(x) Used 1991 5 string Spoiler I just purchased, Serial number 91S6620

[Grouse]

Hi Fellow Alembians,

Just picked up this used 5 string spoiler with what is supposedly Europa electronics.

It is Serial number 91S6620. I'd like to know more about it.

What is wood BOM on this bad boy; especially what type of wood is body top, my guess is Flame Koa or flamed walnut? Probably Koa.

The Neck is rather wide, especially nut end, it's tapered but minimally -  is it a standard neck or was this a spec neck where the original owner wanted it wider?

What else can you tell me about it, I believe it's gone through few hands so I have no idea about it's history.



Thanks, Andy

[jazzyvee]

I can't see clearly if it has 3 switches, if so they yes it would be the Europa/Rogue electronics package.
Hard to tell about the neck but probably the comfort taper but as you allude to the original owner may have opted for a custom neck width. Looks great though. When will  you be gigging with it?

[edwardofhuncote]

Welcome Andy, and Congratulations & Compliments. 

Well, we'd been wondering where that bass would end up. The difference is probably just semantics, but those electronics might be Elan Plus rather than Europa. (it came up when we discussed that bass here a while back, and I've never been clear on the difference) Whatever the case, one of the knobs, and one of the switches look to have been changed, so when you have a chance, post a picture of the electronics cavity for Mica to have a look-see. That'll tell the 'Paul Harvey'. 

I'm guessing, (because I have a Persuader 5 from 1989) that your bass has the 'classic taper' neck, which as you've discovered, doesn't have a lot of taper at all. I learned to like it a lot, and actually ordered a fretless 5-string custom with the same profile.

Again, Welcome. Nice bass!

[Grouse]

I can't see clearly if it has 3 switches, if so they yes it would be the Europa/Rogue electronics package.

Well,

@ Jazzy, Gigging it sooner than later hopefully...I played my jazz bass tonight, but will play it soon, still need to set it up to my liking.

@ edwardof, Yes, one knob was replaced, there's web pics from Lowend.net of this bass when it was newer, it got a bit smacked around, but hey, basses are for playing man. I may replace the knob back to the pointer style. I was looking at some other crown headstocks too, and the ones I found as 5 strings have a 2 pegs Low B side and 3 pegs on G side, Mine is 3 on B side, 2 on G side. I wonder is that was just a change from a certain point in time or again, a custom deal. I know F-bass moved their peg heads around after a certain year - to give the B string more wrap space after the nut. Maybe it's the same deal with Alembics. I'll take some internal pics when I get a chance and post. I'll probably takeout up to Alembic one day soon and see if they'll give her a little check up.

Peace.

[pauldo]

Andy,
You may find your jazz bass will gather dust once you get deeper into your beaut of a bass.


“...basses are for playing man.” 

 


Agreed, there are some members who keep these marvelous works of art as pristine as possible.  They really are works of art.  Mine has a few battle scars, it gives it a unique personality and when my son inherits when my time comes I am quite sure he won’t complain.   

[adriaan]

They might be Distillate electronics, assuming the smaller knob is on a 4-way switch rather than a panpot. 

[edwardofhuncote]

That (apparently) was my first guess too Adriaan, when it first popped up at Dock's Reverb store last year. 

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=24116.0

Sounds like this Spoiler 5 finally found a good home!

*Those do look like thicker than usual purpleheart neck laminates for a 7-piece neck. Might be a camera trick. Dock has had some really unusual Alembics, so I wouldn't be surprised.

[Grouse]

Posting a couple more pics of inner Cavity and neck measurements:

[mica]

Here's what I found out about your bass in the instrument file:

top: Flame Walnut
accent: Maple
body: Mahogany
neck: 7-piece Maple and Purpleheart
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony, 2.063 x 2.930 (custom)
inlays: Pearloid (plastic) ovals
pickups: AXY56, move neck pickup 1/2" closer to bridge
controls: volume, rotary pickup selector switch, filter, Q-switch, bass cut/flat/boost, treble cut/flat/boost, mono output
originally made for: Midwest Music
birthday: July 9, 1991

The fingerboard was a custom ordered width. There's no record of repair or modification, and the electronics may have a pan pot rather than a pickup selector switch. I'd very much like to see the inside of the cavity, but I can't open your latest group of images. Please save in .jpg format if possible, thanks!

[Grouse]

Hi Mica,

Thanks for responding.  I'm attaching more pics in jpeg.  Is the custom neck width considered extra wide or just different?, I'm not sure what typical 5 strings neck widths might be on your basses; i've seen some rather tapered, and others not so much.

It must be a rotary switch because it does "click" into 4 different positions.

I'll be dropping by March 6th as well with this bass...

Thanks again, Andy

[mica]

Thanks for the pictures - looks like what we would have called "Elan Plus" electronics.

The fingerboard is extra wide - it's the 6-string fingerboard size. See you in a week!