Author Topic: Selling 86 Distillate and 73 EB-3 (Read 1130 times)

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #30 on:** April 24, 2013, 02:12:43 PM »

I always thought that was an SG Bass; use to call them mud-buckers

sonicus · « **Reply #31 on:** April 24, 2013, 03:50:24 PM »

I really liked the sound that Phil got from that Alembic modified Gibson EB-0 . His finger plucking period sound ranks very high in my appreciation of his experimental nature. The live recordings that I have heard of his thunderous counterpointal playing from this period still inspires me daily.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #32 on:** April 24, 2013, 04:00:42 PM »

1966-95 (as near as I can remember without getting up off my lazy butt to check Grateful Dead Gear):
EB-0 > Jazz > 1st Starfire (stolen) > Jazz > 2nd Starfire > modded EB-0 > modded Starfire* (Godfather, AKA Big Brown) > Alembic (Mission Control) > Irwin > Jazz > varius Moduli > Ken Smith > Moduli
*The Godfather would make appearances off & on until - well, I think until now.

And to de-hijack, how far into the wood does the strap button extension go?

Peter (Who keeps GDG in the upstairs bathroom and, when finished, starts over. Perfectly normal.)

(Message edited by cozmik_cowboy on April 24, 2013)

edwin · « **Reply #33 on:** April 24, 2013, 06:18:19 PM »

I think that's pretty close. However, I think there was only one Starfire. My reasoning for that is if you look at the early Starfire pictures (Rosie took a great one with Phil up against the amps playing feedback), you can see the plastic plate on the back that was added for access when it was originally modded. If you see pictures of the Starfire as Big Brown, it also has the same black plastic plate on the back (you can see it clearly in the Phil and Friends video from the Warfield with Scofield).

The EBO with mods did get stolen. Dan Schwartz has told the story of meeting the guy who bought it in a pawn shop for $400 in the late 70s. He got in touch with Phil and offered it up to him for his cost, but Phil declined. Dan played the bass once, but lost touch with the guy who had it. So, last we know, it was sitting in a closet in Orange County, CA.

I'd really like to find what remains of the Osage Orange bass. Apparently it suffered a few too many experiments and became structurally compromised and was last heard of somewhere in Chicago.

There were some great discussions and some photos about these basses on the Dudepit, but they all disappeared when the site went down. Bummer.

sonicus · « **Reply #34 on:** April 24, 2013, 07:22:25 PM »

I am also curious as Peter as to how far the strap button extension rod penetrates the upper horn of the Bass. I am also curious how it is attached such as epoxy or threaded insert ,etc... How easy or difficult would it be to remove and restore to original ? Did Alembic install the extension and if not who did the work ? I realize that these questions might be difficult to answer but they have been on my mind since I first saw this Bass.

Wolf

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #35 on:** April 24, 2013, 08:22:55 PM »

However, Phil told me, 'My Starfire bass was stolen from a gig in L.A. just before Monterey Pop. I played a Fender Jazz at the festival and for some time afterward, until I could afford a new Starfire.'1

Not surprisingly, Phil was intrigued by [the Alembicizing of Casady's Starfire], and in late spring 1969 he turned over his own Guild bass....He switched back to his...EB-0, which had been hot-rodded itself....Phil would play this bass through the spring of 1971, after which he would unleash the 'Alembicized' Guild Starfire....2

Peter
1 Jackson, Blair, Grateful Dead Gear: the Band's Instruments, Sound Sytems, and Recording Sessions from 1965 to 1995 (San Fransico: Backbeat Books. 2006), 54.

2ibid., 88.

edwin · « **Reply #36 on:** April 24, 2013, 08:57:49 PM »

Hm, interesting. The bass shown at the link below, is in 1968, and is clearly the bass that became big brown, and given the strap position, etc., is also probably the one shown in pix from 1967. It's possible that he could have done the same strap button move, but it looks very similar in so many respects (and no, I'm not a seen one Starfire you've seen 'em all kinda guy!).

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/24144634_mNDg7F#!i=2024029840&k=mRcGKXs

Here's the 1967 version:

hammer · « **Reply #37 on:** April 24, 2013, 10:03:16 PM »

No idea as to how far the strap button extension rod extends in to the bass or if it was done at the factory. It's not what I'd call a pretty addition to the bass, but it has been quite functional. Does anyone else have an extended strap button on their bass that was done at Alembic against which we can compare? Or at least a close up photo of an 85-86 strap lock button that we can compare to the one on my bass.

By the way, my infor on Phil's bass came from a combination of the Gd gear book and a piece on Phil's bass history on Philzone attributed to none other than Edwin.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #38 on:** April 24, 2013, 10:23:56 PM »

Oh, crap, I just remembered - Edwin gets an acknowledgement in GDG; I'll shut up now!

Well, soon, anyway; do you know when in '67 that pic is from, Edwin? Monterey was mid-June, so that leaves 6 months to get up the bucks for the 2nd Guild, move the button, and take the shot you post.

Peter (whose post 1457 above should, of course, start 1965-95)

edwin · « **Reply #39 on:** April 25, 2013, 12:11:33 AM »

Well, I'm not that much of an expert. Just in the right place at the right time and pretty good at not shutting my mouth when I probably should.

The '67 picture is from August, or so it's labeled. The provenance, though, isn't unimpeachable.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #40 on:** April 25, 2013, 07:46:35 AM »

Mystery solved: as the 1st Starfire was ripped off sometime before June 16, that would make all of those shots (and I agree, they're obviously the same bass) the 2nd Starfire, with some mods - like Michael before Vito's heart attack, training to become the Godfather.

Is the extension screwed on? If so, would you be willing to unscrew it to satisfy Wolf's & my curiosty? (If not, no prob - I completely understand).

Peter

hammer · « **Reply #41 on:** April 25, 2013, 08:55:04 PM »

Unfortunately, the extension is bonded in to the body. You would need a pro to get it off. I've been meaning to take it in to Brown's Guitar Factory which his located about 4 miles from where I live to see if I can have it removed, but have never gotten around to it.

sonicus · « **Reply #42 on:** April 26, 2013, 05:13:14 PM »

I have given this rod removal possibility some thought . The prime directive it seems would be to do as little damage to the bass it's self in the process of removing the rod. I have done quite a bit of tinkering in my time, both mechanical and electronic as well as working with wood.

This could work ; 1) Cut the rod to within a 1/4 from the surface of the penetration point on the upper horn of the bass.
2) Drill a pilot hole in the center of the rod
3) Tap the pilot hole with a fine threaded tap so that a stainless steel machine screw can very securely hold the the strap button. I would chose Schaller security strap buttons .
The important choice would be to chose the correct machine screw pitch and dimensions for the job. NOT to small and NOT to big. I think a 8-32 countersunk machine screw might work.
The dangerous aspect of this procedure could be that you only get one shot to do it right and then you have to go to a larger size such as 10-32 witch will not fit in a Schaller strap button . The strap button would have to be drilled out to fit a 10-32.

Wolf

hammer · « **Reply #43 on:** August 29, 2013, 10:50:27 AM »

Bump! Still interested in selling the 86 Distillate but would be open to a trade for a fretless. I am looking in to what it would take to take the extension rod out and install a more typical button.

sonicus · « **Reply #44 on:** August 29, 2013, 11:52:51 AM »

I have a fretless that I might be willing to trade .