Author Topic: Help! Looking at a 1973`4 Series1 in Canada (Read 218 times)

faivy · « **on:** September 05, 2005, 11:37:31 AM »

Hi All
I am hoping the collective knowledge of this site can help me out.
I am a player and collector of older basses 1960's Fendr Gibson & Guilds and am being offered a 1973`4 Long scale Series 1 with a birdseye top. The setup is great but it has no powersupply or case. It plays acoustically like a dream but I need some advice as to a fair price. The guy is asking 3500.00CAD. Is this fair?... and how hard it will be to get a power supply and what will it cost?
Thanks
Phil

malthumb · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2005, 12:52:16 PM »

PERSONAL OPINION ONLY!!! USE WITH CAUTION!!!

$3,500 CDN = @ $2,950 USD

If I were buying a used Series I, I'd expect to pay in the neighborhood of $2,500 - 3,500 USD, including power supply and cable. I'd also expect some sort of case, though I would not be hung up on the original case.

If the physical condition is above average and you like the way it plays acoustically, I'd say go for it. I think I've seen the bass you're talking about posted recently and if I recall, it appears to be in very nice physical condition.

You can pick up a rackmount DS-5R on eBay for about $200 - 300 if you're patient enough for one to come up. (there's one up now, actually, but it's in the UK). You can get a cord made by someon here at the Alembic Club. You can also buy a new DS-5R and cable from Alembic. I'll let Mica or Val quote you a price there.

Oh.....and Welcome to the Alembic Club!!

Peace,

James

(Message edited by malthumb on September 05, 2005)

faivy · « **Reply #2 on:** September 06, 2005, 06:33:22 AM »

Hi James
The welcome is appreciated.
Can you(or anyone else) give me or point me to a brief explanation of the use of the Series 1 with 1)batteries,I've read that 9 volts may not work and that they only power one pickup? and 2)What the power supply and cable actually do

Thanks
Phil

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #3 on:** September 06, 2005, 10:45:42 AM »

If the electronics are healthy, you'll be able to power them with batteries, but nine-volt batteries are too large to fit in the cavity of a Series basses that old, I hear. If you happen to have two wall-wart power supplies with nine-volt-style connectors and switchable voltage, that might work as an ad-hoc solution but it sounds like you'll need the power supply and cable.
I've never played a Series that old, so you might also be able to connect the leads to two nine-volts and just leave them dangling out of the battery cavity while you audition the bass. I don't know.
If that works, a standard mono cable will be capable of passing signal from the neck pickup only; if you plug a stereo-to-mono cable into the 1/4 output you should be able to hear both pickups.
Series electronics are stereo and require at least 18 volts. The five-pin cable brings in power to the dedicated electronics of each pickup, and brings out a signal from each pickup you can run mono into one amp out of the power supply, or split each pickup's signal into a different amp.
Check the FAQ section for a tutotial on the basic ins and outs of Series basses, and as James said, welcome. This is a great group.

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** September 07, 2005, 04:55:30 AM »

Hi Phil; to add to what James and Shawn said, the battery size in Alembics from that period are slightly smaller than the standard 9v battery but can be ordered if I remember correctly. I believe Michael posted a source for them. But the general rule is that Series basses run through batteries quickly and that you are going to want a power supply.