Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Serial Number / History Requests => Topic started by: Soldersoldier on February 02, 2019, 03:56:57 PM

Title: (x) 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: Soldersoldier on February 02, 2019, 03:56:57 PM

This bass has been in the family for years and I was wondering what the specs on it are. It's a fretless six string elan, but I have no idea what the wood types are. Is there anything on file?

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: pauldo on February 02, 2019, 05:47:42 PM

Post a few pics and someone here can probably identify the woods. 
It often take awhile before the build card can be pulled... patience is your friend.

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: Soldersoldier on February 06, 2019, 06:21:17 AM

Here's one pic of the bass, I think it may be cocobolo? I'm not sure, but whatever it is it's beautiful.

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: tbrannon on February 06, 2019, 09:57:50 AM

interesting strap pin extension on the upper horn.

kind of tough to diagnose the top wood with the lighting, but looks like it's walnut to me.

maple and purpleheart neck, maple body core and standard Europa electronics.

nice bass!!

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: Soldersoldier on February 07, 2019, 06:31:57 AM

The maple's been yellowed a ton over the years, when I pulled off the tailpiece I was shocked to find out that the whole thing wasn't stained like I always thought it was. Smoky bars I think are to blame, since it was used so much in that environment. My dad's '76 Precision suffered the same fate too.

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: the_home on February 07, 2019, 04:22:15 PM

The top does resemble walnut, but I'm confused by the light 'flares' (sapwood?) around the bridge and at the neck joining to the body. Interesting figuring.

While I find it a beautiful bass, for me it is doubly intimidating as a fretless six string.

Title: Re: 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: mica on February 26, 2019, 06:48:42 PM

Here's the details from the instrument file:

top: Coco Bolo (there is some sapwood by the neck)
accent: Walnut pinstripe
body: Maple
neck: 11-piece Maple and Purpleheart
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony, fretless unlined (first fret side dot!)
pickups: 2 AXY56, move neck pickup 1/2" closer to bridge*
controls: "Elan Plus" volume, pan, filter, Q-switch, bass cut/flat/boost, treble cut/flat/boost, mono output
originally made for: Washington Music, MD
birthday: June 21, 1991
*this is the current standard position, but it was special back then!

Original owner was in Maryland, the bass was custom made for him. In 1994 it was registered to another person in Maryland. In 1995, we received a letter from your father, notifying us of the new ownership. Would you like to know the nickname he gave the bass?

Title: Re: (x) 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: Soldersoldier on February 27, 2019, 06:29:32 AM

Was it Mama Roux?

Title: Re: (x) 91H6586- Had for years, serial request
Post by: mica on February 27, 2019, 12:15:23 PM

Quote from: Soldersoldier on February 27, 2019, 06:29:32 AM

Was it Mama Roux?

Big Mama Roux