Doctor J Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 What kind of thought process leads one to thinking this was an idea so good that even the feel of the chisel in hand wasn't accompanied with a deep sense of foreboding? https://www.ebay.ie/itm/ALEMBIC-Distillate/363343410822?hash=item5498f47686:g:lPkAAOSw~ddgW0Ol Let's not dig to deep into a seller in Japan with 90.5% Positive Feedback listing in Spanish 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 That is quite something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 These are so rare that he didn't even bother thinking about it when taking the chisel to slaughter it. 🤦♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 It took me WAY longer than it should have done to realise that those cavities were on the front of the bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 (edited) In fact it's a very early model with an added bridge pickup and a stupidly useless ugly battery cavity added on the top wing... Edited April 5, 2021 by Hellzero Images appearing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 Having said that, it does give me hope for my dream of being a luthier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 The battery cover is what it is. The control cavity cover is no triumph of aesthetic beauty either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 In a way I think it's good. I mean, it isn't good, it's ugly as hell and they have devalued the instrument a lot, but they treated it as their own instrument, their own thing rather than "I have to keep it how it is as it is worth money". When I was young all my instruments I could afford were rubbish but I modified them Tao make them better for me. Now I don't touch anything. Seems sad in a way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 There's no describing that! Quote Descripción Sin descripción. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 On 05/04/2021 at 09:07, Doctor J said: What kind of thought process leads one to thinking this was an idea so good that even the feel of the chisel in hand wasn't accompanied with a deep sense of foreboding? 😂 The mind boggles.. even if the seller didn’t realise or was wealthy enough not to care that this is a rare and expensive bass and wanted to mod it what would be wrong with a small and discreet battery compartment on the rear of the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I saw that a few weeks back on the Alembic Web site forum and my guess was that it was probably converted to a lefty at some point in it's life and then back. Sorry state but I guess if someone was really good at woodwork they could shave the top half of the bass down about 1/4" and replace it with another tasty piece of the same kind of wood, (looks like Bocate to me), then put battery in the space it was originally placed, give it a sand and respray. Probably still sounds great as it is regardless. Not a task I would take on for that price. £500 maybe if it was in the UK as it would probably cost me the same again to fix it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 56 minutes ago, tegs07 said: The mind boggles.. even if the seller didn’t realise or was wealthy enough not to care that this is a rare and expensive bass and wanted to mod it what would be wrong with a small and discreet battery compartment on the rear of the body? Well, it matches the horrible plate on the other side, I know people aren't going to like it because it is modded, and if your only concern is the value of the bass, rather than it as an instrument that is going to affect it, but at least they used the same cheap looking plate material, so it is sort of done well, in that it is the same style as the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 (edited) I had a go at routing some instruments with some degree of success in lockdown.. tried it on sub £30 rubbish though and worked up to a used Squire as I got a bit better... anything more valuable or scarce would definitely be taken to a pro! Its not just the value it’s the sacrilege... like taking an angle grinder to an e-type jag because you fancy a convertible now the sun is out. Edited April 6, 2021 by tegs07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2020Jazz Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 That's like a horrible car accident on the freeway. No matter how hard you try not to look, you still look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 20 minutes ago, tegs07 said: Its not just the value it’s the sacrilege... like taking an angle grinder to an e-type jag because you fancy a convertible now the sun is out. So yes, it is the value that is the problem is what you are saying? if that was just a bass made in someone's garage (which is kinda what it looks like) no one would bat an eyelid, it's just because it is expensive and uncommon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 (edited) Yes the value but that doesn’t just mean financial value. I don’t personally like Alembic or Fedora or even Status basses for that matter. It doesn’t mean I can’t see the craftsmanship, top quality materials or pure skill and technique it takes to make them. No way would I experiment on them without the required skill set. Edited April 6, 2021 by tegs07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 16 hours ago, jazzyvee said: ...my guess was that it was probably converted to a lefty at some point in it's life and then back. This sound feasible - its the only possible explanation that would explain taking a chisel & carving out such a big cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 39 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: This sound feasible - its the only possible explanation that would explain taking a chisel & carving out such a big cavity. Actually, the screw holes are countersunk on the underside of the control panel plate too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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