1975 Alembic Series I Guitar

1975 Alembic Series I Guitar
Serial Number: 137
Weight: 7.92 lbs
Condition: Excellent vintage condition, 1975 model. Guitar was sent back to Alembic in 2008 where it was refinished, underwent an electronics upgrade which included calibrating the circuit for modern RF interference, newly wound pickups, and a new tailpiece fitted. Guitar shows little wear aside from light scratches, handful of tiny dings in the clearcoat finish on the body. Hardware shows some light pitting in the finish. Guitar comes with original Active Box, 5-Pin Cable, and flight case. Case has numerous tour stickers on the outside.

The Alembic story starts in San Francisco in 1969. Owsley Stanley, Ron and Susan Wickersham, and a small crew of engineers set up shop to improve the Grateful Dead's live and recorded sound. They started by adding onboard active electronics to the band's instruments. By the early 1970s they were building complete instruments of their own, with neck-through construction, laminated hardwoods, solid brass hardware, and active filter circuits. The company later moved north to Sonoma County, where it still builds instruments today.

This 1975 Alembic Series I in Natural is in excellent vintage condition (Serial #137). In 2008 it went back to Alembic for a factory refinish, newly wound pickups, a new tailpiece, and an electronics upgrade recalibrated to reduce modern RF interference. For a used instrument of this age, wear is light: a few scratches and a handful of tiny dings in the clearcoat on the body, plus some light pitting on the hardware. The small standard body pairs a walnut top with a myrtle core under a gloss natural finish. The guitar weighs 7.92 lb.

The neck is 5-ply maple and walnut with a C carve (.850" at the 1st fret, .990" at the 12th). It runs straight through the body in one piece. It has an ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl oval inlays, a 9.5" radius, and 24 medium jumbo frets on a 24 5/8" scale. The nut is brass and measures 1.75". The headstock is faced in walnut veneer with multi-ply maple and walnut binding and fitted with Schaller tuners. A brass Alembic bridge and tailpiece complete the hardware.

Alembic pickups and the company's signature active electronics handle the sound. Controls include neck and bridge tone filters, neck and bridge Q switches, and a 4-way selector. That setup gives you a wide range of voicings, from warm and round to sharp and vocal. Whether you're chasing the sound of the '70s San Francisco scene or collecting landmark instruments from the early days of active electronics, this Series I is a piece of Alembic history that's ready to play. This 1975 Alembic Series I (Serial #137) comes with its original Active Box, 5-pin cable, and original flight case covered in tour stickers. Order today from Brian's Guitars.

Body
Type: Solidbody
Shape: Small Standard
Top Material: Walnut
Body Material: Myrtle
Finish: Gloss
Color: Natural

Neck
Material: 5-ply Maple/Walnut
Shape: C
Dimensions: .850" at the 1st fret, .990" at the 12th fret
Joint: Neck-Through
Fretboard Material: Ebony
Neck Finish: Gloss
Headstock: Walnut Veneer, Multi-ply Maple/Walnut Binding
Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Ovals
Radius: 9.5"
Frets: 24, Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 24 5/8"
Nut Width: 1.75"
Nut Material: Brass

Hardware
Bridge/Tailpiece: Brass Alembic Bridge, Tailpiece
Tuners: Schaller
Hardware Finish: Gold/Brass

Electronics
Neck Pickup: Alembic
Middle Pickup: Alembic
Bridge Pickup: Alembic
Controls: Neck and Bridge Tone Filters, Neck and Bridge Q Switches, 4-way Selector Switch
Special Electronics: Active Box

Other
Case/Gigbag: Original Flight Case