| Author | Message | ||
| ed_r
New Username: ed_r Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2005 |
Mica told me I had to post a picture or you guys would eat me alive. Since I'm more afraid of her than you, here you go:  An '83, bought from Dave ( DC ) Olsen this weekend at the Arlington show. Birdseye maple with some really neat-looking figure in it, maple neck, ebony board, ovals, spoiler electrics. I don't know how long Dave owned it but he played it and I'm going to do the same thing, because Mica told me to. ;) What are these things worth these days? I wanted to help a buddy out so I didn't ask any questions . I'm just curious. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2465 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Ed; welcome to the group and congrats on the Exploiter!! | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 863 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hello Ed, very nice bass. You'll enjoy it for sure. How are things in the Republic of Texas? I've a lot of family in the D/FW area, mostly in Grand Prairie. Sam | ||
| tbrannon
Junior Username: tbrannon Post Number: 27 Registered: 11-2004 |
Ed, That's a helluva chair. Pretty nice bass too ;) If you get a chance, I'd love to see another shot of the figuring on that Maple. Congratulations. | ||
| ed_r
New Username: ed_r Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2005 |
The bass weighs 9 pounds 3 ounces, which I thought was very lightweight for an Alembic. Shoot, I've had Les Pauls that weighed more. And it's been played a lot and well taken care of, which is always a great sign. Billy F Gibbons once told me that you don't play a guitar a lot if it doesn't sound good and a guitar doesn't sound good until it's been played a lot, so if you're buying used you look for the played ones.* This one's been played, and plays good, sounds good, feels good, and I like it a lot. There's definitely something about it that sets it apart from the other basses I have. The figuring on the maple is elusive, in some circles it's called 'floor flame' because you have to lay the guitar down on the floor and walk around it to see the figure, or 'Houdini flame' because it moves a lot and disappears at different angles. There's a lot of birdseye blistering and very little medulary grain at all. If you look at it at the right angle, it's got some quilting action happening and from another angle it's pretty plain, while from a third it's got some mild flame. In any case, I don't really care what the figuring looks like, all I'm ever concerned with in a guitar or bass is how it sounds, plays, and feels, and how long it'll last, and this one kicks butt in all categories and feels solid as a rock. I think I got a really good deal on it, I'm just wondering what these go for these days. * Actually that wasn't EXACTLY what he said, I think he speaks in some sort of secret code, but that's the Gibbonspeak-to-English translation as provided by Babelfish;) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2468 Registered: 5-2002 |
Ed; these Exploiters with Spoiler electronics show up on Ebay from time to time. My recollection is that these basses have sold for a wide variety of closing prices. There was one recently with a starting price of $2,000 that did not receive any bids (this may be the same bass that you purchased); and I think that, generally, they do sell for less than $2,000. My guess as to an average would be around $1,600 - 1,700US; but I'm just guessing as my memory isn't very reliable. And it does seem that the market for Exploiters fluctuates significantly, more so than Epics, Spoilers or Series I basses, which trade more often. You may want to watch Ebay for a while; that should soon give you an idea of the current market. | ||
| ed_r
New Username: ed_r Post Number: 5 Registered: 10-2005 |
That's the same bass, yes. Thanks Dave;) |
