Scary thought, Jim. Could the Fake rub-on-letter Elan guy be back?
 
Note the zero feedback seller and location in SANTA ROSA, CA!!!!
 
A lot of it does scream employee project but I would think an employee loyal enough to work there wouldn't scarf a logo out the door.
 
Orion headstock, looks like maybe only one top headstock laminate, no back headstock laminate at all btw, note the stripe!, no scarf joint.
 
One pickup and (probably) vol/tone or vol/filter are not unheard of; see the prototype Distillates.
 
Almost no contour carving.
 
Side mounted jack!
 
It is funny...the most awesome Series 2 doesn't phase us because we've seen so many Point and Omega bodies...but throw a weird set neck custom out and we're all over it trying to figure it out.  
 
 
 
(Message edited by effclef on August 21, 2006)

...Maybe a message from Santa Rosa could clear this one up...?
 
 
 
(sorry I couldn't help it...it was there..)

I think I played this bass at a weekly gathering with friends from Alembic.  Seriously.  I think it was a prototype / idea for a new model.  Mica had brought it for the musicians in the bunch to play.  I am certain that Mica could clear it up.

here is my old persuader vector now owned by jim pollicita in colorado. notice the similarity between headstocks, not only as to the general shape, but then take a look at the similarity between the persuader body coloration difference and the back of the "unknown alembic" headstock back. my old persuader vector was a neckthru; however, could this have been a discarded persuader vector model just as the vector body style was ultimately discontinued for persuaders?  

 

 

  (Message edited by davehouck on August 22, 2006)

This Vector Headstock has the Elan headstock shape, the headstock on the mystery bass looks more like the Europa shape...

the prototype idea makes sense.

i don't think you can say this headstock looks more like a europa headstock. i've got a europa and i see an evolution between that persuader headstock and the europa, w/this thing being maybe a little more europa than persuader; however, the way val explained my rather odd persuader vector, the headstock and body style were a work in progress. to me, w/the two control knobs together w/the headstock and the offset exposed wood on the top of my old bass and on the backside of the thing back headstock...........i don't know, but i see a commonality in design. am i the only one? it seems like a prototype persuader. or, it's a fake. don't know which.however, consider the two control knobs like on my old bass, which again, is now owned by jim pollicita in colorado. i wish i'd never sold that bass. never seen one like it. never played one like it. never head such a rich sound from such simple alembic controls and pups!

Prototype is sounding right to me too.  It has too many well done Alembic features to be a fake. If someone were to put that much effort into a fake then they would go for bigger $$$ and try for a series I or II.
 
It does look like a lets try this out and see what happens bass.
 
-Jim

The headstock on pmoran's Persuader picture is the Inline shape. The headstock on the listing at the start of this thread is very similar to the newest Europa shape.  
 
I think this is a personal project, I think I know who made it. A serial number might transform the thinking into knowing.
 
It is not a protoype.

According to the Alembic site:
 


 
Elan 4
 


 
Europa 4
Orion 4
 
(Found it here)
I've emailed the seller...

85 Spoiler?crown peg head

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alembic-Vintage-1985-Spoiler-Bass-Guitar-XLNT_W0QQitemZ320019839301QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's a nice one (hasn't this one been on ebay before?) Click here I'm not sure....
This one is more likely to sell in the 1500-2000 range than the mystery  Bass I think.
 
(Message edited by fc_spoiler on August 22, 2006)

I think I played the custom.  Great slapper.  We were calling it the scrappy bass because we thought it was Alembic parts but built as a side project/experiment from scraps.  Turned out really well.

Thanks for weighing in on this Mica!

Still no word from the seller...