| Author | Message | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1114 Registered: 6-2002 |
Here are the pictures Trae sent me to compress, I'll admit it was hard to stay on task while staring at this way cool Alembic. There are a bunch:          ....more to come... | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1115 Registered: 6-2002 |
            I think that's all of them  | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2642 Registered: 6-2002 |
[Several posts moved to this new thread.] | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 848 Registered: 1-2005 |
I have a question - is this guitar really from 1973? | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 812 Registered: 10-2006 |
Second pic down you can see the serial number. Peter | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1117 Registered: 6-2002 |
...and it fits in the timeline of early instruments : FC's Database | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 849 Registered: 1-2005 |
Right on - I thought that my double-neck may have been the first with the pistol-grip upper-horn shape, but this one beats it by a couple of years. This is a very cool guitar! | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 642 Registered: 4-2004 |
Looks like that serial number was stamped a later date. Perhaps the instrument was back at the shop for some of it's mods when it received the stamp? I dig the reverse headstock!!!! | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1049 Registered: 6-2002 |
Pace - I'm with you on that one. Or it could be that this guitar was made later than 1973. From looking at the electronics cover on the back of that guitar it was originally fitted with PF6 electronics. If it were fitted with PF5 electronics the guitar would also have a couple of extra holes in the face of the instrument near the volume knobs. That makes it at least a 1974. Also the location of the battery compartment suggests that it is not an instrument from 1973. As far as I know the last instrument with PF5 electronics is 73-47. This guitar is obviously newer than that with a serial number of 28. Hmmmm. Anything is possible I guess. Let's say that this instrument really was created in 73 and it's serial number is 28. Perhaps this guitar sat at Alembic a year or so before it was completed and that is why the instrument has the later features. This seems like a real nice guitar. If it were mine I would not fit the original electronics. I bet it's awesome just like it is. Michael | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 839 Registered: 12-2004 |
But where's the Logo?......could this have been an employee project? and that serialnumber stamp looks post 1973 to me also. (Message edited by serialnumber12 on October 28, 2010) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4626 Registered: 7-2004 |
Now that you mention it, #28 wouldn't even have the serial number stamped on the fretboard, but, rather, on the peghead. Perhaps Mica can chime in with more info? Bill, tgo | ||
| hellotrae
Junior Username: hellotrae Post Number: 20 Registered: 10-2010 |
I received this message this morning from Saiichi Sugiyama...He will be including a photo of Carlos playing this instrument & hopefully his report will help to solve the mystery = ) Dear Trae I am so sorry that I am taking longer than I hoped to come back to you. I have been distracted by Eric Clapton's 3rd Crossroads Auction as we are now going to show some of his guitars and amps to go on sale at the Guitar Nation show in London Olympia this weekend. I had to do some urgent last minute research for it over last week. But I now have at hand all the material I need to write your Santana Alembic report and it is a case of setting aside some time putting the pen to the paper (or creating a Word document nowadays). I have a charity gig tomorrow that I am putting together and I am doing Crossroads presentations this weekend at Guitar Nation but I expect to be able to send you the report during the course of next week. I am so sorry about the delay, Trae. And, yes, I have a photo;-) Will be on touch soon. Thank you for your patience. Best Saiichi | ||
| hellotrae
Junior Username: hellotrae Post Number: 22 Registered: 10-2010 |
Here is an small article from a 1971 issue of Billboard Magazine. It mentions Santana consulting with Alembic for the sound equipment for his studio. http://books.google.com/books?id=sggEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA82&dq=Santana%20Alembic&pg=PA82#v=onepage&q=Santana%20Alembic&f=false | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1130 Registered: 6-2002 |
Cool little article, ...nice sleuthing Trae , your doing a great job putting together this guitars provenance . | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9811 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nice article! | ||
| hellotrae
Junior Username: hellotrae Post Number: 23 Registered: 10-2010 |
I thought it was cool = ) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9838 Registered: 5-2002 |
Whoops; fell behind on my email. Trae sent a couple pics and a note in response to the questions about the logo. 'I took some detailed pics of the glue on the headstock where the Alembic logo was...according to my dad it came off several years back. He moved since then but he is certain that he still has it. There have been a few posts regarding the missing logo so I thought it would help answers their ???'s about the Logo. ~Trae"   | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 350 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi, I found whole shot of the guitar. There is no logo on the head ! Please look !  | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9846 Registered: 5-2002 |
Eiji; since there is also no bridge, I don't think it's conclusive evidence. | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2676 Registered: 6-2002 |
No nut either. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 7048 Registered: 6-2000 |
We took many pictures on the barn, and most are not of completed instruments. I'm not sure I have a completed picture of this guitar, we just didn't take that many pictures back then. Most with elaborate inlays were taken at this stage so the strings wouldn't obscure the artwork. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1134 Registered: 6-2002 |
Did it have planetary tuners on it in it's infancy? In that last shot I don't see any tuner buttons. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9850 Registered: 5-2002 |
Just got another picture from Trae; I think everyone will find this one interesting. "I just received this from Saiichi Sugiyama. Awesome!!!"  | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1051 Registered: 6-2002 |
 | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4641 Registered: 7-2004 |
That doesn't look like an Alembic logo to me. Perhaps it's inlaid within the circle? Also, it looks like an Alembic bird tailpiece peeking out from under Carlos' right hand, so the mods appear to have been done after this pic was taken. Bill, tgo | ||
| hellotrae
Junior Username: hellotrae Post Number: 24 Registered: 10-2010 |
I received a detailed report on the history of the guitar & some amazing photos of Rick Turner & Ron Wilkerson with the guitar. Rick Turner confirmed that it was built in 1973 for Santana. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9856 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Trae; I can't recall the name Ron Wilkerson. Is that someone who worked for Santana? | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 647 Registered: 4-2004 |
I'm assuming Trae is referring to Ron Wickersham..... I'm trying to figure out how the pickup selector got from one side the body to the other?!!!? | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 7050 Registered: 6-2000 |
Pickguards can hide many mysteries, Mike. I'm surprised the guitar looks so shiny on stage - since we usually did satin finishes (like the barn shot shows). | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9858 Registered: 5-2002 |
Mike; I believe you are right. | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1052 Registered: 6-2002 |
Rick Turner may have confirmed that it was built in 1973. But the barn shot shows electronics that were not available in 1973. Just sayin'. | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 351 Registered: 9-2003 |
I agree with dela217. The electronics looks like PF-6 controllers. Only a few older instruments have same layout, but these are made 72's and have oldest PUs. I think some storys. If the project started on the finger board inlays at 1973 (It was ordered as 28th instruments.), and the project needs over 12 monthes for finish ? (It was completed as later spec at 1974 or 75.) I believe original specs (that I uploaded pict.) are just like 74' or 75' (not 73'). Or the guitar was frequently updated every year. But why the serial number on the finger board ? Eiji | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 7051 Registered: 6-2000 |
One thing I'm guessing is that the guitar was refinished - look how shiny it is on stage. Finish may have filled up or obscured the the original serial number on the end of the peghead. Barn shots are circa 1973-1976. | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 648 Registered: 4-2004 |
If it was refinished, it had to have been done within a couple of years of the guitar's completion judging by the era of the pic. Aside from perhaps a logo switch, I don't see any mods in the Clapton pic to warrant a complete refinish. "Pickguards can hide many mysteries" I wonder if they figured how to remove the dummy coil, but also how deep that 2nd pup selector had to be routed in order to drill at an angle from what I'm assuming is the new HB pup route. | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 852 Registered: 1-2005 |
Any idea of a date for the pic with Clapton? Any mega-Clapton fans that can date him by his facial hair, etc.? Or Santana for that matter, by his hair, etc. I would guess the Mahavishnu/Devadip phase by his clothes - "Love Devotion Surrender" came out in 1973... | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 355 Registered: 9-2003 |
Saiichi Sugiyama said Clapton played with Santana at 1975 (with his well known"Blacky Strato"). I understand the serial number on the finger board. But I feel the guitar is not familiar with the time line yet. This is my archive's screen shot. You can feel it what I say.  Eiji | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 1059 Registered: 6-2002 |
I see some of my basses in your screenshot. But you are missing two of mine. You are missing number 16 and number 47. Unless I am not seeing all of the screen. Great job putting all of that together. Michael | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1420 Registered: 5-2009 |
I see my old Guild Bass in the upper left hand corner right next to 72-01 ! that's Cool______ Sonic Regards ______ | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 356 Registered: 9-2003 |
Michael, Ofcourse I know your No.16 and 47, and there are far left out of the screen. This shot is triming for Santana Gtr on center. Eiji | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 357 Registered: 9-2003 |
This archives are thumbnail basis for quick reference by body type and grains. It's my pleasure to filling this checkerboard. Eiji | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 651 Registered: 4-2004 |
Two questions Eiji: What's the bass below Wolf's Starfire? Do you have more pics of #13???? | ||
| room037
Advanced Member Username: room037 Post Number: 359 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi Pace, Please look "serial number / history request". I uploaded whole shot of the bass on "One of the first? 72-13" thread. Of course, there are all pics of 72-13 that I know. Thanwarin (owner of 72-13) reported the info. Eiji | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 652 Registered: 4-2004 |
Sorry for the hijack. |
