| Author | Message | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 59 Registered: 10-2008 |
Just received in Hong Kong, thanks Chris (the original owner who ordered it in 1975) for selling this bass to me instead of keeping it under the bed. Custom with series II electronics, refinished/reconditioned by Alembic a few years ago and looking stunning. Plays like butter with a very low profile neck, long scale, tree of life inlay... | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 60 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 64 Registered: 10-2008 |
Details include red leds, and an amazing looking purpleheart (?) neck. The hum canceller brass ring is also a thing of beauty, you can not feel where the wood stops and the brass starts. I've been forgetting to stop for meals since this arrived... | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 914 Registered: 6-2002 |
They really outdid themselves when that bass was made.For Alembic that saying something. It's hard to look away... nice pics! Interesting truss rod cover...I haven't seen that on any others. I'd love to see a picture of the neck from the back, the purpleheart in the second picture is vibrant. | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 604 Registered: 12-2004 |
that damn thing is Beautiful!.........is this one chambered on both sides,im looking at that cut and just wondering. | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 66 Registered: 10-2008 |
Hello Barnes, it seems to be chambered on the top side, but not very much due to the big arm cut away. The cut away is really a thing of beauty as there is also a "belly cut" on the back side of the bass, so when looking from the top it has a real 3-d shape to it. Elwoodblue I'll get some shots of the back to show the neck colour - it is very vibrant, the transition to the headstock is also special. | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 67 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 68 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 69 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 70 Registered: 10-2008 |
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| senmen
Senior Member Username: senmen Post Number: 938 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Garth, many congrats to that gorgeous bass. This is really awesome.... Enjoy! Oliver (Spyderman) | ||
| tmoney61092
Advanced Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 287 Registered: 9-2008 |
that bass is beautiful!!! what does the switch below the input jack do? ~Taylor Watterson | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 71 Registered: 10-2008 |
Led dimmer...pretty cool for a '76. The controls are a bit different too, instead of two volumes there is a master and a blend with a centre notch. I like it a lot, but it does make the pickup selection switch redundant for a mono signal. | ||
| dluxe
Junior Username: dluxe Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2009 |
What a stunning bass! | ||
| enzo
Intermediate Member Username: enzo Post Number: 170 Registered: 4-2009 |
That is a wondeful bass ! It would be a stunning piece for today production, I can only imagine what was at that time ! | ||
| artswork99
Senior Member Username: artswork99 Post Number: 928 Registered: 7-2007 |
Great pictures of a beautiful bass. Congratulations! | ||
| artswork99
Senior Member Username: artswork99 Post Number: 929 Registered: 7-2007 |
Excuse me, basses! Lets make that plural. | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 72 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thanks Art, I was previously under the perception that instruments should never be refinished. Then I acquired AC070 and saw HOW Alembic do their refinish work. I'll be sending back the 78 Cocobolo bass for a recondition when I get a chance - it will come up amazing, I am sure of that. | ||
| toma_hawk01
Senior Member Username: toma_hawk01 Post Number: 428 Registered: 9-2009 |
Garth, I think it's an excellent idea to have your bass refinished. In fact, I asked the question a few months back, as to what were some good tips for Senior basses, and this was the big question... One of these days, I plan to re-finish Shorty. It would be like having a new bass with my custom stamp. I believe there should even be a section on Alembic.com called: "Dream Re-Finishing" and a associated "Finishing FTC"...showing the "Before"... then "After". Just my opinion. (Message edited by toma_hawk01 on December 09, 2009) | ||
| jcdlc72
Junior Username: jcdlc72 Post Number: 15 Registered: 11-2009 |
Stunning! And VERY custom indeed! What's with those body side cuts? They scream "custom" all the way. Oh, and what's that? NECK BINDING? A Lovely instrument, to be played on good health along with his Cocobolo cousin.  Which is also a beauty. I want one! | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 73 Registered: 10-2008 |
Hal, I'm with you now - AC070 looks new, feels new and plays new, it's a beautiful thing. So much for cool checked patina. Weathered finishes probably only look so good on some other instruments because their original finish/wood was dull to begin with. | ||
| toma_hawk01
Senior Member Username: toma_hawk01 Post Number: 429 Registered: 9-2009 |
I tried to be nostalgic, but I can't do it no more. I believe in upgrading, I just think its part of the nature of things. Lets face it, the wood is already dead, and it going through a decaying life-cycle. Perhaps we can slow down the process with a re-finish, we can play the thing and not just be a piece of non-playable artifact. A new finish adds value, if the value is about playing your bass for as long as possible. I see no differences than people upgrading their soft brass (which are prone to break) screws with steel ones. (Message edited by toma_hawk01 on December 09, 2009) | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 74 Registered: 10-2008 |
They don't make them like they used to. There were a few original parts that came with the bass, the original string anchor and the original brass hum canceller surround. The ones that were fabricated for the rebuild are so much better/higher quality/more accurate. Also all screws now have threaded inserts, and the upgraded electronics are silent (Not enough hiss to even tell that the amp/monitors are on). There is enough nostalga in the wood with all the notes that it remembers, doesn't need cracks in the finish | ||
| toma_hawk01
Senior Member Username: toma_hawk01 Post Number: 431 Registered: 9-2009 |
Exactly. The finish on my 76 Shorty is natural, but I think it's time for a new finish job. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 519 Registered: 5-2007 |
Is that Shedua? What is this Tree of Life? | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 76 Registered: 10-2008 |
Hello Vann-Di, I was referring to the fancy fingerboard as the "tree of life" inlay, but I notice that some of the others that are similar are a bit "leafier" than mine, so perhaps this is not right? I'm not sure who actually did the inlay work back in 1975-76. I'd love to find out what the official specs of the bass are. I'm sure there is a file that is over a mile long at the factory with the upgrade work that was done. I agree on the top = Schedua Here are some links to fancy fingerboard inlays: http://www.alembic.com/info/treeoflife.html http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/13228.html http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/64165.html | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 520 Registered: 5-2007 |
Thanks Garth | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9092 Registered: 5-2002 |
Great pics of this beautiful bass!! | ||
| mikeyv
New Username: mikeyv Post Number: 4 Registered: 5-2009 |
that is the Yo'est bass evah. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1823 Registered: 6-2002 |
Sure is a beauty isn't it. Jazzyvee | ||
| garth4664
Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 87 Registered: 10-2008 |
Thanks Dave, Mikey and Jazzy, Not sure what Yo'est means but I will take the compliment anyway - it is an increadible bass and I am lucky to own it. One of the original Alembic luthiers that made the bass also spotted the pictures on line and has been in touch via email - he was happy to see that the instrument was still looking great too. The other basses that were this fancy back in 1976 seem to have gone to really famous players, so I guess that now I am going to have to tighten up my chops in order to do this one justice. Bit timid about posting these, but here are a few of my bands (Australia and Hong Kong), unfortunately I'm not playing Alembics in any of these clips... http://www.youtube.com/user/RockingHongKong www.sforzando.com.au Cheers | ||
| 76ac070
Intermediate Member Username: 76ac070 Post Number: 132 Registered: 5-2002 |
Finally, I am going to weigh-in on some of the topics of this (very old) discussion. Since I am the one that had this wonderful instrument built, I suppose I'm the best one to supply a couple of authoritative answers (although Mica COULD dispute that!). The bass was constructed - based on my (at the time considered ridiculous) specs by: Ron Wickersham Susan Wickersham Rick Turner Frank Fuller ..and a few others whose names escape me (sorry, Mary - I know you "had a hand in it" too!) :-) The quasi-Tree Of Life inlay was designed (mostly) by Susan, with LOTS of annoying input from me. The most important piece of it (to me, at the time) was the inclusion of the Libra glyph at the first position. Yep! Look closely, and you'll see how Susan masterfully worked that in. The LED dimmer option was something that they had never had to deal with before. As a matter of fact, they wondered WHY I would want lights - AND have the option to dim them, too! Regardless, my insanity prevailed. The neck was (very loosely) modeled after a '63 Fender C neck. I had it shaved so thin, that they had to reverse the neck laminates and make as PH/WA/PH/WA/PH. They were not very happy about having to use all of that Purple Heart in one neck! That's it (for now). If anyone has any questions, I'll be checking-in from time-to-time (now that I'm largely over the trauma of selling "my left arm") Enjoy "Baby" and have as much fun with her as I did. C 'YA! Chris | ||
| garth4664
Intermediate Member Username: garth4664 Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2008 |
Hello Chris, Itīs been a while since we last emailed but just wanted to let you know that 76AC070 is with me living and building wind farms in Ecuador. Sheīs coping with the altitude very well and Ive been jamming with the Andeans here. Left all the other basses in China and Australia. Canīt bare to leave this one. Cheers mate. Thanks again. | ||
| 76ac070
Intermediate Member Username: 76ac070 Post Number: 133 Registered: 5-2002 |
Glad to hear that you're doing well and that the bass is responding well to the "rigors of the road." I fully understand WHY she would be "the one bass" to travel with you! "Building wind farms in Ecuador" WOW! That is some interesting stuff, there. I couldn't help but think "it must be interesting getting high on music with Andeans." (pun intended) Be well! Chris | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 10869 Registered: 5-2002 |
Building wind farms in Ecuador does sound pretty cool; and it's nice to look in on this beautiful instrument again. | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 495 Registered: 9-2004 |
I like that shape, it looks so modern! |
