Alembic Europa 5 String Bass for Sale - *SOLD* £3600 West Midlands UK

[jazzyvee]

This bass is in excellent condition.

The spec is as follows.

Alembic Europa 5 string bass

Scale Length Long scale 34"

Neck through design with maple and purpleheart construction

Ebony fretboard

Adjustable height brass nut

Solid machined brass bridge with brass saddes mounted to a large brass sustain block

Solid machined brass tailpiece.

Top wood is Bocate

Body is solid mahogany

Headstock has a bocate laminate on front and back, with cast brass alembic logo on the front. 

Tuners are gold coloured.

Pickups are alembic MXY low impedance pickups. 

 

The Europa controls are volume, pan, filter, Q switch, bass boost/cut switch, treble boost/cut switch. 
The quick tone switches are bass and treble and are not individual switches for the pickups. Each switch provides 6db boost, flat, and 6db cut.

side mounted 1/4" mono jack 

(see image link)

http://club.alembic.com/Images/16271/106010.jpg

(Owners Manual)

http://www.alembic.com/support/care.html

 

 

 

The bass is a neck through design made from maple and purpleheart. Ebony  There is an inlay of my initials in the 12th fret which was done by Jaydee custom guitars about 12 years or so ago plus and my name engraved on the truss rod cavity which i may be able to remove if if is a deal breaker or the buyer can just reverse it. The switches are mounted on chrome plated washers as a few years i installed some East ACG filter based electronics which required enlarging the existing switch holes to fit the filter controls. The original electronics have been back in the bass for ages now but I had to get larger washers mount the original switches.  If I can find some black washers I will install those instead. 

The back control cavity cover is gold plated and was like that when i bought the bass. What else can I say. Well it is a great sounding bass and i am only selling it because it is not getting enough playing time so i'd rather it went to someone who will give it more attention. 
Send me a PM if interested. I have an original case for it also.

 

Some information from the Alembic web site. 

EUROPA

With its elegant and understated form, the Europa bass is the type of instrument you return to again and again, and each time you're reminded of why you love this bass so much. From the moment you wear it on strap, comfort and balance greet you. Plugging into the side mounted jack gives a satifying "kerchunk" in response. Once your amp warms up, the tone that piqued your interest in the first place comes flowing back. This bass is home. 

Quick tone change switches give instant access to useful on-the-fly sounds. When you're ready to take that solo, you can simply flick the bass and treble switches to the boost position, knowing full well that when you're finished, that original sound is just a click away.

The Europa comes standard with Alembic's classic Maple and Purpleheart neck lamination pattern. This engineered beam supports even response across the Ebony fingerboard, and assures that snappy Alembic brilliance will be delivered at every note. 

Like most Alembic basses, Europas are quite happy in a variety of musical settings. Turn the low-pass filters down to 300Hz for deep tones suitable for blues. Turned up to 6KHz, there's plenty of zing for slap or driving rock technique with a pick. Versatility puts the tone control in your heart and your hands. 

Since each Europa bass is handcrafted right in our one-and-only shop in Santa Rosa, California, you are able to custom order any aspect of the bass. Custom fingerboard dimensions, wood choices, decorative details, or even things not yet invented are possible.

More information

 

Here are some soundcloud clips from a rehearsal with this bass. 

 

This is an amazing sounding bass and I have used it on numerous gigs though in recent years I have used it less and less as I have been using my two filter bass more. I would love this bass to go to someone who can get more use out of it than I can.

 

 I would prefer not to post it if at all possible and if you want to try before you buy, i can arrange that in my mate's studio so you can hear it at full bore.

Edited 12 hours ago by jazzyvee
Sold item

[BassoContinuo]

It looks like 6 kgs?

[jazzyvee]

I weighed it last week for someone who asked for the weight and on my two spring based luggage hook scales, one shows between 11 & 12lbs and the other between 12 & 13lbs.

I personally have not had any issue with it's weight, I guess i'm used to it. 

[itu]

This FretFX seems to be an aftermarket LED strip to be attached to the corner of a fretboard. Interesting.

[matbard]

@jazzyvee awesome baby, Jazzyvee!

[FunkyDude]

What's the string spacings at bridge please? 

 

Thanks.

[jazzyvee]

Do you want the measurement from the centre of the bridge or the lower edge of the strings at the bridge which is where alembic do the string spacing distance?

[FunkyDude]

On 15/05/2025 at 13:11, jazzyvee said:

Do you want the measurement from the centre of the bridge or the lower edge of the strings at the bridge which is where alembic do the string spacing distance?

At the bridge between 2 saddles. Thanks.

[jazzyvee]

Bump

 

[Reven Chang]

Hi,is it any possible to send it to China? I'm very interested in your Europa!  "Shammoreven", this is my Facebook account, please add me, and we can discuss on FB messenger, thx. 

 

 

[jazzyvee]

I guess it's possible. I have never shipped an instrument outside the UK. I don't have Fb messenger so better to send a private message on Basschat.

[jazzyvee]

About time i Bumped this. Open to offers too. I don't need more gear or other basses.

[visog]

Beautiful and increasingly rare. GLWTS!

[jazzyvee]

About time I bumped this bass back to visibility.

 

[NotAsGoodAsJaco]

I don't know if you've already answered it but it's about strong spacing..

I think most brands measure between middle of string on the saddle to the middle of the next so obviously the gap between the thicker strings is less than the gap between the thinner ones (edge to edge as it were)

Apparently Anthony Jackson and Fodera measure edge to edge so you get an actual 18 or 19mm "between" each string.

What does Alembic do? 

[jazzyvee]

Alembic measures between centres at the nut and edge to edge at the bridge.

 

[jazzyvee]

This is not moving so I wonder if anyone has a different model of alembic that they would consider a trade for cash either way. Ideally i'd be interested in an older series bass but all alembic options considered. Actually, i might also consider a decent acoustic double bass too.

 

Edited October 25 by jazzyvee

[ped]

I've always loved these since I learned that Trevor Dunn used one with Mr. Bungle. Got any sounds? Curious to hear how it compares to my Elan

[jazzyvee]

https://on.soundcloud.com/zzyGSjNx9zBS1KPFBl

 

I have an all maple elan with same electronics but has p style pickups and sounds a lot different. That bass has a stronger attack and more clarity and much crisper with the filters wide open.

 

 

Edited October 25 by jazzyvee

[jazzyvee]

I've been in an interesting dialogue with a really nice guy originally from Sri Lanka but living in the UK he is interested in my bass but wants a specific sound from it. I have heard this sound on clips on youtube and it seems to be a common tone in popular music from that country.  He sent me some video links to the sound and i've got what I think is close and sent it off to him so will see what he thinks. 
The bass samples he sent are all on Alembic epic basses with bass and treble so will sound different to the europa with filters.

Also it requires a pick, which is not something i have needed to do before so used the 3mm Dunlop big stubby.
Anyone else had to provide a specific tonal sample to a prospective buyer before they would buy your bass?

edn

[jazzyvee]

This bass is now sold. Not sure how I feel about letting it go as i've had the bass since 2005.

Can the admin close this thread please. 

[Woodinblack]

6 hours ago, jazzyvee said:

 

Can the admin close this thread please. 

Edit the first post and add the word sold to the title, it will close automatically

[jazzyvee]

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that feature. 🙂