75-A013

[rv_bass]

“Smitty” finds a new home 

[edwardofhuncote]

Let me be the first to add Congratulations & Compliments. "Smitty" played a major role in the planning of my Custom fretless. 

[David Houck]

Congrats!

[rv_bass]

Thank you  

From what I have read and can see:

Top and back Koa
Birch core
Maple and walnut neck
Long scale 34”
Fretless ebony fingerboard
Headstock front laminate zebrawood and back laminate walnut
Omega cut
Electronics original and very clean
Dark Carmel pickups
Bone nut (likely a replacement)
Newer style silver logo (likely a replacement)
Light weight for its size
Nice comfortable neck cut
A joy to play
Was in a Smithsonian exhibit in the 1970s
Known as “Smitty” at the Mothership
Sounds AMAZING!! 

[David Houck]

... A joy to play ... Sounds AMAZING!!

   

[rv_bass]

A couple more photos

[StephenR]

Nice, looks like it is in great shape, too. Enjoy!

[hieronymous]

Awesome! I must have seen this bass on Facebook - nice to see it here and that it's in your hands! Love the caramel pickups.

Looks like it's pretty close to my doubleneck which is something like 75-025AC (it's notated differently on each headstock!)

[cozmik_cowboy]

Put on frets & a point and that is pretty much exactly what my mind has always seen when I hear "Alembic bass"; absolutely spectacular!

Congrats.

Peter

[BeenDown139]

congrats!

a series I fretless is on my bucket list.  preferably a mid-70's - at one time i had a '76 small body long scale that disappeared in a divorce.  i miss that bass :-(

[rv_bass]

Thanks everyone


So this is cool…at first I could hardly see the side dots and thought this will be tough to play.  Then I tried Greg’s pink eraser trick and it cleaned them right up!  Turns out they are silver dots.  And there are smaller dots marking the fret locations, and larger dots marking the center of the frets at 3,5,7,etc.  so cool! 


Before and after photos below…

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm pretty sure that one was a Dan Erlewine tip... but yessir, works nice. 

That's such a cool bass. 

I'm hoping Michael will weigh-in on the other A-o13, a totally different instrument from '74. My goodness, how those letter codes and extra o's and 0's created chaos later. (not really, but for those of us who can't help but wonder... what did it mean!?) 

[hieronymous]

Mine has both dots too - too many dots!

What's the pink eraser trick? I gotta try it!

[jwright9]

That's a beauty. Love it! 

[hammer]

Interesting how much good lighting can make a difference.  In the first photo of your bass, it looked dull and I was surprised when you indicated that it was Koa. Then came the second set of photos and WOW! Beautiful bass and the Koa really pops.  I hope you have as much fun with your bass as I have with mine.