| Author | Message | ||
| mnewman
Junior Username: mnewman Post Number: 30 Registered: 5-2002 |
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.    (Message edited by mica on March 10, 2015) | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 1669 Registered: 11-2004 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Very cool! | ||
| wayne
Advanced Member Username: wayne Post Number: 220 Registered: 5-2002 |
Small Standard 32???? Paging Delacerda, Michael Delacerda..... | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1156 Registered: 6-2002 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
This is the photo from rolling stone 1973. Upper left hanging from the ceiling. Looks like a match to me.  (Message edited by mica on March 10, 2015) | ||
| mnewman
Junior Username: mnewman Post Number: 33 Registered: 5-2002 |
Power supply and 5-pin cable  | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3956 Registered: 5-2009 |
(Double post error) (Message edited by sonicus on March 10, 2015) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3957 Registered: 5-2009 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Matt , thanks your response. Wolf | ||
| mnewman
Junior Username: mnewman Post Number: 35 Registered: 5-2002 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
What woods are the neck made from? | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2166 Registered: 2-2005 |
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 |
Neck woods I've been told are maple with walnut stripes | ||
| jon_jackson
Advanced Member Username: jon_jackson Post Number: 215 Registered: 12-2008 |
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 |
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 |
(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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 .  |
