Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: lbpesq on June 06, 2011, 04:03:03 PM

Title: #25: Eagle or Wolf?
Post by: lbpesq on June 06, 2011, 04:03:03 PM

I know Mica has previously stated that #25 was Wolf.  The info on the website for the current eBay auction of what is being called Jerry Garcia's Alembic #13, refers to Ramrod's Eagle as being Alembic #25, (later branded as GD 025, then as Irwin 025). I seem to remember an Alembic owned by Ramrod coming up for auction a few years ago.  So what's the story?  Which was #25?
 
Bill, tgo

Title: #25: Eagle or Wolf?
Post by: pace on June 06, 2011, 04:37:25 PM

Was there really an early and late show at the Fillmore 2-13-70?
 
Some questions never seem to go away!

Title: #25: Eagle or Wolf?
Post by: crobbins on June 06, 2011, 05:27:38 PM

Was it ever here at all?

Title: #25: Eagle or Wolf?
Post by: bob2 on June 08, 2011, 11:17:38 AM

well, here is the old auction page from eagle:
http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=USA&screen=LotDetails&iSaleItemNo=3507437&iSaleNo=15537&iSaleSectionNo=1&sServer=http://images2.bonhams.com/&sPath=2007-02/17/7392486-55-1.jpg (http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=USA&screen=LotDetails&iSaleItemNo=3507437&iSaleNo=15537&iSaleSectionNo=1&sServer=http://images2.bonhams.com/&sPath=2007-02/17/7392486-55-1.jpg)
 
the description claims that back body panel has three inlays (two silver symbols plus the Alembic Studios logo) as well as the serial number which reads GD [Grateful Dead] 025;
 
here is the close up of the serial number from the auction page:

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/106532.jpg)
 
 
we'll need someone more expert to tell us if that is the alembic serial number or a later addition. it should be noted that the irwin serial number is on a brass plate that appears to be on the back of the headstock, while the gd025 number is on the same walnut section of the back as the alembic logo.

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/106533.jpg)
 
 
comparing #13 and eagle and wolf, i would be inclined to say that 13 is the earliest, wolf the latest, with eagle between the two.
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/106534.jpg)
 
 
with all the work that was done on wolf, the original serial number may no longer exist.

Title: #25: Eagle or Wolf?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on June 08, 2011, 06:50:50 PM

Just to confuse things even more, Irwin wasn't the only one to put his logo on a modded ax - look at the headstock of Phil's Guld (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8082) (though I must add, I haven't heard them claim it as their creation).  
 Since the eagle logo replaced the peacock & Alembic logos on Wolf about '74, and Hi-A didn't make mono p/ups until '75 (I'm assuming a hex would need more than a 1/4 jack), the mods were done at least 2 years after Jerry is supposed to have given to Ramrod.
I seem to recall reading here somewhere (can't find it) that they made at least 6 for him, so, taking Mica's word that 25 is Wolf, and knowing where 13 is, this could be 03, 05-07, 09, 11, 18, or 20-24.
 
Peter