Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on January 12, 2004, 06:56:47 PM

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: mica on January 12, 2004, 06:56:47 PM

Here's some under construction shots to help tide you over through the long wait:    
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/7654.jpg)
   
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/7651.jpg)
   
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/7652.jpg)
   
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/7653.jpg)
    Derrick sent us his own large slab of redwood to build the faces on this bass. We also made the peghead facing veneers for the best match.

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: David Houck on January 13, 2004, 07:57:40 AM

That's a very attactive sandwich in the second picture.

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: mica on January 21, 2004, 06:08:31 PM

Now that it's got the sealer coats, we're gearing up to do the inlay. There's a few in line before yours, so we have a little time to refine the design.  
 
Here's the bass in spray:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/7848.jpg)
 
You can really appreciate the figuring once the finish hits it.

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: dela217 on January 21, 2004, 07:47:10 PM

Oh my gawd!  THAT is nice!  That is a beautiful wood.  Nice and yellowish. I like that a LOT.  Redwood..Hmmmm...

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: palembic on January 22, 2004, 12:33:59 AM

Oh ...huh ...why do we call this REDwood. It's one of the most beautiful YELLOWish woods I've seen. It has a tiger design.
The sandwich is amazing. I thought the core of the body was redwood. And do I see some purple heart and maple there too???
 
Paul the bad one

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: mattheus on January 22, 2004, 12:56:50 PM

Yes, tigerwood!!! That's cool. And now we're looking for a piece of bearwood..... or was it beerwood??
 
Mmmm, I'll ask my neighbour...

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: palembic on January 22, 2004, 01:11:13 PM

Will you please stop sipping of your bass Mattheus ...there will be only strings left.
Oh no ...NOW I completely get it: Paul the good one's bass must be made of beerwood! Yes ...well he says he uses his head as an amplifier by bitting his bass.
Must be quite something to see that happen on stage!
 
Paul the bad one
 
 
Waiter ...and one refill for the bassplayer ...but wait until he stops playing HA!!

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: valvil on January 22, 2004, 01:32:11 PM

The body wood is vermillion and it has purpleheart accent laminates and maple pinstripe accents.
 
Valentino

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: bigbadbill on January 23, 2004, 08:45:54 AM

The top on that bass is fantastic. Ok, that's another wood noted for the future....  
 
Shaun

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: denglert on January 29, 2004, 09:43:28 PM

Thank you Mica for posting these beautiful pictures of my bass.  Also, thank you all so much for the nice comments.  I saw this beautiful piece of redwood in a carpenter's shop off of Rt. 101.  I thought it would make a pretty bass, but I had no clue it would look this great.  I couldn't be happier...and it isn't even done yet.  Can't wait to see more pics.  Thanks again,   -Derrick

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: denglert on February 10, 2004, 03:20:21 PM

Hello Mica,
 
  I was wondering if I might see the design for the inlay?  I'm very interested to see what Susan has created with my archaic drawing.
 
  Also, I was wondering if there are any more pictures, or if you could take some more, of the bass with the sealer coats on, i.e. side, back, and headstock views?
 
Thank you so much.
-Derrick

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: bassman10096 on February 17, 2004, 12:52:22 PM

Great looking top and sandwich, Derrick!  Looking forward to seeing the inlay and finished bass.  Congratulations.
 
Bill

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: mica on February 19, 2004, 07:48:04 AM

Here's the adaptation that Susan and Mike came up with:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8285.jpg)
  and with some suggested shell:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/8286.jpg)
  You had requested the bass clef to stand out more, so my mom selected golden colored agoya shell for the clef, then black Tahitian mother of pearl for the stem of the D and the E. The oval is ebony and bound in silver and ebony.   I'll get you some more photos of the other parts of the bass later today.

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: bassman10096 on February 19, 2004, 03:30:46 PM

Derrick:  
I like the way your inlay blends monogram with music symbol.  I'm also partial to placing the medallion style below the tailpiece.  Looking forward to seeing this come together.  Very nice looking.  
 
Bill

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: bob on February 19, 2004, 09:53:12 PM

I've been in sort of a quiet mode lately, but I am paying attention, and at least a couple of times today I've found myself staring at this inlay design for minutes on end.
 
I gather that you (Derrick) get overall credit for the concept, and I've seen a couple things recently suggesting that Mike does really nice work, but I've got to believe that the key here is a good dose of Susan magic.
 
I look at this and see a dancing couple, perhaps in the style of Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers(?), not that I'm really a fan of such, but there is somehow a similar grace, fluidity, balance of contrasts, and of course the very clever bass clef used as the D.
 
I think it is absolutely perfect, and wouldn't change a thing. Makes me wish I had more interesting initials.
-Bob (RFN)

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: susan on February 21, 2004, 08:02:48 AM

Hi Bob,  
 
As inlaid initials go this one is one of the nicer ones. Yes you are correct, Derrick had the concept of incorporating a bass clef into it. Since I had been sick for the last three weeks and didn't want to delay any orders, it's hard to draw with your head pounding. I sketched out what I had in mind and gave it over to Mike to make the fine line drawing for Mica to photoshop.  
 
I totally see and agree with the Fred Astaire/ Ginger Rogers dance image, I can almost see the dip and floating chiffon skirt.  
 
BTW- thanks for the props.  
 
susan (THE-The Head Elf)

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: denglert on March 21, 2004, 08:33:16 PM

Hey Valentino or Mica,
 
Just wondering about the progress of the bass.  The last I heard the inlay was in and the bass was back in spray.  It must be pretty close.  Also, wondering about an ETA.  
 
Thanks,
-Derrick

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: susan on March 23, 2004, 10:26:12 AM

Derrick,
 
Your instrument is being worked on as I type. It could possibly be ready for shipping by Friday or early next week. It looks great.  
 
-Susan

Title: Derrick's Custom Short Scale
Post by: denglert on March 23, 2004, 11:11:44 AM

Oh my!!!  Thank you so much for the update Susan.  I'm so excited.  I catch myself daydreaming about it all the time.  I don't normally dream when I sleep, but recently I have having wonderful dreams about this beautiful instrument.  It probably isn't healthy thinking about it this much.  This is my first Alembic, so I'm sure you all understand how I am feeling right about now.  Anyway thank you for the update, can't wait to hold it and play it.
 
-Derrick