Author Topic: Series I at Gruhn Guitars (Read 284 times)

57basstra · « **on:** July 03, 2006, 06:45:01 PM »

Gruhn Guitars in Nashville has this Series I in their inventory as consignment. They say they are firm on the $4,000 price right now. What up with the upper horn? I talked with a guy, not George, who said the serial number (partial) is 194....I wonder if he is like me and can't see well. I will assume it is a 1994. Has this one been discussed before? how far off are they on the price? Gruhn Guitars also has an Epic 4 fretless at $2,500.

bsee · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2006, 07:20:33 PM »

Could be a 94, but serial numbers start with only the last two digits of the year, so it would be 94XXXX, not 194XXX. It looks like the serial number is on the truss rod cover, so it isn't particularly old. I would think that $4K for a 90s Series bass in excellent condition is a reasonable price from a dealer. You might expect to do a couple hundred better in a private sale, but not too much. Two years ago, $3K in a private sale would have been about right, but used Alembics have been creeping up in value.

just my view...

57basstra · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2006, 08:06:26 PM »

Bob, I have not seen a Series that had that type of contour with the upper horn? What is that modification called?

bsee · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2006, 08:11:24 PM »

I couldn't say for sure, but I know there were some Mark Kings made in a balance style adjusted to improve the way the bass hangs. The lengthening of the upper horn would be the way to accomplish that. I would guess this is a Series bass made with that same balance body style.

Now we have the Balance K, which is much more attractive to my eye.

57basstra · « **Reply #4 on:** July 03, 2006, 08:15:52 PM »

At first I really did not care for this particual body style; but the more I have looked at it admired the beautiful figured wood, I have really grown to like the looks of the bass. I hope someone can tell me something about the upper horn 'persuasion' on this instrument. I have looked on the links as best I can and have not found anything yet. I'm still looking, though. The guy at Gruhn Guitars couldn't tell me much at all.

bigredbass · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2006, 11:53:16 PM »

I've seen this shape where they added a Distallate-looking horn no doubt to try and add a little balance to the Series long scale axes.

What really jumps out at me about this is it almost looks like the maple-recipe 20th Anniversary (all the quilt and purpleheart) in a point body with Signature (I think) electronics.

I'll ease down to Gruhn's Wednesday, test drive them and nab the serial #s.

When am I EVER gonna run across something like this in a FIVE?!?!?

J o e y

bigredbass · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2006, 11:55:14 PM »

I'm a nitwit: It's CERTAINLY Series electronics.

J o e y

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2006, 10:05:17 AM »

I'm guessing here, but technically, I don't think it's a balance point body; I think it's a standard point body with a Distillate upper horn (or a Distillate body with a point). I'm thinking that on a balance point, the horn doesn't curve back in the way a Distillate horn does. Either way, it should balance better than a typical standard point. I would guess this was a custom order, which may explain the positioning of the pickup selector switch in the old position. And I can't remember about the round battery cavity cover; but I'm guessing that, plus the pickup switch position, plus the nice quilt, might put this bass around 1985.

olieoliver · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2006, 11:34:39 AM »

I have a Mk with the same extended upper horn and it balances and plays like a dream, even better than my Balnce K. The Balance K is lighter though.

bigredbass · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2006, 05:02:35 PM »

OK, I went to Gruhn's today.

The Series is in its original case, with the small power supply, a ratty looking 5-pin cable, and an envelope full of correspondence and catalog ($6500 for a new S-I !) from the address in Santa Rosa.

The serial number I didn't understand: It's on the (kinda dented) truss rod cover and says
1 9 4 6, spaced out like that with no other numbers or letters.

The whole thing is just ratty enough where it's not sorta mint, yet not dog-beat-up bad. Just enough dings and dents to be kinda average minus if I had to put a condition on it. Real shame. It appears to be a satin finish yet looks glossy in spots that's not left over finish or shiny from body contact. Strange. The bird tailpiece appears to have been re-sanded/polished by some owner, then dipped into a can of poly, it's real thick.
Lots of dings and dents around the lower edge.
Could not plug it in, so I have no clue about the electronics.

When I buy used, I like clean finish save for cleaning and polishing, with some elbow grease for the brightwork and a little setup work. This Series would need finish rework to be to that point. It's a consignment, so they're understandably firm at $4K, but I wouldn't be a player for it at that price vs. condition.

The Epic Fretless 5 is in MUCH better shape, VERY clean save for a small nick in the satin finished back that a shirt button would cover, with its case (lot rougher than the axe, but useable.) Could not get a serial as someone wanted to see it. Unlined fretless, all dark woods, had 'mwah' wrote all over it! Vol, bal, treb, bass.

J o e y

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2006, 05:57:27 PM »

Thanks for that report Joey!!

dfung60 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2006, 11:08:26 PM »

For what it's worth, I think this is a Series I from the mid 80's. The pickups look like the ones from this period - smooth black tops embossed with Alembic. Earlier than that and there's nothing on the pickups; by the 90's they had the gold foil logo instead. The pickup selector is out on the lower bout, which was also the standard through the mid 80's.

I think the big upper horn is also an 80's thing. I remember when I had my first custom built, that there were a number of evolutionary changes that I was not that crazy about. One of them definitely was the bigger upper horn, although I can't remember whether this is what it looked like; only that it was pretty different. The other changes were things like a thinner body and the embossed pickups. I had them do the original body shape, although that bass (it's a 1987 Series II but it was a long time in construction because it was a graphite neck) does have the thin body and embossed pickups. I remember that the changed body shape was in there literature at least once, but I don't remember seeing many of these basses around.

David Fung

adriaan · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2006, 01:14:01 AM »

There was a mid-80s vermillion topped 5 string S1 for sale at Edwin van Huyk's place a year or two ago, with much the same shape to the upper horn.

57basstra · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2006, 07:14:31 AM »

Wonder what's up with the 1 9 4 6 number (serial??) on the truss rod cover? Where else would the serial number be?

bsee · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2006, 08:37:18 AM »

Serial number 1946 would fall around 1981. That would mean the serial number should be pressed into the fretboard below the 24th fret. That, of course, assumes that 1946 is the actual serial number.