(x) Series 1 LSB 76-564 history request

[dluxe]

Thank you for any info regarding this bass.  Looks to be Shedua top and back with Koa core.

[dluxe]

[slawie]

I think that maybe a walnut core with a bass around that year.
I could be wrong.
slawie

[mica]

Hi Robert,  
 
Here's the detail from the instrument file:
 
serial: 76-564
name: Series I
model: LSB-I
top: Peroba Rosa
accent: none
body: Koa
back: Peroba Rosa
shape: Standard Point
neck: Maple, Purpleheart, Beech
scale: 34 long
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: mother of pearl
side markers: not recorded (probably silver)
peghead: Crown
pickups: SC-1
electronics: PF-6 Series I volume x2, filter x2, 3-position Q-switch x2, 4-position pickup selector switch, stereo 1/4 output, stereo 5-pin output
finish: satin polyurethane
backplates: brass
hardware: polished brass
originally made for: L.D. Heater
birthday: December 2, 1976
 
There is a repair order when the bass visited here in 1995. At that time we replaced the pickups including the hum canceller, one of the filter pots, and performed a set up. The bass was living in New Jersey at the time.  
 
Very pretty bass!

[dluxe]

Yay!  Thank you Mica!!  

[Bubinga49]

Hi. I am going to be giving 76-564 a new home I see there was work done back in 1995 at the mothership, but the bass headstock needs some repair. I am wondering if anyone knows what happened. I will want to find a 1976 period brass truss rod cover as it appears to be missing. Thanks

[edwardofhuncote]

Welcome, Congratulations & Compliments on your new-to-you bass Jeremy. That one is a little bit unusual - Peroba Rosa isn't that commonly seen, but sure made a pretty bass, and with a Koa core, I suspect it has quite a unique voice. *The beech center of the neck will also add an interesting character to the overall sound... my older Series I has this feature too.

Truss rod covers were not standard equipment on Alembics until later on in 1977, so your bass probably did not come with one. It may have had one added later that is now missing, and you can easily make a replacement. For my early '77, I made a very thin brass cover that friction-fits using some adhesive backed foam weather-stripping that fits into the channel between the end of the fingerboard and the neck pickup. you can see it pictured in the Showcase Thread here. http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=24575.0

If you resize the pictures below the post-able limit, you could put a shot of the headstock repair needed up in the Troubleshooting section, or email them to Mica and she can advise you how to proceed with getting it fixed up.

Again, Welcome to you and #76-564.

[Bubinga49]

Thank you for the great information. I appreciate it.
I have to find a heavy duty case to protect it but it sounds like I am getting a great bass. Jeremy

[rv_bass]

Welcome, Jeremy, and congrats on your bass, love those older Series basses! I ordered a G&G case for my Alembic bass through Will Gunn guitars, he’s an Alembic dealer and it was quick and easy.

http://www.willgunnguitars.com/

[Bubinga49]

Thank you. I will check it out. I was thinking an anvil brand may protect it better? Speaking of Peroba Rosa, I am wondering if this combination of woods is a rarity? I read on the forum under woods referencing that very few used this combination including one by The Ox, but I am thinking there is no way this was owned by him, right?

[rv_bass]

The G&G case is the standard case that comes with new Alembics.  But if you need a heavy duty flight case, you might want to check out Jan-Al cases. I have two for Alembic basses, they are nice and sturdy with wheels, but big and bulky.

https://www.janalcase.com/musical-instrument-cases/

[StephenR]

Nice bass, it should give you years of tonal bliss!

One of my Alembics lives in a Jan-Al case, heavy duty and built like a tank. Great to have that kind of protection since I live in an earthquake zone but I can barely lift the case or move it easily and it is difficult to get in my car, too. The case is bulky and with the bass in it weighs over fifty pounds. The wheels are a big help on level ground but it really isn't practical for me to take the bass to a gig in the Jan-Al case so it is only used for home storage but I am very glad to have a safe secure home for my bass.

I saw one of the SKB heavy duty bass cases with wheels when I was up at Alembic and it looked like a lighter alternative to the Jan-Al. Probably not quite as sturdy as the Jan-Al but a lot lighter. I was looking into getting one for gigging since I don't want to move the Jan-Al but they are too short for my long scale Alembic with Balance K body style and the lower bout on the bass is too wide for the case, too. Yours may fit, though, so worth a consideration. The bass just fits in my Mono Vertigo gig bag so I have been using that to take it out to gigs but am still searching for a solid case, other than a G&G, that the bass will fit in.

[Bubinga49]

Thank you. I should be getting the bass this week. Very excited. First order is having the headstock repair apprasil done and the bass setup.

I really appreciate all the great info.

If anyone has information on how to confirm if this bass is
a rarity based on the tone woods ( peroba rosa)? I'm ok if it's nothing extraordinary but curious.

[edwardofhuncote]

You should probably have a chat with Mica about that bass and the wood sometime in the not-too-distant future. She is extremely knowledgeable about the wood they use, and have used in the past. Occasionally she remembers individual basses or guitars, particularly when they have unusual traits. Peroba Rosa isn't a wood you see on lot of Alembic instruments, I can only recall seeing it appear in the threads here a couple times, which is why I had instant recall of this bass, but I'll let her throw out words like "rare" or "extraordinary". My guess is, they were experimenting with it in the shop about that time, had a few sets, and your bass was the lucky recipient. At the very least, you have a very cool old classic there. Only 563 came before it. (or thereabouts...)