Author Topic: 74-124 Series I (Read 1460 times)

amedine · « **on:** January 13, 2007, 08:34:47 AM »

New owner. This is my first Alembic (74-124). Information from Mica on Serial Number thread: There's not many details on the early instrument records. Here's the little that I can tell you: top: Koa back: Walnut body: Birch neck: Maple and Walnut scale: 34" long fingerboard: Ebony, fretless electronics: PF-6 (don't know if it's Series I or II) originally made for L.D. Heater Music, OR birthday: November 15, 1974 The serial number is usually on the tippy-top of the peghead like you noted. I am looking for guidance. I am uploading some photos of the electronics, cavity and bass. Is this a Series I or II? Any ideas on the sticker with 10/1/74 inside? Herbert Clarke Bell is written on a sticker inside the cavity and dated 10/1/74. Can you or anyone else help with the controls on the bass and the box! Plays and sounds great although I'm not sure yet if everything is working as intended since I am new to Alembics. Thanks for any information. Allen

(Message edited by davehouck on January 13, 2007)

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2007, 09:31:05 AM »

Allen:

WOW!!!! Beautiful old bass. It's definitely a Series I. The Series II has rotary pots instead of toggles switches for the Q function. I LOVE the brass work on the back. These old ones just ooze history, don't they? I have a '76 Series I guitar, #476, but no fancy brass like your's. Enjoy and welcome to the club.

Bill, the guitar one

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2007, 05:55:33 PM »

Hi Allen; a description of the controls can be found here.

hifiguy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2007, 06:02:40 PM »

That is one incredibly cool bass, Allen.

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2007, 06:18:01 PM »

As for the box, I've never seen one like this one before. The DS-5's are a bit simpler.

Basically, the five-pin from the bass plugs in to the bottom left 5-pin connector as in the picture. If your amp is a single channel amp, run a regular quarter inch instrument cable from the middle quarter inch jack to your amp. If you have a two channel amp, you can run cables from both the middle and right hand jacks to the two channels of your amp (as in the picture). The middle jack, marked bass, is from the neck pickup and the right hand jack, treble, is from the bridge pickup.

The two three pin connectors on the bottom are the same as the two quarter inch connectors above except they are low impedence.

I can't make out the rest of the instructions, so I'm not sure what the left hand quarter inch jack is; I'm guessing it's a stereo jack, though I'm not sure if it's input or output.

The switch on the top right is probably a stereo/mono switch; but again I can't make out the instructions.

amedine · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2007, 09:10:20 AM »

Dave and Bill,
Thanks for the Series I ID...and the operation of the controls. These comments helped in understanding how this beauty functions. A close-up of the power supply is attached. Is this an Alembic product? Does Alembic sell new DS-5s?

I think I understand that the bass can operate on a 5-pin with the power supply or by 2-9volt batteries and a stereo 1/4-inch output. Is this correct or am I missing something? Thanks again for any information.

Paul...Thanks for the kind words.
Allen

tbrannon · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2007, 09:26:38 AM »

Allen,

I can't add anything in regards to helping figure out the function of everything, but I can certainly say that you have an absolutely killer bass there.

Enjoy it~

southpaw · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2007, 02:24:45 PM »

This raises a question: When did Series II basses begin using rotary Q pots? Like lbpesq, I look for the switch or rotary pot to tell the difference but I found a couple of early examples in the Showcase Series II area that have Q switches, i.e. 78 Seriess II & Series II graphite.
Since this is a '74 bass there is a chance it is a Series II. It appears the late 70's is the transition period.
Beautiful bass Allen, congrats on it! Dave, Mica Or Val?

http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25787.html?1146993313

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2007, 05:21:23 PM »

+1 on the WOW...I remember drooling over your bass when it popped up on eBay a while back.
Congratulations, and welcome to the family!

lbpesq · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2007, 05:57:58 PM »

Paul:

Other than some construction/cosmetic differences, I believe the only electronic difference between Seies I and II is the rotary vs. toggle Q switchs. As for the two examples you gave, if you read down through the '78 Series II thread you'll see the discussion that it is really a Series I. As for the Series II Graphite thread, there is only one post - the poster who describes it as a Series II. I believe this is also in error. Toggles = I, rotary = II.

Bill, tgo

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2007, 06:29:41 PM »

Allen wrote, I understand that the bass can operate on a 5-pin with the power supply or by 2-9volt batteries and a stereo 1/4-inch output. Is this correct?

Yes, however:

1 - Most people use the 5-pin because the series electronics use up batteries very quickly.

2 - As I understand it, and if I'm remembering this correctly, on older basses like this one regular size 9-volt batteries don't quite fit; the original batteries used back then were a little smaller.

David Houck · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2007, 06:47:57 PM »

With the enlarged picture, I can read the label clearly now, but I still don't know what it all means. The switch on the upper right appears to be a selector for high or low impedance. You might want to email this picture to Mica and see if she can get an explanation from Ron. Also, if Michael happens to read this thread, he may have some ideas as this box appears somewhat similar in function to the IN-2 with which Michael is familiar. And yes, I think it is indeed an Alembic power supply, but a very early and/or custom version.

The current version of the power supply is the DS-5R, a rackmount version of the DS-5.

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2007, 10:20:30 PM »

Bill TGO and Dave are both correct, from what I remember, but I'm also curious about the typewritten and unique instructions...what appears to be a one-off bass popped up a while back with unique electronics and, most uncharacteristically, exposed polepieces, so this one isn't as odd as it might seem.
I'd love to get a few hours of play time with it, though. The hand-painted touches hiding inside the bass are really exciting and I'd love to hear what it sounds like.
Quick, everybody, take apart and photograph your old Alembics!

southpaw · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2007, 08:23:03 AM »

Thanks Bill, Lord knows it's hard enough to keep all the details in order on Alembics without worrying about switches vs. knobs on the Series basses. I was hoping those 2 basses were in the wrong area, all is right again... Thanks again Bill.
Paul

keavin · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2007, 08:38:12 AM »

I know my bass is seriesI W/seriesII guts, but i always thought alembic had the electronics options in the early days but decided to add the series II model & gave it a little more features than the seriesI thus creating two standard custom models to choose from..............I Love those Carmel Candy pickups!

(Message edited by keavin on January 15, 2007)