Author Topic: Were there other Tribute prototypes? (Read 412 times)

crobbins · « **on:** December 11, 2010, 05:19:09 PM »

Besides my Blue Steel?
Is this for real?

http://www.frettedamericana.com/alembic_tribute_prototype_2002-d-1206-0.html

This Alembic Tribute Prototype was made in 2002 and weighs 9.20 lbs. This was a landmark prototype and the first guitar made for the Tribute series. Seven-layer highly figured hand-carved 'sandwich' of 'Premium' Coco Bolo, Maple, Vermilion, Flame Maple, Vermilion, Maple and Coco Bolo. Five-piece neck of Western Flame Maple with Purpleheart and Cherry. The neck has a nut width of 1 5/8 inches and a thin-to-medium profile. Ebony fretboard with 24 jumbo frets and inlaid oval 'Mother-of-Pearl' position markers. Height-adjustable solid brass nut. Alembic 'Crown' ebony faced headstock with sterling silver inlaid logo of abalone and 'Mother-of-Pearl'. Individual Gold-plated Alembic Gotoh 'Rotomatic' style tuners. Brass serial number plate at end of neck engraved 02T 124747 USA / Prototype (secured by two screws). Alembic STR (single-coil) pickup in the neck position and two Alembic HG (humbuckers) in the middle and bridge position. Rotary master volume, rotary filter for each pickup plus three individual three-way (off/on/bright) mini-toggle switches (one for each pickup and a two-way mini-toggle switch (on/off) for the TRS effects loop. Black plastic control knobs with ribbed sides and triangular white markers. The potentiometers are all dated in black ink 2-16-02. Alembic brass bridge assembly with six individually adjustable brass saddles and ebony and brass 'bird' tailpiece with three screws. Inside the control cavity in black marker is written 02T 12747 / USA. This unique piece of guitar history is in mint (9.50) condition. Housed in the original G & G three-latch rectangular 'fitted' black hardshell case with black leather ends and black plush lining (9.25).

crobbins · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2010, 05:22:44 PM »

The Alembic Tribute guitar is a nod to the �Tiger� guitar originally made for Jerry Garcia by Doug Irwin and Thomas Lieber. Alembic is famous for inventing active pickups and changed the way many bass guitars are now built. The Alembic Tribute guitar includes active pickups as well and in addition Alembic has made some improvements on the guitar that take it beyond the �Tiger� guitar. The guitar has an incredible 27 different pickup settings with a separate tone control for each pickup. Also included in the guitar is a on-board effects loop switch that allows you to remotely switch effects on and off.

Alembic pickups are hand wound by the Wickersham grandparents in California and are supposed to reproduce the acoustic sound of the bass with no coloration. Because these pickups are low impedance they require a specially designed preamp circuit from Alembic, these circuits are modular in design with solderless connectors. (Meaning you can keep adding tone modules a la Series II.) The circuits use the best components available and are extremely quiet.

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2010, 06:05:37 PM »

I'm just guessing here, but the standard top wood for the Tribute is coco-bolo, and as Mica stated in your Showcase thread, yours was the first with that body style. But she also said that they made yours before they made one with coco bolo, and that they were so pleased with yours they decided to finish it with the Blue Steel finish.

Thus yours may be the first with that particular body template, but perhaps his is the first with coco-bolo. Again, I'm just guessing.

Interesting that the serial number on the truss rod appears to be overstamped. The correct number should be the one in the cavity, 02T 12747.

crobbins · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2010, 06:20:14 PM »

My serial number is 02T 12768
So mine has a later serial number
I didnt look in the cavity though.
I dunno....

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2010, 06:36:47 PM »

That makes sense. Once that saw how well yours was looking, they may have decided to start one with the coco bolo. Given the closeness of the serial numbers, the guitars may have even been in spray at the same time.

crobbins · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2010, 07:52:21 PM »

But does that make it a prototype, or the 1st production Tribute?

crobbins · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2010, 07:54:41 PM »

Or, one of the 1st production Tributes?

tdukes · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2010, 05:31:05 AM »

My tribute is serial number 01T12706. I have never thought mine was anything other than a production guitar. Mine was finished 12/07/2001 so it is almost an 02. Do you have a finish date for Blue Steel?

Todd.

(Message edited by tdukes on December 12, 2010)

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2010, 01:04:19 PM »

My Tribute is Serial #01T12709. I was told by Mica that it was the 8th Tribute ever made and is a slightly different shape than the current shape that Alembic eventually settled on. So one thing is for sure, the one in the Fretted Americana ad is definitely not the first guitar made for the Tribute series, as claimed. Perhaps it is the first one with the final body shape? I wonder if the Prototype plaque with the wrong serial number was after-market? Has anyone heard of Alembic ever releasing an instrument with a prototype designation engraved on it?

Bill, tgo

(Message edited by lbpesq on December 12, 2010)

mica · « **Reply #9 on:** December 13, 2010, 10:42:06 AM »

There were 4 shapes that we made as test bodies that didn't get made into guitars. Then shape number 5 has a few prototype bodies, solid Mahogany, laminated sample and the final Coco Bolo pattern that we still are using.

We sold about a dozen of these guitars before my mom told me she was going to need to improve the shape. This was one of the first projects I got to do most of the artistic direction on, and while my shapes were pretty good, and certainly very playable, mom knows how to come in and with a few pencil stroked transformed it into something I think is truly beautiful. So that became shape #6 and the one that we are still using.

Craig, yours is the first shape number 6. We made it as a solid Mahogany body as a test and were completely satisfied to continue with making the laminated guitars after seeing the carving on yours. After we had a few of these in production, we figured, hey, there's no reason not to turn that test piece into a finished guitar. Since we were spraying lots of Chromalusion paint at the time, we picked the Blue Steel color and painted it up for our showroom.

I will have to look up that serial number in the linked guitar. It sure looks like shape #6 to me. The guitar that was the first ever Tribute was shown in a Featured Construction - it's that shape #5. You can see some of the test bodies under the other parts.

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2010, 01:39:19 PM »

Thanks Mica!

tdukes · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2010, 04:27:13 PM »

I know its embarrassing, but looking at the page Mica linked to and the picture on the Alembic Tribute page and looking at my tribute. I can't tell these apart. Can anyone point out how they are different?

I am guessing with mine being serial number 01T12706 mine must be shape 5. But they really look the same to me.

Here is 01T12706:

Thanks,
Todd.

mica · « **Reply #12 on:** December 13, 2010, 05:20:57 PM »

Todd - your guitar is shape number 5. They are very similar, but maybe side by side you can see some of the differences:

6 is a little rounder at the bottom, and the horns, especially the lower horn, is a little more slender.

crobbins · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2010, 06:00:26 PM »

Thanks for the info Mica... I didnt realize there were Tributes built before mine.. Right on..

tdukes · « **Reply #14 on:** December 13, 2010, 06:09:23 PM »

Thanks Mica, I can see the difference now. It is especially noticeable on the lower horn. I agree that the one at fretted America looks like the #6 shape.

Todd.