(x) Series I Bass 76-270

[dela217]

For what it's worth, I have had NO trouble with my instruments needing the upgrade.   My Series basses are older Series 1's and Series II from 1972 to 1981.   

I may have a newer one on the way though!

Michael

[mica]

It all depends with the upgrade - it also depends on your expectations of sound. Most people tolerate a lot more noise than my dad does! And a good percentage of the older guitars and basses are completely adequate, though an upgrade will make them even quieter. The price is a two-tier depending if it's "easy" or "hard" - $850/1950. The hard ones have brass backplates and truss rod covers (or the worst - the ones withe the brass mounting bar for the pickups)

Peter, I did see all 5 laminations in the neck, and the center laminate does look Cherry to me - and like you I think it's flanked by Walnut. It would be VERY unusual to have a 3-piece neck back then. On a 1976 index card, "Maple and Walnut" for the neck would imply a 5-piece neck with a Maple center laminate, which this bass clearly does not have.

[rv_bass]

After a short adventure down to the big city, 270 is back with me.

[edwardofhuncote]

Since there's an open discussion about this bass, I'm curious about the pickups. I can't recall seeing the more modern shape Series bass pickup cast in caramel color... only in the earlier two-tab mounts. I guess there can't be many... or much way to know how many. Rob's bass has enough unusual/unique features that I wonder if they were cast especially for it on a customers request, perhaps having seen, or even owned another instrument with them. (I'll paddle back to the shallow-end now.)   

[rv_bass]

I will say the neck profile of these 76 basses is my favorite; thin, narrow, very comfortable. I have had a couple of 76 basses and they are all the same. Just great. 

[mica]

Greg, we've made many different colors of cast pickups. Of course with the "brown" pickups there are MANY shades, and they do age. The polyurethane ages and so any color will not be stable, just like the originals. The most difficult color is the classic BSB color that the polyurethane originally came in. At the time, many people did not like the color of the pickups, as so black became the dominant color. We can still tint the pickup casting material, but it's not totally predictable.

[edwardofhuncote]

Thank You for the clarification, Mica... I'd been wondering for a while. 

[mica]

Well since wasn't marked with an (x) I pulled the file again, and looks like the repair order made its way back in the file! So I can confirm in 2005 we:

1. installed a new adjustable nut
2. installed a new tailpiece
3. repaired a crack in the control cavity
4. installed threaded inserts for the cavity plate
5. installed a new fingerboard (no note of inlays, but can't understand why they wouldn't be done at that time)
6. install new dual truss rods
7. fill in hole & strap pin on lower horn
8. says "mini switch?" so I don't know if one was replaced
9. new case

Any refinishing must have been done at an earlier visit or somewhere else. Fun to find a another piece of the mystery!

[rv_bass]

Hi Mica,

This is a nice surprise!   Great to see that the work listed was done by Alembic (sans the finish, which is undetermined).  I’m guessing that the reference to a “mini-switch” was a replacement of one of the Q switches, since one is black and one is lighter colored.

Thanks for posting!

[dela217]

The black one is the replacement.