| Author | Message | ||
| sly1717
New Username: sly1717 Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi guys, I'm brand new to the discussion so go easy on me! I've been reading the info on this board for about a year and am blown away by the knowledge shared... ok, here goes, I've been an alembic fan for about 15 years (my intro was a friend who was in a band showing me some scales. I would listen to his band and he had this fantastic sound. Needless to say, he played an Alembic. I haven't been the same since). I've been through a few different brands and none have come close to what I heard during those lessons, so now I have the opportunity to obtain my axe. My question is am I being asked to pay to much? I live in D.C. and there are few dealers of Alembics but I happened to find one called the Guitar Shop and the owner says this was his personal baby. I think it is a spoiler. The serial # is 88S4982 is that an 1988 model? He is asking $2000.00 for it. I thought that was a little pricey (even for an Alembic) but it is a beautiful piece of work. I would appreciate any input available... and sorry for being so long winded. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1850 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Shawn, welcome to the group. Yes, it's a Spoiler and yes it's an '88. And yes, generally speaking, $2,000 is a bit on the high side for a Spoiler. You might want to watch our For Sale section as invariably there are some nice basses available at reasonable prices. | ||
| sfnic
Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 62 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi, Shawn - Spoiler 4s on eBay have gone between $900 and $1700. I show a few that have gone through stores for as high as $2300, and one lefty 5-string for $3200. So, for a "Guitar Center" sale, $2k is about normal (though they rarely actually _sell_ at that price). nic | ||
| exploiterplayer
Member Username: exploiterplayer Post Number: 80 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hi Shawn, Every Alembic is a one of a kind custom therefore, it is hard to say if that particular Spoiler is overpriced or not. If you like it and think it could possibly be "the one"* then go for it. I played several Exploiters before I found "the one" and at that point I didnt care what it cost or what the other ones sold for because after all....it was "the one"! Good luck on your quest. *Shawn, "the one" is a bass that feels great in your hands and has tone that puts a smile on your face. Model shapes and exotic woods should also be something that fit into your playing personality and style. | ||
| dannobasso
Advanced Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 277 Registered: 3-2004 |
For a reference, I picked up a used mint essense 5 for $1800, but with 12 months no interest financing. Makes it less painful if you do it in dribs and drabs. Danno | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 322 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hi, Shawn and welcome to the club. If you don't mind E-bay you can look there. There are three Spoilers on it right now. The range of prices is pretty big on them. One (1983) has an $800 bid on it and closes in about 24 hours. The other two are higher. Good luck to you in finding one you like. Rich |
