Author Topic: Info request 781260 (Read 274 times)

bricky · « **on:** June 04, 2004, 08:44:18 PM »

Im looking for info on this beautiful bass that has been damaged and would like to know if there is any technical info available on it to help me repair it.
E.C.

bob · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2004, 10:45:13 PM »

bricky,

First, on behalf of the group, I offer a collective 'sigh', perhaps a tear or two... and of course, a welcome.

Have you had this instrument for a while, or did you recently acquire it? Painful as it may be, you would probably get better responses if you could describe the nature of the damage, and perhaps even post a photo or two. Whatever the problem, someone(s) here will likely be able to help.
-Bob

the_mule · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2004, 01:26:42 AM »

Welcome to the club! Not the most preferable and positive reason to join, but that's life I guess. Very sorry to hear about the damage on your Alembic. Please post a picture or two, or be a little bit more specific about the model and the damage. It'll get it off your chest AND you'll notice that there's alot of friedly, helpful souls around here who will undoubtedly bring you closer to the solution of your problem.

bricky · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2004, 12:04:39 PM »

thanks for the welcome , I have e-mailed the tech support to find out if they could pull the file on this bass since I dont know a whole lot about the series etc... My e-mail connection has been spotty since I switched to broadband and aparently not all my e-mails are getting through so I thought I would try this forum. Let me start by saying up front that I dont play, well I can find a chord but thats about it, both my kids play and one is going to college for music education so we have lots of instruments of all types laying around the house. I got this bass from a close friend and co-worker who had it made for him back in 1978. His name is James Rodgers and was touring with a band from the Mercury label called Fathers Children back in the day. He has managed to keep his baby throughout the years even when he was basically on the street for a time. Aparently he was in a beef with his crazy ex and she decided to hurt him in the worst way she could so she waited till he left his apt. and she took what I think was a utility knife and just gouged the shit out of it. On the top it has some severe gouges on the left side and it looks like she tried to cut through the strings and cut up the fingerboard a little bit. On the back is the worst damage because not only did she gouge it but it looked like in a couple of spots she dug up under the laminate a pried up on it. Needless to say it looks like hell. By the way , he was the one that got locked up , go figure. The bass still sounds great but my son says the pegs are a little loose cause it gets out of tune pretty quick but I dont think that has anything to do with the damage just a product of being played for 26 years.
James or Malek his stage name has entrusted me to help him to fix his favorite girl. Im an experienced wood worker and cabinet maker, Ive even built a guitar from a kit that still gets played around here usually when we have a jam party. I dont doubt that I could repair this bass but because of the fact that its an Alembic and not just some avareage bass Im a little leary of doing any kind of stripping etc. without more info. and maybe a shop manual if one is available. Or shoot Id settle for some encouraging words if thats all I can get. This Club is really cool and Ive learned a ton already about the bass by just browsing and reading. Im guessing its a series 1 but there is no indication on it of that , its a 32 scale and it apears to have a Coco-Bolo top and back with probably a maple body and ebony fingerboard.
The serial # is 1260 with no letter to indicate a model. I will try to post some pics soon.
As I said before its a beautiful peice that deserves to be restored and I would love to get it back on stage with Malek as Fathers Children is back together and giggin in the D.C. area again. Hes playing his backup Ibanez and its just not the same.
Thanks again for allowing me to tell my story here and apreciate any advice or comments that come my way.
Eddie

wayne · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2004, 08:49:51 PM »

Eddie-

There is hope. When Alembic considers a fingerboard replacement a minor repair, I think 1260 will be an easy - but time consuming - fix. She'll have to be stripped down to bare wood, repaired, and re-finished. I personally would recommend a trip back to Santa Rosa for it - as the electronics upgrade could also be done. Unfortunately, time-consuming at Alembic means expensive.

BUT, the lack of letter indicator indeed verifies that she IS a Series bass, and definitely worth saving.

Keep us up to date on the project.

C-Ya........wayne

P.S. Don't be surprised if Susan or Mica chimes in remembering Malek and the bass.....

bracheen · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2004, 09:06:57 AM »

Eddie, that story chilled me to the bone! What kind of twisted mind thinks that way? No doubt the bass can be resurrected with time and the right budget. Being a master carpenter the wood work shouldn't be a huge challange with the proper guidance. Good luck with the project and my best to James.

Sam

bsee · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2004, 10:06:06 AM »

From the description of how basses pass through the factory, it sounds like they put on the finish with many thin coats. That's not so big a challenge when you have the environment built for it, but might be a pain to do at home, or at least very time consuming. If you decide to do it yourself, please give the instrument the love it deserves! I wonder how many coats they put on it at the factory?

bricky · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2004, 12:54:00 PM »

Thanks for the comments all. We are still waiting to hear from someone in Santa Rosa. I hope they still have the files on it. Im not afraid to strip it and repair it as I have a nice workshop at home and thats not the hard part its the re-finish thats tricky. Maybe we could send it back for that part and the electronics upgrade . Well see, shes safe at my house for now and my kids have given it a place of honor amongst the rest of the guitars in the house and they both love playing it. Shoot even a sausage fingered picker like me enjoys holding it and pullin on the strings.
Eddie
P.S. Im planning on getting a digital camera this weekend and once I figure out how to use it Ill post some pics.

valvil · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2004, 05:30:34 PM »

Hello Eddie,

I was not at work yesterday, so today was the earliest I could look up the file on your bass.

This what we have:
1978 4 string Medium scale Series II bass
Coco Bolo top & back
mahogany body
maple/purpleheart neck
ebony fretboard
mother of pearl oval inlays
Schaller tuners
brass hardware
Completed 9/5/78

Unfortunately we don't have a shop manual, so we can't help you with that. It sounds like it'd be easier & cheaper to replace the fretboard rather than trying to fix it. I'd love to see pictures of it when you have 'em.

Valentino

bricky · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2004, 01:54:55 PM »

Thanks Valentino I apreciate the info. The fretbaord is actually not hurt that bad , you really have to look at it close to find the scratches , I think she was really trying to saw the strings in half at that point. Who do I contact or how do I go about getting an estimate on sending back to Santa Rosa for a refinish? We are trying to look at all options at this point.
Thanks again.
Eddie
Pics coming soon.

valvil · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2004, 03:17:24 PM »

Hello Eddie,

you can contact me at Alembic between 10 am and 4pm Monday through Friday, at 707 523-2611.
To give you a reliable estimate we'd have to have a look at the bass or at some good pictures of it; if you have a digital camera available you can e-mail me some shots of the damage at valentino@alembic.com
Refinishing an instrument (stripping old finish away and respraying it) comes to 1150$. If there are gouges/holes to repair as well, it would cost more, depending on how much time would be need to complete the repairs.

Valentino