| Author |
Message |
scrub
New
Username: scrub
Post Number: 4
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 10:51 pm: |  |
Yup, definately peened.
"You know", he says as he reaches for the trusty Essence sitting next to his chair, "I really kind of like that peened tailpiece. I wonder..." |
dela217
Intermediate Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 185
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 6:06 am: | |
I wonder what is holding that switch plate in place?
If there is no extra battery plate on the rear, and no cavity for an internal humcanceller, I would think that it would make the bass older than a 74! This is getting weirder with every post. Before they started putting the dummy pickup under the tailpiece, they were just laid inside the control cavity and held in place with foam. But, that is just on the very earliest of Alembics, 72ish. Hmmm. |
slam630
Junior
Username: slam630
Post Number: 14
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 6:38 am: | |
I really like the look of the tailpiece too. That was one of the first things I noticed about the bass. I assume when Alembic first started they had nobody machining tailpieces and bridges. Were the first ones made by hand? Anybody got a pic of super early basses?
FWIW, I was told by the seller that this is one of the first Alembic basses. Supposedly this was confirmed by Alembic at some point.
I wonder if that serial number is original. If the headstock was repaired or replaced then it may not be. |
dela217
Intermediate Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 186
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 10:18 am: | |
There is a few early ones in the Showcase section listed as series 1's. You will be able to see the similarities. I think that all the tailpieces were handmade back then, and they still may be.
|
thrill74
Junior
Username: thrill74
Post Number: 16
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 1:22 pm: | |
The brass parts are machine. But the nuts are hand slotted during the setup. Don't know about the super early stuff. Trying to figure that one out too. After looking at the headstock pic again, do the laminate look slanted to you. Look at the edges and then the sandwhich itself. Just me? This looks like it could be very early though. I've just been looking at the showcase Series stuff. The 73' stuff is too top notch.
http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/2435.html?1038574445
|
slam630
Junior
Username: slam630
Post Number: 15
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 01, 2003 - 11:06 am: | |
Anyone have any idea what the other two knobs do? I cant figure them out.
Tonight will be the first time taken to a gig. The true test of an instrument IMO. |
malthumb
Member
Username: malthumb
Post Number: 97
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 9:00 am: | |
I know that I'm late to this thread, but any chance this bass could be 74-94, or 106? It is likely not 74-64. As dela217 has pointed out 64 is a short scale (listed on the Stolen Alembics page, btw). It's not 74-84. I used to own that one and this ain't it. The only other "rounded" numbers in the ballpark are 94 and 106. Just guessin'.
Peace,
James |
811952
Junior
Username: 811952
Post Number: 15
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, October 24, 2003 - 7:26 pm: | |
Just out of curiosity, supposing the headstock were from the aforementioned stolen 74-64, which maybe had been cannibalized. Another thought, There is a guy in London named Andy ??? who runs/ran Andy's Guitar Workshop (27 Denmark Street in Soho) and built basses which were practically Alembic clones. He did the setup work on John Paul Jones Alembic and Jimmy Page's guitar(s) in the '70's and copied the Alembics very convincingly. I thought they *were* Alembics until he told me otherwise (I didn't own one yet and therefore can't say how they were different, other than them having a balanced 3-pin xlr output... |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 2:27 pm: | |
Hi guys,
I am the new owner of the bass. It is a 32" scale, Not a 34" as posted by slam. The serial looks to be 10647. I also found a piece of paper in the gig bag that came with the case with dates on it. it says;
23 JUN 68
Pickup 130478
Vol-'76
Tone-'78
It might be a chronological list of when work was done on the bass. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 2:38 pm: | |
Another thing, it looks like it used to have a cover plate between the pickups like the one on this bass.
There is no doubt that the pickups were changed, and when that was done, they probaly changed the covers. |
mica
Moderator
Username: mica
Post Number: 1276
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 2:49 pm: | |
The date of that note predates the conception of Alembic. I'm afraid I would still classify it as a mystery bass. But mysteries beg to be solved, so I'm sure between all the wise Alembic minds at the Club we'll figure out exactly what this bass is someday.
But more importantly, how do you like it? Does it play well, sound good? |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 2:56 pm: | |
Hi,
The first date might not mean much. BTW, after further investigation of the serial number, it looks to be 106 74. Does that sound like something? |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 3:02 pm: | |
BTW, it plays great. It looks like it was stained at one time, as in one of the cavities, it looks like the neck is actually maple and walnut. I'm hoping the 106 74 serial number will shed some light on this bass. It also looks like the headstock overlay was replaced. |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 224
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2003 - 10:32 am: | |
I guess the only thing that matters really is if it plays and sounds great.
I could be wrong, but I think if the bass has a serial number of 106, that would actually make it a 1975 instrument and not a 1974. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 9:16 am: | |
More and more, as I investigate this bass, I see so many similarities to an Alembic of this era. The control plate has 5 holes, whereas the cavity has 10 holes. Reminants of the original pickup cavities look to be the right size for pickups of that era. There are 2 gromets between the pickups that look like they were screw holes for a plate like the one that is on this bass http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1145.html?1049497080
The bridge looks to be the right era. The tailpiece might have been changed, as there are a few more screw holes under it.
As I stated in a previous post, it looks like a previous owner stained the bass with a dark stain, possibly walnut, so the wood color is wrong for the types of wood used.
I'm sure the brass plates were made after the newer pickups were installed.
Mica emailed me and told me that someone else pulled the #106 file. She is supposed to get back to me when she finds out more. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 9:25 am: | |
More and more, as I investigate this bass, I see so many similarities to an Alembic of this era. The control plate has 5 holes, whereas the cavity has 10 holes. Reminants of the original pickup cavities look to be the right size for pickups of that era. There are 2 gromets between the pickups that look like they were screw holes for a plate like the one that is on this bass http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1145.html?1049497080
The bridge looks to be the right era. The tailpiece might have been changed, as there are a few more screw holes under it.
As I stated in a previous post, it looks like a previous owner stained the bass with a dark stain, possibly walnut, so the wood color is wrong for the types of wood used.
I'm sure the brass plates were made after the newer pickups were installed.
Mica emailed me and told me that someone else pulled the #106 file. She is supposed to get back to me when she finds out more. |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 230
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 9:36 am: | |
John - This seems to get more interesting all the time. The brass plate on the front of my bass in the link you included on the last post, is where the 2 9-volt batteries are. Alembic stopped putting the batteries on the front of the instruments in 1974 somewhere between serial number 50 and 60. Is there a cavity between the 2 pickups that look like 2 9-volt batteries would fit on the mystery bass?-----Michael |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 7
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 11:15 am: | |
Yea, there is a cavity there. It looks like it couls hold 2, but it now holds just 1 because of the new electronics. I'm wondering if the new circuit could be made to 18v or if it's just a 9 volt circuit. It looks to me like it's this circuit, only the previous owner also put in a master volume (big round silver pot).
http://www.alembic.com/prod/pickups.html
He also modified the switches to be on/off switches. Everything else on the bass seems to be true Alembic.
This bass has a very narrow neck. The fingerboard also looks to be a laminate of ebony/maple/ebony. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 8
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 4:20 pm: | |
Oh yea, another thing, it is a semi-hollow body.
Just wondering something, if it was an employee project, would it even have a serial number on it? |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 234
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 12:01 pm: | |
I would have expected for it to be hollow. That is how the Series basses were made.
I would think that an employee project would not have serial numbers. I have one with NO numbers. I also heard it was a no-no for a project bass to have an Alembic logo on it. Mine has a BecVar logo on it, but I suspect it was made at Alembic. It seems to me that the bass you have has two sets of numbers. I think I would lean toward what the smaller set of numbers say. I think those would be more "Alembic", if you know what I mean. The other set of numbers look like an afterthought. The smaller numbers are consistent with the size of the numbers on other Alembic instruments. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 9
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 3:38 pm: | |
I noticed on the serial number, the 74 is on one side of the point on the headstock, and the 106 is on the other side. You really can't see it too well in the pictures, but in person you can see it real well.
Another thing, it looks like there were 3 small screw holes near the top of the headstock face that were filled in. |
dela217
Advanced Member
Username: dela217
Post Number: 235
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 4:49 pm: | |
Are those the small numbers? If that is so, then I would trust those most. That is how it should be stamped. The year of creation on one side, and the number of the instrument on the other.
If you see 3 small holes that were filled in, that is a good sign. Is it two on the top end of the headstock and one toward the nut? They should be in the shape of a triangle if you connect the dots. The Alembic logo has 3 pins under it that held it to the headstock. |
navybass
New
Username: navybass
Post Number: 10
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 6:07 am: | |
Yea, those are the small numbers. Also, the holes are shaped like a triangle, 2 on top and 1 on bottom.
This is looking good.
I was wondering if we determine that this is a real Alembic, what my chances would be to get a headstock logo to put on there.
(Message edited by navybass on December 07, 2003) |
mica
Moderator
Username: mica
Post Number: 1292
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 10:26 am: | |
Once it can be verified, chances are 100%. The one catch is that logos have to be installed at the factory, so it's usually best to wait until you've got more work to do at the same time since shipping can be very $$$. |
navybass
Junior
Username: navybass
Post Number: 11
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 12:05 pm: | |
Mica, How much would it cost to get complete Series I electronics installed on this bass? |
navybass
Junior
Username: navybass
Post Number: 12
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 12:43 pm: | |
Mica, are you there? I would like to talk to you in private please. |
mica
Moderator
Username: mica
Post Number: 1295
Registered: 6-2000
| | Posted on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 2:09 pm: | |
No I wasn't here. Shortly after posting to you I signed off for the day (I don't always get to hang out in the Club on the weekend). You're welcome to call our office 10-4 at 707-523-2611. My lunch hour is very random (I haven't gone yet today). Best time to catch me is morning.
Complete Series I electronic install is pricey, between $3500-4500 depending on specifics. I don't think I have any used stock right now, so I have to quote you new prices. The price does include a power supply and cable and the full calibration.
Give me a call if you'd like to discuss this further. |
navybass
Junior
Username: navybass
Post Number: 13
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 5:19 am: | |
Well, I called Mica yesterday because I was a little concerned that this bass might be the stolen 74 64. I was relieved to find out that it was not. It wasn't the right scale length nor did it have the right wood for the top to be that bass. 74 64 has a maple top.
I must say that Mica is a very nice person to talk to. She is extremely helpful. We had a very nice conversation. Her customer relations skills are first rate.
Thanks Mica. |
57basstra
Advanced Member
Username: 57basstra
Post Number: 391
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 7:27 pm: | |
Anyone every hear any more about this bass? Was the date of birth every established? Thanks.... |
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