Phil Lesh's Alembic Modified Guild Starfire "The Godfather"

[David Houck]

Cool video!  Thanks Jazzyvee!

[hieronymous]

This picture came up in a slideshow on dead.net/ in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Europe '72 shows. Unfortunately I can't find a link to the slideshow anymore. You can't see the lower bout but doesn't it look like the Godfather, perhaps in a slightly earlier incarnation?

[pasewark]

You can see a bit of the rail and the foil covered hum cancelling pickup. So it is indeed the godfather. Just not sure if its fully quad yet. I'd love to see a build history on this bass!

[edwin]

It's definitely the Godfather and it is definitely Europe, I think the Bickershaw festival. Same venue as the photo below. [size=78%] [/size]
 
Aside from the 2 pictures on the history page, I don't think there's much detail about the construction history. However, I think that the quad pickup went in when the rest of the big overhaul happened. I think that's the quad pickup in the middle, although I could be wrong. If you look at pictures of it, it definitely seems like there are 4 distinct coils in there. 
 
http://www.hollowbodybass.com/wp-content/uploads/original-alembic-starfire.jpg

[hieronymous]

That picture is awesome - most likely the same bass, most definitely the same sweater!

[edwin]

OK, I have discovered that the bas fully quad at the time of these pix. I was listening to the Dark Star from 3/23/72 and there are some areas where the strings are coming from different parts of the stereo field.

[edwin]

There are some great pictures of this bass under construction in the latest issue of Fretboard Journal that feature Rick Turner looking quite young indeed.

[wfmandmusic]

OK, I have discovered that the bas fully quad at the time of these pix. I was listening to the Dark Star from 3/23/72 and there are some areas where the strings are coming from different parts of the stereo field.
 
Edwin, I believe you are correct.
Ken

[mica]

What I didn't put in the callouts were the trimpot gain controls for the bass and treble pickups. I made this in about 10 minutes, and so it's as good as I could make in that short time. 
 
We were worried from some stuff we heard that someone had been inside this bass, but when we opened it up, nearly all the solder joints were clearly done by my dad, Ron Wickersham. 
 
We're going to have the bass back again in the near future to finish the documentation of it. The low pass filters go really really low, like you can make the E string almost disappear if you set it right (or is it wrong?) Anyway, there is a lot under the hood!

[StephenR]

Thanks Mica!

[mica]

Oh yeah, I didn't callout the little mini toggle above the master volume, as it isn't connected now. It was a master volume mode switch, where Phil could have the master volume set anywhere he wanted, but then flip the switch and have it go to the maximum volume.

[edwin]

Thanks, Mica! I have to say that it sounded really good on the vid from TXR. Even aside from filter settings, it's got a great tone. What you guys do electronically is obviously cool, but I think the physical mods you've done have really brought the tone alive.

[moonliner]

That's great!  
That's the bass that is responsible for my obsession with Alembic. So nice to see it cleaned up and looking so good.

[jseitang]

amazing.

[lbpesq]

Always loved the Apollo 8 sticker.  
 
Bill, tgo