| Author | Message | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 30 Registered: 5-2005 |
One of the most beautyfull Series 2 on the market. Birds eye maple top and back, The Series is like new. Only some wear at the bridge and one minor dong. no scratches. I changed one PU (Original) some years ago because it has a different polarity than the other. Now they are in phase. I also changed the original tuners to golden ones. The orignal chromes are still here. also the old pu. Than I solved some grounding problems (actually my electrition did) - the ground had no connection to the strings so it had some noise when you play the instrument, Now it´s quite. Please make offers. The bass is based in Germany. So I think it´s mostly interesting for the European. I´m sellinng the bass with the original case, two 5-pin cables, the DS-5 power supply, and the original papers camarket. phots are coming soon | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 1308 Registered: 5-2006 |
"Than I solved some grounding problems (actually my electrition did) - the ground had no connection to the strings so it had some noise when you play the instrument" That's how Alembics are wired, I hope you (your electrician) didn't put a wire between bridge/tailpiece and electronics? Should not be harmful I think, but it's not the right way to fix the problem. | ||
| jix
Member Username: jix Post Number: 88 Registered: 1-2009 |
Hi. Would be lovely to see some pics posted of this - sounds like a nice bass, but pics are always good.  Cheers James | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 31 Registered: 5-2005 |
hi fc spoiler, I don´t know but do you have any idea what is the right way to solve the grounding problems? [moderator's edit: oversized picture deleted by request] (Message edited by davehouck on September 19, 2011) | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2858 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Hilmar, You can check the FAQ section for Series I/II for some general answers about the electronics setup and troubleshooting. There's a pretty neat description of the humcancelling procedure for the Series instruments however I'm not sure if this still applies after someone adds the strings into the grounding scheme of things. True, pretty much every electric guitar and bass out there uses the strings for ground, just not Alembic ... Perhaps the Alembic distributor in Germany, Station Music, can be of help to fix the problem the proper way. | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 32 Registered: 5-2005 |
hi adrian, thanks. i´ve done the hum cancelling procedure several times and it still works yet. i´ve had a post on this subject and after changing the pu (I was at Station Music) the problem decreases and the bass was fine to me. But as I want to sell the S2 I want to make sure that everything is fine. which is now the case. But still I´m interested in other ways to solve the humming problems. take care hilmar ps. i will try to post some better pics. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2596 Registered: 3-2004 |
I think there's a distinction between a bass that works and one that is fine. If this grounding works, that's nice, but not necessarily fine. Being an older bass, it may need some expensive hardware upgrading to be properly noise free. It's always hard to interpret any description of a sound via the internet, but that's a beauty of a bass and good luck with the sale! | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 33 Registered: 5-2005 |
hei thanks bsee. for me grounding the strings to avoid that they behave like an antenna makes sence. and if an easy way works why should you take a more complex one. that´s kind of philosophical so let´s go on. in between here some more pics. and can anybody tell me how I can delete the big picture above???     (Moderator's note: just arranged pictures) (Message edited by mica on September 19, 2011) | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2597 Registered: 3-2004 |
I appreciate your perspective, and you need to appreciate the perspective of someone who might be interested in shelling out a lot of money for an Alembic bass. To me, there's nothing philosophical about it. Just because the instrument doesn't hum, that doesn't mean it is correct or that it sounds the way an Alembic is supposed to sound. In philosophical terms, I believe a repair involves setting something back the way it is supposed to be. Your perspective seems to be that a repair simply involves making a broken thing work. In any case, the modification is disclosed here, and you probably should provide pictures of the insides of the electronics cavity as well. Alembic fans are generally pretty wary of any tinkering done in there outside of the factory. An issue like this that isn't fully understood would knock at least $1000 off the value of the instrument to me. Others may not care or may place a different value on it. Understanding what was done, if it is right or not, and what it would take to set it right would make a difference. By the way, that's an interesting neck wood recipe. Looks like maybe two walnut stringers on the outsides. The center one could be purpleheart, vermillion, or mahogany based on the color. I just can't tell, especially with the way the older finishes color as they age. Does the original paperwork tell you what the neck woods are? -bob | ||
| pasewark
Intermediate Member Username: pasewark Post Number: 118 Registered: 4-2003 |
Would you post pics of the Major Ding and scratches? | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 34 Registered: 5-2005 |
hei bob, you´re right. And I like to discuss the humming issue here because anyone who is interested in the instrument should know about it. I knpw that Alembic provides a repair for older and noisy instruments. So anyone who is interested can decide if he/she follows my way or go another. Pictures of the cavity I will try to post in some days. I don´t have a Digicam. So please wait. But the Dong is ready. Also some older pics before I changed the tuners (NO DRILLING!) and the PU     | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 35 Registered: 5-2005 |
concerning the neck the papers say it´s maple with purple heart | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2598 Registered: 3-2004 |
Purpleheart is typical and a great neck wood. The pics make it look like the center stripe is a different color than the two outside stringers. Probably a trick of light and grain. Do they look like the same wood in person? It's a sensational bass and I'd be interested in it if I were in Europe. -bob | ||
| nathanpatoubass
Junior Username: nathanpatoubass Post Number: 28 Registered: 4-2007 |
I bought this bass today to Hilmar.He's really a very nice guy. I will take care of this bass Hilmar don't worry. I'm now the happy owner of 3 alembic basses : a serie one from 1978, a 20th anniversary #42, and this beautiful serie II that is in excellent shape Thanks Alembic guys and thank you again Hilmar for this smooth transaction! Franck | ||
| fthec
Junior Username: fthec Post Number: 36 Registered: 5-2005 |
Hi all, two weeks are gone since I sold my Series 2 to Franck. It was bit or better very hard to let her go. But ok Franck is a very nice guy and I´m sure he´s the right one. Thanks for the meeting in Strasbourg Franck. |
