US$ 31,000 Bass (is this for real?)

[westland]

Visit the Alembic website, go to the custom quote generator, start with Series II, then add all the CQG-specified options (Triple O body shape, ebony neck laminates, special woods), then consider all unspecified custom options (custom electronics on top of the Series II package, custom inlays) priced individually and you'll see the big pricetag taking shape right before your eyes.

You're not kidding ... I just did this, and it's really easy to get a $31000 quote (in fact the quotes start at $15000)

 

[caesarbass]

WOW!!! I just went to the Alembic site too, I think my bass quote ended up being $23,000. I'm glad I'm a surgeon...oh wait, I'm a musician, a bass player...where's the SX thread?????

 

[eots]

Who would buy that to play? It's a piece of ART, meant for display.

 

[abngourmet]

Who would buy that to play? It's a piece of ART, meant for display.

I own three Alembics, and I play all of them. They don't sit in their cases. I am more careful with them than I am my other basses, of course, given the cost.

The Mule is right - one get what one pays for. Alembics cost so much because the craftsmanship is second to none. I know the electronics are the best I've ever seen (in terms of construction, that is - tone is another, very personal thing). The tolerances they use are astounding - all of the wood is perfectly carved, planed, etc. In fact, if you order from Alembic, and what they're making isn't exactly what you had in mind, they'll start over. That kind of attention to detail doesn't come cheap.

The hardware too is of the highest quality. They have adjustable brass nuts, brass sustain blocks, brass bridges, brass tailpieces. No stamped, chrome plated steel here. The knobs attach with a collet to the pot shaft - no screws in the side of the knob. Switches are industrial grade as well - when you flip the switch, it is noiseless and smooth.

Then there are the decorative, "artistic" touches. On my Dragon's Wing I have the inlaid logo with shell. Simply put, they take a silver plated Alembic logo, inlay mother of pearl and abalone behind it, then sink it into the headstock so that it's flush and smooth. It takes craftsmen with skill to do that, and again, it's not cheap. It is, however, beautiful. If you go to the Alembic website and look up some of the instruments in their custom archive, you'll get a feel for the craftsmanship Alembic is capable of. Again, it's not inexpensive, but if you want it, they'll make it, and it will be personalized for you only.

Another thing you're paying for is the support. Alembic stands behind all of their instruments 150% (much like Roger Sadowsky, Fodera, etc.). If something goes wrong, Alembic will do what they have to to make it right. I know this because my Europa is in Santa Rosa as we speak having the neck resprayed (it developed a mysterious satin-type finish where the neck meets the body - don't ask me how it happened). They paid to have the bass picked up and shipped back, and they're fixing it under warranty. It's not costing me a dime.

A lot of folks around here don't like Alembics, and that's cool. I'd be the first to admit they're not for everyone. Their electronics are unique in the sense that they use low pass filters instead of passive tone or active boost-cut type systems. They take a bit of getting used to, but they're the most versatile electronics I've ever used. I think that the electronics alone add much to the price.

Woods? I wouldn't know how much a piece of quilted coco bolo or 5A quilt maple costs. I do know that when one buys furniture, solid wood costs a lot more than pressboard covered with a veneer. My guess is it's similar here - higher grade woods cost more than, say, a solid piece of swamp ash. You're going to pay for that.

Is it worth 31 grand? Only to the person paying for it. For everyone else, well, maybe not. I paid about 5K each for my three Alembics, and to me, they're worth every penny.

Alan

 

[mat gregory]

stunning

 

[Phil Smith]

I own two Alembics a Series I and a Series II and the combined price of both of them is about 1/10 th of 31K, but then again I bought them used.

Custom anything made to your specs is going to cost especially if you want fine wood, inlays and such.

The electronics though they may look confusing aren't really, there's a set of knobs for each pickup, volume, filter and Q plus master volume and a pickup selector. You can dial in all kinds of tone with the electronics, from phat to serious hi fi. It just suprised all manufacturers don't offer it on their basses.

 

[westland]

Alembics cost so much because the craftsmanship is second to none. I know the electronics are the best I've ever seen (in terms of construction, that is - tone is another, very personal thing). The tolerances they use are astounding - all of the wood is perfectly carved, planed, etc....The hardware too is of the highest quality. They have adjustable brass nuts, brass sustain blocks, brass bridges, brass tailpieces. No stamped, chrome plated steel here. The knobs attach with a collet to the pot shaft - no screws in the side of the knob. Switches are industrial grade as well - when you flip the switch, it is noiseless and smooth.

I can understand this, but still, the price seems SO...OOO much higher than Ritters, Sadowsky's, Foderas, and other bespoke, high-end basses that I was truely surprised. I own a Ritter Roya, and I can say that Jens Ritter seems just as obsessive about quality (though not owning an Alembic, I guess I can't compare A/B). Each of his 5 potentiometers is an Alps (high-fidility pot), the switches are similarly hi-fi, PLEK treatment on the frets, and it all is extremely well integrated, super light, with playability second to none (beautiful neck). All for around $5k which seems about the rate for a high-end 4 string. And Jens supports is similarly obsessive.

Live and learn

 

[johans]

way to many knobs I would be so confused, after about 5 things just get lost

couldn't agree more fellow bay area people ..

 

[abngourmet]

I can understand this, but still, the price seems SO...OOO much higher than Ritters, Sadowsky's, Foderas, and other bespoke, high-end basses that I was truely surprised. I own a Ritter Roya, and I can say that Jens Ritter seems just as obsessive about quality (though not owning an Alembic, I guess I can't compare A/B). Each of his 5 potentiometers is an Alps (high-fidility pot), the switches are similarly hi-fi, PLEK treatment on the frets, and it all is extremely well integrated, super light, with playability second to none (beautiful neck). All for around $5k which seems about the rate for a high-end 4 string. And Jens supports is similarly obsessive.

Live and learn

Again, it's the electronics. Royas, from the website, anyway, have boost and cut. Alembics have low pass filters. Not sure if filters cost more than boost/cut electronics, but there's a difference right there. Ritters are bolt-ons, as opposed to set neck or through neck Alembics. I'm not sure which is more expensive, but I do know that you can't buy necks for a neck through bass like you can a bolt on. My guess is the bolt ons are cheaper to produce, e.g., you don't have to glue wood together and wait for it to dry, etc.

The vast majority of the Royas I saw on the site also didn't have fingerboard inlays, lowering the price further (no need to rout the fingerboard, glue inlays, cut inlays, etc.). Back plates are not brass like on Europa model on-up Alembics, either. Orions, Essences, and Epics are about the same price as Royas, give or take some bucks, too. They have the same type of specs for the most part, with some exceptions. My guess is that's the Alembic that is comparable to a Roya, not a Series I or II, Europa, Stanley Clarke or Mark King Deluxe, Rogue, etc.

I'm not knocking Ritters, here. I've never played one, so I can't A/B it. They are pretty, though I don't really care for the body shape myself. I just think there are aspects to Alembics which make them more expensive, though perhaps not worth it to some.

Alan

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I can understand this, but still, the price seems SO...OOO much higher than Ritters, Sadowsky's, Foderas, and other bespoke, high-end basses that I was truely surprised. I own a Ritter Roya, and I can say that Jens Ritter seems just as obsessive about quality (though not owning an Alembic, I guess I can't compare A/B). Each of his 5 potentiometers is an Alps (high-fidility pot), the switches are similarly hi-fi, PLEK treatment on the frets, and it all is extremely well integrated, super light, with playability second to none (beautiful neck). All for around $5k which seems about the rate for a high-end 4 string. And Jens supports is similarly obsessive.

Live and learn

Don't forget it's a name-your-own-price deal when it comes to quality artisans, and the price of the parts may have little to do with the final price. The materials that made up most of Van Gogh's paintings weren't great, and probably totaled about $30, but they'll sell for tens of millions these days. A lot of people view Alembic as the epoch of bass quality and craftsmenship, and they're willing to pay for it.

 

[GetLow]

way to many knobs I would be so confused, after about 5 things just get lost

+1

but i still thing it looks killer!

 

[Keeaumoku]

A bass with Roman Numerals inlaid in the fretboard... for a mere $31K... hell, I'll take two of 'em!

Gotta admit... that's one fine looking bass! Makes me think about some of these guys out here in the islands with their customized, and tricked-out Harleys and/or Indians. I admire those things, consider the amount of $$ invested, then conclude that they belong in plexiglass boxes... never to be ridden on the road! Damn fine looking bass, though!!

Aloha...

 

[westland]

Again, it's the electronics. .. Alembics have low pass filters. ... Ritters are bolt-ons, as opposed to set neck or through neck Alembics. The vast majority of the Royas I saw on the site also didn't have fingerboard inlays, lowering the price further (no need to rout the fingerboard, glue inlays, cut inlays, etc.).

I know that Alembic has always been at the cutting edge of electronics (until Line 6 came along ). I don't know what the sort of super high quality low and high pass filters would cost.

Jens Ritters bolt-on is apparently his choice. He is an engineer by training, and apparently at one point did the math for the resonance of two masses around a pivot (the neck joint) and decided a bolt-on with deep inset and twice as many bolts was better than a neck through. He apparently made neck-throughs and graphite composite necks on some of his earlier models (late 1990s) but settled on his current design.

You are right about the inlays too. Jens can and does do the inlays on the neck, but I believe charges accordingly. His hardware, on the other hand, is actually better (IMHO) that the Alembic from what I can see (again, can't A/B) and is hand filed from the brass stock, except for the tuners which are Goto like Alembic.

 

[malthumb]

way to many knobs I would be so confused, after about 5 things just get lost

Alembic Series I & II electronics are sorta like Dingwall fanned frets. They're intimidating to look at, but it doesn't take too much experimentation to figure out the basics. Hell, I figured it out and most of you guys are waaaaay smarter than me



In the above picture of one of Stanley Clarke's basses, the controls in the GREEN circle control the neck p/u volume & tone. Controls in the RED circle control bridge p/u volume and tone. The PURPLE circle is Master Volume, and the BLUE circle is p/u selector.


Peace,

James

 

[westland]

In the above picture of one of Stanley Clarke's basses, the controls in the GREEN circle control the neck p/u volume & tone. Controls in the RED circle control bridge p/u volume and tone. The PURPLE circle is Master Volume, and the BLUE circle is p/u selector.

Is that a third pickup in the center? (and how is it controlled). Also, do you have low/high pass filters with the tone controls?

 

[tribal3140]

1. neck throughs are not more expensive
2. the thing in the middles is a finger rest.
3. I 'e played many an alembic even a $22k buckeye and it weighed like 15 lbs and sounded middy to me.
A.it is truly a matter of opinion but I also have a ritter,drozd,benavente,brubaker among other top luthiers and I think the benavente and ritter are nicer.
B. my ritter retails at 10k and the divinity also at 10k and there is nothing on that alembic that should make it 2 to 3x the value. ergo, same woods custom electronics inlays etc. etc. I even have xxf cocobolo (rare as HELL) and xxxf Ziricote (beyond rare as hell) on 2 of my basses.
4. I am about to pick up a benavente built divinity and its inlay work and wood selection is better than an bass I have ever seen and played.

"its just a matter of opinion"
-T-

 

[MJ5150]

Somebody here at TB is using that bass on their desktop wallpaper. I saw it in the "post your desktop" thread in OT. I saw that desktop, and the first thing I thought was "wow, that dude is lucky to have that bass. What an awesome bass".

-Mike

 

[Thunder_Fingers]

hell... i would never pay that much, i get a long most exelent with Japanese Fenders around 700 - 900$....

and IMO, Alembics Feel real bad, and they feel 'kin Horrible for that Price, i mean, i liked the neck of my old jazz bass copy better... and that costed around... 300$?

 

[Mike Money]

for $31k.... it better be able to sound like a p bass, a jazz bass, a thumb, a spector, a music man.... all of those fretted and fretless.


and it better have an expresso machine.

 

[The Mule]

2. the thing in the middles is a finger rest.

Not correct, it's a dummy humcancelling pickup (tweakable with three pots on the back of the bass). The Series I and II carry single coil pickups, an integral part of the distinctive Series sound palette...