Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on December 15, 2004, 07:03:53 PM

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: mica on December 15, 2004, 07:03:53 PM

No Sycamore to see yet, but here's half of the body getting glued:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/15125.jpg)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: dela217 on December 15, 2004, 07:24:31 PM

If it is the Sycamore I am thinking of, it looks REALLY cool.  Kinda like a whacky oak.  Really beautiful.  I can't wait!

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: mica on December 15, 2004, 08:22:33 PM

This probably isn't what you're thinking of, dela. This is more like really really WHITE Flame Maple. I do have a weird piece of Sycamore with that wild ray fleck pattern I think you're referring to.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on December 16, 2004, 02:35:40 PM

Woo Hoo!
 
/e does the dance of joy
 
- Jim

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on December 18, 2004, 06:52:49 AM

Mica,  
 
I just wanted to clarify a point in case it had been missed (or maybe it's a non-issue anyways).
 
I want the Omega cut to be the squashed Omega not the fully circular Omega cut that I've seen on some other basses.
 
Thanks.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on December 21, 2004, 12:40:09 PM

Val checked for me and Susan did indeed have the squashed Omega already noted for my bass.
 
-Jim

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 26, 2005, 03:03:56 PM

 
I just thought I'ld check in and see if there were any updates.  
 
- Jim
 
(Message edited by LotharTu on January 26, 2005)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: mica on January 27, 2005, 12:16:23 AM

Boy do I have an update. It seems your bass was completed while I was on vacation and moving, and I didn't catch many other build shots. But here's a preview of the finished work:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/16068.jpg)
 
The white look of the sycamore was very successful. Also, this particular piece is very active, changing much from different viewing angles. In the couple of days we've been testing your bass, it's been very popular; I caught Valentino playing it yesterday and Mike was having fun on Monday night.
 
Shipping should be within a day or two.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: flaxattack on January 27, 2005, 12:44:41 AM

gee mica your up late...;lol
very nice look

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: jeff on January 27, 2005, 06:05:13 AM

Beautiful bass with nice proportions. The Sycamore does look similar to a flame maple as Mica stated and I am wondering, does it sound similar as a tone wood on the bass?  Jim, is there a story behind your choice of a top wood?

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 27, 2005, 06:12:15 AM

Thanks for the update Mica.  
 
Ok first off I'm very happy seeing that the bass is almost done but...  
 
But here's a preview of the finished work  
 
Preview as in the input jack hasn't actually been drilled yet?  I ask because it is supposed to be mounted on the side and not the top.  
 
If it's shipping in a day or two then I guess it's already been drilled.  
 
Also, it looks like it has gold straplocks on it.  I had noted that I wanted the regular stap pins instead of staplocks.  Could you get those swapped out for me or just toss a pair of stap pins in the case?  I perma-attach my strap so I need the pins instead of the straplocks.
 
Also, how is the weight?
 
- Jim
 
 
(Message edited by LotharTu on January 27, 2005)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 27, 2005, 05:04:55 PM

 
Mica, I'm curious to hear what Val and Mike thought of the bass since there don't appear to be many sycamore top/back ash core basses that go through there.
 
How's the tone?  If you closed your eyes what would you think the neck/body was made of if you didn't already know?
 
 
(Message edited by lothartu on January 27, 2005)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 27, 2005, 05:21:50 PM

Jim, is there a story behind your choice of a top wood?
 
Yep, it's in the original dreaming thread here  
http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/12961.html?1101028616 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=6712)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: Bradley Young on January 28, 2005, 09:28:26 AM

Jim,
 
I can tell you that the bass is light.  Very light (to me, anyway).  On a 4 strap, hardly even noticed it was there.
 
She is a truly beautiful instrument.  Very bright looking, like bleached maple.  A real tow-head (I was going to say blonde, but that doesn't do it justice).
 
Brad

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 28, 2005, 10:55:28 AM

Brad I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind,
 
So you'ld say that the picture above is much darker than how the bass appears in real life?
 
The picture above appears to favor the vertical figuring but it may just be the angle.  How does the horizontal figuring look?  What was your impression?
 
Did you get a chance to hear it?  What was your impression of the tone?
 
Since you had it on a strap how was the balance?
 
Thanks again.
 
- Jim

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: valvil on January 28, 2005, 05:10:01 PM

Hello Jim.
 
I played your bass again a few minutes ago (with a strap this time) and weighed it as well. It's 9.4 pounds, feels very light, balances GREAT, it's easy to play and sounds most excellent, just like an Alembic is supposed to; nice, big low end, sparkling highs, I'm sure you'll have fun with it.
 
 
Valentino

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on January 28, 2005, 05:29:19 PM

Great, thanks for the info Val.  I appreciate you taking the time to do that.  I'm looking forward to spending time with the bass and seeing how all this is going to turn out.
 

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: Bradley Young on January 30, 2005, 12:18:30 AM

Jim,
 
I'd liken the picture above to a cloud passing over when the photo was shot.  It just isn't well-lit enough to pull out what the bass really looks like.  The figuring looks lots better in person.
 
The balance was absolutely perfect on a 4 Moody strap.  Not the least bit neck heavy; it struck me as being very light (I'm a bit biased towards heavier instruments, but I barely felt it).
 
Brad

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on February 03, 2005, 04:32:14 PM

Any news yet on a projected ship date?
 
Do I need to contact the dealer on this or will it be able to come direct?

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on February 03, 2005, 04:46:22 PM

Well not 30 seconds after my last post Val called me to let me know it shipped.  

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: David Houck on February 05, 2005, 04:35:08 PM

Congrats Jim !!

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on February 05, 2005, 09:31:26 PM

 
thanks Dave.  Having fun with all your Alembics?  I saw that you got a 6 string recently.
 
 
(Message edited by LotharTu on February 05, 2005)

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: David Houck on February 06, 2005, 06:29:00 AM

Jim; I've had the six string for a long while, I only just recently posted the pics.  And yes, I'm having fun!

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: serialnumber12 on February 06, 2005, 07:14:18 AM

hey dave congrats on your alembic moderator gig!what will you be doing ?

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: David Houck on February 06, 2005, 08:06:51 AM

Thanks Keavin!  I think it's mostly just helping out around the board.  Mica and I are working on a new feature that's still in the early planning stage.  I live across the country from Santa Rosa, so I won't be able to look up serial numbers or anything like that.  And I still don't know anything more than I did before, so mostly I'll just be trying to find previously posted information, pretty much like I've enjoyed doing up to now, only perhaps in a more organized fashion.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: serialnumber12 on February 06, 2005, 10:02:57 AM

great, so now the club will be looking forward to seeing your employee project!!!

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: David Houck on February 06, 2005, 10:31:47 AM

Hah!!!  I am hoping to get my Essence back in a few more weeks.  It has an interesting mod; I'll post pics.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: palembic on February 06, 2005, 10:49:29 AM

Hey Brother Dave,
 
congrats on your promotion. Well  ..huh ...oh .. I don't know if it IS a promotion. Although ...I've always admired your way coping with questions and using the computer and internet tools by doing this.
Other side of the country ...HA ...what you call a country ...the rest of the world calls it a continent but ...(aaaah good'ol but again) ...it IS a small world after all!
 
Paul the bad one

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: David Houck on February 06, 2005, 11:25:10 AM

Thanks Paul!  And you are right, continent would have been a better choice of words!

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on March 02, 2005, 06:08:39 AM

Hi all, I hope everyone is well; just a couple of questions.
 
1) Did the bass make it back to you ok?  Everything cool?
 
2) Any ideas yet on the little inlay? A sketch on the back of a napkin or something.

Title: Jim's Sycamore Balance K
Post by: lothartu on March 18, 2005, 04:52:14 PM

Any news?