Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Fun Stories => Topic started by: omega_heart81 (omega_heart81) on January 09, 2003, 11:32:17 AM

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: omega_heart81 (omega_heart81) on January 09, 2003, 11:32:17 AM

Hello! I've just got my wonderful '81 Series I and it's just amazing... but I have some troubles with slap.
The room is not a problem, but when I pop the G string, my fingernail catch one of the little bolts on the truss rod cover, 'cause their heads are a little scratchy. I had to remove the cover to slap without trouble... is there any other solution?
I've noticed that the pickup selector is placed in a strange way. I wanted to move it to have a more intuitive control, but I don't wanna stretch the inner cable... anyway, this bass is just incredible...

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: Michael Delacerda (dela217) on January 09, 2003, 01:23:13 PM

Armando - Please post pictures!!! - Michael Delacerda

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: Michael Delacerda (dela217) on January 09, 2003, 01:28:38 PM

Armando - That is a beauty.  You know I love that body style.  Is that a medium scale or short scale bass you got there?

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: mica on January 09, 2003, 01:39:55 PM

The newer basses use a recessed truss rod cover. Removing the cover is a good remote solution. otherwise you'd have to send us the bass and get the plate recessed.  You could also countersink the screws at your end.
 
The pickup selector is in the normal place for a 1981 bass. You can migrate it down to the current position and drill a new ole and mount it down b the rest of the electronics.

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: omega_heart81 (omega_heart81) on January 09, 2003, 03:35:33 PM

I'm pretty sure it's a short scale but I didn't take measurement of the scale lenght! The serial number is 811752USA... I guess that our Mica can let me know the scale lenght/wood configuration, right? .-)

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: omega_heart81 (omega_heart81) on January 09, 2003, 03:51:36 PM

About the recessed truss rod cover, I would never modify such a beauty! However I didn't want to move the pickup selector, I just wanted to rotate it 180? towards the strings.

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: mica on January 09, 2003, 03:57:35 PM

You should be able to change the direction of the knob. You can also loosen the nut on the bushing and rotate the whole switch if you want to.

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: omega_heart81 (omega_heart81) on January 09, 2003, 04:10:17 PM

Yes, I did notice that it was possible to change the switch's direction, but I didn't want to ruin the inner cable... I did measure the scale, it's 30.75. The serial number is 811752USA. Should I be 100% sure that I'll keep it before updating the bass' file?

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: Hugh McMillan (hubertarian) on January 31, 2003, 11:38:53 PM

Turning the switch knob works well for me - no more accidental shut-off incidents ...  or serious ouches from the point. The plate and it's screws -- every so often it chips a nail, but I am used to it. Small adjustments... each time I play either SI, I stop noticing little things and ride on the sound! What a dream.

Title: Slap trouble
Post by: mica on February 03, 2003, 09:48:16 AM

We made this modification to a newly made bass with a very close neck pickup/fingerboard relationship:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/3347.jpg)
 
Maybe something like this would help yours as well.