LeftyBassist.com

The online home for southpaw bassists.
It is currently March 28th, 2024, 11:23 am




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 4th, 2020, 7:47 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
https://reverb.com/item/32744488-alembi ... conversion

I cannot reconcile the description with the price:

"Awesome repaired Alembic bass from the 70's possibly into the 80's. This bass had a head-stock repair and it was professionally done. This bass has fret wear all the way through as you can see in the pictures. This bass plays with good action and does not fret out despite the wear. Frets could use work of course. Most of the dings are on the sides of the body, nothing major. This bass also started out right handed and was converted to left-handed. Truss rod plate was lost and a new one was made. Phaser circuit is fully working as is all electronics and pickups. The pickups are missing some screws as you can see in the photos. Very nice older bass. This is not a stock bass from Alembic since it does not have the original Alembic emblem. These would have been made by someone who worked there for their own use."

Converted from righty, headstock broken and repaired, frets worn to bumps, lost truss rod plate, missing pickup screws, not branded Alembic and has no emblem. $7,000.


Attachments:
Annotation 2020-03-04 094659.jpg
Annotation 2020-03-04 094659.jpg [ 91.19 KiB | Viewed 12632 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 4th, 2020, 10:27 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:57 am
Posts: 2865
Poor bastardized lil guy <sniff>.
No serial number on the copper plate at the bottom of the neck … the headstock shape does not look right to me … maybe this was one of the Japanese clones (Aria maybe??). A gut shot of the electronics would have been nice ….
… and the seller is out of their mind with that price IMHO.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 4th, 2020, 11:54 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
Got curious, so went digging.

The differences that jump out at me from this listing and real Alembics I'm looking at is the plate under the bridge and the cover at the base of the neck on the back of the body.

Real (presumably): https://www.guitarbroker.com/product/19 ... ley-clark/

Matsumoku clone: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/matsum ... t-17798079


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 4th, 2020, 4:59 pm 
Offline

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 2:28 pm
Posts: 965
Not an Alembic.
Looks like one of lawsuit Japanese copies.

Tim is right, looks like the one in the TB thread he linked to.

The seller is out of their mind. Either completely unknowledgeable of what he has or deliberately dishonest.

_________________
"Nothing is what is seems, but everything is exactly what it is." B. Banzai


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 5th, 2020, 5:27 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: February 20th, 2009, 5:44 pm
Posts: 394
Location: Central New York
I do believe that you guys are correct as to
this bass being a Japanese made version.
The number of pieces used for the core is
the teller here.
Alembic has a 7 piece core and the copy
has a 5 piece core. All pictures I have
found show the series 1 has a 7 piece core.


Attachments:
File comment: Copy
c3igpfez6ccv5iljhdax.jpg
c3igpfez6ccv5iljhdax.jpg [ 87.95 KiB | Viewed 12536 times ]
File comment: Alembic
10855b.jpg
10855b.jpg [ 111.15 KiB | Viewed 12536 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 5th, 2020, 7:22 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: February 20th, 2009, 5:44 pm
Posts: 394
Location: Central New York
I should also note that Alembic used Schaller
M4 mini bass tuners until the early-mid 90's.
At that point the switch to branded Gotoh tuners.
The tuners on the bass in question match the type
that alot Japanese companies used from the
late 70's and into the 80's.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 6th, 2020, 5:47 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
Posts: 868
Location: Dover, NH
What we have here is a Fernandes FAB-170 Alembic copy. I notified the seller.
It MIGHT be worth $700-$1,000 depending on the buyer (with the fret wear, conversion, and damage), but I wouldn't touch it with YOUR dick. :lol:


https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/p459748938/


pete


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 6th, 2020, 7:10 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
screambasses wrote:
What we have here is a Fernandes FAB-170 Alembic copy. I notified the seller.
It MIGHT be worth $700-$1,000 depending on the buyer (with the fret wear, conversion, and damage), but I wouldn't touch it with YOUR dick. :lol:


https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/p459748938/


pete

Another good possibility.

And I appreciate your consideration for my anatomy :D


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 7th, 2020, 10:46 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
Posts: 3619
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
screambasses wrote:
What we have here is a Fernandes FAB-170 Alembic copy. I notified the seller.
It MIGHT be worth $700-$1,000 depending on the buyer (with the fret wear, conversion, and damage), but I wouldn't touch it with YOUR dick. :lol:


https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/p459748938/


pete


Thanks or the clarification... obviously, we here knew this bass was outrageously overpriced... I have to wonder what the seller is thinking to justify this outrageous price...

_________________
R&B Stretch Bass, Walter Woods 1000w Green-Light Stereo Amp, AccuGroove El Whappo and TR112, assorted axes, amps, cabs...
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 7th, 2020, 11:23 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
Whatever the reason, the listing was pulled as of this morning.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 21st, 2020, 4:14 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: December 9th, 2014, 5:27 pm
Posts: 3489
Location: Beantown
It got updated:
https://reverb.com/item/32955348-fernan ... 79-natural


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 21st, 2020, 7:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
Dewd, $3,500???


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Unbranded Alembic converted to lefty
PostPosted: March 22nd, 2020, 5:16 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 28th, 2010, 10:59 am
Posts: 868
Location: Dover, NH
I sent him an email telling him what it was. I also reported it to Reverb.

It might be a $700-900 bass, but I still wouldn't touch it.

pete


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 42 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group  
Design By Poker Bandits