Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on June 03, 2011, 05:42:40 PM

Title: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on June 03, 2011, 05:42:40 PM: I'm just a neck, yes I'm only a neck:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/106122.jpg)
and if you look real close my glue is still wet:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/106123.jpg)
Mahogany, Birch, Ebony, and Walnut. Lovely!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on June 09, 2011, 10:06:02 PM: Neck goes through a bunch of micro-processes, here it is with the ears on, peghead draft angle and body draft angle:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/106699.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/106700.jpg)
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: jacko on June 10, 2011, 06:38:46 AM: Interesting neck recipe. I wonder how that's going to sound?

Graeme
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mike1762 on June 10, 2011, 09:30:51 AM: It is interesting: a Brown Bass neck with the addition of Ebony. I bet it would roar on a bass... not sure what that will translate to on a guitar. Anybody have anything similar???
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: tmoney61092 on June 10, 2011, 01:35:21 PM: Being a baritone, I think it should work nicely together

~Taylor
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on June 10, 2011, 03:06:06 PM: Taylor, that's my hope. I was also hoping that esthetically it would compliment the hues/colors represented in the Macassar Ebony top and back. It needs to have nice tone and playability, but I want it to be pretty too.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on June 10, 2011, 03:11:46 PM: Mica:

Would you be able to post the Macassar set to be used in this guitar?
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: David Houck on June 15, 2011, 07:34:02 AM: Very nice neck recipe!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: rjmsteel on June 15, 2011, 08:48:08 AM: Ditto to Dave\s post!
Perhaps a combination of Warmth (MBW woods) and Fundamental (Ebony).

-Rich
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on June 15, 2011, 11:39:19 AM: Thanks fellas. This a hard one to wait on for me. They said 20 weeks or so. pant, pant!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: tbrannon on June 15, 2011, 05:05:29 PM: Scott,

I know (from previous posts of yours) that you've been down the custom build road with other guitar builders in the past, so I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but try to enjoy the process and do your best to throw the calendar away.

I never asked for a timeline on the Elan I had Alembic build for me and I'm glad I didn't- it was hard enough to wait without knowing, much less if I had a 'target' date in my head and then things didn't happen according the the suggested timeline. I asked for a target date towards the end and wished I hadn't- it made it harder to wait!!

I don't know how your ebony top will be when it comes to finish, but I do know that some woods (coco bolo being one) tend to be particularly difficult when it comes time to apply finish.

It sounds as though it's going to be an amazing instrument and I love the neck woods combination you decided on. Should have a ton of fundamental with all that ebony and the mahogany and birch should warm things up a bit. Looking forward to watching this one through the build process.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: neilvg on June 16, 2011, 10:47:34 AM: Definitely take tbrannon's advice. Don't hold to any time line -- because in all likelihood it will take much longer... muchhhh looongerrr
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on July 01, 2011, 06:23:33 PM: Well, Mica and I have a designated set of wood for the guitar and it's peg head. I hope she will post pics of it soon so you folks can have a look.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on July 07, 2011, 08:15:58 PM: Here's the pics of the wood selections for the top and back:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/108701.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/108702.jpg)
It's hard to see, but there is a really nice large flame pattern on these pieces. It's sometimes called "ropey figure" and we're delighted that the board was thick enough to get the top and the back from successive slices. The little "eyes" are going to look cool with finish too! And I found this myrtle slab with your name on it for the body core:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/108703.jpg)
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on July 08, 2011, 05:10:01 PM: Thanks for posting the pics Mica. I really like the quarter sawn Macassar Ebony. It seems like a lot of people like wildly figured wood and maybe it doesn't matter as much with electric guitars; but it is real important in acoustic guitars to have quarter sawn lumber. It is hard to break with what one is used to. I think it will turn out esthetically pleasing as well!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on July 08, 2011, 05:56:38 PM: The quartersawn stuff is great, maybe a little more austere looking that the wild=child stuff, but it's still beautiful - it's wood! It is important for acoustic backs and sides, much less critical for solidbodies, but we do get plenty of requests for quartersawn wood, even in our beloved Coco Bolo variety.

One thing I especially like on quartersawn material is along the rounded over edge, you can really see the structure of the tree.

Since we were going with a bookmatched front, we figured we try out a bookmatch back for your peghead. We've done it a few times before, but it's a fairly rare sight around here.

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/108770.jpg)

The actual positions will shift a little bit, but these will be pretty close to the final placement.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on July 09, 2011, 03:53:04 AM: they will be beautiful.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on July 19, 2011, 05:55:52 PM: On the peghead now:

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/109439.jpg)

Paused briefly while cutting the shape
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: David Houck on July 19, 2011, 06:27:05 PM: Great action shot!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on July 20, 2011, 06:24:37 AM: Thanx for the action shot. I think this is going to be a very classy looking baritone. The tone should be killer too!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on August 16, 2011, 06:21:52 PM: Scrapped the first top for this project - those little knots had some radiating stress fractures that we not Scott's cup of tea (I heard that mom is snagging them for her next guitar). We found a suitable replacement and continued with the building. Here's some stuff that happened since July:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111450.jpg)
That's the new back laminate, with the components for the continuous wood backplates resawn.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111451.jpg)
Moments before the neck and body become one.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111452.jpg)
Neck to body time!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111453.jpg)
The back as you saw it when you visited.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on August 17, 2011, 03:36:13 PM: Very cool Mica! Thanx for the pics and the wonderful visit.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: David Houck on August 17, 2011, 04:48:18 PM: I like the new lams; this is looking great!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: bassjigga on August 18, 2011, 05:59:24 PM: nice. can't wait for finish. macassar ebony is still my favorite.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on August 19, 2011, 07:39:31 PM: Lucky Scott - sealer coat yesterday - yipee!

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111652.jpg)

Still miles to go, but looking sharp.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: peetee on August 19, 2011, 07:58:10 PM: Looking REAL sharp!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on August 20, 2011, 05:53:41 AM: Wow, Mica! That is gonna be killer!

Mica, My wife liked you folks so much she thinks, deservedly so, that Alembic rocks. I have received no scolding regarding my Alembic purchases. That is a MAJOR feat/accomplishment, lol.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on September 18, 2011, 06:54:33 PM: Mica, any progress?
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on October 21, 2011, 06:55:12 PM: Gentlemen, we have frets!

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/115281.jpg)

That means we are mostly through the finishing process (yay!). Looking sharp with those black mother of pearl oval inlays too.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: darkstar01 on October 21, 2011, 08:30:45 PM: very very cool... your bari and my upcoming 6 string are going to be like first macassar ebony cousins. (and i kinda sorta stole your neck recipe. a little bit).
congrats!!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on October 22, 2011, 03:06:03 AM: Thanx, Darkstar. I hope it works out well for us both. Looking sweet, Mica thanks!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: David Houck on October 24, 2011, 06:39:40 PM: Extraordinary top! And the inlays coordinate well with it!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on February 17, 2012, 07:41:32 PM: Rubbing out:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123852.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/123853.jpg)
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on February 27, 2012, 02:31:17 PM: Mica,

I missed the post. I am happy to hear it is coming along.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: mica on March 01, 2012, 10:28:32 PM: Sounds amazing!

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/124953.jpg)

Looks amazing! I don't usually post pics with a flash, so the color is really all off on this, but it's late and I've got no natural light to show it off. I'll take the regular compliment of photos during the daylight before it ships to you.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: redcloud on March 02, 2012, 01:02:53 PM: Thanks, Mica. Glad to hear from you that it sounds amazing. I would love some pics for the thread. This must be a record for the shortest build thread ever.
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: David Houck on March 02, 2012, 04:24:07 PM: What a great instrument! Just an all around great combination; baritone voicing enhanced by a great wood recipe, and a flexible electronics package; visually appealing with the body shape, top wood, and the inlays. Wonderful instrument! Congrats!
Title: Re: Scott's Custom Baritone Spectrum
Post by: crobbins on March 02, 2012, 05:41:59 PM: Nice looking guitar. Congrats........
Title: Control layout
Post by: mica on August 19, 2011, 07:45:03 PM: Hi Scott, We're just about ready to drill the holes for the control on your guitar. Here's my first idea for where to locate things:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111658.jpg)
and with the labels removed to get another look at things:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/111659.jpg)
Note, I snatched your guitar mid-prep sanding for the next coat of finish, so don't worry about the hazy look of things here. I tried a long string of the 5 switches and didn't really like it. I split them up to the pickup functions in one row, a little more tightly spaced and the Q switch by the filter in its logical location. The LED switch is out on the end since it's not for changing sound. Let me know if this looks OK or if you have any other concerns or ideas. We can talk on the phone while looking at these photos if it helps.
Title: Control layout
Post by: redcloud on August 22, 2011, 04:17:03 PM: looks fine to me, mica
Title: Control layout
Post by: mica on August 24, 2011, 06:09:50 PM: Excellent! Then we shall drill.

Note that the spacing on the real thing will be measured and not the quick by-eye version I showed above. It will only look better than the plan, I promise.