yeah, right ! I wanted to reply much earlier, but when I first saw this bass, it struck me like lightning... feeling much better today

Christian,
that kind of fingerboard inlay reminds me so much to the inlays of your Peggy.
 
Oliver (Spyderman
 
(Message edited by senmen on August 18, 2008)

OK gang Art has the ball. Hopefully pics more will be revealed about the Mystery Bass today if he has time.
Thanks Art

You're welcome.  Here you go!

 

 

 

 

 

Well Gang what's the verdict?
1) is this an Alembic?
2) is Hyak the master craftsman?  
3) Who is Johnson ? the signature looks like it's under the shield paint..

The electronics are passive and not active Alembic electronics. The serial does not look like the standard serial number either. I'm thinking either a shop night bass or maybe built by someone who used to work at Alembic.  
 
Keith

wow, there she is ! thanks, Art, great job, and thank you, Rocky, those are great pics of an obviously one-of-a-kind bass.
 
I tend to go with Keith on the shop night bass or employee project, this beauty also looks quite Hyak-ish to me. But then again, I'm far from an expert, but one thing is for sure:
 
this beauty rocks !
 
p.s.: Oliver, you're right on with the inlays, they must be brilliant. The photos are very good, but I'm sure they do not do justice the magnificence of the fretboard.

Pots say Alembic (I have better macro photos) but it is in deed passive so far as I can tell.
Pickups look like early EMG, again no expert here..
 
These pics are just as she came out of the case dirty, I mean real dirty, smells like me when I get off the road .. LOL. This sweet old girl has been handled and needs a good cleaning.
 Can't wait to see the inlay in all it's glory!
Any Cleaning suggestions?
 
What tone! She does Rock!!!

I have a 79 Hyak scroll bass where the scrolls compare very much like each other (of course a scroll is a scroll - possibly an influence). Here are several more pictures that Rocky sent along.  Check this out...

 

 

  (Message edited by artswork99 on August 18, 2008)

One more close-up of the controls and the bridge.

okay, Speicky, calm down, it's okay, say Heu-w?-gel-chen, Heu-w?-gel-chen... time for bed

The neck inlay is gorgeous. I was thinking Hyak when I first saw it but the headstock doesn't look like any I have seen. I was also wondering if it might be a Becvar but again I have not seen one with this headstock style. As I recall both were known to buy parts from Alembic. The style of the serial number also looks familiar but I can't remember where I saw it.  
 
Maybe Mike Delacerda will chime in since he's quite familiar with the older Alembic, Hyak and Becvar basses.  
 
Keith

Cavity close-up where a lot of the stamped details are available.
 
(Message edited by artswork99 on August 18, 2008)

I just confirmed that this instrument was made by a former employee, Mark Johnson. He's going to look up some of his records, but he thinks it was made between 1977-1979. Depending on when it was made, it might have been made as a shop night instrument or after he left our company.