| Author | Message | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 22 Registered: 10-2007 |
Hey gang -- check this one out! I've never seen one quite like it (but that's not saying much, as I'm new here) ... It's gorgeous, to boot: link With a starting price of $1000, this beauty is sure to find a new home ... (Message edited by davehouck on April 14, 2008) | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 23 Registered: 10-2007 |
oops -- "Alembic 6 stRing guitar" ..... still pretty cool even with my typo! ; ) [edit: title corrected] (Message edited by davehouck on April 14, 2008) | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1831 Registered: 2-2006 |
Does that serial number seem correct for a 1981 model? OO | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 215 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi, The guitar is Distillate guitar for Japanese version. These serial numbers have no model code. You can see Distillate basses on showcase. Eiji | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 24 Registered: 10-2007 |
Thanks for sharing, Eiji! Looks like a great guitar. | ||
| tdukes
New Username: tdukes Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2008 |
I put this one on my watch list. Does anyone know if the laminates are purpleheart? The look a little brown, but I guess the finish could have yellowed a bit in the past 27 years. Todd. | ||
| elwoodblue
Advanced Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 310 Registered: 6-2002 |
I like the simplicity of it...one pickup...less than 30 knobs/switches...tempting, good luck in your auction | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 25 Registered: 10-2007 |
Yeah ... I'm watching it too, tdukes, but I'm just a looker ; ) I am quite curious to know how she sounds, based on the simplified electronic configuration ... with the one pickup, I'm wondering if it might tonally resemble a Skylark -- sort of like a "first generation" version. Eiji -- have you heard one? Good luck if you go after it! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 5265 Registered: 6-2000 |
All of the original Distillate guitars like this one had Maple and Purpleheart necks with Zebrawood and Mahogany bodies. You're right, Todd, purple + yellow = brown. In person, there's likely a reddish or purple cast to the browning though. | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 216 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi Brian, I had heard the sound at Music trade show in 1979 or 1980.(the debut of Distillate for the market) I don't remember about the guitar. But I own Distillate bass, and the sound is my reference since 1981. If you are interested the guitar, I send you the scan of Dis-G from 1979 brochuer.(It's large for upload) Eiji | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 27 Registered: 10-2007 |
Thanks, Eiji, but no need to go to all that trouble -- I am just curious. Check out the Q&A, though ... answers a lot! Here it is ... Q: The electronics and the body shape look the same as the Disilate bass that Alembic made in 80's. I have never seen one of these guitars, Alembic would custom make anything you could dream up. the controls would most likely be as a Distilate or now a Europa model; vol, low-pass filter with q switch, and a quick tone change switch.. Hope this helps..Alembic never made anything overseas, in the 70's they had a distributor,Rothchild, who sold an imported brand called Pan-Alembic, this may have caused confusion about this. Hope this helps.. (I use to be an Alembic dealer in the 80's-90's.) A: Hi, thanks for the info. I'm posting to help out buyers. This particular, guitar came from the son of a member of Parliament- Funkadelic. Fortunately, it was placed in a case and not played for many years. | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 217 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi Brian, Please look Alembic's History "The Long Story". "1979 We moved Alembic to 45 Foley Street in Santa Rosa, CA. It was home to the company for 12 years. We developed the Distillate Bass and Guitar. Yamaha was our distributor for the Pacific Rim countries. They wanted to promote us in a very big way and so we signed a $990,000.00 contract with them, all based on the purchase of the Distillate bass and guitar. They were pretty fond of the F2B preamp as well and ordered hundreds of them." Yes, It means All Distillate guitars and basses were purchased and distributed by YAMAHA. Of course I know Distillate series were continued with serial No. "D". But first series of Distillate was 1PU Guitar. Then Distillate Bass was announced. (I was waiting for bass version for several months.) Now, I talk about the confusion of serial number. Alembic produced only series 1 and 2 models at that time. Distillate series has quite different looks and specs, so it was not necessary own model code. Therefore the serial number of 1PU Distillate is simply "Year-Number USA". It is my opinion, but I have seen Alembic in Japanese market from late 1970's. This guitar is first Distillate guitar from 1979 brochure by YAMAHA. It has different shape of top plate.  Eiji | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3042 Registered: 7-2004 |
Over $2000 for a single pickup Distillate!!?? WOW!!!! Bill, tgo | ||
| tdukes
New Username: tdukes Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2008 |
Yeah. I had deceived myself into thinking I could pick it up for about $1250. Todd. | ||
| brb9911
Junior Username: brb9911 Post Number: 28 Registered: 10-2007 |
After reading more about it from Eiji, I was surprised when it topped $1500. Then again, you won't find this kind of build quality on a new PRS or Gibson in this price range, either ... but not many people outside The Club seem to appreciate that. Personally, I would have needed to spend some time with it to justify going that high. Maybe the P-Funk provenance -- however slight -- influenced the price ... | ||
| hydrargyrum
Advanced Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 325 Registered: 3-2004 |
I am pretty stunned. I think I bought (and sold) my Skylark for less money. | ||
| pace
Advanced Member Username: pace Post Number: 365 Registered: 4-2004 |
It is a cool meat&potatoes Alembic... Kind of a spring board for the instruments fellow club member Mr. Mendez has been ordering lately..... I kind of like how the brass plate doubles in function. I imagine that if you had that option PLUS a brass pup ring, you'd have the ultimate modular Alembic... "east meets west" one day, "anniversary" the next, "tribute" for the weekend, etc etc.... |
