Author Topic: Elan 5 help (Read 637 times)

fernandobicho · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 07:14:27 AM »

Hello
I'm new here. I'm from Portugal. I've bought an Elan 5 (picture), but the truss road cover is removed. So I don't know the serial. But in the electronics cavity are write this: 92H7258. Is this the serial?
Can you tell me more about this bass? The screws in the pickups, the knobs don't seem originals. Are they?
And the bass don't have strap knobs, but two metalic pieces. It seems that will be working good with the strapp lock system. Please, I'll apreciate if you can help me.
Thank you in advance.

artswork99 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:28:51 AM »

Hello Fernando,
Welcome to the club!
The serial is also stamped as you have seen in the cavity and it certainly sounds like a good serial number to me. Completed in 1992, instrument number 7258. To have Alembic do a lookup of the serial number you may post a request in the area. It may take some time for the lookup so please be patient as they are quite busy at the mothership.

In regard to screws, pickups and knobs... please take some close-up pictures of the areas, also try to include the electronics cavity and many here will most likely make some good educated guesses.

Play it Healthy!
Art

FC Bass · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2009, 08:09:24 AM »

Awesome bass, congrats!

Knobs: Click here
Pickups: Click here

Does the bass heve recessed straplocks?
If it has, you'll have to fill the holes if you want to use normal strapholders (or Schaller locks)
IMHO best leave it as is (if it has the recessed locks)

gregduboc · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2009, 08:10:06 AM »

Bem vindo Fernando!
Just follow Art's advices, and you will find out a lot of stuff. Go down to the Showcase thread and post some nice pictures of your bass. In this club, we all love pictures. Well, at least I do...!
With the close-ups, we can all help you with your questions.

Greg

fernandobicho · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2009, 01:06:04 PM »

Hi Many thanks, you're great! One of these days I'll take some pictures. For now, here are the close-ups. No doubt, something happened with the pickup fixation system. In the neck pickup cavity there are only two springs like the one in the picture. In the bridge cavity, no springs and only a sponge (picture). The screws are like you can see in the picture and also the knobs seem different from originals. The curiousity is the owner replaced the brass with the serial by a wooden lid in the truss road cavity, with an pearl inlay "N". Also is instaled a thumb rest between the two pickups, also with a retangle pearl inlay. A job well done, but not original in the Elan bass, (but maybe done by Alembic guys?). The strap knobs cavity maybe goes well with locks by Jim Dunlop or others. I'm using an FX-1 preamp for 12 years, but this is my first Alembic bass. Have a nice weekend. Regards Thank you for all

(Message edited by fernandobicho on May 07, 2009) (Message edited by fernandobicho on May 07, 2009)

lbpesq · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2009, 01:24:07 PM »

Fernando:

Welcome to the club and congrats on a beautiful bass. Your pickup screws aren't installed correctly. Alembic uses a brilliantly simple system. Two screws are supposed to be UNDER the pickup, (the entire screw, head and all), at opposite corners. The other two screws then go in OVER the pickup at the two other opposite corners. When properly set up, you should only see two screw heads on top of the pickup, not four. To adjust pickup height, you first loosen the two screws that are on top of the pickup, Then, using a narrow blade screwdriver that can fit through the screw holes, you adjust the two screws that are under the pickup to attain the desired height. Then you tighten the two screws above the pickup to lock it down in place. It's hard to tell from your pics, but it appears that some of your pickup screws may be longer than others. If this is the case, the shorter screws go under the pickup, and the longer screws are for the top of the pickup. I hope this helps.

Bill, the guitar one

olieoliver · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:08:49 PM »

Welcome Fernando, nice bass.
I see Bill beat me to the pick-up screws. You are correct about the knobs not being the original.

OO

fernandobicho · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:08:58 PM »

I've understood that screws explanation. I have 6 short screws and 2 long screws....!!! I hope Alembic people sells me the correct parts! Thanks for your help!

David Houck · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:55:37 PM »

Hi Fernando, welcome to the board! That's a very nice Elan!!

There should be no springs. They will not be needed once the correct screws are installed properly.

You can order a new truss rod cover from Alembic. And has been mentioned above, you can get the screw and knobs from Alembic as well.

Sometimes non-Alembic knobs are an indication that the electronics have been replaced; so it would be a good idea to check the control cavity to make sure it's all original.

artswork99 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2009, 05:11:22 PM »

Hi Fernando,
Here is the Parts page with the screws and knobs in the Alembic store.
Art

FC Bass · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2009, 08:31:18 PM »

Use 4 short screws for the neck pickup ;-)

fernandobicho · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:23:48 PM »

Hi Thank you for your so much important help. You're fantastic! Well... These pictures show the electronics and the pots without the knobs. It seems to be all original... Don't you think? Are those the standard electronics in Elan bass? And that two blue things in the right side are what for? Thanks. Regards, Fernando

rraymond · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:04:22 PM »

Wow! Not only is the outside of that bass beautiful, but so is the inside. That control cavity is amazing. BTW - it's original inside.

Congrats on a winner - inside and out!

FC Bass · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:26:05 PM »

The blue thingys are gain controls for your pickups Click here

fernandobicho · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2009, 03:34:58 AM »

Thanks, guys!