Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Serial Number / History Requests => Topic started by: Khrist92 on May 14, 2020, 10:08:18 AM

Title: (x) Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: Khrist92 on May 14, 2020, 10:08:18 AM

Recently acquired this as a 4-string compliment to my Stealth Distillate 5 (pictured). That they both have the tail, the same headstock, and are both long scale sold me on this from when I saw it. The writing on the case says it is Koa, and I could tell by the SN that it was made in 1978. One curiosity is that there is a name, "Walter Johnson" inscribed on the truss rod cover plate.

 

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: gtrguy on May 14, 2020, 10:40:40 AM

Nice looking bass! Many vintage Alembics had no truss rod cover, so folks would make one. Some personalized the covers. Of course you probably already knew that.

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: Khrist92 on May 14, 2020, 10:44:17 AM

I actually had no idea, thanks for the info!

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: StephenR on May 14, 2020, 11:07:03 AM

Congratulations on the "new" Series bass!

I own 78-1172, it has the same type of truss rod cover minus an inscription. The name could have been inscribed on your bass after it left Alembic, hard to tell and Mica does not include the name of the original owner when providing details after someone makes a Serial Number/History request.

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: elwoodblue on May 14, 2020, 01:43:17 PM

Congrats!
 I have 78 1100, a guitar.
 It also had a name inscribed on a faux cover above the nut.


cheers

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: claus on May 14, 2020, 05:27:08 PM

Quote from: gtrguy on May 14, 2020, 10:40:40 AM

Nice looking bass! Many vintage Alembics had no truss rod cover, so folks would make one. Some personalized the covers. Of course you probably already knew that.

With this serial number the truss rod cover was already standard (to my knowledge), Birthday is around May 27th 1978.

Best regards from Germany!

Claus

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: rv_bass on May 14, 2020, 05:38:53 PM

Beautiful bass(es), congratulations!   I have 1116. :)

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: Khrist92 on May 16, 2020, 02:03:58 PM

Thanks all. The series electronics have really floored me, and I was already impressed by my Distillate. There is certainly a bit of a learning curve though

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: edwin on May 17, 2020, 06:38:22 PM

I had 78-1180 for a long time. I miss it, but it is being played almost daily.

Title: Re: Series I Serial Number Request - #78 1122
Post by: mica on August 25, 2020, 10:24:41 PM

Here's what I found in the file for your bass:

serial number: 79-1122
top: Myrtle
body: Mahogany
back: Myrtle
neck: Maple and Purpleheart
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: Abalone
peghead veneers: Zebrawood
electronics: Series I
originally made for: Rothchild
birthday: May 27, 1978