https://reverb.com/item/64321453-alembic-epic-iv-1993-shedua

pretty impressive top on this bass.  not priced too badly, either.  not my cup of tea but someone who wants to get a spiffy alembic for not alot of $ oughta jump on this.  now.

so sayeth the curmudgeon from denver etc. & so forth

Looks more like bubinga to me. Early Epic at that.

Great looking bass. Looks like bubinga. Listed on Talkbass as well.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/alembic-epic-iv-1993.1589566/

Price is good, looks like it's in great shape too.

Def not Schedua. Yeah, this is Bubinga - look at the peghead front for confirmation. Very pretty!

Bubinga is a great tone wood, IMHO.

Anybody know ~about~ how many '93 Epics there are? I know Alembic didn't necessarily track this, but Epic was new at the time, and a '93 serial number is unusual. I notice that they weren't yet stamped into the back of the headstock...

Always wondered, where, and what is the identity of Alpha Epic...


*oldest one I know of is 93W-7906... it had a koa top, and a Birthday of September 21st that year. Anecdotal.

Edward, I have 93W7854.  To the best of my knowledge I have seen 1 or 2 older than mine along with 3 or 4 others
show up here from '93.  I don't seem to be able to find FC's Alembic Serial Number site anymore, but, he showed 5 or
6 on there.

FC had two links shown here but looks like they are no longer live links

https://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=16683.msg244626#msg244626

So a safe bet W numbers started around 7800. I wonder if they were made in sets of any particular number, or were there any prototype builds before the line went into production?


Just curious mostly. I have never had, or even held an Epic. If a 5-string came up locally, especially one in need of rescue, I'd have to do it.

Quote from: edwardofhuncote on January 01, 2023, 03:46:32 PM
So a safe bet W numbers started around 7800. I wonder if they were made in sets of any particular number, or were there any prototype builds before the line went into production?


Just curious mostly. I have never had, or even held an Epic. If a 5-string came up locally, especially one in need of rescue, I'd have to do it.

ive had my epic for about 15(?) years now. It was born in '95. If you do come across one jump on it. Mine has served me well over the years.

They are great gigging bass guitars. My only dislike is that most (except for a couple GC special runs) did not have fret inlays on the fretboard.

Quote from: gtrguy on January 03, 2023, 09:48:54 AM
They are great gigging bass guitars. My only dislike is that most (except for a couple GC special runs) did not have fret inlays on the fretboard.

Do they have markings on the edge of the fretboard or not?

yes, small brass dots.

Side dots were bronze on the original Epics, then later aluminum - unless special ordered otherwise.