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Alembic price list: HOLY $#%*!!!!!

#141
troy mcclure said:
Alembics lose their resale very quickly...buy used....you will thank me.
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If you want custom, you probably won't find what you want in the used market.

The great thing about Alembic is that they will make YOUR bass (unless you want a bolt-on neck ;)).

I'm glad I ordered new; I'm glad I ordered custom. It was made just for me, and I have no interest in re-sale.
 
#144
If that's what you want, that's what you pay.

Except for their other-worldly exotic-ness when they originated the boutique bass market in the 70s, I've never been in love with Alembics. They don't look that graceful to me, just ornate.

Fortunately for them, there are many who disagree with me.
 
#147
JimmyM said:
23 lbs???? Who in their right mind designs a 23 lb bass????
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A friend of mine has an Alembic 5 string that weighs 15 lbs. He admitted that his error when putting together the spec sheet was looking at each item individually without taking a step back. His bass is very...brassy.

Always wanted to try the pickup set modules, just never got around to dedicating the funds.
 
#148
steelbed45 said:
A friend of mine has an Alembic 5 string that weighs 15 lbs. He admitted that his error when putting together the spec sheet was looking at each item individually without taking a step back. His bass is very...brassy.

Always wanted to try the pickup set modules, just never got around to dedicating the funds.
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That's what happened with my friend's 23 lb'er.. He was so excited about having it built that he didn't even think to ask. To be fair, he toughed it out for a portrait sitting (yes.) and one show with a photographer.

It's a very pretty bass.
 
#149
makaspar said:
That's what happened with my friend's 23 lb'er.. He was so excited about having it built that he didn't even think to ask. To be fair, he toughed it out for a portrait sitting (yes.) and one show with a photographer.

It's a very pretty bass.
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You would think that they would make a quick phone call before going ahead and building the bass to explain how extremely heavy the bass would be when complete. Seems like that would be a pretty simple courtesy, especially when you are about to drop 5 digits on it.
 
#150
Hopkins said:
You would think that they would make a quick phone call before going ahead and building the bass to explain how extremely heavy the bass would be when complete. Seems like that would be a pretty simple courtesy, especially when you are about to drop 5 digits on it.
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Believe it or not, Alembic does post the average weight of their basses in the specs section for each model. For example, the average weight of a four string Europa is 10 pounds.
 
#152
AltGrendel said:
Believe it or not, Alembic does post the average weight of their basses in the specs section for each model. For example, the average weight of a four string Europa is 10 pounds.
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Still, if someone specs out a bass and overlooks or doesn't realize how heavy the finished product is going to be. It would only take a two minute phone call or email to ask if that is really what they want to do.

None of my builds come close to Alembic prices or standards, but if someone specs out a solid cocobolo body or something along that line. I would know right off the bat that the finished product would be so heavy that it would be almost unplayable live and would try and talk them out of it, or at least into some heavy chambering.
 
#156
You would think that they would make a quick phone call before going ahead and building the bass to explain how extremely heavy the bass would be when complete. Seems like that would be a pretty simple courtesy, especially when you are about to drop 5 digits on it.
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I've had two customs built by Alembic. Believe me, whenever I came up with anything that was likely to take my bass outside the normal limits for their basses (23 lb is only plausible for a double neck), they were quick to tell me so. In some cases, where combining certain options together on a particular bass would result in serious performance issues, they would refuse to build the bass. For instance, for years, they refused to build short scale Stanley Clarke basses with five strings, simply because the added neck weight would exacerbate the bass's tendency to neck dive.

Sorry, but having dealt extensively with Alembic, I find a 23 lb bass way too far over to top to be credible without extensive discussion having been initiated by Alembic before they'd build it. Certainly, many have found their heavier basses to be real boat anchors and I've never heard of any Alembic being called "light". But if this bass actually weighs as much as said, there's a lot more to its story. Think of it this way: Why would Alembic be willing to harm its own reputation by failing to treat their customers well? Too much to lose folks, and in my experience, their whole organization knows it.
 
#157
bassman10096 said:
I've had two customs built by Alembic. Believe me, whenever I came up with anything that was likely to take my bass outside the normal limits for their basses (23 lb is only plausible for a double neck), they were quick to tell me so. In some cases, where combining certain options together on a particular bass would result in serious performance issues, they would refuse to build the bass. For instance, for years, they refused to build short scale Stanley Clarke basses with five strings, simply because the added neck weight would exacerbate the bass's tendency to neck dive.

Sorry, but having dealt extensively with Alembic, I find a 23 lb bass way too far over to top to be credible without extensive discussion having been initiated by Alembic before they'd build it. Certainly, many have found their heavier basses to be real boat anchors and I've never heard of any Alembic being called "light". But if this bass actually weighs as much as said, there's a lot more to its story. Think of it this way: Why would Alembic be willing to harm its own reputation by failing to treat their customers well? Too much to lose folks, and in my experience, their whole organization knows it.
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I will take your word on that, just like I had to take makaspar's word that his friend received a 23 pound bass from them, because I have no experience, and most likely never will in dealing with Alembic. They are priced way out of my market.
 
#160
Used to own an epic with series one inlays (less than $2k used, far from their uber high end stuff). Sounded phenomenal, but my singer used to tell me that I always looked like I had to work hard to play that bass. It was a tree trunk and just not realistic for long sets. At least for me. As always YMMV.

Ps. Did I mention how d@¥um good that bass sounded. Stupid heavy trees. Pfft!
 

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