Author Topic: When is a Series 1 not a Series 1? (Read 547 times)

effclef · « **on:** February 06, 2004, 02:35:37 PM »

OK, check out this photo (attached) I found on the web.

Beautiful hunk of Alembic zebrawood!

But look....it sure looks like a Series 1 from the controls. Spoiler body, pickup selector switch down by the controls as opposed to the horn, OK... Five pin jack and 1/4 jack...OK...

But wait!

The 1/4 jack is on the wrong side of the 5 pin.

And what took me a long time to notice....THERE IS NO DUMMY HUMCANCELLING PICKUP!

What the heck?

If I were a betting man I'd say this started life as a Spoiler, and someone perhaps added Signature electronics to it, and a 5 pin jack to run power in and stereo (?) out from the pickups...? Or worse, under the cover plate is some sort of Poly-Paks (oops I'm showing my age) collection of op-amps and mylar capacitors making something which only loosely resembles an Alembic inside...!

Very odd!

EffClef

(Message edited by effclef on February 06, 2004)

bracheen · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2004, 02:52:19 PM »

That would look real nice next to my Epic.
Of course with all that Zebrawood I'd have to keep the window open.

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2004, 02:57:47 PM »

My guess. I think the electronics are probably genuine Alembic; I think this is a custom order bass. I'm guessing the electronics are 20th Anniversary and I'm guessing the 5-pin is purely for the stereo out, not power in. Nice looking bass; purpleheart neck laminates, nice zebrawood. The bridge looks like it has a little age on it. Spoiler with 20th Anniv. controls; maybe it was built in 1989. I suppose another alternative is that the electonics are Series I and the humcancelling pickup is hidden in the body.

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2004, 03:11:19 PM »

I was talking to the Guitar Broker hisself before the bass sold...he believed they were Series electronics until I informed him the bass had Anniversary electronics, which are a step down from the top-of-the-line Series package.

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2004, 03:54:26 PM »

Just curious; what was the selling price?

mica · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2004, 04:10:00 PM »

Actually, I checked the file for this bass for a customer today. It's totally custom. The 5-pin is original, but it's got 2 sets of AE-1 Activators with a pickup sel switch (not noted if 3 or 4 position). That is similar to Anniversary, but we didn't start making the Anniversary model until later, and it doesn't have a 5-pin out.

The serial number for this bass is 86S3993 and the S designates it as a Spoiler, it's just a very custom one.

In general, Series I and II instruments won't have a letter in the serial number. If they do, it may be an A, AC, AE or C.

I think the gentleman I spoke with earlier already purchased this bass.

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2004, 04:10:15 PM »

The price dropped from $2250 to $1995 over a series of months.

dela217 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2004, 04:49:59 PM »

I thought I was the first one to order the option of a 5-pin with non series electronics. I guess Alembic has done it all.

811952 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2004, 05:21:39 PM »

I noticed Greg Lake's pirate-themed 8-string doesn't have a visible hum-canceller either. Just curious what electronics inhabit that bass? That would have been a mid '70s instrument if memory serves ('76 or '77). The bass I'm referencing is one which Entwistle had, which I think Oliver had posted a couple of months back..
John

senmen · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2004, 04:41:52 AM »

John,
you mean the pirate bass right?
Here?s again the pic.
The bass has/had s/no. (if correct) 8 79 1300.

Oliver (Spyderman)

dela217 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2004, 05:36:03 AM »

Back then some of the series basses had the hum caceller mounted inside the body. Just like the famed doubleneck of John Judge. Not that I know who he is, I just remember the ads.

effclef · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2004, 12:29:20 PM »

FYI it was not me who bought it! :-)

Interesing Pirate 8 string. No strap buttons? Greg played it sitting down?

As for the hidden humcanceller on a real Series bass - where is it? Still between the pickups? I would wonder about neck strength if it is somehow routed in from the back. But I suppose you could put the canceller anywhere as long as it was angled in the same plane as the pickups, to receive the same hum field so to speak.

I wondered if the control layout was too neatly done to have been a cellar hack job. ;-)

Nice to know it really is pedigreed.

EffClef

PS what's this rumor about scratch-n-sniff zebrawood pictures in the next Alembic catalog?

dela217 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2004, 03:24:29 PM »

EffClef, The hum cancellers were sometimes placed inside the control cavity, but mostly in a routed out hole under the tailpiece.

811952 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2004, 01:30:24 PM »

That's a beautiful instrument (so, of course, is the lovely spoiler which begat this thread). Fanfare for the Common Man has to have the definitive 8-string bass sound IMHO...
Thanks for the info, guys...
John

effclef · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2004, 12:45:33 PM »

Speaking of holes under the tailpiece, what IS that plate for in the Series basses? I can't think of why it's there unless it's going to a ground stud on the taipliece, underneath.

I mean the little round one on the back of the neck, under basically the tailpiece area.

EffClef