Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on August 08, 2003, 08:01:55 PM
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Does this sorta look like what you had in mind?
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/5669.jpg)
I'll do a mock up if you like the general idea.
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I pictured the cross being larger, covering possibly 3 frets and the initials on the sides of the main shaft under the cross post. The cross should be smoothed out without the effect on the top or bottom. I think that it would look too messy in that size. The style of initials is good.
So if all this translates, Cross smoothed out and larger. Top of the main shaft going from the 11th to the 13th fret with the initials on the 12th fret as you have them here. BTW the gigs went well, nothing but great reviews on the bass (Excel 5) and the tone.
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Now your bass is ready for James and his inlay magic. Here's the plan for the inlays on the bass now:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/6684.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/6685.jpg)
These are sketches, I'm working out the fine line work tonight at home. If you've got any changes let me know ASAP since it's Friday's project for James.
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The cross is great. Would it be possible to accent the bottom section and the crossbar in red? I mean filling in the space between the flame effects with something red. I'm not sure which materials you would use that look like blood or red flame. (Ruby not necessary or affordable at the moment I would guess) If it would be too much of a material compatibility that would compromise the stability of the inlay I can go with what you have planned. For the Kay, maybe if the Letters were laid out in a straighter fashion along a straight grid this style would suit Mom a bit more. Oh, the info for the account is #500 - 4/12/03 #518 - 5/18/03 #536 - 7/02/03 #553 - 8/03/03 and #578 10/12/03 I'll call you on Thursday! Look for me and the Ridgefield HS Allstars band at the NCAA games from MSG on ESPN at 7:00 EST. Once agin, thanks for all your dedication to making my instruments desires come alive. Perhaps an order for #10 will follow soon?
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Here's the revised kay with a more font-like appearance:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/6698.jpg)
I'll get a visual referenece together before the end of the day on the red crossbar section.
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I like the 1st Y a bit more with its lower sweep. Whatever you come up with on the red crossbar and bottom section is fine. Either design on the Kay is good as long as they are not offset. Thanks again for the quick response!
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Here's the rough sketch of the revised y:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/6769.jpg)
We're thinking of this y with the Ka from the last one.
Inlay rescheduled for Wednesday the 19th, so we got a touch of tweakign time. I told James about the red part, and he's clear on what you want for that.
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The only tweek I would make is that the left upper section of the Y is similar in thickness to the K and A. I know you only have so much space to work with between the pickups. Everything you've done for me over the past 20 years has been excellent! Thanks again. Dad loves the idea and is also grateful for your sympathies.
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Mica, I missed you at the office. Any definitive dates on the shipments of the Excel and Distilate? I need a fix and we're working up a new video for the band. I'd like to use the new bass for it. Hope you enjoy Patsy!
Danno
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Danno,
I LOVE Patsy! I had to bore Mica (actually it cracked her up) and Val or for that matter anyone within hearing distance whilst I narrated the package instructions in my best Grail narrative voice.
And so Patsy shall remain contained, for there are none brave or foolish enough to set him free from the treacherous Fortress of Plastic. Afterall, storming the Fortress of Plastic could lead to the many small sharp pointy bits that could cause exceessive bleeding making one late to the Train Station.
This is all very silly and nothing to do with basses or does it?
Susan ;)
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I was wondering who writes the very descriptive and entertaining text for the monthly customs.
Now if we can get Ken or Shaun to translate that to Elfish...
Sam
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I'm glad you were all pleased. My collection needs only a Knight of Ni, Gallahad and Sir Robin. I have the Muddy collection in toto. Tim, French Taunter, Black Knight, Bridgekeeper, Herbert and Lord of the Swamp Castle are all here as well as Arthur, Patsy and Bedevere. Ah, tis all very silly indeed! They are all from Sideshow Toys. Now the Dead Parrot will have some company in Santa Rosa! Adieu from the frigid climes of Jersey where I'm off to Woodbridge to make sound for a wedding. (any news on the basses?) I wonder if the bride has huge tracks of land? Are Grails still given at weddings or has Cuisinart replaced them entirely?
Danno
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oh-oh...
this club is going VERY beserk!!!!
Anyone fancy a beer??
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Danno,
Over the last three years for Christmas, my brother (whose name happens to be Paul) has given me the Black Knight, Patsy, and this year, Arthur. My collection has been growing...
Ken (TEO)
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Cool ...can someone give me Salma Hayek???
Paul the bad one
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This thread is related to my progressions in commerce and some shared interest. I believe there have been many beer threads. If I did imbibe I would like it to be like my humor... extra dry. Perhaps some Chateau de Chassily instead with some Spam on watercress? Perhaps we can change this thread to a forum where we can discuss how sheep's bladders can be used to prevent earthquakes? Or how can one fell a mighty tree with a herring? Woodland cult landscaping and shrubbery for the linguistically forceful? Flight velocity and you? The Monarchy.. diving right to rule vs Supreme Executive Power being derived by a mandate from the Masses. The possibilities are endless!
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Here's those funny photos I keep meaning to post, sorry it's taken me forever:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8964.jpg)
Nice looking Mahogany
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8965.jpg)
No one else will ever know the secret Bird's-eye Maple on your peghead.
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Any news on the required Materials arrival dear one?
I'm going to have a piece of cake becaue this one is a year old this week! Normally when babies are late there is something very wrong with them. Thank all things good and pure that that is not the case with these creations. I have a friend who is waiting on an adoption opportunity, I think this is more akin to that than the birth analogy. No epidural required!
Your devoted friend and client,
Danno
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Yes, they are making the custom crate to ship it here (we only need 1 sheet of the stuff) and we're supposed to see the red of it's eyes next week. Woo Hoo! Then the rest of this will rip through. Waiting is rough on you, rough on us.
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Thank you wonderful princess of the purpleheart, monarch of mahogony, crowned courtisan of coco-bolo, benevolent lady of lacewood, splendid soverin of the spalted, fine flower of figured walnut! As Mr. Petty once said:the waitibg is the hardest part. Some of my musical cohorts chide me and say they can get me a Fender right away. I said No need I can just get a Duraflame log and string that up. It will sound the same! Until that sweetest of hours when my Doombass arrives, I will spend my time lavishing my attentions on the other members of my ever growing brood. BTW, I'm selling some non-Alembic items and formulating my next vision of bass-ness. Thanks again, send my affection on to the Artist in Residence, Queen of the Quilted and the Scholor of the Scopes, Commander of the capacitor, Regent of the resistor...etcetera, etcetera, etcetera
Danno
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Woooops ...I had to read that twice.
But I Guess ...no news yet??
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Huh?
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Just a fancy way of saying thanks to Mica, Susan and Ron, Alembics are worth the wait so stop busting my chops, I hate Fenders, playing my other 9 basses while waiting, poetic references to wood and components. The final touch to my Doombass requires material that is not readily availble. Petty = Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. zoright, zoright!
Danno
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Danno,
While we're all waiting (you most of all, of course) for the 'exotic material' to arrive, how would you feel about a game of 20 questions?
Clearly you and Mica are in cahoots on this one, and I freely admit I've been dodging questions about my own bass for a few months now (all in due time...), so if you want to just provide us with an exercise in patience, I'm all for it.
But at the same time... I'm pretty sure I know where it goes; have a few ideas about what 'it' might be, but those are quite a bit less certain.
What game shall we play today?
-Bob
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OK, it's red and soon it will be in. While I wait I play a lot of basses, guitars and stick while fantasizing how the new bass will look in my next video. I hope I can take it to Vegas for a show on Aug. 7th. What game you say? Well the waiting game of course!
Danno
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The waiting is narrowing abit.Another week to 10 days for the material to arrive,thenthe inlay work,then the final set up, then the checking, then the packing, then the shipping, then the traveling, then the picking up, then the unboxing, then the PLAYING!
Danno
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another setback. 3rd material rejected. The waiting goes on. I think I will nap a bit, frustration is very taxing.
Danno
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Frustration is perhaps merely a side-effect of the search for perfection, which (as I am very slow to learn) can be quite taxing indeed. Sometimes one has to ponder what exactly one is waiting for, and why...
A nap seems in order.
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I don't know how you can stand the wait. I'll bet every month feels like two or three. The end result has to be exhilerating.
One day.....
Sam
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It will be an unusual piece to say the least. I put in the order April of last year before the price increase. I picked up a used Distillate 5 to tide me over thanks to the wonderful assistance of Susan and Mica. (used it on the latest recordings for a European special release, absolutely kills with the F1X to Protools w/ plugin compression.) I'm playing a couple of festivals in Aug. and a bunch of gigs before and after. I'd like to use this baby on them. I'm stuck in GAS mode. Stop me before I spend again!@.
Danno
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Red red red. We keep asking fro red and they keep sending us sort of a dark dark magenta but not red color. Mom got fed up with the wait too. We found a perfect red that wood turners use to make plastic pens (I don't know why!), but it's always cut up into, well, pen-sized pieces. She got on the horn and ordered up a nice slab.
We thought it would arrive today, but not on the UPS truck. Will let you know as soon as we see the red of its eyes.
If we can get a suitable red material in within the next couple of weeks, we'll get your bass delivered in time for your festivals.
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Thanks, this has become some project huh? Next time I'll order a bass shaped liked a mythical creature but with readily available materials! I forget, what does a Gorgon look like? Is it possible that the suppliers have that recessive gene for colorblindness? Maybe a Mary Kay lipstick sample will help them get the concept? I think Really *&^%$#! Red from the streetwalker collection will do the trick.(ship in plain brown wrapper to avoid unwanted attention) BTW the guys in the band thought I was kidding when I told them I was getting the logo inlaid in the neck. Hey I kid, but not about things like that! Also BTW no one can solve the Ripper problem so a 3 way toggle is being installed while I search for the right switch. Why won't they let me live Mica? WHY!!!!!
Danno
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Mica and Susan sent a sample of the material. It was good enough for me so they will begin the inlay magic on the neck. We have a cd artwork job ahead of us in the band. I hope I can work some new bass pics in for it. BTW A friend heatet and widened an off the wall hanger to fit my wide Spoiler 6. Now he's going to do one for my wide Spoiler 7! Better than having a velvet Elvis painting on your wall I have to say!
Danno
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Precious! We wants it, yessess Smegol Must have the precious. We knows its to be almost done,, yes kinds masters have toldussesses. Cannot consoles ourselveses with nice fishesses, NO! We musted have bought pretty things while waiting for the precious. We had to do so.... or we would go MAD! Masters saysesses it goes to spray soon.
Dannoessesses
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LOL!
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Danno,
Although I'm of the Elvish persuation, I can feel your pain. ( I guess this is an example of the power of the One Bass?) Perhaps some fresh rabbits??...
Ken (TEO)
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Perhaps a brace of Conies and some taters will calm my nerves. Though I don't indulge in Old Toby, I can see why some do. If I did maybe I would see an Ollyphant too!
Danno of the 13 basses
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Ok ...we call her the Basssssssssssssssssssssssss
BTW if you have a SF-2 lingering around the place you can turn in some really nice hiss sounds!
Paul TBO
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Give this man some pictures!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/11118.jpg)
Caught the D a few days before install while he was still working on the T.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/11119.jpg)
The letterforms were so delicate that Mike had to cut 7 letters to yield 2. Kept getting fractures at the bottom corner of the D and at the crossbar of the T. I think the end result was worth the extra work:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/11120.jpg)
Couldn't do the two drips at the bottom. The acrylic is semi translucent, and when it got too small, it looked more like a black hole. Mike modified the design slightly to keep the feel but make the most of ther material.
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Wow! THAT's cool - after so many months waiting to see what it'd look like.
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That warms my heart! Pictures! It came out beautifully. Going with all red was a great idea. Now to get it in time to break it in and ship to the hotel in Vegas. I can't trust the airlines to ship as baggage and they won't insure it. There has to be a way around all this. BTW I did buy a SF2 this week. I hope Mike found his happy place after so many cuts. It is greatly appreciated. It will give me an image to behold whilst I work the 2 weddings this weekend!
Danno
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These aren't in the bass yet (just needs another coat of black first), but Mike did an outstanding job cutting the letters:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/11251.jpg)
Mike told me he especially liked cutting the curl on the upper left section of the y. He kept the forms very fluid and clean.
I'm really interested in typography, so I usually get to help alot with the type related projects. I have no idea how many hours of drawing we all did on this, but I'm really pleased with the end result. Also, I had some expert help from a couple of acquaintences who are truly experts when it comes to typography and their advice made this come out even better. Hope you like it too.
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Also ran across this of the red inlay before it was sunk into the board:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/11253.jpg)
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Mica, Susan, Ron and Mike, Thanks for all of the extra effort. It is truly a fitting tribute to my Mom who always believed in my musical dreams ( even when they seemed a bit far fetched). I hope it can make it's stage debut in Vegas at the @ntifest and then on to Cali. Kay's birthday is coming up soon too. She was a wonderful, kind and loving Leo. Mom also loved Sarah Vaughn and George Sheering. Classy lady always.
Dano
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It is finished! I will hopefully have it for final rehearsal Tuesday, flying out Thursday for Vegas. Today was Mom's birthday and I think she would have loved it. Thanks to everyone in Santa Rosa.
Danno
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It is finished! I will hopefully have it for final rehearsal Tuesday, flying out Thursday for Vegas. Today was Mom's birthday and I think she would have loved it. Thanks to everyone in Santa Rosa.
Danno
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Congratulations, Danno.
I think we have some sense of how much this means to you, as well as the scramble by the folks at Alembic to pull it off, and of course we know it will be a fabulous instrument - and let's assume that the universe is appropriately aligned and that shipping will work out okay.
Happy Birthday to your Mom.
And now that we've got the serious stuff out of the way - it was definitely worth a double post :-)
Have a great time in Vegas (ugh) and California (better).
-Bob
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Danno,
many congrats to your new beauty.
And plse let us see some more pics soon....
Oliver (Spyderman)
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Danno,
It was successfully shipped yesterday, the UPS driver came a little early on Friday but we were determined so Mary drove it over to the UPS shuttle at the end of the day. It will arrive Tuesday. It looks so much better in person . The inlays just glow, especially the Kay. I can only imagine the two inlays will be an inspiration to you as you planned.
-susan
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Thanks again for all the extra care and efforts. It's tough to be patient but better to have it done with precision than to have regrets. It is fitting that it was shipped on her birthday. She always had top shelf taste and did not compromise on quality and what she truly desired. I think I got it from her! I know my Dad will be very moved by the inlay and also appreciates your generousity and attention to detail.
BTW does anyone in the Wickersham clan sleep?
Posting so early in the morning, now that's dedication.
Danno
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Thanks again for all the extra care and efforts. It's tough to be patient but better to have it done with precision than to have regrets. It is fitting that it was shipped on her birthday. She always had top shelf taste and did not compromise on quality and what she truly desired. I think I got it from her! I know my Dad will be very moved by the inlay and also appreciates your generousity and attention to detail.
BTW does anyone in the Wickersham clan sleep?
Posting so early in the morning, now that's dedication.
Danno
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Congrats, Danno. Please take plenty of pix and post them so the rest of us can see what the whole deal looks like. Good Luck with the gig (break a leg?).
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I just got and and it it amazing! It turned out better than I expected it would. The Wickershams and Co. have gone the extra mile yet again for me and it is truly appreciated. I just bought a camera and as soon as I get it working I'll post when I get back from the mini-tour. I'll make sure I get the whole low end family in there this time. How did I ever live without LED'S before????? Buy American! Give Mike my praise for the great inlay work. The man has the patience of a saint!
Danno
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Danno, congratulations on the Excel. The long wait was probably worth it and more. Good luck on the tour and have fun.
I had always thought of LED's as a neat thing, almost a gimmick. That is until I experienced some first hand. While on a recent field trip to Bass Central I played with several Alembics and a Jack Bruce signature thumb, all with LED's. It became clear immediatley how valuable they could be. My next one will sure have them.
Sam
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I set up the bass in a hotel room in Vegas for the first gig Iand let it settle till the show the next day. It was fantastic! The Spoiler electronics mixed with the 34 scale and the ebony board is an incredible combo. I am totally pleased with this bass. The Led's have spoiled me totally. Since I sing backups in every song, they came in handy on the sometimes dark stage. My order for a twin will be made in the near future! Thanks again to everyone who worked on this baby.
Danno
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HUH ..oh
when are we going to see this masterpiece.
Or am i missing here something???
Paul TBO
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I got the camera and am about to take pics of all 10 babies plus 4 non Alembics, the guitars and the bass rig. Sorry for the wait. I hope I can figure it all out.
Danno