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Alembic Club » Swap Shop and Wish Lists » Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere » Archive through March 30, 2007 » 1978 Series 1 on Ebay « Previous Next »

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harald_rost
Intermediate Member
Username: harald_rost

Post Number: 127
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 8:36 am:   Edit Post

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1978-Alembic-Custom-Bass-Guitar-Unique-Omega_W0QQitemZ110093213760QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks great. Very special peghead!
Original? Any special history behind?

Harald
room037
Intermediate Member
Username: room037

Post Number: 145
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 9:06 am:   Edit Post

It's very nice old piece.
I have never seen the peghead.

This serial No. is very curious.
Serial No. range of 78' are about 900 to 1300.
But the bass has 6 digit No. "?13? 78"
The first digit is not "1", so the serial No. is not 78' range.

The circuit board and DS-5 look original from Alembic.
Is this employee's work ?

Eiji
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 697
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 9:28 am:   Edit Post

It almost looks like 813?78. Don't know if that 3?78 would be in the range of 1981 or not.

Keith
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 807
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 11:06 am:   Edit Post

I looked into that too. 81s are lower numbers and 91s are way over that. I dunno.
Rich
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 1146
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 11:09 am:   Edit Post

I emailed the seller and ask about the LOGO that he stated had "fallen off". I was crious if he had it.

Maybe Mica can shed some light on this one.
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 979
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 12:14 pm:   Edit Post

I've seen '9s' that ended up looking like '8's. Maybe it's 913 78

What I'd like is a better close-up of the peghead, since I cannot see any signs of a logo ever being on it. Like Eiji, I have also been wandering if this might be a shop night instrument.

The PF-6 card looks like a late 70s early 80s' I think.

Valentino
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 980
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 12:26 pm:   Edit Post

I just noticed something else.

Aside from the unusual headstock, the combination of soft upper horn and sharp lower horn is something I have not seen before on a triple omega.

Valentino
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4143
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 12:55 pm:   Edit Post

In this photo of the peghead, you can just make out that there was something there, but it wasn't an Alembic logo.

The electronics look legitimately Alembic. 1978 is the range for the serial number on the harness. Might be able to cross reference from that (but not always). The 1/4" looks normal for 1978.

Actually, my guess is that this might be a Becvar, though it would be least elaborate one I've seen. He did make basses with this body shape. I've got photos I'll check on Monday at the office to see if the peghead matches some of his other work. I'm pretty sure I've got some pictures of serial numbers too, so we can see if they similar to this bass. He purchased electronics and hardware from us for some of his instruments.

If it's not a Becvar, mom and I are leaning towards a shop nighter without better serial number documentation. While it's possible this is a true Alembic bass, there are too many atypical things to tell from photos alone.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 752
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 4:16 pm:   Edit Post

That is a Becvar. I have one. I can supply a pic of the headstock and logo. It matches mine perfectly.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 4783
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 7:59 pm:   Edit Post

Cool!

I'm thinking that at some point the seller, and the bidders, should be advised of this discussion.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 758
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 9:10 pm:   Edit Post

I let the seller know, and I offered to send him a pic of the Becvar headstock and logo. So far he has not responded to me with his email address. I suspect it is a music store that will probably respond during working hours.
Michael
room037
Intermediate Member
Username: room037

Post Number: 146
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 12:51 am:   Edit Post

Hi Michael,
Please show me the headstock of BecVar.
Is there BecVar's logo ?

Eiji
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 759
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 6:20 am:   Edit Post

I am going over to where my Becvar is today. I intend to take a pic and upload it later.

Michael
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 1063
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 6:43 am:   Edit Post

1974 becVar.1974 BecVar seriesI guitar
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 1064
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 6:51 am:   Edit Post

Head stock!this guy worked at alembic in the early days.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 761
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 5:22 am:   Edit Post

That is not the standard Becvar logo. Cool guitar, huh!!!

I have taken the pics, and resized them. I am on my way off to my last Mardi Gras gig right now. Running late as usual, but I promise to upload the pics of the logo and headstock when I return.

It will all be too obvious that the bass in question is indeed a Becvar.

Michael
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4149
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:54 pm:   Edit Post

This peghead hss pretty much the same shape as the bass being offered on ebay now:

Becvar peghead

I don't know if this is the standard logo or not, but I bet Michael will.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 762
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 5:53 pm:   Edit Post

Ok! Here you go:

Headstock

Logo

I think that settles everything. Check the auction pics. You can actually see the shape of where the logo once was.

(Message edited by dela217 on February 20, 2007)
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 763
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 5:57 pm:   Edit Post

By the way, the seller of the bass did contact me. He was interested in seeing the pics too, so I sent them along to him. I wonder what will happen next.

Michael
room037
Intermediate Member
Username: room037

Post Number: 147
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 8:08 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks Michael,
This pict. is exactly that we want!

These guitar head logos are decorative thing that I think.

Eiji

(Message edited by room037 on February 21, 2007)
phys49
Junior
Username: phys49

Post Number: 40
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 9:02 am:   Edit Post

The listing was removed at about 12 noon eastern.
It is not clear if it was Ebay or the seller.
Perry
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 765
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 1:28 pm:   Edit Post

The seller and I talked about it. He said he was going to pull it and have it relisted with the proper info.

Michael
longhorncat
Intermediate Member
Username: longhorncat

Post Number: 139
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 7:39 am:   Edit Post

This doesn't sound quite right:
Vintage 1978 Alembic BekVar Custom Bass Guitar


mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4164
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 9:27 am:   Edit Post

You're right - the listing is incorrect, but I understand the confusion. This bass was not made at Alembic. Bruce Becvar made his instruments at his own shop. We supplied him with parts for some of his instruments.

It would be nice if the seller would ammend the listing as to not confuse the potential buyer of this bass.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 766
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 6:22 pm:   Edit Post

The listing is incorrect. He even spelled Becvar wrong. When I spoke to the seller, I told him that it was a completely different brand altogether. Perhaps he is trying to get the Alembic connection in there to up it's value.
bracheen
Senior Member
Username: bracheen

Post Number: 1141
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 3:10 am:   Edit Post

It is a nice piece of Zebrawood regardless. Let's hope he gets it straight. Owning a Becvar is nothing to be ashamed of.

Is Bruce the guitar player or is that his brother? I had a cassette once that had some pretty good stuff on it.

Sam
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 767
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 7:45 am:   Edit Post

Sam - That is Bruce. Google him. He has lots of music. Not my cup of tea though.

Zebra is my all time favorite. I really like that top a lot too. It has all the things I like. Zebra top, yellowed finish, etc....

I will try not to bid. I really have a hard time with long scale and the large body. I wonder if the C sides will give the feeling of a smaller bass?
bracheen
Senior Member
Username: bracheen

Post Number: 1144
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 - 6:30 am:   Edit Post

What I like about it is the grain angles in from the bottom towards the neck just like on my Epic. I'm looking at it thinking how good they would go together. Those dang discretionary funds are getting in the way again.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 770
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 4:45 pm:   Edit Post

The auction has been pulled again. This time someone hacked into the auction and put a buy it now price on it with an email address that was not the seller's. I responded to the hacker as though I was interested. He wanted $2000.00 and would offer free shipping. Yeah right. I contacted the seller and of course he was furious. So the auction was pulled. Just in case anyone here was following this one.

Michael

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