https://reverb.com/item/64544939-1974-alembic-series-i-fretless-bass

had it another string and we'd be dancin'. 😍  series I or not.
what's up with the backplates?  bad photography? 🤔

I have never gotten GAS so fast... that is beautiful and fretless and that thumb rest and the etching and, and, and

Paul (so broke I can't even pay attention).

https://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=8393.msg98035#msg98035

Yes... I want it badly, but... probably not the right one for my budget and fretlessness.

there will always be another... as the bad one said... (although not like this)

Greg, I don't know how you do it so 'effortlessly'. Just over an hour from the original posting...

You're a walking Alembic encyclopedia.

well it is a very pretty bass.

not had good luck with series I's, i've owned 3 or 4 (i think) i think it's the lack of a master volume that puts me over the edge every time.  the only one i really bonded with was a '76 fretless birdseye maple top.  so my track record isn't great.  no LEDs, not a 5-string.  pretty much what i set out as dealbreakers for my next (if ever) acquisition.  plus i've found that the ergonomics on these ~50-year-old alembics is somewhat less than.... the feel of a modern one.  probably wind up having an actual luthier deal with whatever (expensive) issues it has that are beyond my skill set. it's not easy to give it a test drive by remote control.
but....
still got an empty bass hanger in BeenDownStudios that was vacated at the end of my medium-scale exploiter mis-adventure.
i'm not getting any younger.
did pretty well in the stock market last year, got a sizable uncommited chunk o' cash heading my way this month.
1974 is the year i graduated from high school and picked up a bass for the first time. 

so it's tempting. but really not that tempting.  i need something to move me off dead center on this one.  gonna get baked, sit in the hot tub and ruminate.  yeah!  that's the ticket!

Interesting power supply. Can anyone tell me what all the outlets do?

Quote from: gtrguy on January 05, 2023, 09:56:18 AM
Interesting power supply. Can anyone tell me what all the outlets do?

looks to me like 5 pin bass power and separate DI's and jack outs for each pickup.

probably not the original power supply.

nbd for me.

jsut noticed what appears to be a green fretfx strip on it.  a small thing in its favor imho.

rob is that where that one i gave you went? 🤔

Quote from: gtrguy on January 05, 2023, 09:56:18 AM
Interesting power supply. Can anyone tell me what all the outlets do?

If you scroll down on the linked thread above you'll see the description taped to the bottom of the PSU.  Not that I can completely decode them    but it looks like one of the 1/4" jacks might be a "Fender" input.  Oh my!


Jimmy J

Not sure if this changes the equation for anyone here but the bass is listed for less on the store's website.

https://www.rumbleseatmusic.com/product-page/draft-alembic-series-i-fretless-bass-natural

I bought an old Regal Model 19 resonator guitar from RumbleSeat Music... years ago. Maybe 20? I recall they were really cool to deal with. 


I thought it looked like BeenDown finally caved, and snagged  ol' 124 here...


C'mon Tim, fess up! 

This just reminds me I've got to do something with my fretless (or more accurately defretted) Series 1.  Definitely not as pretty as the one in question here. And certainly not in as good shape. However, it cost me only $1,600 and sure could use a refurbish. The wait, however, has gotten so long because of how busy the good folks at Alembic are that I'm afraid that by the time I get it back my fretting hand will not allow me to play it. I'm also like many of you in that it makes me cringe to think of anyone other than an Alembic employee messing around with my bass.

QuoteI thought it looked like BeenDown finally caved, and snagged  ol' 124 here...


C'mon Tim, fess up! 

well i'm not afaraid to admit that  i'm sorely tempted by siren call of this one despite all the red flags for me:

almost 50-year-old bass.  who know how many hands it's passed thru?  what kind of mods have been inflicted on it?  i've seen fretless fingerboards with ruts worn in them from age, abuse and roundwound strings.  really not in the mood for an expensive rehab.

played the fretless essence last night.  she must've sensed a disturbance in the force, cause she played and sounded better than she ever has.  despite me having to tweak her neck.  again.  it never ends with that bass.

she's  got the 70's series I curse for me.  can see it coming a mile away.  she couldnt've been a series II or a signature.  noooooo.  had to be a series I.  i'm like a moth to a flame.

thought i'd outgrown my GAS.  apparently not.  at least not yet.

so with that in mind, anybody live in nashville area wanna pay a visit to rumble seat to do a recon for me?  my email's in my profile.