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mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 30
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 10:31 am:   Edit Post

Up for sale is my Series 1 small standard 32'' scale bass. Serial number 33 built in 1973. Just recently had the electronics upgrade done. Teak top and back with an oak core.Weight is around the 9 lb. mark. Comes with the original case, power supply and 5-pin cable. 5,000.00 shipped in US only.

full image





(Message edited by mica on March 10, 2015)
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1669
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 10:37 am:   Edit Post

holy smokes. Why can't I have $5k in my bank account?!!!

Love this bass- good luck with the sale.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3955
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 10:56 am:   Edit Post

Very Cool . It still looks like old PF-5 electronics from the outside , is that correct ? What is different from the old standard PF-5 circuit electronics on the inside ? I am curious because I have 73-32 awaiting possible upgrade decisions.
edwardofhuncote
Junior
Username: edwardofhuncote

Post Number: 19
Registered: 6-2014
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 12:42 pm:   Edit Post

So cool to see these early models still being played.

(being very much a nerd for the minutiae of vintage guitars) It's interesting to note this bass has the same tailpiece as #73-39, which was on the boards here a couple weeks ago.
moongerm
Intermediate Member
Username: moongerm

Post Number: 138
Registered: 8-2013
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 12:44 pm:   Edit Post

Very cool!
wayne
Advanced Member
Username: wayne

Post Number: 220
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 2:10 pm:   Edit Post

Small Standard 32???? Paging Delacerda, Michael Delacerda.....
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 1156
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 4:08 pm:   Edit Post

Wayne, you know what I like!!

Matt and I spoke about this bass earlier today. Being the nice guy that he is, offered me first refusal on this instrument before he posted it here for sale. You see, I sold it to him over 10 years ago. If anyone here is interested, you have no worries purchasing a bass from Matt. We have been fast friends for a long time.

Some interesting features about this bass is that it has an oak core. I can't imagine that there are too many with this feature. But aside from it being oak, it is SOLID oak. It does not have cavities like the typical small standard. Solid.

It also has the hammered brass back plate that I find particularly cool. That, with the scalloped nut is a real nice vintage touch that was common for Alembic back then.

In case you want to read a little more about this bass, it was featured in Vintage Guitar Magazine. It is in Volume 8, No.11 from August of 1994. This bass can also be seen in Rolling Stone magazine. A feature article was done on Alembic back in the day and it can be seen under construction in the background. It is the Rolling Stone from September 29th, 1973.

I really don't remember if it was a 32 inch scale or not. I thought it was a short scale.

All in all a great bass that will not disappoint. A collectible piece that can be played and enjoyed. Just try to refrain from putting an adjustable nut on it, or moving the strap button. Sorry, just a peeve of mine.

Michael
pasewark
Advanced Member
Username: pasewark

Post Number: 249
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 4:20 pm:   Edit Post

My first Alembic was a '74 similar to this but had a birds eye maple top. Series 1 shortscale. Great bass!
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 31
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 6:30 pm:   Edit Post

I measured again and come up with 31.5'' from bridge to nut, not even close to 30''
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 32
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 6:46 pm:   Edit Post

This is the photo from rolling stone 1973. Upper left hanging from the ceiling. Looks like a match to me.
article

(Message edited by mica on March 10, 2015)
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 33
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 7:02 pm:   Edit Post

Power supply and 5-pin cablecable
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3956
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:01 pm:   Edit Post

(Double post error)

(Message edited by sonicus on March 10, 2015)
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3957
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:04 pm:   Edit Post

Matt , Nice Bass !
I am curious; what did an upgrade to the original PF-5 electronics consist of ? You still appear to have the PF-5 trimpots on the top .
In my post 3955 on this thread above I mentioned that I have serial # 32 . Number 32 also appears to have an Oak core but a Maple top & back with PF-5 electronics the same brown pickups.
Best of luck with your sale, these are great little instruments and I am happy to have found mine .

Wolf
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8447
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:10 pm:   Edit Post

Matt - if you measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it, you will get the scale length used for the frets. It's hard to pick a string on the bridge to average the length.

(I only edited the posts to make the photos on their own line)
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 34
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:15 pm:   Edit Post

Sonicus: You would have to talk to Ron for the specifics. He came close to replacing everything but was able to keep the original electronics intact in the end. It was quite a chunk of his time over the space of a little over a year in the shop.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3958
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:23 pm:   Edit Post

Matt , thanks your response.

Wolf
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 35
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 8:27 pm:   Edit Post

Mica: Thanks. Did another measurement and come up with 15.5''from the nut center to the 12th fret. I don't want to misrepresent what I have here. Seems to be somewhere between 30''and 32''
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1939
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 11:29 pm:   Edit Post

I love seeing those pics from the old days and wondering where all those instruments are now.
enzo
Senior Member
Username: enzo

Post Number: 436
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 11:43 pm:   Edit Post

15.5 x 2 makes 31 (I know, I'm smart hehe). A short scale, by the Alembic books is 30.75, so we can say that is closer to a short than a medium scale. Very cool bass!
sonofa_lembic
Junior
Username: sonofa_lembic

Post Number: 48
Registered: 5-2014
Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 12:41 pm:   Edit Post

What woods are the neck made from?
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 2166
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 2:36 pm:   Edit Post

This is something I've been looking for but as luck would have it, it pops up when I don't have funds available that I could use to pay for it.

Keith
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 36
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 3:34 pm:   Edit Post

Neck woods I've been told are maple with walnut stripes
jon_jackson
Advanced Member
Username: jon_jackson

Post Number: 215
Registered: 12-2008
Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 3:40 pm:   Edit Post

I believe the measurement is actually from the inner edge of the nut to the center of the 12th fret.

On my Short Scale SC, this measurement is 15.375" or a 30.750" scale. From the center of the nut, using the way Matt measured his fretboard, my SS SC measurement is 15.50". My medium scale is exactly 16" from inner nut edge to center of 12th fret, or a 32" scale.
Jon
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8456
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 11:43 am:   Edit Post

According to the file...

top: Teak
accent: none
body: Oak
back: Teak
peghead veneers: Rosewood and Maple
neck: 5-piece Maple and Walnut
scale: 30.75" short
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: abalone
electronics: PF5
no birthday recorded.
hifiguy
Senior Member
Username: hifiguy

Post Number: 438
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 12:32 pm:   Edit Post

(George Takei voice) Oh, myyyyyyy.

Glorious. What stories that bass could tell, I am sure. -woot!-
flpete1uw
Senior Member
Username: flpete1uw

Post Number: 463
Registered: 11-2011
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 12:52 pm:   Edit Post

Curious what the effect of the Oak body wood is?
You don't see Oak often. For that matter Teak.
Pete
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 5984
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 2:01 pm:   Edit Post

I have a 100 year old parlor guitar with the back and sides made from quarter-sawn oak. Very striking visually and a lot of sound coming out of a small body.

Bill, tgo
cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 1839
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 8:21 pm:   Edit Post

I'd be interested in knowing more about the 4 acoustics hanging around in the '73 pic.

Bill - I wanna play that one!

Matt - If only I had some fundage! Good luck with the sale.

Peter
mnewman
Junior
Username: mnewman

Post Number: 37
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 9:01 pm:   Edit Post

One other thing to add: In order to leave the original electronics intact there is still slight hum to the instrument depending on where you use it. Mica told me the best they could do is roughly a 35% decrease in noise without having to replace everything. It's really not that bad but could be a deal breaker for some.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3960
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 9:11 pm:   Edit Post

I think that is a good report and a possible good prognosis for my 73-32. These early critters are really special in their own way . I love mine . :-)

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