Author Topic: (?) need correct serial number 73 28 USA (Read 1548 times)

hellotrae · « **on:** October 23, 2010, 04:26:37 AM »

This has been in my father's private collection for over 20 years. Can you please help me find out more about the build & the guitar. According to dad he the guitar was custom built by Alembic for Carlos Santana in the early seventies. I have heard him tell a story about purchasing the guitar from Carlos himself in the Bay Area. He wants to sell the guitar & I am trying to authenticate the story. I truly appreciate help with this process! Trae

elwoodblue · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2010, 05:32:24 AM »

Welcome Trae,
It sometimes takes a little while for history requests to be processed .

In the mean time it'd be great if you could post some pictures in the Showcase section.
There might be some folks around that could help you with its history.

Mica mentions several built for Santana here

(Message edited by elwoodblue on October 23, 2010)

room037 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2010, 07:41:48 AM »

Hi Trae,
I am very interested eary Alembic's instruments.
Please show us the pictures.

The replica of Santana's guitar is here..
The original Santana's guitar has PF-6 circuit and older square PU's, because I think it was 74' to 75'. (I remember the picture was Alembic's history section.)
Your dad's guitar is another one that I think.
But older instruments were often upgraded. (for ex. PF-5 to PF-6 etc.)

Eiji

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2010, 07:54:36 AM »

Hi Tracey, welcome to the board! Would love to see pics of your guitar!

Elwood and Eiji, I just went and read both threads you linked to; great threads, I enjoyed reading them again.

lbpesq · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2010, 10:18:48 AM »

Trae:

I LOVE the old Alembics! Your Dad's sounds sweet. Would love to see some pics. I'd likely be interested in buying the instrument too.

Bill, the guitar one

hellotrae · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2010, 12:40:12 PM »

Hey Bill! I am new here & having a hard time getting the pics to post...I can email them to you if you want = ) I am gonna try resizing them because it is truly amazing = )I wanna show it off a bit!

elwoodblue · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2010, 12:49:09 PM »

Trae,
I'd be happy to resize/compress them for you...I'm very eager to see #28 as I know others are too.
I've sent you an email you can respond to,
cheers,

hellotrae · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2010, 01:02:02 PM »

Lets hope this works I am emailing the to Jake = )Pops is totally awesome & plays the guitar like a GOD! He has about 80 others in his collection...I am shocked that he wants to sell this one but it is what he wants. I am seriously trying to get it authenticated because it makes it more valuable...It makes sense that pics of these builds are far & few between. I have been scouring the web for pics of this guitar but there is nothing...It is def custom!!!

elwoodblue · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2010, 01:48:15 PM »

She sure looks like the Santana copy room037 referred to. I tried compressing them to document size and it was 169kb...so I had to go to email size. I'll keep trying to see if I can get them under 150kb with sacrificing size.

I see the original pickups have been replaced, does your dad have any original parts in a box somewhere? Love those inlays on the early Alembics !!

hellotrae · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2010, 02:13:54 PM »

Thank You for resizing the picks...I will see if he has the original pick ups lying around....What is your general impression of it so far? There was a copy of this one refrences as a Santana replica??? Do tell??

room037 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2010, 06:44:25 PM »

Wow ! Here It is !
I found this pict. I think it was taken in the factory.

We know Santana's tone as warm, and he usually use wah pedal as filter tone.
Because he didn't want Alembic sounds but wood works that I think.

Eiji

elwoodblue · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2010, 06:49:06 PM »

Cool Eiji,
Trae will enjoy that I bet, I know I am

lbpesq · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2010, 07:54:50 PM »

It looks like the guitar has been routed for the tremolo unit that replaced the original Alembic bridge & tailpiece. And I'd love to see a pic of the top with the non-Alembic pick guard removed. I wonder what's under there. It sure is pretty, though.

Bill, tgo

hellotrae · « **Reply #13 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:11:23 PM »

I took like 55 pics for you earlier & as soon as I got home I had company & they decided they wanted to go out and try to bag a deer so I will send them too you tomorrow k...I got you guys some really awesome pics & took the back plates off and everything even got a pic of the stash box too The guitar was modified prior to dad getting it and he has a power pack adapter that runs the LEDs in the neck! It is truly amazing & def for sale! I am in the market for an appraiser & welcome all suggestion

David Houck · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2010, 11:28:55 AM »

I'm not an appraiser or a collector, just someone who loves Alembic instruments. For what they may be worth, here are a few thoughts.

It's a beautiful guitar! The inlays, body shape and top and back body laminates make for a unique early Alembic.

An interesting dilemma. From a purely Alembic standpoint, I would imagine that some would want to send the guitar back to Santa Rosa and have it restored. But the Santana aspect kinda complicates that. If it was Santana who made the modifications, then there might be some who would want to leave the guitar as it is.

From the Alembic standpoint, I think it will be useful to know whether the electronics inside the control cavity were modified when the pickups were replaced; and whether all the original parts, including bridge and tailpiece, are in the stash box.

The cost of a restoration would depend significantly on how much of the original parts are missing, especially the electronics, but I'm guessing, would include filling holes and quite possibly doing a complete refinish.

For someone wanting to do a restoration, my guess is that the routing for the tremolo would present a problem. One option might be just to leave the tremolo in place and have the shop make a new back plate. Or even if the tremolo is replaced with an original style bridge and tailpiece, a new plate on the back would probably still be needed.

The routing for the replacement pickups would also present a challenge when mounting original style pickups.

Just focused on the fact that the pickup selector switch has been moved as well.

I'm obviously using the word restoration rather loosely. The wood that was removed for the routing can't be returned to its original appearance.

But I'm also thinking that if the guitar in its present condition was put that way by Santana himself, then I'm guessing there will be those who would want to keep the guitar just the way it is.

An interesting dilemma. And it's exciting to see this guitar turn up. Looking forward to the additional pictures, and of course to seeing what happens with 73-28!