Perfect pitch is nice, but it can be a bother ... and it certainly cannot replace musical talent! In my experience ...
 
Singing in an a capella choir, you notice that everyone else goes flat (inevitably!) or sometimes the conductor gives an Ab instead of an A - either way you have to transpose on the spot. This means you're basically singing ? vue, which is always a good musical workout. And you don't have to learn note intervals - you just hit the individual notes. On the flipside of that, I find it difficult to study scales and harmonic progressions. Plus my wife doesn't like my singing (and we usually agree when listening to other people singing).
 
As a pianist, you may encounter a piano that is tuned far too low and your fingers get completely lost. This is a nightmare situation that I actually ran into once ... luckily they had a second piano, which was tuned just a fraction higher. My own piano is tuned at A=430, which to me is clearly not an Ab. I suppose there is a absolute frequency where things get off my scale - I ran into borderline pianos once or twice where I knew it shouldn't go much further down.
 
Then again, I can tune by ear, with open strings only. And when I compare two basses that I've tuned independently, they are in tune with eachother (only found that out a couple of months ago, would you believe it). On a guitar, the G and B strings always take some extra time to get right.

Well, I spoke with Mica today, and finalized shipping arrangements... she expects it to ship out on Monday, and for it to arrive on Wednesday.  The lastest picture of it is the best looking yet... it looks absolutely stunning.
 
It's going to be a long weekend... but I'll be taking the day off to receive the bass at home on Wednesday.  I'll be there to personally receive it and make sure there isn't any damage to the packaging... if the bass IS damaged... you might see my name making national headlines... (don't let that happen, great imaginary beings!!!).
 
But I'm thinking positive, here.  And I'll have plenty of my favorite beer handy, and a special treat or two... and there's a good pizzaria around the corner...
 
Sell-uh-brate good times, come on... it's a celebration!!!

HEY MICA, I NEVER SAW A FORMAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT... THAT I'M GETTING A FATBOY PICKUP FOR THE BRIDGE PICKUP.  JASON SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE PRICE, THAT IT WAS ONLY A FIVE DOLLAR DIFFERENCE.  AND I FORGOT TO CONFIRM THIS DURING OUR PHONE CALL TODAY... BUT I DO WANT A FATBOY FOR THE BRIDGE PICKUP... AND I WANT WIRING ON BOTH PICKUPS THAT'S LONG ENOUGH THAT I CAN EXPERIMENT WITH SWITCHING THEM!!!  PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE!  I MAY CALL TO CONFIRM IN PERSON IF I REMEMBER/GET THE CHANCE, BUT PLEASE CONFIRM EITHER HERE, OR ON THE THREAD IN CHANGES/ADDITIONS.  AND OF COURSE, THE MORE CENTERED THE TAILPIECE, THE BETTER.  (OF COURSE, IT SHOULD BE A MINOR ISSUE SINCE THE TOP IS BTC...)

For clarification, I'd just like to ask that the setup folks endeavor to, as much as possible, have the tailpiece be centered symmetrically with respects to the omega cutout; I've seen a few rare cases where one side of the bird was much closer/lower to the omega, while the other side was a lot higher/farther away... and this would bother me.  I know the BTC should make any minor off-centerness irrelevent... but I request the powers that be try to have it be as symmetrical with regards to the omega as possible.  Thanks again!

Sorry I was busy with a tour when you called. James is aware to put a bridge position FatBoy pickup (with neck length wire) on your bass and a neck position AXY.

We also got the word on the change for the shipping address. Will call/email with tracking information when it's available (towards the end of the day, Monday).

Thanks for the word, Mica.  I'll look forward to getting the tracking confirmation # on Monday -barring some issue.
 
Again, I can't pick up when you ring, have to wait a minute or two (or ten or twenty -depending on what I'm doing) for a break and call back.  Please don't leave a message on my cell -I don't know how to access it off the top of my head, and I had problems when I tried to set it up and access it before; I just wasted minutes unsucessfully trying to access it.
 
I currently tend to leave a little after 5, and begin the 11 mile bike commute home; and I get home from 6-6:30 depending when I leave.  Best to call before then if you call... but I'll check email first thing when home if I don't hear from you.
 
Really looking forward to it... can't wait to see, feel, and hear it in person; I'm really curious to actually hear the effect of the different woods in the neck, and of the dual BTC Coco Bolo/Mahogany sandwich.
 
I'll tell you one thing... my 8-String has an absolutely killer sound, just amazing... it's hard to imagine how anything can sound better... though I expect the new 6-String WILL sound better in it's own way/in a different way...

You ride your bike 11 miles to work and back; cool!!

Almost there Mark! You're going to be pedaling pretty hard around tuesday or wednesday...

Hi gang, thanks again for keeping me company during the wait.  Yep, I commute 10.5-11 miles/21-22 mile round trip daily...
 
I very strongly believe in the golden rule and also in leading by example... which is a big part of why bicycling is a big part of my life.  It's sustainable, it doesn't f#*k up the environment, and it also keeps me in good health -aside from breathing the fumes of the drivers who don't share my paradigm/perspective.
 
But I'll actually BE one of them for a couple days this week, to facilitate picking up the bass from a trusted friends' business... he's always open during UPS delivery hours, and I have to work during delivery time... so I'm sending it to him to safely receive it... and then he'll call me, and I'll (safely) haul ass down the road to pick it up!!! (Only 2.2 miles away!!!)
 
If all goes well, I'll safely receive Elana -named for the stolen Elan the bass is replacing- this Wednesday, and be home to actually play it around 6-6:30... I probably will be too busy with it to post anything that night...
 
I'm so psyched!!!  I've been playing my 8-String a lot recently... and it just blows me away every time I pick it up!  It's just so amazing -in every respect!  It's incredibly beautiful and unique -both the highly figured Bocate top, and the Flame Maple back/body with the incredible 13-piece laminated neck, with the Ebony neck laminates and the integrated outer Flame Maple neck pairs.  And/but the sound is even more incredible... the sound resulting from the neck wood combo -from all the Ebony... and other woods- just gives this bass mind-boggling punch, clarity, and sustain.  The sound is almost overwhelming.  Yet/but the electronics let me do virtually anything -and quickly and easily.
 
My 8-String is a dream come true... it has (for me) the ultimate range, and virtually complete, total tone control.  With individual bass, mid, and treble controls for each pickup, and ALSO individual filters with IVQs (incrementally variable Qs -0/4/8/12 dbs) for each pickup, I can quickly and easily modify the sound of each individual pickup to get any sound in my head.
 
The bass never ceases to amaze me.  I never once ever have taken it for granted.
 
Yet, as awesome as it is (exceedingly!!!) it is NOT a small, light, and easy to play bass... relatively speaking, I'm a pretty good player... I'm devoted, formally educated, and I've put in LOTS of practice time, critically analyzing and improving my technique and playing.  And I can rip pretty good on the 8-String.  But the fact remains that it's a big, heavy, extra long scale bass, with a big, long, wide neck... it simply can't be played the same way as a smaller, shorter, lighter bass... it just can't.  Reality won't permit it.  It's absolutely amazing, and incredible for what it is; but, conversely, it's not what it's not.
 
So, Elana will be a different paradigm... a smaller and lighter bass, with a shorter scale.  Less strings, less controls, and less fancy.  I simply couldn't go all out on this bass.  Nonetheless, this bass will NOT be a lightweight in any respect; with multiple options that make it cost more than what I would've/could've paid for a standard Series I, this bass will be a heavyweight in the looks, sound, and versatility department.
 
The details were VERY carefully thought out, with help from club members and of course Mica as well.  Built from a carefully thought out recipe of 6 different proven tone woods, it sports an incredibly cool unique neck that is strong and awesome looking, sandwiched between stunningly figured BTCered Coco Bolo on either side.  And the electronics, though not as impressive and ultimatized as the custom electronics on my 8-string, are pretty freaking impressive... Signature electronics, with the Q switches upgraded to Series I style 0/6/9 db switches... and a pair of (master) bass & treble control knobs as well...
 
No, this bass will NOT be lacking in ANY area... not in looks, sound, nor versatility.  The fact is, this bass should/WILL totally rock in all of these areas.
 
This bass will be a heavyweight... it should stand out in every area.  Appearancewise, soundwise, and versatilitywise, this will stand out, even among Alembics... this bass will be one of the best of the best.
 
I just can't wait!!!  I've been working out on her big brother 8 Strings of Power... so when I get this smaller/lighter bass... I should be able to totally shred on it!!!
 
Argh!!!  I'm so psyched!!!  It sucks, having to wait!  But that's life.  And there are certainly much worse fates!  All things considered, it's not that bad!!!  
 
Thanks again for keeping me company, folks, and for your support and feedback!  Soon, my latest Alembic journey will be over/beginnning... and/but I'll be here to help others as they've helped me!
 
Happy trails!!!  
 
Just 3 more days... hopefully!!!

hey Mark. Good for you for cycling. My commute is 9 miles each way and I manage 3 days a week on the bike ( the other two days have to be driven due to apres-work commitments). Some days we can get some pretty miserable weather here in Scotland but getting to work faster than the cars more than makes up for it;-)
 
graeme
 
p.s. 3 days is a lifetime in 'alembic-wait' days ;-)

Whew!!!  What a L O N G weekend!!!  And now the countdown continues!  Today is hopefully the day of reckoning, and hopefully, I will, by the time I've come home, gotton either a phone call and/or email confirming Elana has shipped, and gotton a tracking number!  We'll see!

So close yet...

The custom bridgeblock needed to be remade, and it didn't make it out of finish today. So we should be back on track for tomorrow. Will keep you posted of course.

WOW Mark, Look at the gorgeous baby of yours. Can I hold her?haha
 
Hang in there buddy, you are at that point. Like they said take deep breaths, I know what it's like. We're routing for ya.
 
GoGoGoGoGo Tomorrow!
 
Paul

HEY MICA, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR AN IMPORTANT (but minor) CHANGE TO SHIPPING INFO!!!  We'll be sending it to the same PLACE... but I'm changing a name of one of the signers... as one fellow won't be there Thursday, and another one will...
 
It looks phenomenal, best picture yet!!!  The Coco Bolo looks incredibly gorgeous, and I thank you and Bob (and everyone else) once again.  Of course, the figuring is awesome... as is the disguised BTC.  But I'm also quite pleased with the color... it looks halfway between orange and red, and relatively light... which is important 'cause I know it'll darken up with time, so I'm glad it's not ALREADY dark, otherwise I might eventually not be able to see that awesome figuring.
 
Tom Z and I had a little jam several weeks ago... he's a very nice fellow, and he graciously let me play the Ghost Crow.  It had darkened quite a bit from the photo in the Custom Archives...  and it was noticably nicer than my Les Paul.  This comes as no surprise, of course... and my Les Paul is an awesome guitar... but Tom's Alembic smoked it.
 
Anyway (that was a digression, obviously) I'm grateful for everything, including the color of the Coco Bolo.  The electronics control configuration/layout also looks great, and I thank you and James for your efforts in carefully measuring it for my picky self!!!
 
The honey color of the Mahogany also looks great, as does the details (that I can see) of the pinstrips stopping when they hit the neck.
 
It just looks so incredible, I don't know what else to say.  I still feel the anger and heartbreak of my stolen Elan... but seeing this does make me feel better... and I've no doubt this bass will blow it away... especially with the customized string spacing.  My Elan, while awesome, had a very wide neck... I could play it fine -I tore it up- but it wasn't the spacing I would have chosen.  This bass has my ideal spacing.
 
I'm also really glad I ordered the Balance K Omega instead of another Europa, or a Rogue or (longshot) Scorpian (an old Alembic favorite of mine) body.  The Balance K... it is, to me the ultimate Alembic body... it has a screaming Alembic look to it, a look which evokes the classic Alembic basses, yet with a more modern aesthic and functional twist...
 
I can't wait to get my hands on this bass!!!  I'm expecting it to blow away my old Elan in every respect... the body is more awesome, the Coco (on both sides!) is more awesome (especially with the dual BTC!), the neck is MUCH more awesome, the electronics are MUCH more versatile and awesome, and there are a couple other awesome things too -like the custom pinstrips, the bird and the continuous wood backplates (you do realize you're sadistic for not posting a picture of them yet, don't you?)!!!
 
Am I psyched???  YOU BETCHA!!!
 
I'll be composing a short email to you shortly after submitting this post -with the additional information.  I'll almost certainly try to call you tomorrow from work to confirm that you got it, and have it on the box.
 
Thanks again for everything, Mark