Unknown Alembic

[slam630]

Hi I am a new member and this is my first post and my first Alembic.  I got this bass a few days ago and I can't seem to find any information about it on the web site.  I talked to Mica about it and she suggested that I post the pic here.  Does anyone have any knowledge about this bass?  I was told when I got it that this is a very old Alembic bass.  
 
It seems to be missing the switch on the front bottom horn.  Also the two switches are both two position switches.  Also I think the headstock has been repaired.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
David
 

[dela217]

David - Wow. That is quite interesting.  Does this bass have a serial number? It looks like an early one.  The serial number should be located on the very tip edge of the headstock.  It is stamped on both sides of the point, one side being the year, and the other side the actual number of the instrument.  Those look like series 1 electronics and those 2 way switches are not original.  I would bet they should be 3 way switches on that bass.  Also, do you know the scale length of that instrument?  Michael

[slam630]

Hi Michael,
 
It has some numbers on the headstock edge.  There seem to be two different types of stamps that were used to put the numbers on the headstock.  On the left is a very clear 4 and Im not sure if there is a faint 7 before the 4.
 
On the right side there are more numbers and it looks like two different stamps ere used.  Looks like there were some numbers there that got restamped by a larger stamp.  Hope that makes sense.  The numbers that are the same size as the left side numbers are either 64 or 164.  Stamped over those number are bigger numbers that are stamped more deeply into the wood.  Those are 106 and then the stamp was turned perpindicular to the other numbers and a 4 was stamped.  
 
More details:  under the neck plate is the trussrod and under the middle plate is the battery.
 
Can you send a link to an explanation of the electronics?  Im still trying to figure them out.  Also the xlr does not seem to work.  Should I be able to plug it straight into a mixing board?
 
Im really trying to find out as much as I can about this bass before I finalize the trade.  I need to make a decision by next Monday, August 4.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
David

[dela217]

David - If the bass were a 1974, the serial number would be in the 64 range.  BUT, by serial number 64 the batteries were moved to the back of the instrument and not under the front plate of the bass.  This bass could be older, or not.  They were experimenting back then.  If the bass were a 1974, then the pickups were definately changed. The pickups used back then only had one screw hole per side and not two.  Also the Alembic embossing did not show up on the pickups until MUCH later.  But I guess without a clear serial number, than it would be hard to tell what this bass started life as.  With a good serial number Mica can usually tell all.  As far as the XLR is concerned, that cannot plug directly into a mixing board.  The XLR connector on that bass should be a 5-pin and not a 3-pin connector.  The 5-pin connector is used with an external power supply.  The power supply of course supplies power to the on board electronics and splits the signal for stereo operation.  Is there any way you can get pictures of the inside of the instrument?  From what you are describing, the bass may not have series electronics at all.  If the positions on the toggle switches are only 2 way, you may have a bass that was fitted with signature electronics.  Without holding that bass in my hands, that is about as far as I can go.  Anyone else?
 
Michael

[dela217]

One more thing, (I feel like Colombo)you mention that under the front brass plate is the battery.  Did you mean batteries?  The series electronics are an 18 volt set up.  It would require 2 9 volt batteries.  If there is only one battery, you may have signature electronics installed.  That would explain why the XLR does not work!

[slam630]

Michael, thank you so much for all your insight.  I wonder if this is a fake Alembic?  Or perhaps an old one that got a lot of work done on it.  When I talked to Mica she stated that they have always sold the parts that make up their basses.  Seems like a lot of trouble to make a neck-through copy of an Alembic though.
 
It does have the embossing on both pickups as well as two screw holes per side.  Also the XLR is 3-pin.  Plus somebody removed the switch on the horn, so maybe the electronics were changed at that time? Btw what does that switch on the horn do? Is it a pickup selector?  I can't seem to find a good explanation of the electronics on the web.  I can take a pic of the inside of the control cavity if you think that would help.
 
thanks,
 
David

[dela217]

A pic of the inside of the bass would definately help.  That picture could tell what electronics are in the bass.  By the way if it is a real Alembic, then the inside of the control cavity should be painted with a silver shielding paint.  Also, it is hard to tell from the pictures, but it seems that there is no logo on the headstock.  Or is it just badly tarnished?  The pickups on the bass are definately later ones with 2 screw holes on each side.  On those pickups there is a screw mounted on the inside of the pickup cavity for height adjustment, and another on the outside to hold it in place.  Great design!
 
While you have the camera out, take some additional detail pictures too.  Headstock repair??  The bridge on the bass is also bit different than the others I have seen.  
 
The switch on the horn is supposed to be a pickup selector switch.  It provides an off or standby position, and neck/both/bridge pickup settings.

[David Houck]

It is a very interesting looking bass.  I especially like the pattern of the top wood.  David you are right, the switch on the horn was the pickup selector.  Michael, the plates on the front look unusual to me.  It might also be helpful to see the wood card for 74-64.  My guess, the series electronics and pickups were replaced at some point with signature electronics and new pickups.  In addition to the XLR, it would also explain why the pickup selector switch was removed.  David, if they are signature electronics, then looking at the picture, the top left knob is volume, below it is the pan.  The top right is the neck pickup filter and below it the bridge pickup filter.  The switches are the Q switches for each filter.  For an excellent description of how signature electronics work, see Mica's post at http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/1067.html.

[slam630]

Okay here are some more pics.  No shielding paint in the control cavity.  

[slam630]

Wierd serial number.  You can see the faint 6 on the left of the 0 and the faint 4 to the right of the 0.

[slam630]

Front of the bass

[slam630]

Headstock.  You can see the three dowels at the base where there was a repair.  No logo.

[slam630]

Thanks for the link davehouck.  So the signature electronics dont have a pickup selector?  
 
Also it is a 34 scale bass.
 
Im really wondering about the double stamped headstock serial number.  Can't figure out why anyone would do that.  Does Alembic ever restamp a serial number?  Like after a major repair perhaps?  If the headstock was repaired and the electronics changed then that is a pretty major change to the bass IMO.
 
Thanks for all the help.  I really appreciate it.
 
David

[dela217]

David - This is an interesting mystery.  With that type of electronics, a pan knob is used insted of a pickup selector.  In looking at the control cavity, it seems that there are remnants of shielding paint along the edge.  Am I looking at this wrong?  Does it look silverish on the edge to you?  As far as the inside, I think someone would have to go through a LOT of trouble to remove the rest of it.  Or does it look painted over with something else?  What about the back plate that covers the electronics?  Are there any holes in it?  Is it brass?
 
The smaller serial numbers on that bass look Alembicish.  The rest don't.  I have not heard of them restamping an instrument, but I guess it could have happened.  I have seen some wacky and strange serial numbers.  I had a bass from 1975 that I think was number 229.  It looked like it was stamped 226, and then they turned the 6 around to make a 9 by stamping it again.  It also had some ornate brass pickup rings similar to the bass you are showing us!  I also own a 1973 Alembic that is stamped as a 1978.  I have personally seen two basses with the same serial number, and so on.  I guess back then there was some numbering confusion. I was also confused back then.  
 
Does it look like it ever had a logo?  You may see 3 small holes that would have held the logo on to the face of the headstock.  Perhaps the logo went away when it was repaired.  It may have been reveneered and all traces of the logo taken away.
 

[slam630]

I didnt notice this before, but it does seem as if the control cavity was painted with a copper colored paint.  Also there are 10 screw holes around the edge but the brass plate on the back only has 5 holes.  It is a rather old looking plate.
 
I see just one thing on the headstock that looks like a filled in screw hole.
 
Im still undecided on the authenticity of this bass.  Hopefully Mica or somebody from Alembic will offer an opinion.