Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: liptones on January 09, 2012, 01:53:24 PM
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I have this Vintage P-Bass, not sure of the year...... But it was definitely modified by the Alembic crew. I don't know much about it, but I was hoping to find out more. I attached a photo or so.
Thanks,
Chris, NY
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120642.jpg)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120646.jpg)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120651.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120652.jpg)
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Wow ...even has the gain adjustment access holes.
...and fyi, you can respond to your own thread to add pictures (instead of starting a new thread).
Welcome, that is quite a beast of a FenBic, I don't think I've seen a Fender modded to a series before.
What do you know about it's history?
[moderator's note: as alluded to by Elwood, the first three posts in this thread were originally posted as three separate threads; moderator has combined into one thread]
(Message edited by davehouck on January 09, 2012)
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I know nothing of its history. I bought it when I first started playing...... maybe 1997 or so...... I bought it from a small music store in Baldwin Long Island(NY) the owner knew nothing of it either.. other then someone traded it to him for another bass. I saw it and thought....... (what the hell is that...) I had to have it. Not sure if it is wired properly, but it sounds.....
Under the pick guard there is another type of pickup, maybe an envelope filter?.............
I was hoping to get some history here........
Will take note of thread usage, thanks.
Chris
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That other pickup is the hum canceller - the main pickups are single coils and would buzz on their own, but there's a carefully matched coil with no magnets that cancels the noise. It doesn't need to see the strings to remove the noise. It's the best (and most expensive) way to make for beautiful, clear high end response with no hum!
David Fung
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That third device is the hum canceling pup, a dummy just for out of phase hum cancelation. The four pots on the back of the bass are for adjusting each string for optimal hum cancelation. That is a cool hybrid. Do you have the power supply/DI that plugs into the 5 pin connector?
I type too slow, what he ^ said..............
(Message edited by jbybj on January 09, 2012)
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Those pickups date from 1974 or 75 I would guess. The 5-Pin connector is an ITT/Cannon and not Switchcraft. That would also indicate to me that is around 1974 or 75.
I see that there is a locking mono/stereo switch. To activate it, you actually have to lift it while toggling it. That is a nice feature when using batteries instead of the power supply. I've seen very few Alembics with that. My 1972 has that switch.
Very cool indeed!
If you get tired of it, I could give it a good home.
Michael
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interesting. I don't have the power supply. This also splits the signal to stereo? A little more research suggests this is a series 1 set up (PF-6)? How far back does this date? I wonder who the tech was that modified this bass.......
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I don't think the work was done at Alembic. Someone probably took the electronics out of an Alembic bass and put them in the Fender. I don't know why someone would do such a thing, but we've seen it a few times before. I even picked up such a bass on Ebay once. As Michael said, this is a fairly early set of electronics, so it's a nice find! And it's good to hear that the hum canceler is in there too. Looks like the neck was fretted at one point and then converted to fretless.
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Oh; and welcome to the club Chris!
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hey thanks great to be here!!
I actually took the frets out when I first got it to add to this collaboration. I think someone attempted to wire this bass, but not sure if they were 100% successful....... all switches seem to work, but i'm not so sure that I know what I am listening for..........
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There's a good explanation of Series I controls here (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=271).
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120673.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120674.jpg)
(Message edited by mica on January 10, 2012)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120679.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120680.jpg)
(Message edited by mica on January 10, 2012)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120683.jpg)
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This Bass looks very familiar. I might have seen it at the old Alembic 60 Brady St. location back around 74 /75.
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Really....... please tell more.......
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It is also quite possible that this work could have also been done by STARS GUITARS .
Stars Guitars was at 60 Brady St. after Alembic made a move a little further north across the Golden Gate. I remember quite well by name some of the folks that were there , including Mr. Ron Armstrong .
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Christopher,
That is a great find! I wish music stores in Milwaukee would 'cast-off' beauties like that.
Welcome to the club, hopefully you will get all of the answers you need here.
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Cool bass! Maybe it's an employee bass? It's not like there would have been a lot of full sets of electronics floating around and it sure looks like everything is here, down to the Raytheon hat knobs. Whoever did the work made a big time commitment - even the old P-bass rout is plugged, there was extensive new routing, and it's all shielded too. I don't know about this being Stars work though - they wouldn't have done this much work without changing to a Stars bridge!
David Fung
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David , I think that there have my have been some drama regarding the brass bridge and tail piece. Look at the pics of the back side. I see a brass block and a brass plate for strings through the body configuration. I really think I remember this Bass from 60 Brady St.
Look also at what looks like wood replacement (walnut) in the area where the Alembic bridge or Stars Guitars type ( I remember variations ) would have been . Suspect traces perhaps of an experiment ? Or perhaps a mistake covered up? This is triggering my memory back over 3 decades !
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So, what does the peghead look like? Would Stars have swapped out the nut?
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Hey guys greetings from NY. I have to say this is awesome all this info and excitement... I am sure learning a whole bunch..... Thank you guys!!
I agree with Sonicus... There was at some point strings through body style. In its travels someone modified that option. Also I must note that the nut was brass and scalloped. It seems to have disappeared, I sure hope I can find that piece. the walnut fill was definitely a sloppy fill of sorts.
It also has the schaller tuners.
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I have a vague memory that there were about a half dozen of these basses modded back on Brady Street. Certainly not more than that. I've seen 2 others in person.
BUT, this was not done on Brady Street. The date codes on the volume pots are from 1975, which puts us in the Sebastopol/Cotati years. One of the filter pots was replaced with a 1995 date code pot from an Activator (which works fine BTW). The other filter pot looks like an original Alan Bradley type.
The wiring around the 5-pin reveals that my dad didn't do the work, but that doesn't mean that someone here at Alembic didn't do it. There are no records of repairs and modifications, so all I can tell you for sure is that the guts are Series I Alembic issue with at least one replaced pot. The silver shielding suggests that either we or someone that worked with us at one time did the work. I'm sorta leaning toward Alembic guts that Stars guitars installed. But that's just an educated guess.
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Thanks Mica! Looks like it's had an interesting life.
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Hey Mica,
Wow!! I have a piece of history here!!
I know for sure that the wiring had been tampered with by the guy who I bought it from and who knows who else. He said he couldn't get it to work right(the five pin that is.) Not sure that it is the original wires from the modification or not...
What was the reason for modifying the p-basses back then?
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Mica , Therefore , since Stars Guitars moved into 60 Brady Street during during the Alembic Sebastopol/Cotati years as per the time period of your post then Stars Guitars may have installed the Alembic Guts @ 60 Brady St after Alembic moved. That make sense . I still think I remember this Bass when Stars Guitars was at 60 Brady! I think I remember someone showing it to me there.
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liptones ,
The time period in which these mods were likely done was an exiting period of experimentation and an effort to improve the all over sonic capabilities of the Bass Guitar . Alembic was the pioneer in this effort and many others followed and copied what Alembic was doing.
Someone may have wanted a bolt on Fender Bass with the best pickups and electronics in existence, and hence the mods on your Bass. Although they are not Series Alembic electronics, Activators latter made it possible to have Alembic pickups in a Run Of The Mill non-Alembic production line instrument.
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Well I would love to have someone here in NY have a look to make sure the wiring is right and all is sounding properly. Can anyone recommend anyone that is familiar with Alembic electronics?
Thanks,
Chris
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sonicus -
Yes, clearly a lot of experimentation here. The mystery plate on the back is sort of off-center, otherwise I would suspect that it was a sustain block and somebody tried to go full series with a sustain block and separate tailpiece. I don't think a Fender body has enough length to really do that like a point body. Moving the tailpiece up would reduce the scale length, but then you'd have to refret (or defret) the neck.
The next fall back was that through-body block which looks pretty cool. A lot of work to inlay that piece. I wonder why they didn't go with that? It's like the prehistoric ancestor of the 2Tek bridge!
They even corrected this area with that walnut inlay in the top.
Liptone, have you unscrewed that off-center plate on the back? I'm curious what it looks like down there!
David Fung
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Yeah it houses the two 9 volt batteries. I will post a photo or so.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120755.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120756.jpg)
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David , Thanks for confirming my observations . The more I think about this instrument and combined with your confirmations is bringing back clarity of my encounter with this instrument at Stars Guitars. I used to visit there often . Bridge Experiment! 2Tek like perhaps ! I am remembering even more now .
Liptone , I am also curious what it looks like under that brass block !
Wolf
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Ok , A battery cover . You mentioned that there is output from the 1/4 jack , right? Keep both batteries fresh since you do not have the power supply and the 5 pin cable. I can not tell from the pic how the 1/4 jack is wired , is there output from both pickups ? How about HUM or BUZZ , there is an adjustment on the bass for that with instructions on this site. Gains also can be adjusted.
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My friend Evan Palmerston (Cold Blood, Elvin Bishop, Shadowfax) has a similarly modded J-bass, which he told me was done at Alembic, I think in the East Cotati Ave. days. I'll ask him about it next time he drops by.
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Also, I suspect the bridge mod was originally a string through body to an Alembic bridge (probably set in a sustain block)to get something functionally similar to a separate bridge and tailpiece on a body that couldn't actually accommodate a tailpiece.
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Man, the '70s were some heady times for the instrument industry!
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Here is a fine example of a modified Jazz with Series I electronics.
Take note of the swell bridge and tail piece ! I LOVE the tail piece in this scenario. It works as it should. I was told that this bass was a legitimate employee project at the time.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120794.jpg)
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Your right Wolf,
That tailpiece is an inspired creation.Solid contact with the endgrain too...very nice.
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There was a black p-bass w/ alembic guts that popped up on the forum a couple of years ago..... I actually thought this was the same one w/ a stripped finish until I read a couple of posts further. So far no maple necks....
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Here's (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=4040) that Black P-Bass.
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Wow check that out... The story unfolds.... Awesome..
I wonder if the same employee did all of these fenders..........
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Hi Chris,
I think something about circuit wiring.
1: Locking SW is power SW.
1/4 phone jack is simple, not a switch jack.
It's wiring to LED with registor. The LED will work as power indicator.
2: 1/4 phone jack wiring
The jack is mono type, because the wiring is working as mono.
The wiring to signal point of the jack with one registor.
I think, the miss wiring is here.
Each PU signals need each registors for mono wiring.
I recommend to rewiring with 1/4 SW jack.
I am very interested modified Jazz-B.
If the tailpiece of Chris's bass was modified as this Jazz, it was needed the woodblock to current state.
Eiji
(Message edited by room037 on January 11, 2012)
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hey guys thanks so much for all of your knowledge and sharing your info with me!!! It seems most of you guys grew up and around all this history. I have to say I admire you guys in a great way. Wish I could have been there during all those days. Sounds like a blast!
On another note, I plan to get this bass looking and sounding as sweet as possible! One day I will own a full on Alembic.. but for now I have some awesome vintage series 1 electronics that I plan to thoroughly enjoy.
Liptones
I imagine I'll go to 48th street in NYC to check wiring.. If anyone can recommend someone here in NY please do let me know.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/120980.jpg)
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Rudy's Music and their repair shop entry is 723 Seventh Avenue. Ask for Jeremy. Rudy's was an Alembic dealer many many years ago. Jeremy works on all my Alembics, unless they need to visit the mothership. The repair location is right around the corner of 48th and 7th Avenue.
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I got my MK Signature at Rudy's in 1998, top place!!!
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awesome, thanks tubeperson. Will be heading there soon.
I'm gonna remake the pickguard. Same shape as is there. Curious about materials to use....... Looks like a 3 piece laminate. Mahogany, Maple, Mahogany. Will this really effect tone or not? I wonder. It seems to me to be just an aesthetic. But one never knows. I may put the string through option back. But I am not sure yet if that will work........
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Hows bout some Lembic brass..(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/121098.jpg)
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When is that bass from? And how does it sound? Looks like an early prototype of sorts..
Brass for the pickguard....... Could be a possibility, not something I considered yet... But hmmm. How does it effect tone if it does at all? I was leaning towards laminating a piece of plastic with a special piece of veneer for the pickguard.
Hey I can always make a few different versions. Know you have me thinking.......
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That's Keavin's Old #12, from 1972 - the 12th instrument Alembic ever made. I have Old #10, also from 1972, a guitar, that you can see here (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8379).
Bill, the guitar one
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For what it's worth, I have serial number 16 also from 1972. I had to remove my brass electrionics cover because it added noise to the electronics. I guess it was acting like an antenna. Once I removed the brass, it became dead quiet.
I used clear plastic for my cover. My cover is not on the face of the instrument, but on the rear. In the compartment is 2 hum cancelling coils, one for each pickup. The plastic cover over the compartment made a VERY big difference.
Keavin - do you notice any noise with your bass? Just curious, I know that they are all different.
Michael
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Wow those are awesome!! these instruments have come along way yet the initial shapes and concepts remain more or less. How do they sound?
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Kevin brought #12 to the Alembic gathering in Chicago in 2009. It sounded fantastic and played like a dream!
Mike
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And the first thing Keavin did when we pulled it out of the case was pass it around. He let EVERYBODY play it. That was a day to remember!
John
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Right on!
#12 was quite, didn't notice any noise.
Paul TDO
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/121149.jpg)
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love the old ones
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/121294.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/121295.jpg)
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I so regret not bidding on this when it was up for grabs on ebay....
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So I've seen those pictures of that girl holding 'that' bass before, so while we're in History Class,
A) Who's the girl, and
B) Which bass is she holding?
And, BTW Liptones, brother, you're 'IN' this little fraternity. BIG time. What an axe ! If it could only tell us where it's been . . .
J o e y
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A) Susan Frates Wickersham (I'm pretty sure)
B) Lesh's Mission Control (I know)
Did I get an A, Professor Joey?
Peter
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Peter, I s'pose: I was asking as I honestly didn't know who she was, and which axe she was holding, just knew I'd seen these pics before.
J o e y
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herbbone, does your bass have an oil finish?
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According to Thomas Lieber (http://www.rukind.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=309&t=4563&hilit=lieber&sid=e7d33baf808829e78bbd19076404eb20&start=15), the woman in the pictures is his wife.