Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Serial Number / History Requests => Topic started by: dshade43 on February 09, 2010, 05:49:59 PM

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dshade43 on February 09, 2010, 05:49:59 PM

Requesting the build sheet and owner history.
 
Questions about pickup selector at the top (fourth position does nothing) and chrome mini toggle by the 1/4 inch jack.  
 
Thanks!

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: gregduboc on February 09, 2010, 06:17:01 PM

I can help you with the pickup selector. Going clockwise, the 4 positions are Standby (the one that does nothing)-Bridge Pickup-Both Pickups- Neck Pickup. Can't help you with the mini toggle...
 
Greg

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: hieronymous on February 09, 2010, 08:47:58 PM

Would love to see pictures of it!

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: adriaan on February 10, 2010, 02:00:36 AM

Mini toggle near 1/4 jack is quite probably stereo/mono.
 
If you insert a mono cable to the jack, with the toggle on stereo and both pickups on, you will only get the signal from one of the pick-ups. Toggle to mono, and you'll hear both pickups.

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: room037 on February 10, 2010, 05:23:25 AM

Welcome to the club !
 
I found this photo in my archives.
I remember it was on eBay.
I love such 8 strings bass !
And I think the bass is Series 1 with 3 Purpleheart neck laminate.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/76291.jpg)
 
Eiji

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dshade43 on February 10, 2010, 07:13:33 AM

Wow!  Thanks for all the info.  Sounds like my instrument is working properly, based on the responses.  
 
That is the photo of my axe.  I tried to load a recent picture, but am having problems getting the size of the jpeg down to 15kb.  
 
How do we know if it's series I or II?  Based on current photo's, the series II has the omega at the bottom.  I'm interested in knowing what the difference is between a series I and series II.
 
Thanks again.

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on February 10, 2010, 07:21:32 AM

Series I has 3-way Q switches, Series II has Constantly Variable Q knobs.  
 
Peter

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: FC Bass on February 10, 2010, 07:37:28 AM

Though 15 kb won't be a problem, 150 kb will do ;-)
If you send the picture to the email adress in my profile (click name) I'll resize them for you ;-)
 
Welcome here :-)

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: lbpesq on February 10, 2010, 08:46:24 AM

Also, Series II has a master volume, Series I doesn't.  The body shape has nothing to do with it.  Both can come with omegas, points, or none of the above.
 
Bill, tgo
 
(Message edited by lbpesq on February 10, 2010)

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dshade43 on February 10, 2010, 04:13:54 PM

Recent photo (http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/76315.jpg)

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: sonicus on February 10, 2010, 04:43:46 PM

I like it.

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: artswork99 on February 10, 2010, 04:48:43 PM

Me too, what a beauty!  
Welcome Dennis, enjoy and play it healthy!  
Art

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dshade43 on February 10, 2010, 06:16:28 PM

Healthy is the right word.  It takes lots of strength to play a set with this axe.  The sound is full and beautiful.  I'm still working to identify when to play it.  Usually difficult to change guitars mid set.  
 
Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to transport this guitar.  It came with a flight case which barely fits in the back seat of my 4 door sedan.  The instrument is 52 long and all gig bags are 48.  I welcome suggestions on where to get a bag for it.  I see the Alembic site offers a custom gig bag, but it's out of my reach at this time ($$$$).
 
 
Thanks for the comments.

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: poor_nigel on February 10, 2010, 07:27:13 PM

Hey Dennis, what a great bass!  Mongo want!  I am old school on flight cases = hand trucks and musicians owning vans and trucks for moving gear, so I have little worthwhile advice for easier moving around.  I would hate to see that bass get bashed or even dinged.  Insurance is the key word!  Ask Mica its replacement cost and insure accordingly - then get your gig bag and live and play care-free.  Note:  Not enough $$$ - Don't buy a leather, top-of-the-line one.  There are lots of semi-hard cases around for $250 or so.  but do remember that you get what you pay for . . .
 
Almost forgot - Series II is defined by the electronics package of the bass, and not other attribues that generally are instilled into those basses.  The variable Q's seem to be the tell on them, as I have seen Series II electronics with a single volumn and pan (and no pickup selector switch), instead of three volumns, et all.  Personally, I would prefer that setup, but I deal with the cumbersome three as best I can (I'll suffer quietly, OK . . .).
 
(Message edited by poor_nigel on February 10, 2010)

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dshade43 on February 10, 2010, 08:28:31 PM

Thanks for the feedback.  
 
I live in Indiana.  If any of you guys are in my area, drop me a line and we can kick back and tell stories of the good ol days and plan for the future.

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: keith_h on February 11, 2010, 05:22:00 AM

For folks that might be close to you. There's John (811952) who I think is over in the  Terre Haute area. With a town name of Floyds Knobs I would think you are down in the Louisville, Ky area. If you are there is/used to be a member, Colin (Jerryme), down in Bardstown,Ky.  
 
Keith

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: dadabass2001 on February 12, 2010, 01:28:23 PM

And of course there are several of us near Chicago...  
Mike
 
P.S. welcome to the club. That's a sweet 8!

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: pauldo on February 12, 2010, 05:22:08 PM

Very Nice!
More pics please. :-)

Title: (x) Series I (or II) eight string Alembic bass 81 1829
Post by: mica on May 13, 2010, 06:41:01 PM

Hi Dennis,
 
Here's what I found in the file:
 
LBI8 Series I 8-string bass
 
top: Zebrawood
accent laminates: Purpleheart
body: Mahogany
back: Zebrawood
body shape: Standard Omega
neck: 7-piece Maple and Purpleheart
scale: 34 long
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: mother of pearl
peghead shape: Knobby
pickups: SC-1 + HX
controls: volume x2, filter x2, Q-switch x2, 4-position pickup selector switch, 1/4 stereo output, 5-pin stereo output
originally made for: Washington Music, MD
birthday: May 26, 1981  
 
The original owner was from Ohio. I've got your registration from 2004 noted as well.