Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: mica on March 24, 2020, 09:57:47 PM

Title: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: mica on March 24, 2020, 09:57:47 PM
We need to make a few instruments for our new showroom, I'd love to hear some feedback on what I'm thinking about and I also welcome suggestions.

Skylark guitar: I'm thinking of a Quilted Maple top stained black. Chrome plated hardware. Ebony fingerboard with black and white mother of pearl eclipse inlays. Violet side LEDs.

Spectrum guitar #1: Walnut top with the new body shape (slightly shorter upper horn). Three piece neck of Mahogany-Maple-Mahogany. Bird's-eye Maple fingerboard with Walnut binding. Maple accent laminate and Mahogany body.

Spectrum guitar #2: Quilted Maple top bookmatched to center, tremolo! That's as far as I've gotten on that idea.

Brown Bass with antique copper or rose gold plated hardware (both new finishes I want to try)
Essence 5-string in Schedua with oil finish. EB=bony fingerboard, gold mother of pearl ovals, amber side LEDs. Neck: Mahogany, Walnut, and Ebony. East Meets West electronics.

Replica of one of Jimmy Johnson's fretted basses.

Replica of Stanley Clarke's Buckeye Burl bass.
Replica of one Phil Lesh's basses - short scale or medium scale though?

Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: StefanieJones on March 24, 2020, 10:12:09 PM
I Like all those ideas but think whatever you do should include one of these: resin top http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=25281.0 because they are seriously amazing. Couldn't figure out how to just get the pic here. -__-;
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: bigredbass on March 24, 2020, 10:32:55 PM
My two cents would be a classic Point Series One long scale, in a wood recipe consistent with how they looked back then.  THAT's Alembic, that shape.

And as it's your showroom, one rig with the rack mount power, stereo into an f2b into a suitable power amp into separate cabs.

Just because.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: FC Bass on March 25, 2020, 02:29:02 AM
Looks pretty much perfect to me :-)

I would suggest Orion 3+2 headstock and bird tailpiece for the Essence, I'm sure Jazzy will have some wild ideas for the Spectrum #2
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on March 25, 2020, 03:50:41 AM
You already know about my soft spot for Brown Basses... rose gold? Whassat?  :D

And a Phil Lesh replica might appeal more to me in medium-scale, but might be better as a short-scale for the masses.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: rv_bass on March 25, 2020, 04:44:53 AM
I vote for a replica of Jimmy Johnson’s 76-418, such a beautiful bass!

The Brown Bass with antique copper hardware sounds nice as well!
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: serialnumber12 on March 25, 2020, 04:54:57 AM
how about a replica of my bass old # 12,
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: mtjam on March 25, 2020, 06:23:26 AM
EVH!!
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: growlypants on March 25, 2020, 06:24:10 AM
ANYthing!!  Anything at all.  What a great idea!
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: rv_bass on March 25, 2020, 06:24:59 AM
Maybe an Omega cut Series I or II Guitar, koa body, spalted maple top and back (book match to center on top) with antique copper hardware, ebony fingerboard with golden mother of pearl inlays, and red side marker LEDs (blue or purple/fuchsia at 12 &24), flamed maple neck primary wood with Purple Heart and cherry laminates.  :)
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: pauldo on March 25, 2020, 06:48:34 AM
I’m with Rob on the Omega cut idea.
Recently seeing pics of Steve’s Skylark makes me vote yes to a stained black one that you mentioned.

But most importantly I am really happy to see Keavin back... been thinking about you, hope all is well!  :)
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on March 25, 2020, 09:56:39 AM
Nice to see Rob Kelly (mtjam) back here too.  :) 


I have saved in my email drafts, the specs for a Custom Alembic that combines a good many features from a Brown Bass and an EVH Sig. (and of course some weirdness of my own)
 
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: jazzyvee on March 25, 2020, 02:46:32 PM
Looks pretty much perfect to me :-)

I would suggest Orion 3+2 headstock and bird tailpiece for the Essence, I'm sure Jazzy will have some wild ideas for the Spectrum #2
I would want to be the first to get hold of a spectrum with my wierd ideas when I can afford it.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: mario_farufyno on March 25, 2020, 03:39:46 PM
how about a replica of my bass old # 12,

That is one I'd love to see, there is somethong about those trapezoidal PUs that moves me.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: kenbass4 on March 25, 2020, 04:11:10 PM
A Series 2 Balance K 5 String, so I can convince Senior Management that I need it...
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: David Houck on March 25, 2020, 04:48:54 PM
We need to make a few instruments for our new showroom, I'd love to hear some feedback on what I'm thinking about ...


Hmmm; new shop, new showroom, new showroom instruments.  Just more enticements for a future cross-country road trip.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: chrisbass on March 25, 2020, 05:14:34 PM
How about a Replica(minus the aluminum fingerboard) of John Mcvie”s Fretless Series one for the new showroom?
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: garyhead on March 25, 2020, 08:25:54 PM
50th Anniversary Edition with Gold Inlays / Gold Hardware. 

Gold inlay Yin-Yang of Ron & Susan W. profile ?

Resin-filled dyed finish. 

Fretted - Warm Color spectrum.
Matching Fretless  - Cool Color Spectrum. 

There was a 25th Anniversary Edition.....Why not a 50th?
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: edwin on March 25, 2020, 10:10:16 PM
Phil replica should probably be medium sale as some people might be turned off by the lack of tension on a short scale B (although it sounds great to me!).
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: KR on March 25, 2020, 11:05:40 PM
A spot on replica of McVie's first Alembic.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on March 26, 2020, 06:40:06 AM
Interesting, the interest in John's Alembics here...  :)

A couple Club Members here, including myself, have had Customs built with features from his basses without necessarily being replicas. Jimy had a short-scale Series II built somewhat like #73-27, and a good bit of the DNA in my own Custom C14588 came from McVie's "continuously fretted" Custom Series I bass rather famously used to record "The Chain' solo. FWIW, that actual bass was hanging in the showroom at Wiljan Ct. for a while, perhaps home for some TLC at the Mothership.

Not sure if that's the best idea for the Alembic showroom, but I definitely applaud the idea for a John McVie Signature Bass. I doubt you'll ever get him to sign onto the idea though... that guy won't take a compliment if you tie him up and read it though a bullhorn.  ;D
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: ducatidoc on March 26, 2020, 10:28:37 AM
We need to make a few instruments for our new showroom, I'd love to hear some feedback on what I'm thinking about ...


Hmmm; new shop, new showroom, new showroom instruments.  Just more enticements for a future cross-country road trip.

If they would make that Brown Bass w Series electronics, I’ll cheerfully volunteer to join you. I’m very close to I-80.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: gearhed289 on March 26, 2020, 10:32:47 AM
How about a good old fashioned Distillate Exploiter? Which today would be a Europa Exploiter I guess.  ;D Solid koa wings, 32'' scale.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: pauldo on March 26, 2020, 11:16:23 AM
How about a good old fashioned Distillate Exploiter? Which today would be a Europa Exploiter I guess.  ;D Solid koa wings, 32'' scale.

Please no... I had a zebrawood one and sold it many years ago.  It still hurts.   :'(


Paul (if memory serves me the scale was 34” ?)
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: s_wood on March 26, 2020, 02:08:55 PM
Definitely a Series or MK Sig with the Balanced K body, and (bias alert!) and Series bass with a Europa body.  My thinking is that the standard Series body is iconic - which means it's well-known, right?  I often meet bass players who are surprised that my Series Europa or Balance K basses are, in fact, Series basses because (in their words) the shape is wrong!  I think you need to show off the more modern (and ergonomically friendly) body style options.


Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: hammer on March 26, 2020, 06:13:32 PM
How about something with personal meaning to just about everyone in the Alembic family...an updated version of Paul's Series II bass Bonnie.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: rv_bass on March 27, 2020, 05:49:50 AM
How about creating something totally new for the 50th year celebration :)
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: sonicus on March 27, 2020, 09:07:07 PM
A reasonable facsimile of 72-001 might seem fun , Sliding pickups and all and an internal superfilter perhaps  as well ?
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: KR on March 27, 2020, 11:13:05 PM
That's what I'm thinking, sonicus.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on March 27, 2020, 11:31:31 PM
For the Skylark, there was one posted here on the club (or maybe on the main site) a while back in a finish that I think was maybe called Wineburst; you couldn't go wrong with that - it was one of the most spectacularly yummy instruments I've seen.

The copper and/or rose gold sound wonderful.

A Phil replica?  Well, there's only one choice there;  Mission Control!

Peter
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: edwardofhuncote on March 28, 2020, 04:04:53 AM
Yeah, I'm still wondering what antique copper and rose gold hardware would look like. Especially on a BB.
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: moongerm on April 29, 2020, 07:06:57 PM
I think what you outlined Mica is a perfect start and will certainly floor anyone who plays them. The Phil Lesh would be A++++++ as Short Scale IMHO.  :)    Much love!
We need to make a few instruments for our new showroom, I'd love to hear some feedback on what I'm thinking about and I also welcome suggestions.

Skylark guitar: I'm thinking of a Quilted Maple top stained black. Chrome plated hardware. Ebony fingerboard with black and white mother of pearl eclipse inlays. Violet side LEDs.

Spectrum guitar #1: Walnut top with the new body shape (slightly shorter upper horn). Three piece neck of Mahogany-Maple-Mahogany. Bird's-eye Maple fingerboard with Walnut binding. Maple accent laminate and Mahogany body.

Spectrum guitar #2: Quilted Maple top bookmatched to center, tremolo! That's as far as I've gotten on that idea.

Brown Bass with antique copper or rose gold plated hardware (both new finishes I want to try)
Essence 5-string in Schedua with oil finish. EB=bony fingerboard, gold mother of pearl ovals, amber side LEDs. Neck: Mahogany, Walnut, and Ebony. East Meets West electronics.

Replica of one of Jimmy Johnson's fretted basses.

Replica of Stanley Clarke's Buckeye Burl bass.
Replica of one Phil Lesh's basses - short scale or medium scale though?


Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: bsee on April 29, 2020, 11:42:22 PM
You could make the bass I almost (and should have) ordered - it would have seen a lot more stage time than the one I did. That would be a 5 string bird of prey minus the omega with signature or anniversary electronics and a neck on the narrow side. Definitely ph stringers in the neck and woods selected to keep it on the light side for long gigs. Side LEDs and any material of oval inlays. Tonally, my all vermillion bass is probably the tone that suits me best, but it would need a flashier top for the showroom - maybe a bubinga or koa with some figuring, or a curly maple with a black/orange stain finish.

Of course, it's always a tough call to gig a lot with a work of art if you don't have a stadium stage and trustworthy roadies. A tight bar stage is no place for a bird of prey - but it would look great in the showroom!

Hope you all are doing well!

-bob
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: claus on May 01, 2020, 01:27:25 PM
Replica of Jimmy Johnson’s...

Brown Bass with antique copper hardware...

I love both ideas, but another anniversary model or a replica of the firstAlembic would be cool, too!

Best regards!

Claus
Title: Re: Help me pick out some builds for our new showroom!
Post by: chrisbass on May 04, 2020, 09:08:59 AM
Hmm,well maybe a replica of one of Phil’s newer basses(med,scale?) with a Murtle top laminate and essence electronics and a vermillion back laminate on the body with standard hardware? whadya think?