Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on February 19, 2004, 08:19:19 AM
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Here we go, another Coco Bolo bass for our own Valentino. This time, he's found a way to get more pointy parts.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8293.jpg)
The wood looks much cooler in person.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8294.jpg)
The silver lines reveal some of the shape. It's probably worse for Valentino than a typical customer. He can look at it every day, but it still only goes as fast as it will. I think he's finished designing/changing, but of course that can always change too!
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Tsssssssssss...you're spoiling him ...really!!! VAL ....STOP DESIGNING AND DO SOME MODERATING!!!!!!!!
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Wow.
Bill
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Ditto!
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Val, is that the largest/longest 'Pistol grip' that Alembic has ever done? (Seems so!)
The balance on this will be perfect, for sure.
What, no Heart Omega????
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Oh Val, how I envy you your job! And that bass is going to be way cool! (I think that's more of a rifle grip than a pistol grip...!). Hope you've got over the flu...
All the best
Shaun
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Val,
Just spoke to you on the phone on other matters, thanks much.
Congrats on this project!, great body shape!!! and love the cocobolo, somewhat reminds me of an owls eyes and face
Court
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Thanks guys,
I'm very excited about this one.
That is probably the longest pistol grip. I had a lot fun designing it. Mike helped turn my sketch into reality...then we went nuts on it.
The balance should be great, the straplock will end either at the 12th or 11th fret.
No heart omega this time, but it will have an omega, just a regular one, though the crown headstock will have a tiny omega too.
This is gonna be a series II fretless 4. Bookmatch to center front & back, continuous wood backplates & pickup covers, maple/purpleheart/ebony neck, vermillion core, and all the goodies that go on a series II.
Paul, you guys are so well behaved (yes, even you!) that there is nothing for me to moderate.
I'm over the flu, even though I'm still hacking now & then.
Valentino
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Glad you feel better.. What a gorgeous instrument your's will be! I think you're addicted to Coc(obolo)! This addiction has to be at least as expensive as the other kind, but nicer on the family, easier on the nose, and easier on the ears too. And of course legal. What a nice piece of wood...
John
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Inching alonghere... Now that Valentino is a valued member of our crew, his project takes a back seat to all of yours.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9385.jpg)
You'll never see this part again.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9383.jpg)
Just hanging out until glueing.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9384.jpg)
Omega peghead RAWKS.
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O.O
*jaw drop*
It's gonna be one of the most amazing Alembics EVER! And taking into consideration the fact that all Alembics are amazing... Yeah, I think we all get the picture.
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Is that the first Omega peghead ever?
I look at the Standard Point body shape and I wonder if that would make a good scaled-down peghead shape, too.
EffClef
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Gee whiz, what's next, a Triple Omega peghead?
Hmmmm, not a bad thought, actually! Val, you're quite the innovator...keep up the good work...
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The Omega peghead is a great idea! I can't wait to watch the progression of this jewel. Way to go, Valentino!
Sam
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After a couple of days away from work I found my baby all put together at last and I had to take some pictures. This might fall under the heading of Factory to Factory or maybe Customer to Customer...but heck , who cares? I am beginning to see the light...
(Message edited by valvil on April 16, 2004)
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I gotta remember to check the image size in inches too ... sorry folks.
Valentino
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Yo Val, that is one mighty fine looking bass. Love the custom carving, the contrast in the wood and the omega peghead. I am also intrigued by your choice of neck woods -maple, purpleheart and ebony. Why this combination? Why did you chose the Vermillion core?
Jeff
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Valentino,
Your new bass is breathtaking! The design flows beautifully....The omega head stock is a natural addition.
Fantastic!
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In a word, WOW!
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Thanks guys, I am quite happy the way things are turning out.
Jeff, I chose vermillion for the core purely on looks; with ebony in the neck and the bookmatch to center coco bolo top I doubt the core will make that much difference, particularly since it's hollow. In regards to the neck, I wanted some of that deep low end you get with ebony but not all of it , and I've been aiming to keep the weight as low as possible. So far, it's been working..after carving but before routing for the pickups (the back cavities have been routed) it weighs only7.5 pounds. The hardware and the electronics will add another 3 pounds or so; hopefully it will stay under 11 pounds, which is pretty good for a series II bass with all that coco bolo, purpleheart and ebony. The neck is superslim, ony 1.5 at the nut.
Here's a shot Tony took of me holding it after he carved it.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9525.jpg)
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I removed the earlier picture because it was way too wide; here it is again in a more manageable size.(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9532.jpg)
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Closeup of the crown omega peghead. Its dimensions are slighlty different from the usual crown; I asked Mike to make the top part just a shade wider and the bottom part a shade narrower to make the omega stand out more. Now available as a custom option of course
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Hey Val - after you went home for the day, I got a nice pic of the backplates while Mike was drilling the mounting holes:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9537.jpg)
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Good grief. That is the single coolest/baddest/goodest/??? bass I have EVER seen. Holy smokes. I don't know how you remember to eat. I would love to hear it..
John
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Valentino,
Thanks for the info on your choice of neck and body woods. I always wonder if someone has stumbled upon the holy grail of bass wood combinations, if there is such a thing. You look very much like the proud father holding his new baby. Your bass is beautiful and, you're not too bad looking yourself (wink, wink!). Take care.
Jeff
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Valentino: Great looking bass. I love the omega peghead - wish I'd thought of it! When you are taking pictures again, can you try to capture a look at the laminates running through the peghead omega? That must look COOL!
Bill
P.S. Sorry we missed you last week when we visited. My son wants to visit some colleges in the Bay area during the summer. He says he'd like to visit Alembic again (I think he just wants another crack at the cocobolo Tribute he played.). I think I can justify adding an extra day to our trip...
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Val,Will that cocobolo darken up quit a bit when the finish is applied? It would be a shame to loose the beautiful contrast between the light and dark areas.With what I have been observing on the club site, it seems that with cocobolo, it's sometimes hard to tell what it will do when the finish is applyed. Some pieces darken up a great deal and others just go more reddish-orange( which I prefer ,personally).If you applied an oil finish (ala Brown Bass ) would the coco stay closer to the color of the raw wood? Mike
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Hello Bill,
i am sorry i could not make it to work when you came over. I certainly hope you guys will visit again so we can meet. I forgot to take the picture of the tip of the headstock, I'll do it tomorrow, it does look very cool from that angle.
Mike, I have a fretless coco bolo Alembic that was finished in oil, and while it does look nice, it's nowhere near as nice as the other 3 coco bolo Alembics I have with a glossy finish. Over time, with an oil finish, coco bolo will darken considerably; with a glossy finish (and depending on how much exposure to UV rays it gets) it will darken too, but at much slower pace. The glossy finish definitely brings out the contrast. My bass is going into spray round #1 either tomorrow or Monday; I am looking forward to seeing how it looks with the first coat on.
Jeff, if you run into some nice ladies that also think that I am not too bad looking, let me know.
Valentino
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Valentino - I know you missed us today, but you probably missed your bass even more so here's somethign to keep you company:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9788.jpg)
I'm not sure if Tony left the next prepping for you to do or not.
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Oh man, those are stunning. I don't remember if Rami's were 'continuous' or not, but this is going to be really special.
Like I said on the phone the other day, Val, the look on your face in the photo above says it all - I think you should be 'featured' in the next Alembic catalog.
But looking at it again, after seeing some other recent photos here, I just have to ask: Are those Purpleheart pants???
-Bob
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In historical order it goes...
the discovery of fire / sliced bread / Val's new bass
Wow. If this doesn't assure that 95% of all new Alembic orders have coco-bolo then nothing will.
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Wow .... Very Unique
Beautiful bass, congratulations!!!
- Tom
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Lothartu, as a low-carb guy, I'm not sure sliced bread is all it's cracked up to be. That leaves two...
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Valentino, my compliments and congratulations! The most stunning example of 'custom' I've seen for a long time, too bad they've forgotten the frets. Just make sure the rolling heads don't hit innocent bystanding instruments ;-)
The tailpiece should be optional on all instruments from now on IMHO, especially those with a (heart) omega cut off course, but I believe it would even look great on an Orion! It looks like a design by H.R. Giger, I love it!
Wilfred
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Val: Absolutely spectacular (Che Spettacolo)! I guess it's a huge advantage working at Alembic WRT spec'ing a completely one-of-a-kind custom! The Klingon tailpiece is yet another Alembic work of art!
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Stunning!
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Well put kmh364!KlingonI was thinking Batman Returns et alBut Kligon fits the bill nicely.Before you ask,NO!Not yet,any day now though like maybe this week or next.Case maker a small part of the delay.Bass will ship with or without the case upon completion.Just when you think your getting somewhere close to the top with seriesII electronics and more advanced wood working features(more than I've had on previous Alembics but still nowhere near Rami)Along comes Valvil to raise the bar yet again.The bass is nothing short of arresting to the uninitiated as well as us Alembic druggies.Now a Valvilized Mark King DLX.is on the shopping list.Anybody want to buy two very hot rodded spoilers?LOL!Kudos Val!That tailpiece is on the next for sure(if it'll fit on a 6strg rogue)Will it Val?
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I guess working at Alembic has its benefits, but probably its downside as well when it comes to your own custom. I have a feeling that Val's bass was put on the back burner so the rest of our instruments could get completed. Can't show favoritism! I know my guitar started quite a bit after and was done before his latest coco bolo masterpiece. Made me feel a little bit guilty. Nice to know he finally got it finished.
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I feel much like the proud papa with all these compliments, thanks again, guys.
The tailpiece...well, I have no idea how much that's gonna end up costing me although Mike, who made it, and Chip, who saw him do it, told me it was pain to make, so I guess it's gonna be a bunch, very likely more than any other tailpiece. I also do not know if it will be offered reguIarly. I have no idea how well it would fit a rogue or an orion; it would be hard to fit into an extra long scale for sure, and I wonder how it would look; I designed it with the omega contour in mind so it might not look too good on an asymmetrical body shape with a slanted bottom, but then again it might. I guess a few minutes messing around in photoshop might give one a better idea of the likely result.
Valentino
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While the tailpiece is beautiful on this bass, I wouldn't want one on a non-omega cut. That said, it should fit well on any omega-cut bass, but I can't see it working on anything else.
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I agree with all the places the tailpiece would not fit in. But it is the best complement to a slightly squashed omega that I could imagine. One of the reasons I've always like the heart omega is that it has a more complex visual dynamic than the plain O. (To my eye) Val's tailpiece picks up and creates the same kind of dynamic as the heart does, only it adds a mixture of colors and materials where the heart uses only wood. Really stunning.
Bill
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Val
Awesome bass, really tastefully done. I am sure it is very sweet. Thanks for sharing some pics.
Rory
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Unbelievably beautiful bass. The shape is killer and the continuous wood pick-up covers work exceptionally well with the coco bolo grain. The finish looks super glassy and deep. Just awesome Valentino. Congratulations.
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Hi Valentino,
Ditto, etc.
Enjoy,
Hollis
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Valentino,
The coco bolo on this Klingon Bird of Prey is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. The cloaked hardware really does the wood justice.
The Batleth tailpiece is stunning and a true piece of art. Compliments to Mike.
Congratulations.
Enjoy the bass!
Duncan
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WOW.I don't know what to say.What an incredible bass.I want to hear it.
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Val, I know I've told you this before in a phone conversation but your sense of design and taste is so much like what I would want in a bass. I am totally jealous! I would have any one of your designs but this one..bellisimo!
When I get ready to start my bass I would appreciate your input on all aspects of the design. Mike DeVincenzo
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Val, I know I've told you this before in a phone conversation but your sense of design and taste is so much like what I would want in a bass. I am totally jealous! I would have any one of your designs but this one..bellisimo!
When I get ready to start my bass I would appreciate your input on all aspects of the design. Mike DeVincenzo
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Jonathan,
How right you are regarding Val's instrument taking a back seat to customers projects needing to be completed. That's why my Tribute guitar sat for 2 years without inlays, finally being sold to a store because they needed one after selling their Tribute and Further guitars.
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family businesses are often like that. my family was in the sporting-goods business, and forty-some years ago what i wanted most for christmas one year was a flexible flyer sled. at the last moment, literally on christmas eve, my dad secreted my sled away to accommodate a paying customer. he made it up to me later (i still own the sled), but that was one of the ways i learned what it means to be in a family business
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Well Val, that is the bass that Batman WISHES he owned, LOL! Wonder if he'd swap you the Batmobile? Incredible....congratulations aren't really necessary but you've got mine anyway!!!
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how much for that tailpiece??
think i would like it on the wolf val
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Yes Bob,
Rami's were continuous as well...
The pants?
they are purpleheart with ebony & graphite laminates....
I have a pair that are solid purpleheart too...;)
Gonna have to find some coco bolo pants next...
Valentino
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Here's the shot of the crown omega from the top(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/9861.jpg)
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Looking at that, I'm almost surprised you didn't go for a mini ebony stinger... but I guess that might have been overkill.
As one would expect, the balance and proportions are just perfect. And it's a rare treat to see the laminates inside the holes for the machine heads! I've been messing about with bridge blocks and pickups lately, and always get a kick out of seeing the wood cross-sections, but hadn't thought about taking out a tuner.
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Val,
Your Bass is just over-the-top awesome! I suppose working at Alembic (next to Susan and Mica) allows for opportunities of creative influence that most of us can only dream of.
I love your selection of Coco-Bolo (very grainy), just perfect for the continuous wood everything. (Love those pickups!)
Rami
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Has anyone seen this bass lately? We haven't heard from it in a while, and I thought I wasn't the only one hoping to see it get to completion.
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Thanks Rami,
I missed your post back when you uploaded it.
Hello Bob,
I see it every day I'm at work... Also everyone who comes in for a tour gets to see it.
The finishing process is over. At the moment I'm waiting for my 2 bridges to be done, then James can do the preliminary set-up and the hardware can go to the plater. After it gets back here, the electronics & the hardware can be installed. Then I'm taking it home un-upgraded (no interference at my house, cell phones don't even work and you get no TV signals without cable or a sat dish), until it's my turn on Ron's bench.
Right now, it does not look all that different from the last pictures I posted, so now I am waiting until there is something new to show, before I post anymore pictures. And then you'll see lots of shots.
Valentino
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It looks like I might be visiting the shop next Wednesday. I look forward to the opportunity to see it in person!
-Bob
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In person it is a beautiful sight to behold.... I regret not taking my camera into the shop when I was there the other week..... I am sure we'll see this body used again~ perhaps for someone who feels the triple O is too over the top, and the balance point is too plain.....
After seeing it in person I started dreaming up a double neck 8-string/mando-cello based on this body...... You are a very lucky man Val.
-Mike
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when is it ready???
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Next peghead shape: Exploiter!!! Hee hee.
This bass is amazing. Can't wait to see the end result.
Mike
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Just an update....
my bass came home about 10 days ago; it isn't quite finished, because Ron has yet to do the upgrade on it. In the meantime I am playing daily and having a blast...consensus among my musician friends ( & myself) is that it's the best sounding and easiest to play of my six Alembics. I would not change a single thing if I could go back. Oh yeah, it's also the best looking.
Someday (soon) there'll be pictures...
Valentino
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Congratulations! I am so pleased that the bass came out well!
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Congrats Valentino! And pictures! Pictures! Pictures!
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took me a while but today we took pictures...(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/13740.jpg)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/13743.jpg)
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/13746.jpg)
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I am absolutely speechless!
Never was but now! Is this really human built?
Look at that Tailpiece... and all... enchanting.
How do you fixed the bridge? Where is the brassblock? Below the Coco Bolo Veneer? And what material is the nut from? And... sorry too much questions.
If I ever have the chance for a custom this would be the shape!
Congrats Val, you must be the lucky one.
Kai
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God Valentino! The concept and the in progress pictures were very impressive, but the final product beats all! That tailpiece is amazing!
Congratulations. This one is definitely your best custom. The others are very sharp, but this one is probably the nicest Alembic I've seen.
Bill
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WOW- thats awesome val....
love the tailpiece and the wood pickup covers....
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Val ...I'm sorry but this model isn't really my cup of tea. Although ...as admiring everyone who stands out of the crowd -like all Alembic players do in terminis- it counts for me.
Nice bridge ...absolutely and really made ads being part of the unusual design.
For those who saw: Val installed a height-adjustable nut in ebony (if I'm well informed it is the second one installed after Brother Bobs most-hidden-bass). Val ...is it a Series II with no general volume or a Series II with no general volume but with volume-pan combi???
Anyway ...congrats!! Hope she gives you the sound you were after?? Did the coco-bolo laminates worked out in stead of the ebony and the purple hart??
Paul the bad one
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That is an exquisite instrument. A true masterpiece. Congratulations Val.
Tom
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Are those bridge saddles ebony Val?!?
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Val:
I bet you are VERY happy with your new bass. Absolutely gorgeous! I'm not usually a fan of wood PU covers, but I am blown away by yours with the continuous grain pattern through the top & PUs. By the way, I hate to be the one to break it to you, as you may not have noticed, but someone obviously f**ked up. THEY FORGOT TO PUT THE FRETS IN!!!! LOL
Bill the GUITAR one
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Holy Batman, what a tailpiece! The rest of the bass ain't so bad, neither! ;-)
Reid
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*gasp*
*jaw drop*
*DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL*
Val, this thing is just amazing. Absolutely, stunningly beautiful. And that dark cocobolo... it's *the* top-wood of my dreams.
I think there's no need to congratulate you - you're probably so much in love with your new-born beauty you don't care much about congrats... ;-) But congratulations anyway!!!
Man, I'm envious...
(Message edited by basstard on October 30, 2004)
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Thanks everybody,
Mike, the saddles are indeed ebony and so is the nut.
I actually have a second bridge and a second nut both gold plated brass.
Kai, the bridge has curved rails and recessed hardware.
The bridge block is there and, as you suspected, it is covered by a veneer of coco bolo.
Paul I know this shape is not your cup of tea, but that's ok, I certainly do not expect everyone to like it. As long as I do everything else is secondary
I ended up choosing maple/purpleheart/ebony for the neck and I am very happy with the result; the sound is all I was hoping for and more. James did his usual outstanding job with the set-up and the logo inlay, and made the ebony saddles and the nut. This bass almost plays itself. The electronics are series II with no master volume.
I am really stoked about the tailpiece among other things; the bottom part is ebony, the top gold plated brass. Mike did a great job of turning my sketches into a workable tailpiece, and Susan's counsel was invaluable as always.
Reid, the Batman idea is one that generally comes up when discussing the tailpiece; another favorite is the Klingon one.
Bill, you 're right, how could they have forgotten that? Heads will roll...
Valentino
(Message edited by valvil on October 30, 2004)
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Absolutely, positively, the most stunning fretless bass (sorry Rami) that I have ever seen. That tailpiece is magnificent and all that continous Coco Bolo is a wonder to behold.
Another unreal creation...definetely makes my 'top 5 greatest Alembics ever' list.
Congrats, Val...play in good health.
Chris
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This is one of the coolest Alembics I've ever seen...guitar or bass! The ebony saddles are a great touch.
Sean
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valentino, that is one of the most beautiful musical instruments i have ever seen. it is truly a masterpiece
play it in good health
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i'm trying to find words, but i'm stumped...
i'm gonna go with brilliant, wonderful, beautiful, and amazing... but those seem a little weak.