GeeCee

[quote name='alloy70' timestamp='1340405516' post='1704249'] Hi guys ive come across a mint condition 1981 alembic bass that i am very tempted to buy.The owner of the bass says its a series 11.To me it looks more like a series 1.Would i be correct in saying that all the series 1 basses have two purpleheart stripes running down the neck and not three?this one has two stripes on back of neck and down the front.The bass itself is in very good condition has that big body look with a point at the back of the bass,very similar to what mark king use to play.IT has two flick switches on the body and four control knobs,with a strange pointy control switch,a power supply connection socket and a normal jack imput.it looks like indian rosewood but im not sure,the back soapbar pickup screw assembly is cracked,but apart from that the bass has no blemishes or dings,could i be on to something very rare and special.or are these basses very common.? [/quote] Sounds like a Series I to me as well. The difference between Series basses is in the electronics. I think a Series I has 3-position flick-switches for the Q function, while the Series II should have rotary knobs for a continuosly variable function. I don't think the neck laminates play into at all. Likewise the body shape. The pointy switch is probably the P/U selector.

[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1340060600' post='1698658'] MORE JAYDEE PORN!! Let's have it..[/quote] Hi, How about some pictures of yours? The fretless GA sounds interesting.

[quote name='benebass' timestamp='1340311744' post='1702835']I was quite surprised to find out the headless bass was another Fender first (not Leo though): -[/quote] Not sure about that. I believe Norman Houlder from the Hayman/Shergold factory was experimenting with headless designs in the 70's as well. One of his employees, a young Rob Green.

[quote name='giblett123' timestamp='1333693760' post='1605297'] Alan sent me a PM, the rosewood on this one will probably be too soft so it may be a no go, putting a new bard on it would be v costly too. [/quote] Get the defretted board coated with a polyester like a Pedulla, problem sorted.

I think Wilkes called both of the models shown in this thread BI Supreme basses. The BI Standard bass had one Schaller humbucker in the P position. If these are both passive, there was also an active version (B/T). Not sure if the bridge is original on the black one. The only ones I can remember picking up had Schaller 3D bridges. Schaller hardware seemed to be standard throughout. My local shop used to carry the full range of Wilkes bases.

[quote name='jonannlou' timestamp='1327959714' post='1519635']I'll still take it to my local luthier as I think the action could go lower [/quote] I would still call John and get his input before you go to your luthier. It may help your guy better diagnose and correct the problem.

[quote name='jonannlou' timestamp='1327883816' post='1518395'] All that happens if I tighten it the mid section of the neck bows outwards a little, I just need a tad more and it looks as if it would help... Any ideas? [/quote] As many others have said, you need to call John and maybe make a visit to the workshop. Given the age of the bass it does sound a little like some of the problems John had when he switched to a different shorter truss rod for a while.

[quote name='jonannlou' timestamp='1327877942' post='1518293'] What does the screw at the bottom of the bass do? Is it just for protection? Or it is truss rod related?[/quote] If you mean the screw in the tail, it's how the bass is secured in the spray booth.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1327904721' post='1518441'] Are you sure it's an 18v circuit? From what I remember of my old Jaydee (which had a neck so unstable I spent 95% of the time I owned it adjusting the f***ing thing before I finally gave up on it) one of the two batteries was purely for powering the LED on the pickup selector. [/quote] RhysP is correct, not an 18v circuit, one battery is for LED indicator.

[quote name='warriorbass05' timestamp='1324730630' post='1477395'] Thanks, I have owned 110 of them [/quote] Is that a typo or did you really mean one hundred and ten!

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1324472776' post='1474613'] Hi. The gig was really great, Cryer were brilliant and Quartz were equally as so - a very good night. As Jez said, I could here tones of the "Eight" but not quite as hear them through my rig. That said, a great sound all round and visully, very effective. The bands enjoyed it and the punters enjoyed it - Result. [i]Some [/i]of the pics we took. More details of the night, Quartz and Cryer will be on my blog in the next few days. Cheers. [/quote] Fez looks like he is positively straining under the weight in the close-ups. Good job he looks like a big lad.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1323417511' post='1463025'] Jez, Hi. Yes, he was [i]very [/i]pleased to see it again - the look on his face when I opened the case was "Priceless". Like finding a member of the family again, almost 30 years later. He just looked at it for a couple of minutes - I had to lift it out of the case and hand it to him - sort of a "Handing over ceremony". He went straight to the eight and his face lit up! [/quote] What are you going to do if he asks to buy it?

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1323382468' post='1462873'] If I'm not mistaken, this or a very similar one was in Sound Control in Glasgow some years ago. [/quote] It was in Musical Exchanges in Birmingham for a number of years too.

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1322690834' post='1454676'] I was re-equilibrating at the time. [/quote]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1322639035' post='1453718'] I'm guessing the Jaydee could of had a neck made of wood not fully seasoned and dry, once it's lacquered and water tight it would be stuck in there? Basically like the vacuum trick with a pop bottle how they swell or crumple up in various atmospheres. (see EBMM roasted necks!) [/quote] My guess would be the ebony fretboard; ebony seems to suck up and release moisture so depending on the humidity in the basement (damp and high or heated and low) the bass may just have been re-equilibrating and requiring a new set up.

[quote name='bassatnight' timestamp='1322682710' post='1454541'] Anyone own or played a Jaydee Fretless Roadie? Any good worth £900 or too much? [/quote] What kind of Roadie? One or two P/U, active or passive, condition? That price (£900) is more than a new basic Roadie I (1 P/U, passive) and pretty close to the current price for a Roadie IIA (2 P/U, active) at £1,155, but there's a 16-month wait for a new one, so worth it to you, maybe? Fretless models are often Roadie I's and I quite like them. Quality bass, basic, simple volume and tone arrangemement, but well made and very playable. Jaydee is not known for his fretless basses though, so try before you buy would be my advice.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1322342790' post='1449786'] Not my cup of tea either. [/quote] Fair enough, but hardly hideous methinks

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1322334627' post='1449622'] Jaydee's really are hideous looking things. [/quote] Hideous ... really.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1322328416' post='1449520'] [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DEAD-MINT-JAYDEE-BASS-GUITAR-8-STRING-CUSTOM-EDITION-ALEMBIC-STATUS-FENDER-/330647658171?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cfc22debb#ht_886wt_1257"]http://www.ebay.co.u...b#ht_886wt_1257[/url] No mention of how he can authenticate this though.. [/quote] This particular seller is prone to ridiculous pricing. Must be a New York thing. Authenticating is easy. He has given you the serial number, so call Jaydee and they will tell you who it's listed on the books as having been made for. The Mark King thing is not entirely implausible. I remember a guy telling me something similar a few years back, how John had made some basses that he hoped Mark would be interested in, but Mark declined them. The guy bought a S1 Mark King off of John that he claimed was one of those basses. It's not a '91 bass though. If this is the bass I think it is, it was made for a guy called Dave who lives in Ohio.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1318692874' post='1405308'] White fretboard?? what's that made from then?? [/quote] I would imagine it's just painted white.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1318367876' post='1401349'] If you are nearby, turn up and knock some at the door round the side.[/quote] Nah, that won't work, I'm not exactly local.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1318367876' post='1401349'] Really important you don't ask for a mobile number. [/quote] Sorry, but I don't get it.

[quote name='OldGit' timestamp='1271373078' post='807879'] He (For it is a he called Steve) had a set of Antigua's on the wall last time I was pressed against the glass. If you want to go in it's best to phone ahead. [/quote] Hi, Does anyone in the Bristol area have a current telephone number for Steve at Electric Ladyland? When I call the number in the directory (0117 983 2500), I either get an engaged signal or a message saying that the number is no longer in service depending on the phone I use. Always the same, regardless of day or time. Is the store still open? Thanks.

Curious as to what the controls are? Not the typical Pangborn set-up.