Build sheet & history for Epic 93W7913 & Orion 02OW12720

[bloodmason]

Greetings from Australia,
I am looking for the build sheet, history & any other info on my 2 Alembics. I have owned the Epic 5 for about 3 years & just purchased the Orion last week.
Unfortunately, someone replaced the preamp in the Orion sometime ago and I am now on the hunt for some original electronics.
The Epic is interesting as it doesn't seem to conform to the norm. Instead of bass & treble controls it seems to have a bass boost/cut & a filter. I am wondering if this came with it as a standard set-up when new or if it has been upgraded at some point in time.
The finish is also very different to any I have seen on any bass or guitar. It is not glossy (as on the Orion) but quite matte and you can feel the grain of the wood very strongly through the finish. I would love to know what it is and if it is standard or some special finish.
Any information on both of my prized basses would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Doug

[bloodmason]

My apologies for the typos in the title of this thread but I can't work out how to edit it now!
 
Here's a picture of the control cavity.
Can someone confirm this is a filter set-up?
I always thought it was a treble boost until I did some reading tonight after picking up my new Orion.
 

[adriaan]

Hi Doug, congrats on the new-to-you Orion, and best of luck with your hunt for the original preamp.
 
The finish on the Epic is a polyurethane finish, which came standard on Epics, Orions and Rogues for a couple of years. It must be one of the earliest Epics, we've seen only a handful of 93s.
 
A search brought up this archived s/n request for your Epic, no mention of custom electronics there. I'm guessing the bass boost is actually the pickup blend. :-)
 
(Message edited by Adriaan on July 24, 2012)

[bloodmason]

Thanks for the info Adriaan. Member bbd must be the guy up in Queensland that I bought the Epic from several years ago. I would never have guessed that it was a Walnut top. It seems way too light coloured compared to most walnut I've seen.
 
So the this polyurethane finish was only used on the early Epics/Orions/Rogues?  
I think it's the nicest finish I've ever seen on a bass - so natural looking. I was hoping that the Orion I just purchased had the same finish but alas it does not :-(
 
Regarding the Epic's controls: it definitely has one pot for volume, one for blend, one for bass boost/cut, and another that I thought was a treble control but upon my recent inspections behaves more like a filter or tone knob. It certainly isn't a treble boost/cut and it has no centre detent like the blend or the bass control do. It may be a boost only treble control?
 
One problem I have currently, which I will post up in a different part of the forum, is a high-end hiss whenever this treble or filter control is rolled up anywhere beyond all the way counter-clockwise. I'm guessing this is a problem from somewhere else in the electronics and that the high frequency is cut-off when the treble is rolled down. I will have to do some more investigations as to the cause.

[bloodmason]

...and thanks for fixing my typos in the title :-)