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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2005 » Archive through October 17, 2005 » Archive - 2004 » Archive through March 10, 2004 » A bit of good news.... « Previous Next »

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jet_powers
Intermediate Member
Username: jet_powers

Post Number: 151
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 12:04 pm:   Edit Post

Not too long ago I posted that our studio had been broken into and a bass and a guitar were taken. I recently received a call from the local PD informing me that they had recovered my St. Blues Jazz Bass. They didn't have the guitar and would I like to come down and pick up the bass? Of course, I said, and went right down.

In talking with the detective he told me he found it in a pawn shop a few towns over. I told him I went to that same pawn shop a few weeks before and that they made me feel like an asshole for even suggesting that they might take in a "hot" instrument. Apparently the bass arrived there about a week after I had been there and they gave the little crackhead $30 for it. Now I'm not exactly sure what a St. Blues bass is actually worth but I'm pretty certain it is worth much more than that. I know there aren't that many St. Blues basses out there and it is pretty well made and has a decent sound. Nothing like my Alembics, of course, but decent all the same. Does anybody out there know anything about the St. Blues'? I am now kind of curious what it might be worth. I took a quick gander on Ebay and didn't find a single one on there. A google search turned up a lot of stuff about a hockey team.....

John Paul
groovelines
Intermediate Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 158
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 12:25 pm:   Edit Post

JP,

I can't offer any insight regarding your bass, other than I'm glad it was recovered, regardless of it's monetary value.

Is it possible for you to post a picture to jar some memories?

Mike
davehouck
Advanced Member
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 381
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 7:17 am:   Edit Post

Congrats on the recovery of your bass!
dean_m
Advanced Member
Username: dean_m

Post Number: 273
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 8:18 am:   Edit Post

JP,

That's great news about the bass!!! I had 3 basses stolen from me years ago and they were never recovered. A BC Rich, a Gibson and a Fender Jazz. It does suck!!!! Steal my amps, steal my tools, steal my computer, steal my stereo, just leave the basses and the Harley!!!!
Regarding the value of your bass, you can call any music store that has an Orion Blue Book for Musical Instruments. Most stores have one so they can check trade-in values.

Peace,
Dino
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 1074
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 8:27 am:   Edit Post

Brother Paul the fake one

wanna make a bet?
Leave the basses, the Harley ....Sami & Nicole perhaps???


Paul the bad one
billy_v
Junior
Username: billy_v

Post Number: 41
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 9:48 am:   Edit Post

I know a little 'bout 'em. St. Blues stuff was (is?) sold by Strings and Things in Memphis, TN. Their guitars combined design elements from a variety of existing Fender and Gibson designs (Paul-shaped bound bodies with bolt-on necks and Tele electronics, for instance). I don't know whether Strings and Things actually made the instruments, contracted to have them built, or imported them.
billy_v
Junior
Username: billy_v

Post Number: 42
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 9:56 am:   Edit Post

Well, I'll be! Here's a link:
http://ybafool.com/guitarmania/bluesmaster/default.htm
dean_m
Advanced Member
Username: dean_m

Post Number: 274
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 10:30 am:   Edit Post

Brother Paul TGO,

Leaving Sami & Nicole is a given!!!!

The wife on the other hand.... hmmmm

Just kidding!!!! HA!!

Peace,
Dino bptfo
davehouck
Advanced Member
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 387
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 10:35 am:   Edit Post

Here's what I've been able to find, copied and pasted for your educational enhancement; use at your own risk:

"This company started out in the late 70's as Strings & Things Custom (named after the music store where they were made, Strings & Things in Memphis), and sometime in the early or mid 80's changed the name to St. Blues, shortly before going out of business (the store is still there, they just don't make guitars anymore). Having used to live in Memphis, I stopped in the shop a bit, and saw pictures of many "guitar celebrities" playing the St. Blues guitars, notably among them was Albert King playing a Tele-looking thing. According to Point Blank's Rusty Burns, who still has and plays his, it was kind of like you could pick and choose body, neck, hardware, pickups, etc., to your specifications, and they'd put it together for you."

"St. Blues - Strings & Things in Memphis was a Schecter Shop; I'm pretty sure these St. Blues were made from imported bodies and necks. They did have a few dealers, including one here in the Louisville (KY) area. They didn't last the 80s and were perhaps most famous for making the pink guitar Billy Squire "frolicked" with in his Rock Me Tonight video - which essentially killed his career and the guitar company."

"Tommy Keckler who was the builder of St. Blues guitars and is the tech at S&S is a former employee of Schecter.
St. Blues guitars were manufactured with third party and aftermarket parts, no doubt some domestic and some imported. Also with some Schecter parts and some from other sources.
As for the demise of the St. Blues line being the by-product of the Billy Squire video, well that's pure crap. While I'm sure that video contributed to Mr. Squire's well deserved and overdue downfall it had little or nothing to do with the end of St. Blues guitar production.
Tommy told me their sources for parts started to dry up after they became so well known for making real quality alternatives to old Fenders. If you doubt the quality claim, just ask Eric Clapton.
Quality of the guitars started to suffer when the company started trying to mass produce them. A cheap Strat knock-off was the end result. This is the real reason for the end of St. Blues. It's a pity."
jet_powers
Intermediate Member
Username: jet_powers

Post Number: 153
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 5:19 am:   Edit Post

Thanks all! The breadth and depth of the knowledge base possesed by my fellow Alembic addicts never ceases to amaze!

JP
mint_bass
Junior
Username: mint_bass

Post Number: 46
Registered: 1-2004
Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 6:35 am:   Edit Post

congratulations getting the bass back i hope they get the theif and cut his legs and hand off

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