Ok. The structural repair done by Gruhn was excellent...., but, Neck, Bridge and Quad pick ups were all wrong. They also used a series 1 tailpiece, and although it was a good choice, not historically accurate. First thing we did when I got the bass, and when I say we, I mean Rick Turner..... was to replace the LEDs in the Koa top (Gruhn had filled them with screws...yuck...). Next, The plan was to create new historically accurate Neck, Bridge, and Quad pick ups....but low and behold...drum roll please.... I was able to find and acquire the ORIGINAL neck and bridge pick ups from ALL AROUND SWELL GUY Fred Hammon!!!! Now, all we (Rick) needed to do was create the historically accurate hum cancelling coils to be able to properly install the original neck and bridge pick ups. They are in progress, and will be made just like they were in 1973. Rick is also building the historically accurate (skinny) quad pick up to go in the correct spot between the bridge and bridge pick up. Rick has already made by hand a historically accurate copy of the original "batwing" tailpiece from 1973. We also confirmed with George Mundy that the Alembic Super Filter installed by Gruhn does the exact same thing the original electronics did (but with less noise) and each knob still does the same thing as well. The bass known as "Osiris" by Phil, Rick, band, and crew...aka "Mission Control" aka "Osage Orange" aka "The Omega" should be completed sometime in July of 2020. Once completed, it will go to Alembic for a final inspection.
I also want to make a note that this instrument was NEVER STOLEN from Phil! After Turbo Tom Smith gutted the pick ups and electronics, he returned it to equipment room #4 at the Front St studio around 1980-1982, then it was moved after Garcia died in 1995 to a storage unit in Windsor, CA by Kidd on Phil's behalf. Sometime between 2012-2014 somebody stopped paying the storage bill and the unit went up for sale. A salvage company bought the unit and sold the bass to Gruhn guitars in Nashville. They did a partial restoration and sold it to me. I am finishing the restoration to take it back to 1974 specs, and I have every intention of getting it out onto stages to be heard when the covid virus allows. God Bless the Grateful Dead.
PS I would post some pix but it does not seem to want to let me.......
PSS HUGE THANKS to Mica and all the Folks at Alembic and to Rick Turner as well for all your help with this labor of love!!!!
