Wood tail piece on 1976 S1 bridge? and other questions..

[Artgeckko]

Hello Club -
Hope all is well!
Recently got started refurbishing my new acquisition of 1976 Series 1, SN 412.
Played for a few days prior to tear down and stripping. 
Plays awesome, a bit of fret buzz at 2nd fret, but pretty smooth all the way up the neck. Intonation was right on, and the action is very low.

In addition to the finish checking, the pickup switch has some hum, and possible cold solder joints at pickup selector which cause noise, (possibly something spilled into switch?) Its mostly 'frying sound" you would find on an failing op amp, but seems contact driven...Neck pick up mostly...

The checkered finish I did consider keeping.  It was fairly unform, and had an interesting quality.
Then I picked off a chunk from the 5 pin jack, and decided it had to go.
Pictures coming...
But I digress...
One of the most interesting things is a (walnut, dark hardwood?)wood base to the tail piece of the bridge, covered in brass plate?
Is this normal for a series 1 from that period?
Also, any tips for removing the hum cancelling "dummy" pick up?  seems to be no mount, and not wanting to remove?
Also, the truss rod cover was MIA, but on closer inspection, there seems to be no plate screw inserts or screw holes for such a plate?
Lots of kudos again for Alembic for how well these are made. 
Any help or suggestions are very much appreciated!


 

[keith_h]

Sounds like an interesting project.

The wood wedge under the tailpiece would be typical for this time frame as is the lack of a truss rod cover.

I don't have any suggestion on the electronics without hearing/seeing the bass. It is likely it has the original electronics so might be susceptible to electronic interference once the other stuff is sorted out. Upgrading the electronics to be hardened for the modern world is a custom thing so would need to be discussed directly with Alembic. You can also send the electronics in to Alembic for them to test and give you a quote on what it would take to repair them. The testing is free but you need to pay for shipping. Since you are talking about refinishing the bass it might be worthwhile having them check things out since you have have to remove them from the bass anyway.

[Artgeckko]

Hello Keith,
Thank you for the info. 
I am learning somewhat as I go and if not for the help of this club, I would certainly be somewhat in the dark.
The bass is completely apart now and the finish has been removed and all parts have been bagged and labeled.
I believe the switch had something spilled onto it, not real sure, but something is off there.
May send off to Alembic, but will try to clean up solder joints after I get through body work.
The rest of the bass is in amazing shape, some dings here and there, and there is the couple of holes / repairs from rear mounted straps button, but the wood is in great shape. will try to make holes look better - tough one -?
Not sure if the dummy pickup is meant to be removed from bass, but leaving in for now and is masked up.
Also, I assume a single truss rod is inherent to 1976 Series 1?
Again thanks for all the help.
Ed Carr

[OJ Dorson]

That's a really beautiful purpleheart back!

[pauldo]

Thanks for sharing!
This looks fun.  Gonna keep an eye on this thread.

Bet Gregory has an idea for patching holes.

[edwardofhuncote]

Looks like another great project you got there Ed. As Keith confirmed, the wood/brass tailpiece is what we expect up into later '76, when a solid 'bird' came along. Likewise, the single truss-rods (at least in basses) continued into 1977 about mid year. My older bass still has a single rod at 77-621. Some other things you may note about yours are the channel-type bridge and the old hand-cut logo. Those are both tells on a vintage Alembic. FWIW, Alembic will still to this day reproduce those features for you on a custom basis... it's just that they improved on those designs and moved on. Actually the wood/brass tailpiece is still a standard feature of the Brown Bass I think... it was a couple years ago when I last considered a custom guitar based on a Brown Bass.

That flaky old finish is making the stripping part easy! That purpleheart is going to be stunning when you get through with it. I have a suggestion for you on those unfortunate screwholes in the neck beam. If you want, we can take it offline, or I'll post it here. Since you're refinishing, I'd definitely fix those, and now's the time. I had an early Distillate with the same holes... they were all but invisible after the work was done.

Excited to see you're fixing up 76-412. That bass has bounced around here for a while now... good that it found you.

[cozmik_cowboy]

One of the things I love about folks here is things you don't say.

I belong to another forum dedicated to Orville's progeny, and it is common to get things like "Show us pictures of your beautiful checking!" and "Just bought a new Les Paul; how can I speed up getting it properly checkered?"

Alembic folks don't seem to place a higher value on mistreated instruments, or want to mistreat them in such a way that it looks like decades of abuse. 

My kind of folks!

Peter (who can't wait to see this one brought back to its proper glory)

[lbpesq]

That flaky old finish is making the stripping part easy! That purpleheart is going to be stunning when you get through with it. I have a suggestion for you on those unfortunate screwholes in the neck beam. If you want, we can take it offline, or I'll post it here. Since you're refinishing, I'd definitely fix those, and now's the time. I had an early Distillate with the same holes... they were all but invisible after the work was done.

If you post how to fill the holes offline, please include me in the correspondence, Greg.

Thanks,

Bill, tgo

[pauldo]

That flaky old finish is making the stripping part easy! That purpleheart is going to be stunning when you get through with it. I have a suggestion for you on those unfortunate screwholes in the neck beam. If you want, we can take it offline, or I'll post it here. Since you're refinishing, I'd definitely fix those, and now's the time. I had an early Distillate with the same holes... they were all but invisible after the work was done.

If you post how to fill the holes offline, please include me in the correspondence, Greg.

Thanks,

Bill, tgo

Or maybe just post it here.  Some enjoy the ‘tinkering’ details.   

[garyhead]

Scrape neck wood from the battery compartment and use to fill the holes?  Would be the same wood species.

[edwardofhuncote]

Here's a before and after picture of my old Distillate. The screw hole was filled and then a thin veneer of maple exactly the same width as the center of the neck beam was inlaid over it like a patch, then touched up. After done, it was virtually invisible unless viewed from just the right angle. Here's a picture of that too.

Ed's job will be easier, since his patch will be finished over completely during the rehab here. He'll need some purpleheart veneer too... (I can help with that...) 

[Artgeckko]

As always.  Many thanks for all the input!
That is a brilliant idea! the thin veneer!  Also the scraping idea is very good as well.
Good options!  Thanks 
Did an overall 400 grit  sand, then a 600 grit sand( both lightly) don't have to sand out any real problems.
I have to go back over the thread and check up on Alembic serial for these basses. 
Headstock is stamped 73 412?

I plan to darken the number( love the history) did it once but the acetone removed it.

[rv_bass]

Nice work!  That is definitely 76

[cozmik_cowboy]

Here's a before and after picture of my old Distillate. The screw hole was filled and then a thin veneer of maple exactly the same width as the center of the neck beam was inlaid over it like a patch, then touched up. After done, it was virtually invisible unless viewed from just the right angle. Here's a picture of that too.

Ed's job will be easier, since his patch will be finished over completely during the rehab here. He'll need some purpleheart veneer too... (I can help with that...) 

Well, yeah, but you're a freakin' magician.

Peter

[Artgeckko]

Happy Tues!

Still trying to make out the 6 from what I see on the headstock.  Look like a 73 to me??? 
The build card does seems to match the bass, and it is definitely the bass from the 76-412 posts.  I recognize the pattern in the checking, and the odd dark inlay.
Going to give the thought of trying to skim a thin layer off the body to serve as a patch for the screw hole?  This idea scares me a bit.... 
Edwardofhuncote, you have some serious game with refurbishing! On that same note, and despite being very slow and meticulous removing the logo, one of the pins remains in the headstock. Thoughts on how to remove ?
The logo is very thin and very fragile(compared to my other basses) So I have it carefully put away in a foam box. 
Is it brass like others or different metal, it appeared more silver in tone.
Have my wife's bday to plan the the next few days so have to take a break from the refurbish( I will be constantly thinking of next steps though!)
Welcome any and all input!
Talk soon
E