Brand: Alembic
Instrument Categories: Bass, Electric, Guitars, REDUCED, SOLD, Solidbody
Here is a rarity – an Alembic Spoiler 4-string bass, built during 1983 in Santa Rosa, California, with Maple neck-through construction, low-impedance pickups and active circuitry. Alembic, founded in early 1969 as an audio consulting firm – the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane were key early clients – introduced the use of active electronics and low-impedance pickups in musical instruments.
Alembic guitars and basses, being fully hand-made of top quality materials and with parts like the pickups, brass nuts, bridges and tailpieces being built in-house, tended to be expensive and so were used primarily by top touring and recording artists. The Spoiler line represents an effort to reduce some of the costs and make these spectacular instruments a bit more accessible.
This Alembic Spoiler bass dates to 1983 and is in overall quite good shape, with very little wear; there is a small wear mark on the back of the neck behind the first fret. The Spoiler bass uses a neck-through design, with the core a 3-piece Maple neck and Ebony fingerboard. The ‘wings’ of the body are Mahogany, and the top is book matched Quilted Maple. Position markers are Mother of Pearl ovals, and the tuners are by Schaller. The electronics are typical Alembic, featuring low-impedance AXY 4 pickups, volume, low-pass filter and q switch controls, and a pickup selector. The adjustable nut, bridge and tailpiece are the brass Alembic set and provide clear, crisp tone with plenty of articulation and sustain.
The Alembic Spoiler is a mid-scale bass at 32 1/8 inches or 816mm. It is quite comfortable to play, has a very distinctive appearance, and tonally is extremely versatile.
The original hard shell case is included.
- Model: Spoiler 4 String Bass
- Year: 1983
- Finish Natural
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: 83S2863, built during 1983 in Santa Rosa CA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 08/11/2021
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Instrument Weight: 8.932lbs
- Scale Length: 32.126in 616mm
- Nut Width: 1.734in 44.05mm
