Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: matbard on June 23, 2025, 12:13:09 AM
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Hello Community,
My 1980 Series 1 MSB needs some caring: all but one of the brass control plate little screws are stripped and I cannot open nor inspect the cavity. Which way do you suggest to recover it? Also I know that nowadays Alembic installs threaded inserts and propers crews to close the plates: which size I have to find?
Also, the fixed brass nut is a little too low for my playing style, so do you suggest changing it with an adjustable one?
Thank you in advance,
- Matteo
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Hey Matteo, you have a couple options here...
For those stripped backplate screwholes, you could upgrade to the threaded inserts for all five of them. The screws are available in the Alembic store for a minimal cost, https://store.turbify.net/alembic/platescrews.html (https://store.turbify.net/alembic/platescrews.html) and I bet they'll send you some inserts too if you ask nicely. I don't believe those are listed for sale.
For a quick fix; carefully remove the backplate and screws. Lay it aside out of the way. Use some masking tape to provide backing for each of the five holes, then clip the ends from some wood toothpicks to the appropriate length. Put a small amount of CA glue on each piece and slip them into the screw holes. Once the glue sets, pull the tape out. That should tighten up the holes enough to secure the backplate.
Regarding the nut- replacing it with an adjustable one is tricky. They do this in the shop, and it requires some machine work. One Club Member posted a link one time to a commercially available adjustable nut, but I've long since forgotten where that is... (*if you give me a few minutes I might find it, simply because I remember whose bass it was...) a quicker fix might be to simply place a thin brass shim under your existing fixed nut. If a few thousandths will do what you need, then that's easily executed. I did this after a refret on my '77 Series bass rendered the nut just a bit too low. I placed a 0.010 shim under it. Problem solved.
*found it... hat-tip KR.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/warwick_just_a_nut_iii_brass_4_str_44.htm (https://www.thomannmusic.com/warwick_just_a_nut_iii_brass_4_str_44.htm)
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Hi Ed,
Unfortunately, I'mk figuring how to get those little bastard screws out from the holes, as I cannot remove the blackplate right now! Thank you for the link for the nut, unfortunately that size is out of stock, and I'm guessing if it will fit the original nut as well.
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Ah, that is troublesome!
Okay, try this; use something that won't mar the finish or crush the wood to pry with. (apologies in advance if this doesn't translate well to Italian..., but your English seems better than mine. ::) ) I would suggest a little piece of wood, like a popsicle stick or medical tongue depressor, sand it to a sharp wedge shape so it will slip under the edge of the back plate. As you pry up on the plate, gently unscrew the stripped screws. It shouldn't take much pressure to get the plate to lift, and once and edge is started, just work your way around. Take your time. ;)
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Hello Community,
My 1980 Series 1 MSB needs some caring: all but one of the brass control plate little screws are stripped and I cannot open nor inspect the cavity. Which way do you suggest to recover it? Also I know that nowadays Alembic installs threaded inserts and propers crews to close the plates: which size I have to find?
Also, the fixed brass nut is a little too low for my playing style, so do you suggest changing it with an adjustable one?
Thank you in advance,
- Matteo
When you say stripped, do you mean the threads or are you talking about where the screwdriver goes?
If it’s the latter, you can get screw extractors, but I’m not sure if they would be small enough.
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Try the rubber band trick listed here: https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-stripped-screws/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90160abf30b
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Well... I explained the issue in the wrong way, my fault.
The screws are fine, the thread in the wood is stripped so they continue rotating without going out... The problem is that almost all but one are stripped, so I cannot move the backplate enough to put something underside and pull up.
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I understood you... little hassles like this all day every day in my shop. 😉 How about a suction cup of some kind Matteo? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suction_cup It only needs to provide a little bit of lift, and should seal to that brass.
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With the small screws, how about a solder-sucker?
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChsSEwi0w6bUkIqOAxUxbn8AHfS5EKMYACICCAEQGhoCb2E&co=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItMOm1JCKjgMVMW5_AB30uRCjEAQYBSABEgJMGPD_BwE&sph=&cce=1&sig=AOD64_3chPc9po8Kep8ZQtUj-5PrYtf_WA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjtj6LUkIqOAxVA4ckDHfc4AYMQwg8oAHoECAcQKA&adurl= (https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChsSEwi0w6bUkIqOAxUxbn8AHfS5EKMYACICCAEQGhoCb2E&co=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItMOm1JCKjgMVMW5_AB30uRCjEAQYBSABEgJMGPD_BwE&sph=&cce=1&sig=AOD64_3chPc9po8Kep8ZQtUj-5PrYtf_WA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjtj6LUkIqOAxVA4ckDHfc4AYMQwg8oAHoECAcQKA&adurl=)
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Could strong tape pull the "stripped" screws out? Or even be used to pull the brass plate away from the bass? Or just turn the bass over so the pickups are facing up and the brass plate is trying to fall out. Seems like you'd at least be able to get under an edge if the plate is that loose.
However, if it turns out the "stripped" screws are actually attached to "inserts" and these inserts have been pushed through beyond the wood lip - then they may spin but not actually release. Is the one screw that is still functional a wood screw or a machine screw?
Jimmy J
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Try the suction cup that Greg mentioned. I have old basses and the plates get stuck all the time and I use a suction cup to pull it open and it works great.
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Hello all-
Does the series cavity lip which the plate screw into supposed to have small inserts? I have (2) series I am trying to clean up and restore, both have back panel issues, the omega only has one screw (wood screw into 1/4" body cavity) that still holds. I taped the electronics panel closed until I removed it for fear of something getting loose or broken while I refinish it.
I have put in the inserts on the spoiler bass which had some missing, its a little touchy. Great tutorial posted in Alembic club.
I am a ways from getting the electronics back from alembic, but trying to determine what to do about back panel.
Status of where those projects are at( sort of ) in picture
Hope all is well
Ed
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Yes, as Mica answered on the other thread, the main backplate is retained by wood screws, while the batteries one have threads
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Yep. agreed, just seemed to be some variances( possibly aftermarket) that had the inserts Cool talking to her. Such nice folks. o
Never hurts to ask this club. seriously knowledgable folks in addition word from the "mothership" lol.
were you able to access the back panel?
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The time when something changes in the standard specs (like threaded inserts on all plates) isn't a hard line. And if we get an old bass in for work, we tend to want to put the threaded inserts on every plate shelf if possible.
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Hi all, and thanks to Mica!
I finally managed to open the plate... please give a welcome to the guts ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/9fuJcdL.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4EWGiFl.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZzghzYC.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tSJPa6S.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6B5p3mi.jpeg)
And here the little demon screws:
(https://i.imgur.com/9zx70x4.jpeg)
So basically now I have to put the threaded inserts, but I'm a little scared about the narrow wood edge, I fear to crack it
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There you go! Everything looks in order there too.
Practice on another piece of wood first, Matteo. Once you're comfortable sizing the holes for the threaded inserts, set them in your bass. (you've seen the installation instructions, right?) https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=207.0 Again, before gluing in, back those holes with some masking tape to keep any excess from dripping inside. ;)
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Practice on another piece of wood first, Matteo. Once you're comfortable sizing the holes for the threaded inserts, set them in your bass. (you've seen the installation instructions, right?) https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=207.0 Again, before gluing in, back those holes with some masking tape to keep any excess from dripping inside. ;)
Yes, I read Mica's guide about installing threaded inserts many times, but I'm guessing how they could keep the screws without wood support on the bottom, as I'm going to put them in the tiny edge
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I struggle with this on a few of my basses too. It would be nice to see the threaded inserts in the Alembic store along with the screws.
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Hello Community,
I managed to repair the stripped holes using the old skool method (little toothpicks dowels glued with Titebond), then I redrilled the pilot holes and put the cleaned, original wood screws into.
Now the arrangment seems to work properly! ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/WIfhh7S.jpeg)
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Another question: the trimmer pots on the rear were all "maxed out" (completely turned clockwise). I put them all at the minimum.
Is there a "preset" position from which starting adjusting gain and noise suppression? Thanks!
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Nothing wrong with the old-skool toothpick fix on stripped screw holes. If it works, then it works.
Here's the humcancelling procedure thread: https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=269.0
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Here's the humcancelling procedure thread: https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=269.0
Thanks Ed, I read that thread before and saved it for the humcancelling procedure. But are there "zero positions" for the the two gain pots?
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I set mine so that the outputs for each pickup were balanced, as I most often play with both of them engaged, but also turned down enough so that the overall output was not vastly louder than my other two Alembic basses that are not Series-equipped. (if that makes any sense...) I often switch between them, and this keeps me from having to adjust input gain at the amp or preamp point. These Series basses send out a really 'hot' signal.
In short, I don't think it matters what level the gain for each pickup is set to, only that you dial out the inherent hum at that setting with the inner trimpot to that pickup. Maybe start with the gain trimpots in the middle of their sweep, and adjust from there? Just remember to do one at a time.