Series I Guitars

Started by rv_bass, March 21, 2026, 06:44:09 AM

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cozmik_cowboy

You know, I think I may have typed that wrong; Jack's was 72-01, not 001, right?  I think I subconsciously added the 0 based on the one in the single-digit s/ns, so I guess I was asking about 25, not 025......

Besides the many pics with Doug's later logo at the top of the headstock, and the fair number with his first logo there and the Alembic logo down by the nut, I once saw one with just the Alembic logo; alas, I did not book mark it, and have never come across it again, and IIRC Jer's arm was blocking a clear view of the p-ups.
That's the best I can do there, I fear.

Peter (who apologizes for any confusion)
"Is not Hypnocracy no other than the aspiration to discover the meaning of Hypnocracy?  Have you heard the one about the yellow dog yet?"
St. Dilbert

"If I could explain it in prose, I wouldn't have had to write the song."
Robt. Hunter

edwardofhuncote

You haven't posted anything that wasn't posted before, Coz. I have seen both ways online, both here and elsewhere; 72-01, and 72-001. FWIW, Rick Turner referred to it with the 001. He added in the same discussion that it was conceived and mostly constructed at the 360 Judah St. location in '71, and finally completed at the Cotati Chicken Ranch shop. I've never seen the end of the headstock pictured, so I don't know. It was the first one, so technically no serializing pattern was established yet. In interviews Jack said it took about a year and a half to finish, and that it was meant to be an experimental platform.


So no help. I was just throwing that out there for discussion. Hey, there's four 0's in front of #8... 🤣


I think we have more fascination with these things than the folks at Alembic themselves do. I've been trying to track down some of our own early numbers for Dad. He can't remember who got what, and I didn't often know who we were working for... I just did what he needed. Basically everything before our 8th banjo is a mystery. The first two are nearly identical, and he knows the two people who got them, but he can't remember who got which one... and it's been 43 years.


sonicus

I remember walking into the 360 Judah St. location back in the day. I showed up at the 6O Brady St. location on, later with my Guild Starfire Bass, for the bridge with brass block and tailpiece modification.

edwardofhuncote

Any more six-string (or twelve) Series guitar players watching? We kinda' sidetracked Rob on this one.

flavofive

A bit late to the party - here's # 80-1532!






jazzyvee

I can't see those two pics. they show as purple blocks with 'Content not viewable in your region'.
The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://alembicguitars.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

pauldo

Quote from: jazzyvee on April 17, 2026, 03:59:31 PMI can't see those two pics. they show as purple blocks with 'Content not viewable in your region'.

pics show up for me.

Midwest USA
iPad with Safari browser.

David Houck

Quote from: jazzyvee on April 17, 2026, 03:59:31 PMI can't see those two pics. they show as purple blocks with 'Content not viewable in your region'.

These pictures were not uploaded to our server, but are on the Imgur site.  That you can't see them may have something to do with Imgur and your ISP; I don't think it has anything to do with us.

rv_bass

Flavofive, great looking guitar, what are the woods?   Your photos show how big those guitars really are . Very nice :) 

flavofive

#24
Bummer, sorry jazzyvee.  If anyone knows if there is a way to post photos "directly" to the forum here rather than linking to externally-hosted photos (or if there's a post with instructions somewhere), I'd love to know!  It would save extra steps too.
 
Quote from: rv_bass on April 18, 2026, 04:39:24 AMFlavofive, great looking guitar, what are the woods?  Your photos show how big those guitars really are . Very nice :)
Anyway:
Many thanks Rob!
Here is the build data:
 - Top:  Walnut
- Back:  Walnut
- Core:  Mahogany
- Neck:  Maple and Purpleheart
- Fingerboard:  Ebony
- Veneers:  Walnut
- Tuners:  Schaller
- Inlays:  Mother of Pearl
- Scale Length:  25-1/2".
- Alembic Electronics:  PF-6
- Completion Date:  2/14/80 (V-Day  :)  )

Nice to see your guitar and the 12-string guitar here!  All look terrific.  So all 3 of our large-body guitars have walnut top woods; interesting.  Guess that a popular combination back then!

You're absolutely right, it's not a small guitar!  I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Alembic guitars with typical "Series" body shapes (omega, point, small standard) have the exact same body size/dimensions as the basses, and the difference is all in the neck.  So while the long-scale "omega" and "point" shapes already make for fairly large bass bodies, they feel even bigger on a guitar.
One nice thing about these long-scale body shapes - the "extra" body space beyond the bridge means that the entire string length is shifted farther toward my left.  So the entire neck is very easy to access at all times, even the upper-most frets.  Gotta reach a bit farther for the lowest frets, but not a problem if you're used to a bass.

rv_bass

I get the impression that the larger body bass size is similar to a the size of Starfire bass.