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gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 172
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 2:29 pm:   Edit Post

Just picked up this unusual 1977 fretless (77-829).

The sellor told me he bought it new in 78 and that it was custom made for a famous 70's bass player who ordered it but never picked it up, and may have passed away. Who knows, I love a good story.

The bad, PUPs replaced with Barts and elec card missing. Neck sustained damage years ago, almost sheared off but re-glued and totally stable. Missing battery cover, orig knobs, series output jack, logo, and orig case. No power supply or cable. The good: plays and sounds fantastic, The wood selection is amazing, orig tuners, bridge and tail. Also has dummy pickup. Pretty good finish. strap pins never moved, pickup holes do not appear to be routed. Plus the price was right.

I am thinking of getting the missing logo and some orig knobs and just keeping this one as a player until maybe one day returning it to the mother ship for a redo of the neck joint and a refinish.

The body wood looks like burl with a purple heart lam and something else in there, and maple and walnut with purple heart in the neck. There is a taper to the top of the body. I am thinking this is a little rare in 1977, plus the body shape is interesting.

Bye,
Dave
12
34

(Message edited by davehouck on February 08, 2009)
eflat
Junior
Username: eflat

Post Number: 31
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 2:33 pm:   Edit Post

Rare or not it sure looks fine, good catch! It is nice that someone took the time to put in proper sized pups instead of hacking it up.

Gary
room037
Advanced Member
Username: room037

Post Number: 252
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 3:20 pm:   Edit Post

Wow !
It's show on "History Pictures".
The bass is one of my favorite !
I wish to be the owner in the future. (Please call me the first !)

Please show me more Pict. pict. pict....!

Eiji

(Message edited by room037 on February 08, 2009)

(Message edited by room037 on February 08, 2009)
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7512
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 3:36 pm:   Edit Post

Very interesting!!
artswork99
Senior Member
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 556
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 5:57 pm:   Edit Post

Yes, very... a visit with family and restoration would be incredible (could you imagine). Interesting horns! No template on that shape I'll bet. The artistry is wonderfully recognizable from the era. Thanks for posting Dave and the additional info Eiji. The history is so cool.

(Message edited by artswork99 on February 08, 2009)
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7518
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 6:18 pm:   Edit Post

Eiji always has a great memory (and a great data base!). The picture he references gives some nice perspective.
gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 173
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 11:27 am:   Edit Post

A couple more photos. Just starting to clean the brass. Anyone have any series one pickups, electronics, switchs, knobs, or a logo they would care to part with?

Bye,
Dave45
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7532
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 11:33 am:   Edit Post

I thought that might be a fan headstock when I saw the fourth picture in the first post. Very cool!
gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 174
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 12:21 pm:   Edit Post

Yes, I think the fan style is pretty rare for a four string and kinda rare overall.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 937
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 4:47 pm:   Edit Post

I have a set of those same Bartolini's that came to me in an Alembic. They sure sound good. BUT, you really need to find the right stuff! That bass is a beaut!
room037
Advanced Member
Username: room037

Post Number: 253
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 6:23 pm:   Edit Post

Yea ! Fan head !
I was also thinking about the head.
"History Picture" doesn't show it.
Really "COOL !"

Hi Dave,
Thank you for the words.
It's my pleasure to seek as well as play with ALEMBIC.
Just like Treasure hunting !

Eiji
gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 178
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 12:36 pm:   Edit Post

Couldn't resist transferring some knobs and a logo to it and cleaning it up some more. The back looks like the front. Maybe a walnut burl?

1

2

3

4

(Message edited by mica on February 23, 2009)
artswork99
Senior Member
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 575
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 12:57 pm:   Edit Post

Looking real good!
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 943
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 3:57 pm:   Edit Post

I really like that exagerated lower horn on that body. A couple of those on a small standard would be pretty in my opinion.

The bass looks great!
dadabass2001
Senior Member
Username: dadabass2001

Post Number: 1019
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 4:33 pm:   Edit Post

It's beautiful, whatever the wood is...
:-)
Mike
kungfusheriff
Senior Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 802
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 6:46 pm:   Edit Post

Wow!
fc_spoiler
Senior Member
Username: fc_spoiler

Post Number: 887
Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 9:54 am:   Edit Post

Extremely stunning!

You should be lucky with the Bartolini upgrade, be sure to keep her that way. ;-)
If there are more holes than controls, you can use them to build some effects or whatever directly into your bass.
You can use the battery compartment for coins, so you will always have them in reach when you park your car/have to pay toll or whatever you need coins for.

I wonder why there aren't much more old basses with the Bartolini upgrade here...

Anyway, congrats!
fc_spoiler
Senior Member
Username: fc_spoiler

Post Number: 917
Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Saturday, June 06, 2009 - 8:24 am:   Edit Post

Any news on this one?
sonicus
Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 86
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Saturday, June 06, 2009 - 9:47 am:   Edit Post

I own 2 Alembics with Alembic pick ups and several other Bass's with Bartolini pick ups. I think the Bartolini's are good BUT personally my opinion is that they are do not compete with Alembic pick ups and electronics. This fretless Alembic is really beautiful! if she were mine I would ask the 'Mother ship" to restore her to pedigree status with Alembic pick ups and electronics and wood work as needed. This again is my opinion , just my 2 cents worth. My congrats to you on such an exemplary
acquisition.This is just the kind custom creation that opens eyes
and sparks compliments . AWESOME BASS!!!!!!!
serialnumber12
Senior Member
Username: serialnumber12

Post Number: 452
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Sunday, June 07, 2009 - 4:06 am:   Edit Post

I Love that shine what did clean it with?.......im gonna have to give mine a shine!
gtrguy
Advanced Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 209
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 9:01 am:   Edit Post

Well, I used 1500 then 2000 grit wet sandpaper and a sanding block to flatten it and then some swirl remover polish and a lot of elbow grease to make it shine up like new again, plus a good carnuba wax on top. The finish on this guitar looks more like a hard clearcoat than the usual finish.
adriaan
Moderator
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2989
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, November 17, 2012 - 1:32 am:   Edit Post

[picture posted on another thread - way to pretty not to show it here!]
3
hammer
Advanced Member
Username: hammer

Post Number: 270
Registered: 9-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2012 - 12:35 pm:   Edit Post

David:

That is gorgeous. What are the woods?
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2700
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2012 - 6:54 pm:   Edit Post

Awesome fretless ! I like_______
charles_holmes
Advanced Member
Username: charles_holmes

Post Number: 204
Registered: 3-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2012 - 7:01 pm:   Edit Post

Why the Bartolini pick ups?!!
bassplayer420
New
Username: bassplayer420

Post Number: 10
Registered: 10-2012
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2012 - 11:54 pm:   Edit Post

yeah thats definitely a sweet fretless!! I like the woods that were used and how the wood is much darker on the horns from the rest of the body.
gtrguy
Senior Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 535
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Friday, November 09, 2012 - 11:05 am:   Edit Post

The Barts are no more (I actually sold them on EBay for quite a good price) and I now have a complete Alembic series electronics setup and two sets of series pickups to try out in it, thanks to some great members of this forum! I hope to find time to get it all back together in the next 9 months.

top and back: Walnut
core: Maple Walnut Purpleheart
neck: Maple, Walnut, Beech, Purpleheart
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony, unlined fretless
peghead veneers: Walnut
birthday: September 20, 1977
originally made for: Lee Dorman?

Lee Dorman is the bass player for Iron Butterfly.

I have no idea why the original guts were removed. It actually sounded very good with the bartolini setup but I wanted it to be more original. It is featured on Alembics history page.
hammer
Advanced Member
Username: hammer

Post Number: 280
Registered: 9-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2012 - 11:17 am:   Edit Post

David: That's one of the most incredible walnut tops I've seen on a bass. The distinctness of the upper and lower areas is so great at first I thought that they were from two different sources.
dejan
Member
Username: dejan

Post Number: 52
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Friday, November 16, 2012 - 1:57 am:   Edit Post

Awesome fretless! I like Bartolini pickups for fretless....but I'm sure that Alembic PU are more appropriate,and they sound good too!! Beautiful!!!
moonliner
Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 66
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2012 - 6:07 pm:   Edit Post

This is a personal favorite. Very unique and gorgeous.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 2721
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2012 - 7:12 pm:   Edit Post

Classic Alembic Beauty , Simply Irresistible , She makes my head spin ________! YES ! The Alembic replacement electronics were a good decision in my opinion . The Alembic pickups are my first choice if you are going with active electronics. Bartolini's are nice if you are going passive. I own Bass's with both .
klinkepeter
Member
Username: klinkepeter

Post Number: 83
Registered: 2-2008
Posted on Sunday, November 25, 2012 - 2:50 pm:   Edit Post

Thatīs one of the most beautiful basses iīve ever seen, it has to go with the original pickups. If u ever record with it just share a file with us, i really wonder, how it sounds like...

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