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Is this trade worth it?
- Thread starter Lauri Lahtinen
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- alembic bass help rickenbacker
I had a Rick and I’d trade two Ricks for that Alembic. And not even think twice about it.
The Alembic is four times the bass that Rick wants to be.
The Alembic is four times the bass that Rick wants to be.
I have owned my Ric over 45 years and would never sell or trade it. My No.1 bass, the one that goes to every gig whenever and wherever I have one, is an Alembic I've owned for the last 28 years, and would never trade or sell it. From a monetary standpoint, if these two basses are similar in terms of condition and they both work as intended with no issues, this is not a fair trade at all. An Alembic Essence will typically sell for considerably more than a Ric 4003. Of course, the correct route is to keep the Ric and buy an Alembic.
I agree with Kikegg, both people are happy, do it. I traded a Fender P/J for a Hofner Beatle bass once. I came up short on the value probably, but I loved that Hofner for the few years I hung onto it. You’ll maybe miss the Ric someday, but she’ll be the one that got away. Move on if it feels right.
Well never have I played an alembic but I have on a Ricky. If I were you I'd do the trade and spend some time on that alembic. They are rare and valuable and very versatile soundwise so it'll be easy to get it to sound great. Maybe at some point you can either trade it or even buy another brand and have 2 bad ass basses. I've heard nothing but awesome things from anyone playing alembic. Lots of fans here too so do your research. Either way you can't go wrong because the Ric is awesome too.
I have to ask what “it” is. Is it worth it money wise? Are you asking if one of the basses is worth more than the other? The Alembic started life as a more expensive bass than the Rick, and is possibly still worth more today, but you’ll have to check out the condition of the Alembic carefully. If the Alembic has any major issues, the Rick is probably worth more. I’m assuming the Rick is in good shape since you own the Rick and know what year it is.
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JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Depends. Ric looks a heck of a lot better, and sounds like a ric. That probably plays very nice, and sounds like a fairly generic bass. Would you play it more is the question.
Easy - If you’re a bass player then trade for the Alembic. If you’re a bass model then keep the Rickenbacker.
Being a musician is not a good way to not lose money. If you play long enough, you're going to lose money. Probably a lot! Save your money and buy the one you want. Otherwise, it will be a constant pursuit of the one! The one is elusive. Some people find it and others spend their lives and their money searching for it.
What are the things i should watch out for? Many people have said i need to check the condition, what exactly does that mean? Electronic, truss rod, what else? And how do i check the truss rod?
The truss rod is a metal tension rod that runs the length of the neck, underneath the fretboard, and functions to allow adjustment to the relief of the neck. Relief is the amount of forward bow under string tension. You typically do want a little bit of that, so you don't get a ton of fret buzz, but too much is also no good and will make the bass difficult to play. Tightening the truss rod flattens the neck, while loosening it increases the amount of relief.
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The truss rod or truss rods (I believe Alembics typically have two, as does your Rick) are located under the brass plate at the base of your fretboard and they look like this (see image below). To really test the functionality of a truss rod, you need to give it a little turn to make sure it's not frozen up. It sounds like you haven't ever done that before though, so I would not recommend your first time being on somebody else's Alembic. Damage can be done (both to the rod and to the wood of the neck) if you don't have the right tool and/or if you turn it too far. In your case, I would just ask the owner if he has adjusted it recently, if it works as it should, and if he would be willing to demonstrate for you that the nuts do turn. You should also just have a close look at them directly to make sure they are not stripped. A truss rod also should not be adjusted while the neck is under string tension and it's a good idea to help the neck a bit by ever so slightly bending it in the direction you are intending the adjustment to go. If you've never done it before, it can be tricky to confirm in a private trade deal. However it is important because structural neck and truss issues are expensive to repair.
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The truss rod or truss rods (I believe Alembics typically have two, as does your Rick) are located under the brass plate at the base of your fretboard and they look like this (see image below). To really test the functionality of a truss rod, you need to give it a little turn to make sure it's not frozen up. It sounds like you haven't ever done that before though, so I would not recommend your first time being on somebody else's Alembic. Damage can be done (both to the rod and to the wood of the neck) if you don't have the right tool and/or if you turn it too far. In your case, I would just ask the owner if he has adjusted it recently, if it works as it should, and if he would be willing to demonstrate for you that the nuts do turn. You should also just have a close look at them directly to make sure they are not stripped. A truss rod also should not be adjusted while the neck is under string tension and it's a good idea to help the neck a bit by ever so slightly bending it in the direction you are intending the adjustment to go. If you've never done it before, it can be tricky to confirm in a private trade deal. However it is important because structural neck and truss issues are expensive to repair.
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After reading thru all these post, IMO, if you don't know how to check the truss rod, you are probably looking a bass that's above your skill set. Bring a friend, could even be a guitar player, with you that has some basic tools and knowledge. It's about a 3 minute job, 2 screws and a wrench. IMO, the Alembic is a fine instrument. All Alembics look different and that's part of the allure. Rics, for the most part are common in looks, still nice though.
Yes, both of the basses are above my skillset, but as a young bassist, i rather invest in some quality instrument than waste my money on something else.
