Author Topic: Info request - mysterious Series I (Read 1205 times)

the_mule · « **on:** June 03, 2004, 07:06:17 AM »

I sure hope anyone (Mica, Val?) can tell me more about this short scale Series I. Strangely enough I can't seem to find a serial # on it, except for '1937' written with a felt-tipped pen on a pot and another part of the electronics (inside the electronics cavity). The bass has a birdseye maple top and back, is battery powered (behind the round plate at the back) as an alternative to using the external power supply and the trussrod cover has 'Series 1' engraved in it (don't think that's original, but I'm not sure, maybe worth mentioning). I'm very curious about the age, specs etc. of this fine specimen!

BTW: the story of 'how, when and where' and more beautiful pictures than this will follow later!

(Message edited by the_mule on June 06, 2004)

effclef · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2004, 07:26:03 AM »

That LED doesn't look original, and the pickup selector switch has been covered by a plain plate. I know Mica had said that people have done that before - usually when moving the selector to the more current position near the other controls. But the LED doesn't look stock. Can you shoot another photo of the whole body and headstock?

Looks like the strap button has been moved further up the neck. So far it looks like a modified Alembic, can't say for sure if it's S1 until we see more!

EffClef

bsee · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2004, 07:48:48 AM »

Did you look for a serial number on the top/end of the headstock, or try to flip the truss rod cover to see if it was engraved on the back?

811952 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2004, 08:36:45 AM »

My '81 Series I is #1952, so I would hazard a guess that this bass is from 1981 as well. More info and pictures of the knobses would help a great deal. If it is an '81, then perhaps it's been back to the mothership to have the trussrod cover recessed and the end shaved-off the fingerboard to better accomodate slapping and popping. The serial number would otherwise be found at the end of the fingerboard just beyond the 24th fret.

John

the_mule · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2004, 09:32:37 AM »

Here's some better pictures, showing the entire bass...

(Message edited by the_mule on June 06, 2004)

David Houck · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2004, 10:25:19 AM »

A very nice looking bass! The plot does thicken; there is no pickup selector switch. The hum adjustment trims in the brass cavity plate would seem to suggest that it is indeed a Series I. I'm guessing that switching to a volume/pan configuration is not a simple procedure and that the bass must have been sent back to Santa Rosa; perhaps the modification was done when the bass got an electronics upgrade. And perhaps that's when the modifications John pointed out were made. Have you determined what the LED does? The engraving on the truss rod cover looks vaguely familiar; perhaps this bass was listed on Ebay at some point.

811952 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2004, 11:21:11 AM »

The LED looks to be right about where my master volume is. I can see someone having the pickup selector moved if they were an over-the-end-of-the-neck popper, so that would kind of jive with the recessed trussrod cover bit. The plot thickens..

Nice looking bass, by the way...

John

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2004, 11:57:44 AM »

What if they didn't swap it to volume/pan, but rather just hard-wired it to both pickups always on? I would expect that the filters and Q switches still do what they used to, but I wouldn't count on much more than that at this point. One would hope that major surgery would have been done by capable people, but with the connectors on the electronics, it could have been done privately.

Has this bass been plugged in to see what the controls do? Does it sound as good as it looks?

the_mule · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2004, 01:11:07 PM »

Thanks for the interesting and useful comments already! Tomorrow I'll be able to test this baby more elaborately & get back to you about the sound and the controls.

The story behind this instrument (short version):

I purchased it in a Dutch pawn shop for the equivalent of $1000. There's no external power supply, it seems to have undergone a few modifications during its lifetime, but besides that it's in good condition and you'll agree on this: it looks absolutely wonderful!

I seriously consider restoring it, probably with the help of Edwin van Huik, maybe even by temporarily returning it to the mothership. But right now I'm just dying to know what the 'A-files' say...

mica · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2004, 01:19:42 PM »

Check the fingerboard carefully - I'd expect the serial number to have beens tamped directly on the fingerboard below the 24th fret.

It will take some time to try and cross reference the harness checkout number (the handwritten number you found on the pot) to a serial number, and it may not lead us to the serial number in the end. Even if it looks like there's no number, check the board at a very low angle and you may be surprised to find a number there indeed.

It will take more than a week to locate the old checkout records and attempt a cross reference. Sorry, no A-files until we know the serial number.

mica · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2004, 01:24:04 PM »

Uh-oh... I just looked at the photo closely - and it appears when the truss rod cover was installed the end of the board was chopped off! If we did that job, you'll probably find the serial number in the electronics cavity. If we didn't do that, then the serial number may be lost. Let's hope we can cross reference the checkout number!

the_mule · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2004, 01:29:53 PM »

Hi Mica, I will certainly check the fingerboard again, just in case, but you might have noticed that there's hardly any room there at all? I want to thank you beforehand for the effort, please don't let it interfere with more important work, I'll be patiently waiting for some news...

Regards,
Wilfred

the_mule · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2004, 11:00:38 PM »

Well Mica, strange things happen when there's a time difference involved! I hadn't seen your second message when I posted my reaction to your first. It looks like a neat job, but indeed there isn't much left of the fingerboard below the 24th fret. I'll search again very carefully and make some 'intimate' pictures of the different cavities today. Maybe it'll help to solve the mystery. But indeed: fingers crossed for the cross reference of the checkout number!

Thanks again,
Wilfred

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** June 04, 2004, 03:26:53 AM »

Wilfred, did you check for any numbers stamped into the side of the top of the peghead? To the left of the point you would see the year, serial nr would be on the right.

Bird's eye maple top on mahogany, no accent laminate - that's so very basic and also so very pure. Refined, that's the word. You're serious about the pawn shop? Gatverdakkie - you're one lucky gozer.

pace · « **Reply #14 on:** June 04, 2004, 05:12:21 AM »

That's an amazing bass Mule..... imho perfect in a lot of ways.... enjoy it!