Friday is sometimes picture day around here!  Top with the recess for the truss rod cover:

  Whole show with everything but the top and fingerboard:

  Before the top can go on, the hollow core access needs to be reestablished:

  Chisel details on the top before it's glued on:

  No pictures of the top getting glued on, it's really not a photogenic process.  Fingerboard is gluing now:

  It's looking so bassy now

Thank You Mica!!! Every Friday may not be picture day (as much as I would love it to be!!) but when you do post it is OH SO worth the wait!! The neck looks so thin & sexy!! If I didn't know it was a 5 I would think this was 4 string neck. I can't wait to wrap my fingers around it!!!

I know it's way early for this but I wanted to ask while I was thinking about it. When they do the setup can you get the tech to count the number of turns on the truss nuts from seated to final tension so I can have a reference point to get it back to the factory setting should I have to make any adjustments after it adjusts to the Texas humidity? Thanks!

Have y'all heard anything back from your supplier on if they can make CVQ controls with a center indent?

Only a couple of pictures today, but they are good ones. Now it's even bassier...  

 

  Miles to go of course, but you can see the whole idea at once now.

WOW!!! That looks awesome!! You can really see the figuring in the Quilted Maple, it's going to look incredible with finish on it! The neck dimensions look like they are going to be perfect! My biggest fear when I commissioned this build was that it would replace my SCSD & I would only want to play the Europa, those fears are growing with each new picture!! Keep 'Em coming though!

It already looks impressive. Keep that fear as the SCSD  will be at risk. Think of it like this analogy. You have a  custom Rolls Royce and a Bentley continental GT. both will give you a fantastic drive but with different characteristics. Some times you will drive the roller every day and think this is the best car in the world nothing could ever be better. Then one day you decide to take out the Bentley and even though it is not as highly specified on paper there is something about it thal you just can't get from the roller so you then drive that for a few days then think this is a fantastic car why on earth did I need to buy that Rolls Royce. So you then feel guilty for thinking that , get back in the roller and straight away you realise why you bought it. I go through this scenario with my basses all the time.  The SCSD doesn't get gigged much or even played as much these days but that is mainly because most gigs I play have songs in the set that need a 5 stringer and as I prefer not to carry more than one bass to a gig the SCSD gets left at home unless it's a Stanley Clarke track. When I play it I enjoy it immensely and  
am so glad I have it.  
 
If you don't have an impending financial reason to sell it then my advice would be to keep both basses then look for just one more. :-)
 
Jazzyvee

Thanks for the advice & comforting words Jazzyvee! There is no danger of me selling my Coco (SDSC)! I love that bass & how easy she is to play with the short scale! I think that I will always feel more comfortable on a 4 string, but like you say, there is something to be said for variety! Even now I will sometimes finish the set on my Schecter 5 string rather than change back to my SCSD. Even though the remaining songs don't need the low B, it's a nice change to play them on the 5 sometimes.
 
Rusty

You probably weren't expecting pictures before your visit, but like I told you on the phone today, we were gonna bust through the backplates so we can tackle the control layout next week.
 

 
OK, so it's only one picture. Next week, final carve and a sealer coat.

You're right Mica, I wasn't expecting pictures, so thanks for the nice surprise!! I can't wait to see it in person next week!!

Looking Good Rusty! Have fun on the visit!

Yeah enjoy your trip and of course let's see some pictures of what's going on there.  
 
Jazzyvee

In 24 hours I get to see my bass in person! Yes, there will be many pictures to post! I can't wait!!

That's great, but IMO, there's waaay too much awesome-ness going on here to be captured by a humble camera...

I agree David! Pictures NEVER do Alembic's justice even in the construction phase! I will have my video camera also to capture the streaming awesomeness! LOL!