Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: mica on September 10, 2009, 12:29:13 PM
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I've been hard at work sorting through over 40,000 (!) images I've collected of Alembic basses and guitars over the past few years. I've got enough to make a rockin' website update. I'd love it if anyone would check out this test page:
http://www.alembic.com/prod/essencetest.html (http://www.alembic.com/prod/essencetest.html)
and let me know if you note any problems or if it looks fine in your browser. What would be especially helpful is for you to tell me the platform (windows/mac/solaris/linux), and the browser you're using (including version number).
If everything goes as well as I'm hoping, I'll start peeling out these new pages.
Thanks for your help!
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Well the only problem I noted is the a broken link to DET_K_vermilion.jpg. Other than that there is nohting wrong. I used Windows XP Professional and Firefox 3.0.14. It looks great.
(Message edited by robertodiazj on September 10, 2009)
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Looks good to me. Being able to see actual examples of the woods on basses is great. I like it much better than what you have now.
I use Windows XP and Firefox 3.5.2
Keith
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Mica,
looks perfect on my Mac using Safari 4.0.3.
Great!!!
Oliver (Spyderman)
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I noticed the broken link on the Vermillion as well. Looks great!
Windows XP Pro, Opera 9.51
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Thanks for the feedback! I fixed the broken link for the Vermilion sample.
I wish I had as many examples of each model, but the same format will be on all the pages, even if there's only half a dozen. As we make more instruments, I'll just add the images as we go.
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Hi Mica.
Every thing works great and looks swell using Mac OS 10.4.11
with the Safari 4.0.3 browser.
Wolf
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Looks great on Firefox 3.5 on Redhat 3.4.6-8.
Todd.
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Looks great Mica - and scales well to multiple size browser windows. Mac OSX - 10.5.8/Firefox 3.5.3 and Safari 4.0.3.
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Hi Mica,
XP Professional and IE 8. Looks good!
Have you considered a sized pop-up for the examples instead of taking the entire browser window to the graphic? You could then do a next >> and
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The pickup on the Burl Amboyna Essence looks bigger than the others, and the pickups on the black one look slanted..... Must be something with my browser. Other than that, everything looks A-OK
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lookin good mica.
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Love the wood samples on the actual instrument!
Looks fine on Windows XP Pro 2002 SP3 using both IE 7.0.5730.13 and Firefox 3.5.2
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Mica,
In a smaller browser window the text for the Essence is not enclosed in a table and therefore goes to underneath the initial picture. You can experience this by taking the browser off of maximize and manually decrease the window size... the text eventually makes the drop underneath.
Art
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Looks great Mica--and it even works on Windows ME/Firefox 2.0/pokey pokey dialup! Should induce a wave of Incurable Alembic Lust when it goes sitewide.
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Looks great on PC with Firefox 3.5.2
I'll try my iMac / Safari a little later. L-O-V-E the new layout.
BTW - Mica, when I go to rehearsal tonight, I'll be taking a double bag with a Series II and a Sabre. Thanks again!!
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What? No kingwood?
Looks shiney. MSexplorer ver.7
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Looks good, Windows XP Professional, Internet Exploder 7...
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Looks great! Macbook/ Firefox 3.5 I especially like the Amboyna Burl. I e-mailed Edwin's wife. Thanks for the tip, Mica!
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I agree with Art, it would be good to open one picture and then scroll through the remaining pictures using a left and right scroll arrow rather than have to go back to the index page for every photograph. Just makes browsing more productive.
Mac OSX 10.5.8, Safari Browser 4.0.3
Jazzyvee
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you forgot burl and spalted maple!
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I can't look at it too long without wanting a new one! Sure does look good using windows XP and Explorer 8 though....
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Mica,
XP Home and Explorer 7......
Looks great
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Mike Pace; that's a common problem with the particular display that you are using.
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Thanks so much for all the great testing everyone. There's nothing like the real thing when it comes to seeing if your webpages break. I appreciate the efforts.
I didn't forget Spalted Maple, David, you just haven't ordered yours yet! I actually think I've got a Burl Maple example that's almost done. Like I said, I'll be adding new flavors as new instruments are completed.
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Well, it looks like I am the only Vista guy so far... all looks fantastic, great job Mica!
Vista Ultimate, IE8
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I've got Vista, too, and Firefox 3.0.14. It looks incredible. Of course, you realize once you start putting examples of every wood for every bass model we'll all be paralyzed trying to figure out what to get...especially if you start showing all the neck wood laminating possibilities.
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Am I the only one who noticed the quilted meple?
Corrected shortly before my post...
Vista and IE8 - my amboyna looks great as always. Ruby red looking good too. Bocate BTC is rather intriguing.
T
(Message edited by lidon2001 on September 10, 2009)
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I especially like that you chose my black slanted 5 for the page!
Maybe the new Excel 10 will make it to that page for the black one?
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Looks perfect from here...
XP Pro and Chrome 2.0.172.43
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i just realized they are all essences. so are you going to do this with all the different models?
spalted maple is nice, but i still have 2 more boards of that ebony we used on my europa ;)
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Yes, the idea is that each model page will show an actual example in as many woods as I have decent images for. Even slight variations like Ton's Amboyna Burl and Danny's Black Essence are OK to get a general idea of how the different woods and finishes look on each body shape.
I saw the Quilted Meple as soon as I checked the page for the Vermilion link and fixed it - I thought before anyone else had noticed!
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It looks nice to me on the most current versions of Firefox, IE and Safari on an XP platform. I've only looked at it on my laptop at 1680x1050, but it doesn't seem there would be any need to look at it on larger screens as it all fits quite well in this space. That said, there are two things that stand out to me as missing.
First, Alembic has always described their necks and string spacing based upon neck width at nut and 24th fret. Many others in the industry talk about string spacing at the bridge, including most bassists on at least one internet forum. I really wish Alembic would publish these numbers as a part of the instrument description.
Second, there doesn't appear to be any link to options for the instrument. That seems like it has to be on the page somewhere prominent. A link to the configurator with the correct model plugged in would be a nice touch, but I've always wished there was a bit more description of some of the options.
While not what I would consider missing, it might also be nice to link to a few pics of whole custom basses, or at least any FC Essences that may exist. Completed and fully specified instruments might provide some nice ideas for buyers who would otherwise skip an option that they would later regret.
In terms of design, the page gets awfully long if you narrow your browser window. I might set a minimum width so that you don't end up with more than three rows of examples, four at the most. I might set up a separate page with the extra samples rather than presenting quite so many right there up front. I do think it's really cool that you're using actual bass pics for the examples rather than mock-ups. Current screen resolution stats say that at least 93% of users are at 1024x768 or larger with almost no one below 800x600. Maybe this doesn't matter as most people won't scrunch their browser width so much if they don't have to, but the specs can work their way pretty far down the page. Maybe some navigation above the fold in the form of tags to the examples and specs might be in order?
Also, I understand that almost everyone will display an item for sale with a few options on it, but I would prefer that large primary pic to be at least the stock woods and configuration rather than something with over $1000 in upgrades on it. That's just personal preference - it always bothers me a little when a car dealer runs an ad for a $20K vehicle and then small prints a price as shown of $10K higher.
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Wow that will be really cool! Oh and btw, the birds-eye maple essence is my bass. Cool!
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Looks fine in Vista HOME premium/IntExp8.
THAT's exactly the kind of update the 'catalog' side of the website needs. My two cents would be to show along with that 4str to the left of the lowdown on the Essence a five and a six mentioned in the accompanying specs below.
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Looks great on this side of the pond using WXP
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Looks fine to me further up the coast on this side of the pond also using WXP;-)
As an aside, having read through Bob's post, I agree that a good development would be a link to the custom quote generator. However, it would be nice if the quote generator was updated to cover all possible combinations. For example, i'm interested to know how much a 5 string dragons wing and 5 string exploiter style body would cost built as a signature deluxe.
Graeme
p.s. i love the mutant maple with the purpleheart fingerboard ;-)
(Message edited by jacko on September 11, 2009)
(Message edited by jacko on September 11, 2009)
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Mica, along with this update, have you considered providing sound samples in any capacity? I know there are so many non-Alembic related variables that contribute to the sound of an instrument (and maybe that's why you don't post any), but maybe something basic as a starting point, just to compare the different electronics options for basses/guitars?
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I've become acquainted with the bass player doing the tracks for the Lakland audio samples. (http://www.lakland.com/audio.htm) The idea shows the use of different string sets and alternating pick-ups for each model. Obviously not as many sound choices as an Alembic may present, but certainly an interesting idea and a place to start.
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Looks great at work on IE, Mica, and I second Graeme's thoughts.
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Perfect with Mozilla firefox, IE8 with 1440/900 resolution, and safari on .... Iphone ;o)
(Message edited by pierreyves on September 11, 2009)
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Works good on my old Dell pc, XP, windows..
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Everything ok with IE 7 and XP pro.
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Good with Windows 7 and IE 8
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It worked great on my PC/Windows XP/Firefox 3.5.3/3Mb conection...
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Mica, would be great to see not just all wood options but also some diferent headstock shape and number of strings options since this can really change how your Basses will look.
I love the Essence body shape most and dream to order one 6 string some day, and I think many people would be glad to foresee how their dream bass could look (not just the top wood but the entire shape). Thanks...
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Looks great can\t wait to see on the other models... balance of website. Works fine in Safari and all links work for me.
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Didn't notice any errors with Google Chrome 3 on Windows XP.
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I am on the late freight, Mica...like that's a stretch...but I am lovin' this. Bob made some good suggestions, and I bet if I try real hard I can use up all of your bandwidth. Great stuff.
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It's good in linux too: Ubuntu with both ff 3 and 3.5 works fine.
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So inquiring minds want to know. When does the new site go live?
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I'm thinking it could be quite some time if Mica's only just built the test page. There's alot of work involved and (despite her near 24/7 presence on the forum) I'm guessing she has plenty other jobs at the workshop to keep her occupied ;-)
Graeme