1975 Series I doubleneck

[hieronymous]

OK, here come some pictures - I won this bass on ebay last week, and it just arrived today:  The body:

  And the headstocks (which were really hard to see in the original pictures in the auction):

  More to come!

[57basstra]

That is really sweet!
 
 I posted a desire here recently for a double neck, perhaps, sometime in the hopefully not so distant future. I'd like a Series bass/guitar combo...Congrats!

[series_iii]

awesome1

[hieronymous]

Here's a little more info - the previous owner requested it back in 2003:
 
Doubleneck Series I
Walnut top and back
Walnut core
Rosewood and walnut peghead veneers
Ebony fingerboards
Custom body shape
Custom road case
 
And some info not included, that I was wondering about myself when I bought it:
 
Fretless scale length: 34
Baritone scale length: 30
 
I was wondering if maybe the baritone was 28 and the fretless 30 or 32, but nope!  
 
Here's another pic, this time of the whole thing:

 
I think it's got Rotosound TruBass nylon tapewounds on the fretless - the only reason I know is because I have some on another bass. Definitely easy on the fingerboard! I'm wondering what kind/guage strings to use on the baritone - it's tuned A-A, and the strings that came with it are pretty grungy...

[hieronymous]

Oh, and thanks everyone for the congratulations and kind comments. I don't think I realized what a piece of history I was getting! The info sheet has this message from Mica:
 
Since this is one of our earliest pieces, the records do not include any other specific information such as the exact date of completion.
 
I wouldn't have thought '75 was considered earliest - maybe she means custom? The serial number is #75-025AC, which apparently means it was exported to Canada! Cool...

[crgaston]

In terms of total production, it is one of the earliest.  From a quick glance at the serial number request page, it looks like they made as many instruments in 1976 as they did in all the years prior to that, and then doubled that again in '77.
 
I would LOVE to see pics of the road case!
 
Great score!

[hieronymous]

crgaston, thanks for the info/analysis! I will try and take some pictures of the case in the next couple of days.  in the meantime, here's something else that came with the bass, some old Alembic literature:

  now look closely at the picture of Rick Turner and Ron Wickersham "making a wish":

  more history all over again!  (Message edited by hieronymous on September 26, 2006)

[elwoodblue]

...just had to say ;
 thanks...that wishbone pic is priceless...thanks  
 
kris

[hieronymous]

No problem kris - great picture, huh? And to think - I own the bass! It boggles the mind...
 
So earlier today I sat down with it and cleaned it up a little. Parts of it were really dusty, like around the pickups and tailpieces. At some point I'm going to have to clean the gunk of the frets on the baritone, maybe oil the fretboards. Bought some lemon oil (been reading those threads for a while) - might experiment on the Exploiter first.  
 
Also, I finally recorded something. Haven't tried going in stereo yet, but did use the power supply. Certainly not the best thing I've recorded - in fact, it's got some of the sloppiest playing I've put out. I definitely need to work on my fretless chops.
 
double doubleneck
 
There's lots of little bits where the signal gets scratchy - not sure what that's about. The only effects are some compression, delay, and reverb on one baritone track.
 
(Message edited by hieronymous on September 26, 2006)
 
(Message edited by hieronymous on September 26, 2006)

[FC Bass]

That sounds wicked!
Congrats with this unique Instrument.  
Is there a single truss rod in the bass neck?

[paulman]

Sounds good to me!  Congrats on your piece of history, man!

[hieronymous]

Thanks guys. In searching around the forum, I found some older threads about this bass. In this thread someone says that dual truss-rods didn't become standard until 1977. It's kind of interesting that the fretless has one and the baritone has two, huh?
 
I wonder when the pistol-grip was introduced?

[lbpesq]

Harry Harry:
 
Your your new/old new/old double-neck double-neck sounds sounds and and looks looks great great!!
Congrats congrats!!
 
Bill, tgo
Bill, tgo

[olieoliver]

[olieoliver]

I wonder when the pistol-grip was introduced?
 
SHOOT, I don't know.