alembic1989 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) I've finally managed to get a pic of my Alembic 20th anniversary....No 64 in walnut. hope you like it..I've owned it from new and is the finest bass I have ever played. [url="http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz96/23basslord/IMG_2645.jpg"]http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz96/23...rd/IMG_2645.jpg[/url] Edited July 5, 2009 by alembic1989 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Aaargh! Don't do that to me! I bought one in 1989, waited months for it and took 2 years to pay off the loan. Mine was the same, burl walnut. Amazing bass! Sadly, I sold it to fund a Tobias Classic 5 because I was taking the Alembic and a cheap 5-string to gigs (just started using a 5 then). Regret selling it since the day it went. Incidentally, did you have any trouble with the pickups? How's this for a saga: When I first plugged it in, I noticed it was microphonic...at a few gigs it even had feedback. I contacted the Bass Centre, who sold it to me, and they told me to take it back. I had no transport, so I went all the way from Stoke to London on the train. The Bass Centre tech put foam under the pickups, which was useless. I contacted Alembic and was eventually told there was a batch of faulty pickups. How could a bass of that quality leave the factory without the fault being noticed? Anyway, to cut a very long story short, after losing my rag with the female owner of the company and being told I was being a 'nuisance' (I bet Stanley Clarke wasn't told that if he had a problem), the Bass Centre finally got me some replacement pickups...14 months later! I heard from a guy in Manchester who had 2 of these instruments, and one of his had a split in the wood. He told me phoned Alembic about the problem and was told they didn't have a repair dept, as they never needed one. To which he replied, 'Well, you better f###ing open one then!' Anyway, I'm very envious that you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Shame you had such a bad experience with Alembic, because the bass in the top post looks like a corker. I'd love to get my hands on another Alembic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alembic1989 Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) I've never had a problem with the pick ups...but it did develop a very strange horrible crackling noise..I eventually traced it to one of the connectors on the main circuit board. I have just recorded with it and it sounds wicked..I love the superb lows and highs with the mids taken out. I too bought mine in 1989 after seeing the review in 'guitarist'....I don't think it is possible to lust after something as much as I lusted after this bass...In the past I have toyed with the idea of parting with it (especially when going through a 'Oh what's the point of it all' phase...I have several handmade basses now but this is the best in terms of playability, build qualty and TONE....you only realise how good it is after playing other basses. I also like the electronics, nice and easy to use, and not too much messing about . It amazes me that mediocre fenders (any jazz or precision "made in the 70's" ) are now fetching prices on par with 2nd hand Alembics...just don't get it...(sigh). Edited July 5, 2009 by alembic1989 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I just wish I could convince myself that an Alembic is worth the amount it would cost me! They have long been on my dream basses list but I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger when I see them for sale. If I did get one though, it would be a Mark King model or a series model that was shaped like a Mark King model. Either would do me just fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 A few years back I saw one of these basses on ebay for £1500. I should have bought it. It is strange that they have not gone up much in value. I think they are worth about £2500 tops. Weird, considering there are only 200 worldwide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alembic1989 Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='533512' date='Jul 6 2009, 08:20 AM']A few years back I saw one of these basses on ebay for £1500. I should have bought it. It is strange that they have not gone up much in value. I think they are worth about £2500 tops. Weird, considering there are only 200 worldwide.[/quote] I saw that one on ebay too....an absolute bargain. I did see another go for nearer £2000...I think one chap frpm the forum (eubassix ?) had it up on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Very nice sir! Here's mine, number 61 (close eh!?): pic taken by previous owner, Mark Mannering-Smith from Fleet. I bought it off of Ebay - Mark had it from new - it still had the original strings on it from '89 when I got it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimskidog Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Nice. I'd love a Stanley in maple but the piggy bank is a bit empty right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 [quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='534313' date='Jul 6 2009, 11:51 PM']pic taken by previous owner, Mark Mannering-Smith from Fleet. I bought it off of Ebay - Mark had it from new - it still had the original strings on it from '89 when I got it![/quote] So, he either really like to thump or he hadn't played it much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 [quote name='Chris2112' post='540692' date='Jul 14 2009, 08:51 PM']So, he either really like to thump or he hadn't played it much? [/quote] He's an airline pilot - I think he'd played it three times!! Heavy gauge strings too; plus the action was around 9mm off the frets! Terrible! But a lovely fella! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb4001 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I just saw one of these Alembic 20th anniversary basses at the Guitar Center in Hollywood today. They were selling it for 5500. I was curious as to if this was considered a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 [quote name='rb4001' post='587104' date='Sep 2 2009, 06:21 AM']I just saw one of these Alembic 20th anniversary basses at the Guitar Center in Hollywood today. They were selling it for 5500. I was curious as to if this was considered a good price.[/quote] Is that dollars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 It's not hard to spec up a new Alembic into five-figure territory. The cost for some of the options is insane. I have to keep reminding myself that five figures is pretty much the starting number for a good quality classical instrument, but when other luthiers are making bass guitars that are 95% as good as Alembics at maybe 25% of the price, I wonder how they get away with it. Stunning bass though. I do amuse myself occasionally by looking through the monthly specials on their website. There's some seriously stunning looking instruments on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alembic1989 Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Russ' post='588026' date='Sep 2 2009, 09:43 PM']It's not hard to spec up a new Alembic into five-figure territory. The cost for some of the options is insane. I have to keep reminding myself that five figures is pretty much the starting number for a good quality classical instrument, but when other luthiers are making bass guitars that are 95% as good as Alembics at maybe 25% of the price, I wonder how they get away with it. Stunning bass though. I do amuse myself occasionally by looking through the monthly specials on their website. There's some seriously stunning looking instruments on there.[/quote] Gotta disagree with you there my friend, I've played and owned quite a few boutique type basses and have to play one that is 95% as good for only 25% of the price. I paid £1995 for this ..new in 1989...which was way more than most other basses at the time..but it was and still is a CLASS BASS...it exudes sophistication in terms of design,construction and tone...30 years later £1995 won't get you a bass as good as this..in fact the mind boggles at the prices factory produced instruments are going for. I love the tone of Fender jazzes...but don't tell me that any fender is in this kind of class..yet some mediocre fender with a "70's vibe" will fetch more than my Alembic when it was new...(or even secondhand). There are some wonderful basses around..there probably has never been a better time in terms of choice for boutique basses....but they are not cheap. I do think the price of a new Alembic is astronomical though...but then again so was mine in 1989...but I still own it and cane it...and right now it seems excellent value... Edited September 4, 2009 by alembic1989 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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