Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Serial Number / History Requests => Topic started by: eos35mm on February 28, 2006, 08:57:45 PM

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: eos35mm on February 28, 2006, 08:57:45 PM

Hi Mica:
 
Do you have any service info on a 32 scale 1977 Alembic Bass Guitar serial #77-735.
 
Thanks

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: mica on March 15, 2006, 02:52:59 PM

Hi Roger,
 
Here's what is in the instrument file:
 
top and back: Walnut
core: Cherry
neck: Maple and Purpleheart, 32 medium scale
fingerboard: Ebony with mother of pearl ovals and LEDs
peghead veneers: Vermilion
electronics: the note says CVQ, but I can't tell if it's a full-on Series II or a Series I with CVQs.
Originally sold to: Rothchild
birthday: June 9, 1977
 
Rothchild traded this back to us in October 1977, and we sold it directly to a customer. Before we sold it, we replaced the pickup selector, stripped and refinished the bass and filled a strap button hole.  
 
There are 2 previous owners of this bass. One thought it had previously been owned by the bass player of Kansas, but that is not confirmed.  
 
Just for dela: this says it's a Small Standard in medium scale!

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: dela217 on March 15, 2006, 03:37:03 PM

Filled a strap button hole.
 
That is what may explain that wall anchor looking thingy UNDER the finish.  
 
Thanks!

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: David Houck on March 15, 2006, 05:53:59 PM

Michael and Mica; if this is that bass (http://cgi.ebay.com/1977-Alembic-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ7393877437QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem), and apparently it is, then the note on the card about the CVQ's seems incorrect.

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: eos35mm on March 27, 2006, 08:36:55 PM

Thanks very much Everyone for the replies.
fyi: I missed bidding on it. Not sure whether it was a good or bad thing. The new owner is asking $4500.00. And that was the bass with the ser # 77-735 on ebay  
What is a CVQ?

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: bob on March 27, 2006, 09:41:27 PM

CVQ = Continuously Variable Q, or in more practical terms, it means you have a knob for setting the Q, instead of a 2 or 3 position toggle switch.
 
Series II instruments have a CVQ pot for each filter; Series I (and anything else with a filter) use a toggle to set between no Q, and one or two other values.
 
When Mica says can't tell if it's a full-on Series II..., that refers to other differences between the I and II, such as extra body laminates. So in theory, you might order a Series I bass and upgrade the Q toggles to knobs.
 
However (and I could be wrong), as far as I know, if you ignore the construction and look at just the electronics and pickups, there are absolutely no other differences between a Series I and II, other than the toggles versus CVQs.

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: adriaan on March 28, 2006, 01:05:11 AM

Bob, sorry to be the spoil-sport here - Series 2 also adds a master volume.
 
And there's a nickname for Series 1 with a master volume: Series 1.5.

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: palembic on March 28, 2006, 01:13:24 AM

Mmmmm ...and the JE lay-out on his Exploiter basses with two interswitchable mastervolumes is nicknamed a Series 2.5
 
Paul TBO

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: bob on March 28, 2006, 09:38:06 AM

Well, I said I could be wrong :-)
 
Forgot about the volume, what I was really thinking about is that there isn't any difference in the electronics, other than some finer level of control.

Title: (x) 77-735
Post by: eos35mm on March 28, 2006, 12:58:27 PM

You guys a pretty funny.
Thanks for the info.
 
Now does any one have a small or medium scale S1 or S2 SC model to sell for cheap  LOL....:-)))