1976 Series 1 with a slightly different body shape.

[philip j reilly (preilly)]

Here is the back of my 1976 Alembic Series 1.  The body shape is a different than a standard point body.

 

  I will post pictures of the front soon. Serial # 76 529.  If anyone has any info on this bass, please let me know. Thanks, Phil

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Philip,
 
Welcome at this board.
that's a beautiful design.
I also likes the way you presnet your guitar: this makes me think at  a kind of striptease (rrrufll) first the gorgeous derri?re than ...(rrrrruffffffff) wait and see.
You got us on the point of our seats man.
Get a camera!
;-)
Paul

[philip j reilly (preilly)]

Thanks for the kind welcome, Paul.  I will take some front pictures of it soon, although I'm afraid that (as with some stripteases), it looks much better from the back.  It has alot of wood damage by the input jack and someone screwed a black plastic pickguard over the middle humcanceller pickup.  The biggest sin is that someone also actually took a router to the pickup recesses  for some unknown reason.  It looks like the had taken the pickups out and attempted to use a router to connect them into one big pickup recess.  Thankfully, they stopped (Devine Intervention?) after only a small amount of damage was done.
The good news is that it plays and sounds fantastic.  I plan on sending this bass back to Alembic to get a refinish and to repair the damage that was done.  The only problem is I dread parting with it for 6+ months!

[philip j reilly (preilly)]

Here are some pictures of the front of the bass.  

 

 

  Here is the damage that a previous owner did.  It looks like they used a router (yikes!).  I guess they were trying to connect the pickup cavities for reasons unknown to me.

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Hi Philip,
 
I extend my own small welcome to you to the Alembic forum/club (that I myself have recently joined) - welcome!
 
It's fantastic in this forum, you can learn lots about all things Alembic and then, if my experience is anything to go by, you spend some money :-)  Voluntarily of course!!
 
Regarding your own bass........... *** WHY ON EARTH *** would someone want to do this to any instrument, let alone an Alembic?  Apart from the butchering, it looks like a mighty fine instrument!  It really does make you wonder what makes some people tick.  At least now it has hopefully found a decent owner who will nuture and cherish it.
 
If I found myself in your position, being able to send it back to Alembic, I wouldn't be worried about losing it for six months. I would be comfortable in the knowledge that I would be receiving an even better instrument in return! Fortune favours the brave my friend - go for it and reap the rewards!
 

[Patrick Rondou (patrick)]

It's an E.V.H model.

[Jan Riviere (janriviere)]

Patrick, it's NOT a EVH model. I own 2 EVH signature basses (check the showcase). The upper horn should be longer, and there is no pin down the body. EVH models did not exist in the seventies.  
 
Cheers
Jan

[philip j reilly (preilly)]

Hello Roger, thank you for the warm welcome.  I have always loved Alembics and this is my first one.  It drives me crazy that someone would do this to an instrument, especially an Alembic.  I really do love playing this bass, and it will go back to Alembic for repairs.  I will miss it while it's there, I use it to record with and it has a growl to it that I can't duplicate with any of my other basses (there's 12 other basses that I own, which range from a modified Fender P-bass to  2 Warwick neck through Thumb basses, one is a newer 5 string and one is a 1988 4 string).  The Alembic is definitely in a class by itself, and you can see where all the new high end basses followed Alembics lead.
Here's the big question though, what can I do to repair it?  Should we try to have the wood matched and inlaid, or do something else, like have a different wood (or some mother of pearl design, or brass) inlaid around the pickups?  I really need help in what direction I should take from here forward.  
Patrick, thanks for the info.  What is an E.V.H. model?
Thanks,  
Phil

[philip j reilly (preilly)]

Jan,
Thanks for the info on the E.V.H. models.  You have two incredible basses there.  I can see why Patrick thought it was an E.V.H. model, the body style is very similar.  As you pointed out, the difference is the upper horn on the E.V.H., and the Series I electronics as opposed to the Signature Series electronics.  
I never saw an E.V.H. prior to today, and I must say it is very cool.
-Phil

[Jan Riviere (janriviere)]

Hi Phil,
 
Thanks for the compliments.
 
You are not the only one here that has learned about the EVH model through this forum. As stated in another thread around here, there are a few people (mostly dutch and belgian guys) who know Edwin.  
 
We as Europeans also learned that almost nobody on the other side of the big water knew about this models or Edwin. So we took the oppurtanity to promote this model a bit. The EVH model is very simular to the MK and SC signatures. Main differences are, the scale and the body shape.
But it remains a signature series model, although Edwin himself has this model with the Series I electronics as an upgrade. It's the only upgraded version I know off.
 
Cheers
Jan

[keavin]

whatever happened w/The facelift on this one? does anybody knows?

[keavin]

whatever happened w/The facelift on this one? does anybody know?

[811952]

It looks to me as though, *gasp* someone didn't know it needed a power supply or batteries, thought the pickups were dead, installed P-Bass-style pickups and screwed on a pickguard to cover their handiwork..  Neat bass though.  Did it end up getting a new top?  Bookmatch to center?  
 
John

[haddimudd]

I really like that body shape! Very special.  
 
Philip, would you mind to post a bigger frontal view? I would love to get a better idea of the undistorted look.
 
Thanks & congratulations on that instrument!
Hartmut