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Alembic Club » Alembic Basses & Guitars » Archive through August 07, 2010 » Ever see anything like this? "Pan, modified by Alembic" « Previous Next »

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rusty_the_scoob
Junior
Username: rusty_the_scoob

Post Number: 45
Registered: 6-2008
Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 1:02 pm:   Edit Post

Ever see anything like this weird P-bass with an oval sticker saying it was modified by Alembic? Is it legit and if so what did they do to it? (other than the really unusual pickup)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pan-Modified-ALEMBIC-Bass-Sunburst-Amazing-/120592678856?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item1c13e23fc8

http://s1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/Nightlarkxebay/bass/?start=0
rusty_the_scoob
Junior
Username: rusty_the_scoob

Post Number: 46
Registered: 6-2008
Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 1:09 pm:   Edit Post

It seems to be connected to the original distributors. From the history page here on Alembic.com:

"1973 A small music distribution company in Beaverton, Oregon called L. D. Heater Music Company, read the article in Rolling Stone and it interested them enough to take a little trip to San Francisco. They wanted to discuss the possibility of Alembic making a more standardized form of instrument that they could distribute to their dealers. L. D. Heater Music was owned by Norlin Inc. Norlin was based in Illinois and owned Gibson, Ampeg, Epiphone and other music related companies. We negotiated an exclusive distribution agreement for a limited time. They gave me the purchase order I required, and this was the beginning of the manufacturing of a standard high end instrument for Alembic and the entire music industry."
adriaan
Moderator
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2533
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 1:03 am:   Edit Post

Just posted this on another thread, but it bears repeating ...


quote:

A few years back, Michael posted in this thread the following:

"Pan was a company that was distributed by L.D. Heater. The same folks that distributed Alembic back in 1973 and 74 before Rothchild stepped in. A Pan/Alembic is a Pan instrument that was modified by Alembic on a production line basis. At least that is what the Pan brochure says that I am taking this from. The Pan/Alembic instruments featured Alembic ceramic magnet hot-rod modification and some Alembic shielding. There was also some Alembic low end boost and low end cut switches. So....a Pan was a Pan, and a Pan/Alembic was just a knockoff with some uprated electronics."


terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 1280
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 1:53 am:   Edit Post

Precursors to the Activators???
adriaan
Moderator
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2534
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 3:47 am:   Edit Post

The pictures on Photobucket show a Japanese copy of a P-bass, with a m-o-t-s Pan logo on the headstock, and a large sticker on the back (with a vague copy of the Alembic logo). The only unusual thing for a P-bass on the outside is the split pickup with single pole pieces. No switches in sight ...

Mother of Toilet Seat Pan LogoPan Sticker
adriaan
Moderator
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2535
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 3:50 am:   Edit Post

Forgot to post a picture of the pickup:
Pan Pickup
toma_hawk01
Junior
Username: toma_hawk01

Post Number: 41
Registered: 9-2009
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 9:17 am:   Edit Post

My first affordable bass that ruled my high school music department (bass wise) was a Pan Fender Jazz copy.

PAN was cheapest, and the best bass I could afford. Even though when my parents saved enough to buy me what I always wanted "a Fender", the Pan, became my bass because it was different, and the sounds just grown on me. So, I told my father to forget about the Fender, I was a "PAN-MAN!"

My peers laughed when they first seen the PAN logo, but they stopped laughing after I started laying down a groove.

Yeah, I still laugh to this day about entering a sea of Fenders, and Gibsons but I was still cool with my PAN.

These days, sound is too serious to look back, or "sound back"...

Peace and Love,

Hal-

(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on July 14, 2010)

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