Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on October 21, 2011, 06:52:01 PM
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Hey! I found your neat neck:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/115277.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/115278.jpg)
Love the Mahogany pinstripes in there - subtle and very cool. There's more stuff around the shop with your name on it, I will gather up some new images for you next week.
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very cool. thanks!
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Anything new?
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bump.
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Wow Darkstar , it has been quite a wait for those promised pics, nearly three months. The last update on my custom baritone was in October, although I was told it is the finishing queue.
I love your neck at least and looking forward to its progress.
scott
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Yeah, I've been waiting for an amazing load of Macassar Ebony to arrive. I have some nice stuff for your bass, but the stuff that we're getting looks even better, so I was holding out for it.
I really thought it would arrive by December, but here we are almost out of January. I'm going to ring up the supplier in the morning and find out what gives, and then you and I can decide if we should wait it out or proceed with what we have.
The thing is that wide enough for bookmatch to center on a 6-string limits the available choices, as the really gorgeous stuff is generally a bit narrower.
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Hear anything from the supplier, mica?
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Yes! I did get in touch with him yesterday at last. He will be sending me some nice wide stuff that should be perfect for your bass. I have some stuff that is nice, but I'd really like to get this on your bass since it's so much better.
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double post. sorry.
(Message edited by darkstar01 on February 03, 2012)
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Sounds good. Any kind of timeline for a top being cut?
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I should have the first group of wood for your project here tomorrow. Will let you know! I received some photos of some other Macassar from the same supplier, but it's a totally different look. I'll show you photos as soon as the wood is here, and describe the differences once we've got images to talk about.
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Resawn:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123076.jpg)
This is really nice stuff colorwise, but there's some pinholes that I don't think I can dodge totally. In the dark areas, you won't see, but there will be some dark freckles in the lighter regions. I'm expecting the really big board next week, and I think we should hold off selecting your woods until then, because this is the photo I received of the wood:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123077.jpg)
I have very high hopes for this, and it's got no pinholes (yay!). It's from a very old stash, and you just don't see wood like this very often these days. Once we pick the wood, it will be within a few days that the top will be cut and the body glued up.
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Great to see more macassar ebony instruments coming together. I love the stuff. Still have a couple boards from the same piece as my Europa.
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Like i told you when I placed the order, I want a really dark top. So we'll wait to see what you get. It's pretty hard to tell by the picture they sent.
Thanks Mica
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The wood arrived and it's gorgeous. We plan on resawing it tomorrow, then it will be time for show and tell.
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Since it's very finely striped, there is lots of dark. Here's the first slice with some solvent to get a preview:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123845.jpg)
See how much darker with the acetone? Want me to check if the black Gabon Ebony we have is wide enough for your bass? I think it might be too narrow, but it doesn't get much darker than Gabon.
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A little closer up, you can see how tightly packed the stripes are. This is just fresh off the bandsaw, so there are some tool marks.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123848.jpg)
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I like these a lot. i'd be interested to see the gabon if it's wide enough. but otherwise this looks great.
thanks again, mica.
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Glad you like these, it's an ooooold piece that I was able to convince the supplier to get from his personal stash. We'll slice your top and back laminates from this board. I just saw the order shows 1/8 laminates for the top and back instead of 1/4. We'll also make the peghead veneers from this same wood wince there's nothing that matches it in the commercial veneer. It's some sweet stuff.
The Gabon isn't wide enough for bookmatch to center. But it is the blackest piece of wood this wide I've ever seen:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/124137.jpg)
Just. Pure. Black. There's only 2 laminates of this stuff left.
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Nigel Tufnel: It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.
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that gabon is awesome. too bad it's not wide enough.. somebody needs to get something built from that, though. i'd love to see it.
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Stay out sick for a few weeks, and suddenly, basses happen!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/127906.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/127907.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/127908.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/127909.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/127910.jpg)
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Oh wow..... I love it.
Ash body? Really slick neck recipe and I love the top and the wider, shallower omega. Can't wait to see it when the finish hits.
(Message edited by tbrannon on April 03, 2012)
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that is what i'm talking about. Awesome.
Thanks for the update, mica!!
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Wow! that neck recipe looks fantastic! What are the 'lighter' dark woods?
Graeme
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other than the ebony lam in the center, the neck is all mahogany, maple, and cherry.
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That bass is looking nice.
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anything new?
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I got the Roland pickup, but the vendor sent the wrong one, the top-mounted style. I should have the real one this week. Nobody wants to drill holes without all the parts to mount in hand, and I can't say I blame 'em.
Once it's here and we start the drilling, there will be another pile of pics waiting for you.
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sounds good. thanks mica!
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The bass is sitting by my mom's office so that the MOMENT the pickup arrives, it will get the attention it needs.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/132211.jpg)
Erik calls it dark and stripey
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... And so this bass will be known as Dark and Stripey from now on.
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Wow! Eric has certainly grown!
graeme
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bump.
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Ugh. The Roland pickup is still backordered. Hope to get some details about a ship date on Monday. Dark and Stripey is getting dusty waiting for it
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I called Roland again and the pickup is STILL backordered, with no ETA. At least I confirmed with a technical person there today what the dimensions of the internal control board is, so I can get this puppy in routing this week, and then on to spray so we can be making progress while we wait for this part to arrive.
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Well that's good news. Hopefully they'll decide to actually make the part at some point.
Thanks mica.
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I asked if they were discontinuing it, and they assured me they will have them again.
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Anything new here?
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Yes! As of yesterday I have the Roland pickup IN HAND. Look for good stuff here shortly - and also an email in your inbox.
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Email responded to. Thanks mica!
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That boy's growing like a weed! (the bass looks awesome as well)
John
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bump
classico needs friends.
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Did this ever make it to spray?
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so....
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So I saw the holes in this guy and I always seem to meet him when he's sanded between coats (not good for pics) or no access to the room because things are still wet. I'm sure I'll get some updated photos for you within a week or so.
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Couple of snapshots. Still more finish to go, but getting close now...
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/180597.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/180598.jpg)
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Beautiful!!
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That's a lot of holes!! Series II + some extras?
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Nice! Thanks Mica!!!
Series 2 + Roland Synth pick up and led switch.
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Just wonderful!
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I saw it at the Mothership. Just spectacular. But you must need hands the size of feet to play it!
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if i remember the measurements correctly, this neck is actually smaller than the 6 string i'm currently playing. so i should be okay.
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anything new here?
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Yeah! I have to get some pics of the aluminum bridge block and such, will get something to see for ya next week.
Maybe just another 4ish weeks to go now.
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Sweet! Thanks mica!
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Hey Mica, just sent you an email about a possible factory visit. Just a heads up.
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anything new?
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On the calibration bench right now, should be shipping next week - let's email/chat on the phone to coordinate shipping address and arrival date.
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whaaaat. awesome. I'll send you an email now, and try to give you a call in the next couple of days.
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Sweet!
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This is going to be one of the most elegant Alembics ever made. I'm very excited to see the finished product.
Bones
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Final lounging about the office shot(s)?
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Looks so purdy!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/197043.jpg)
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wow! congrats!
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And with that GK pickup, if you EVER get tired of exploring it?s tonal possibilities, you can spend another whole bunch of countless hours hooking and combining it with synths and stuff... Oh, the envy! Enjoy it in good health!!!
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Makes me want to reach out, grab it and play it for a day or two. For starters. What a bass.
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Phenomenal work! Unreal! Congratulations Austin!
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Congrats Austin!
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I would very much like to play that bass sometime.
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Wow. Really, really nice features. I love the accent lams and the hint of the ash showing through on the contour. Love the wood pickup covers contrasting.
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My new computer wallpaper. Congrats.
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is that a midi pickup near the bridge?
WHAT an awesome bass. Alembic is by far the most stunning brand on earth...
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incredible,
midi pickup?
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Austin, I just got here from a different thread (Alembic visit).
This bass is righteous- beautiful especially the back of the neck. . . . May you use it well!
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Thanks! Should be shipping next week... can't wait! I was at the factory a couple of weeks ago, and I picked it up for a second, but I barely played it. Didn't want to tease myself!! It's pretty spectacular in person. Although seeing some of the things in the works at the shop just makes you think damn, why didn't I think of that?!
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Very cool Austin! I saw it when I was out there and it is spectacular!
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We had a control layout already, but the time has come to drill, so I'm reviewing what we had before. We're making a guitar now with a single scrolling switch for the synth. This is cool because you have 1 less switch on the face. The synth switch might have to be a silver finish (dad is checking for a black finish one) but that's the only negative, unless you like the idea of it looking different from the other controls. Anyway, here's my most recent plan:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/129900.jpg)
Oh yeah, this one has the LED switch which I always seem to forget on Series I/II custom layouts, like on the previous one I sent you. Without the labels for contemplation:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/129901.jpg)
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honestly i kind of like the look of the buttons for scrolling better, especially if they can be topped in cocobolo (which i seem to remember seeing, but i can't find the picture now). but if you think the switch will work better it's cool with me. definitely no big deal.
other than that everything looks good.
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Well, those Coco Bolo topped ones you've seen before are cool, but they take up a HUGE amount of space behind the scenes because they mount in such a weird way. We're doing another guitar with 2 buttons for scrolling that mount in a regular way with a washer and nut, but we are putting a wooden cap over the push button. This is the test piece:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/129910.jpg)
for scale:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/129911.jpg)
and what's under the hood:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/129912.jpg)
We can make the cap smaller if you don't mind seeing the nut a little bit. Let me know if you like this approach, and I'll see if I can cram it into the original layout, or near to it at any rate.
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I think we can just go with the switch you first mentioned, so we can avoid cramming a bunch of stuff together.
Thanks mica!!!
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hey mica
i was looking over this and thought of a random question. will the roland be selectable in the pickup selector switch? or is it completely isolated from the rest? just wondering.
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Totally separate. On that note, the Roland Bass kits are still backordered (until JULY!). I'm trying to get some documentation from them so I can get the routing done. I just need to confirm the sizes of the internal controls. It's been a long time since we did a bass install, and I don't want to assume the guts are the same as the guitars.
I sent the surface mounted kit back, dad said it's really not possible to repurpose it for an internal mount.
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let me know when you hear something, mica. hopefully things won't get held up on this for too long.
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any luck?
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Hey Mica,
i was going to send you an email about this, but i recently changed my email address so i was afraid you might miss it. i can't seem to find the quote on my bass for whatever reason, but i seem to remember telling you i wanted chrome plated hardware. i definitely want to change it to all black hardware. let me know if there's a price difference or anything.
thanks!
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Black will be the way to go on this one!