Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: bassplayer on May 17, 2007, 03:36:01 PM

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: bassplayer on May 17, 2007, 03:36:01 PM

Hi all,
 
Today a friend send me a few pics of an Alembic i've never seen before.
Can anyone tell me the specs of this bass, and possibly a serialnumber??
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Bassplayer
 
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/39891.jpg)

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: tbrannon on May 17, 2007, 04:26:59 PM

It's a Series I, but the routing around the pickups sure doesn't look like anything I've ever seen....
 
I'm sure somebody who actually knows what they're talking about will chime in before long.  Cool bass, but I wonder what the story behind the pickup routing is.

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: rraymond on May 17, 2007, 05:00:29 PM

That is cool. The pickup routing reminds me of one of those Atlansia's, or whatever, from Japan.
 
Cool bass!

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: bsee on May 17, 2007, 11:41:33 PM

It looks like pics of one of those mini basses to me - Barbie sized.  Is it real?

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: dela217 on May 18, 2007, 03:27:28 AM

It kinda looked little to me too!  Look at the stripes in the background material.  Something seems funny about that.  But if you look at the back, that sure is a lot of detail for a tiny bass.

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: room037 on May 18, 2007, 07:36:08 AM

Hi,
 
This bass is now for sale (JPY 399000) in Tokyo.
Yes, it is not Barbie size.
The bass was produced 1977.
I asked the shop but I don't get any other info.
 
Eiji

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: keurosix on May 18, 2007, 07:40:07 AM

Looks like a Series 1 from the '80s. It has a brass truss rod cover and non-adjustable nut, and lower horn pickup selector. The radius around the pickups could be a special detail from the factory, or maybe someone dinged up the wood and then radiused all around to clean it up. Can't tell without a closeup.
Kris

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: georgie_boy on May 18, 2007, 10:57:24 AM

The heads are not like anything I've seen before!?-I'm talking about the alignment-I.ve got a 76 Series 1 and the heads are totally in line.
IMHO  something is amiss somewhere with this bass.---could even go with the BARBY bass
 
G

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: 811952 on May 18, 2007, 11:12:24 AM

The tuning keys on early basses weren't always oriented square with everything else (though obviously most were/are).  Keavin's #12 is a good example of this (even though much older than this bass).  I would guess it would have depended upon desired aesthetics dictated/requested by the person for whom it was built (much like the very non-standard recesses around the pickups), since I don't believe Alembic built very many instruments that weren't already spoken-for in those days..
 
John

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: bassplayer on May 20, 2007, 01:29:06 PM

Hi all,
 
Thank you for all the replies and sorry for MY late one....
@room037: you mentioned this bass being for sale?? 3 words: where and how much??
 
Cheers,
 
Bassplayer

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: room037 on May 20, 2007, 03:29:49 PM

Hi,
 
It's  HERE (http://www.genu.co.jp/StockList.htm) !
77' Alembic bass is ARRIVAL section.
The price is JPY 399000 (about US$ 3300).
I didn't go to the shop, but the bass is still available on web site.
Unfortunately, original hardcase is not included.
 
Eiji @ Tokyo

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: jake on June 19, 2007, 05:03:38 PM

those pickup routs are pretty weird

Title: Any ideas??
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on June 20, 2007, 02:32:39 PM

Aria and Kawai used to make copies of Alembics.  Sometimes these copies were 'modified' to appear true Alembics.  
This looks like a Kawai bass I used to own.  (Of course, mine had neither the Alembic logo nor the bird tail-piece).