Unknown Alembic

[scrub]

Yup, definately peened.
 
You know, he says as he reaches for the trusty Essence sitting next to his chair, I really kind of like that peened tailpiece. I wonder...

[dela217]

I wonder what is holding that switch plate in place?  
 
If there is no extra battery plate on the rear, and no cavity for an internal humcanceller, I would think that it would make the bass older than a 74!  This is getting weirder with every post.  Before they started putting the dummy pickup under the tailpiece, they were just laid inside the control cavity and held in place with foam.  But, that is just on the very earliest of Alembics, 72ish.  Hmmm.

[slam630]

I really like the look of the tailpiece too.  That was one of the first things I noticed about the bass.  I assume when Alembic first started they had nobody machining tailpieces and bridges.  Were the first ones made by hand?  Anybody got a pic of super early basses?
 
FWIW, I was told by the seller that this is one of the first Alembic basses.  Supposedly this was confirmed by Alembic at some point.
 
I wonder if that serial number is original.  If the headstock was repaired or replaced then it may not be.  

[dela217]

There is a few early ones in the Showcase section listed as series 1's.  You will be able to see the similarities.  I think that all the tailpieces were handmade back then, and they still may be.  
 

[thrill74]

The brass parts are machine.  But the nuts are hand slotted during the setup.  Don't know about the super early stuff.  Trying to figure that one out too.  After looking at the headstock pic again, do the laminate look slanted to you.  Look at the edges and then the sandwhich itself.  Just me?  This looks like it could be very early though.  I've just been looking at the showcase Series stuff. The 73' stuff is too top notch.
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/2435.html?1038574445

[slam630]

Anyone have any idea what the other two knobs do?  I cant figure them out.
 
Tonight will be the first time taken to a gig.  The true test of an instrument IMO.  

[malthumb]

I know that I'm late to this thread, but any chance this bass could be 74-94, or 106?  It is likely not 74-64. As dela217 has pointed out 64 is a short scale (listed on the Stolen Alembics page, btw).  It's not 74-84.  I used to own that one and this ain't it.  The only other rounded numbers in the ballpark are 94 and 106.  Just guessin'.
 
Peace,
 
James

[811952]

Just out of curiosity, supposing the headstock were from the aforementioned stolen 74-64, which maybe had been cannibalized.  Another thought, There is a guy in London named Andy who runs/ran Andy's Guitar Workshop (27 Denmark Street in Soho) and built basses which were practically Alembic clones.  He did the setup work on John Paul Jones Alembic and Jimmy Page's guitar(s) in the '70's and copied the Alembics very convincingly.  I thought they *were* Alembics until he told me otherwise (I didn't own one yet and therefore can't say how they were different, other than them having a balanced 3-pin xlr output...

[navybass]

Hi guys,
I am the new owner of the bass.  It is a 32 scale, Not a 34 as posted by slam.  The serial looks to be 10647.  I also found a piece of paper in the gig bag that came with the case with dates on it.  it says;
 
23 JUN 68
 
Pickup 130478
Vol-'76
Tone-'78
 
It might be a chronological list of when work was done on the bass.

[navybass]

Another thing, it looks like it used to have a cover plate between the pickups like the one on this bass.  
 
There is no doubt that the pickups were changed, and when that was done, they probaly changed the covers.

[mica]

The date of that note predates the conception of Alembic. I'm afraid I would still classify it as a mystery bass. But mysteries beg to be solved, so I'm sure between all the wise Alembic minds at the Club we'll figure out exactly what this bass is someday.  
 
But more importantly, how do you like it? Does it play well, sound good?

[navybass]

Hi,
The first date might not mean much.  BTW, after further investigation of the serial number, it looks to be 106 74.  Does that sound like something?

[navybass]

BTW, it plays great.  It looks like it was stained at one time, as in one of the cavities, it looks like the neck is actually maple and walnut.  I'm hoping the 106 74 serial number will shed some light on this bass.  It also looks like the headstock overlay was replaced.

[dela217]

I guess the only thing that matters really is if it plays and sounds great.
 
I could be wrong, but I think if the bass has a serial number of 106, that would actually make it a 1975 instrument and not a 1974.  

[navybass]

More and more, as I investigate this bass, I see so many similarities to an Alembic of this era.  The control plate has 5 holes, whereas the cavity has 10 holes.  Reminants of the original pickup cavities look to be the right size for pickups of that era.  There are 2 gromets between the pickups that look like they were screw holes for a plate like the one that is on this bass http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/1145.html?1049497080
 
The bridge looks to be the right era.  The tailpiece might have been changed, as there are a few more screw holes under it.
 
As I stated in a previous post, it looks like a previous owner stained the bass with a dark stain, possibly walnut, so the wood color is wrong for the types of wood used.
 
I'm sure the brass plates were made after the newer pickups were installed.
 
Mica emailed me and told me that someone else pulled the #106 file.  She is supposed to get back to me when she finds out more.