to begin with), but the Ricky has that unique Ricky twang that is clearly different from the Fender or any other electric 12 I've heard. I suspect the difference comes partially from the fact that Rickys are strung differently from most 12s. The common set up is with the bass strings on the bottom of each pair. On a Ricky, the bass string is the top string of each pair. The idea of an Alembic 12 is very intriguing to me. I have a set of Alembic strat pickups that I plan to install on the Fender 12 when I get the time.

Bill, tgo
jalevinemd
Senior Member
Username: jalevinemd

Post Number: 510
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 12:19 pm:   Edit Post

I love the sound of a 12 string. Unfortunately, two of the things I hate most in life are changing strings and intonation. For me, a guitar like this would be one of Dante's nine circles of hell! Throw in the Series electronics that I'd need to learn how to master and my wife would find me swinging from the ceiling by my guitar strap.
j_gary
Advanced Member
Username: j_gary

Post Number: 209
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 5:52 am:   Edit Post

Jon, if you live as funny as you write, you could have your own reality show, Guitar MD.

All you would need is a goofy brother named Mikey.

I actually enjoy the hours spent setting up a guitar prior to dropping it off at the shop. They tell me it would be much cheaper to drop her off before I do my thing. I need a number of instruments as most are unusable once I attempt an adjustment.

I played a Rick bass for 10 years in the stink hole bar circuit without ever making any adjustments, including strings (wince), and never had a problem. Now that I have tools, time and a workbench, my guitars are all over the map.

I would set this 12 string on fire shortly after it arrived.
series_iii
Intermediate Member
Username: series_iii

Post Number: 103
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 - 7:02 am:   Edit Post

relisted at $4450. gotta wonder when the listing fees are gonna catch up with the item price. kinda like that persuader with the 3 fretboards that GC relisted about 100 times a while back....
hankster
Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 63
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 6:36 am:   Edit Post

OK, I take it back. I just bought the Miroslav Vitous/Larry Coryell tribute to Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro. Coryell's 12-string playing is awesome.

Rick
hieronymous
Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 64
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 6:45 am:   Edit Post

Pat Metheny used to play electric 12-string a lot too, with Gary Burton's band and I think even on Bright Size Life.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1672
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 9:52 am:   Edit Post

Roger McQuinn. 'Nuff said.

Bill, tgo
speicky
Intermediate Member
Username: speicky

Post Number: 163
Registered: 3-2005
Posted on Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 4:56 pm:   Edit Post

Deja vu here
hankster
Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 68
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 6:33 am:   Edit Post

Don't get me wrong - I didn't say I didn't like the sound of a 12-string electric. I've been a huge Byrds fan since about the time I could walk upright, and I think I am the only person I know with not one, but two McGuinn post-Byrds solo albums in my collection.

The point I was making - or trying, but failing, to make - is that so many people playing 12-string electrics are doing it primarily to get that kind of open, sweeping, jangly "eight miles high" sound - which is evoked by almost any electric 12-string, whether its a Rickenbacker or a Micro-Frets.

Who knows, if the price on the Alembic 12 keeps going down, someday I may actually get a chance to experience the difference.

Rick
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1718
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 9:39 am:   Edit Post

It's back again, and the price has been reduced, IMHO, to the almost-but-not-quite-reasonable range. $4250 BIN

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110044035097&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1

Bill, tgo
elwoodblue
Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 94
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 7:48 pm:   Edit Post

I was thinking the same...
...I recently bought a 2004 stratocaster from the seller, everything went very smooth,immaculate strat.
(I bought it to use the neck and parts for a 1994 aluminum strat body...once I recieved the 2004 I couldn't,she was too cherry).
cheers
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 455
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:46 pm:   Edit Post

What would a straight up '80 Series I six string guitar in similar condition go for?

Anybody considered buying this one and stringing it as a 6? (Well, I guess I have. Anyone else?)
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1744
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 6:19 pm:   Edit Post

As I noted above, I bought my '76 Series I guitar in very good condition off of ebay last February for just under $2500. You can see it in the showcase section. That's probably the low end, but you should be able to find one for $3000 or less, I believe. They seem to come up 3 or 4 times a year on ebay, as I recall.

Bill, tgo
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 456
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 8:06 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks, Bill. I sure would like to at least see one come up for around that $3K price. Not sure I could pull the trigger, though.

David
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1804
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 7:44 am:   Edit Post

It's back again with a price drop, this time with a $3999.99 BIN. That's almost reasonable. Almost.

Bill, tgo

http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Alembic-Series-1-Electric-12-String-Guitar-w-OHSC_W0QQitemZ110062217230QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
drjenney
Member
Username: drjenney

Post Number: 91
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 7:49 am:   Edit Post

I'm sick of seeing this thing on eBay.

Let's all chip in, buy it and give it a decent burial. Perhaps we could even stipulate that this seller never, ever, ever, buy or sell another Alembic again.

Can I hear an "Amen?"
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 910
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 8:11 am:   Edit Post

Nooooooooooo! Bury an Alembic? Are you mad??????

graeme ;-)
inthelows
Member
Username: inthelows

Post Number: 74
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 9:35 am:   Edit Post

If we chip in and buy it, we could do a gig, drop it off to the next person, do the gig, so on and so on. We could go for the most seen and traveled 12 string Alembic in history. A more fitting end for the 12 string that wouldn't die!
NLP
alembic_doctor
Member
Username: alembic_doctor

Post Number: 71
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 10:19 am:   Edit Post

I'm in for $50. Lets trade it by the week or month or something. Maybe DW can have a contract drawn up.

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