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Alembic $ ?

#23
New Alembics are very expensive. Do look on the Alembic website and quote what you think you want (using the online tool). Then figure about 25% off for dealer discount and maybe some more for the "Monthly Special" discount (also on the website). Still expensive, but that's what you'd pay as a street rate for a new Alembic, built largely to your own spec's. Alembic definitely builds your bass for you, giving you many, many options for no added cost - things like custom neck width, thickness, other things too numerous to mention. This is nice, but the Alembic folks take care of you like family. That's buying new.

Used Alembics, particularly with a few years on them, come down radically in price from new. You pay more for more bass (Alembic costs and features do vary a lot from the Epics and Essences to the Series2, top of line). But the comparison from used to brandy new is large. If you've never owned an Alembic, I'd suggest going for something less expensive (they are built to last a century) and giving it a try. Used Alembics hold their prices very well, so turning a mistake over or trading your way up into a different model is not difficult. BTW - lots of used Alembics are short scale. Their construction is so precise that their short scales tend not to have some of the sonic problems people often chalk up to short scale.

Are Alembics too expensive? It's up to the buyer. If you want one, it's easy to figure out what it will cost. If that works for you, don't bother discussing with the haters - they couldn't care less what you want.
 
#24
ggunn said:
...It's a 34" scale, not what I would consider "short scale". I don't know that Alembic makes any production basses of shorter scale than that, although they can custom make just about anything you want
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34" is known as "long scale". "Short scale" is 30-31". Alembic is famous for their short scale basses--see Stanley Clarke.
 
#25
You might find a used spoiler for around 1500$. 32".
 

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#27
I saw a P/J Spoiler or Distillate in an Atlanta GC for $1500 back in 2004 or 2005. It was in pretty "reliced" (natural, AFAIK) shape, tho- nothing the Alembic people couldn't renew, but you certainly don't want to see Fender-y relicing on an instrument of that level of craftsmanship and quality. And I'm sure the renewing would have doubled the price.
 
#28
Amazing how instrument prices vary from Classical to everything else.

A buddy of mine bought his wife a very good quality student violin for $3,500. It's not considered a 'pro' instrument though. Another friend's sister plays with the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra and her violin was north of $30K.

In light of those numbers, an Alembic doesn't seem to be that expensive and it makes Modulus, Fodera, Gibson, Rickenbacker, etc, etc. seem like huge bargains.
 
#29
As usual, I HAVE TO post on threads with "Alembic" in the title. It's part of my membership agreement with TB (j/k) ;)

Look at it this way...... A brand new 1963 split window Corvette Coupe (my favorite car EVER) had a base price of $4,037. A 2011 Corvette has a base price of $49,045. If you could find someone willing to sell you their 1963 split window today, it would run you $40 - 60,000.

Alembic's pricing from the early '70s to today is very similar, as is the street value of some of the more collectible models. The least I've paid for an Alembic was $475 for a 1974 short scale (30-3/4") Series I that had the electronics gutted out. For the most part, used prices track well with what the new prices were. The most I've paid was around $5k each for the two Series basses I currently still own, one ordered new, the other purchased from the original owner. I could sell either for more than that today. Whenever Alembic announces a price increase, the value of used instruments goes up because those considering a new one might tend to be willing to consider a used one.

The one I ordered new would price over $15k today BEFORE the announced price increase coming in December. This is their first price increase in three years.

Recently there was a used Rogue in Austin, Tx with an asking price of a shockingly low $1,350!!!!! I thought about it for hours and decided I don't need any more basses. I would have just turned it around and sold it for $2,500 or more, but decided not to put in the effort.

Peace,

James
 
#30
I picked up my Signature Deluxe off an Ebay auction a few years back. At the last second I was outbid by someone in Germany. The bass shop running the auction, Mike's Music in Canada, did not want to ship the bass to Gemany so I got an email / Second chance offer. My winning bid was 3500.00

I see now that a new Sig Deluxe goes for over 10K. Great instruments, certainly not inexpensive though.
 
#32
AltGrendel said:
They have a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed].

They are not cheap, but I hear that the dealers may give up to 25% off. I would love to have a short scale Europa.
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It would be interesting to see if that animal exists. Can't say I've ever seen one show up at the Alembic Club. Of course, Alembic would more than likely make one as a custom order. There are only two things they have said they would not make, and one of them they've already reversed their stance and made one. That was a bass with a maple fingerboard. One appeared earlier this year as a Custom of the Month. The other one they say they won't make again (there are a handful of older ones out there) is a small body / long scale combination. Takes "neck dive" to a whole new level. I had a small body / medium scale (32") that was just barely tolerable for neck dive.

Peace,

James
 
#33
I bought my 32" scale MK Sig Std in 2000 from Bass Northwest and Evan matched a price I found at another dealer on the East coast. The free upgrade for that month was side LED's, no other options were ordered. I had to wait 4 months while it was built but it was worth it. I still have it and the dive issue is problematic even though it's a 32" with a (relatively) gigantic body. A big strap takes care of it.

I got the bass with the HS case shipped to my door for $2800.
I am really glad I bought it then because I certainly couldn't afford it now...
 

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#34
GC had an Alembic Mark King 5 for $1500 about a week ago.
I called like 10 min after the store opened and asked for someone about used bass giutars.
He said "Calling about the Alembic?"
I was "Yeah". "We took about a dozen calls on it already. It's gone"

So, every blue moon you'll see something stragne pop up like this.

But to help, follow this link:
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It's a great way to look for ANYTHING music related if is on CraigsList, eBay or Kiji....
 
#35
malthumb said:
There are only two things they have said they would not make, and one of them they've already reversed their stance and made one. That was a bass with a maple fingerboard. One appeared earlier this year as a Custom of the Month. The other one they say they won't make again (there are a handful of older ones out there) is a small body / long scale combination. Takes "neck dive" to a whole new level. I had a small body / medium scale (32") that was just barely tolerable for neck dive.

Peace,

James
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I'm pretty certain they have also publicly declared that there will never be a bolt-on neck Alembic.
 
#37
MikeBass said:
GC had an Alembic Mark King 5 for $1500 about a week ago.
I called like 10 min after the store opened and asked for someone about used bass giutars.
He said "Calling about the Alembic?"
I was "Yeah". "We took about a dozen calls on it already. It's gone".....
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If they marked it at that price and had to sell it for that, I guarantee that whoever put that price on it wasn't working there that afternoon.
 
#38
bassclef112 said:
If they marked it at that price and had to sell it for that, I guarantee that whoever put that price on it wasn't working there that afternoon.
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I doubt it.


GC does weird things like that on more occasions than many could think.


A few years ago a friend of mine paid 2k for a killer left handed early 90's 6 string Fodera AJ(Anthony Jackson).


If GC had been patient they could have got at least 4k for that bass.


The thing is how much did GC pay for the Alembic MK and the Fodera AJ. I know how GC buys used from customers and I can guarantee they paid hardly anything.
 
#39
jbybj said:
I'm pretty certain they have also publicly declared that there will never be a bolt-on neck Alembic.
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I'm pretty sure Mica said (recently) there probably will be a bolt on Alembic made someday, she said something like - it will take some research and isn't top priority right now.
Been searching on the club, but couldn't find the topic (yet)

Here are some quotes I did find:
We can make as a set neck (like Epic or Orion), but extended scale lengths for this construction technique require additional tooling of about $450. If you want the first bolt-on neck Alembic, it'll be expensive.
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[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

At this point, making a bolt-on body is something we've got to say no to. Mostly because since it would be the first one we built, it would be wildly expensive and cost substantially more than it would be worth IMO.
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#40
MikeBass,

Which GC? Southfield? I might have to go over there and crack some heads. None of my moles said a word about that. I would have jumped on that one.

Bassclef112,

Our Mark Kings may be stablemates. Mine was a custom order (Mark King Dlx w/ Series II elect) delivered in June, 2000. Around $5,500, including several sets of strings. s/n 00MKC124xx.

FC Bass,

I was remembering that same thread on Alembic Club when I chose not to mention the bolt on. Mica explained why they haven't, but didn't say they would never. On the small body / long scale she was very clear about "never again".
 

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