Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on January 30, 2009, 05:47:21 PM
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Got the top wood chalked out:
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/60669.jpg)
Which coordinates so nicely with the peghead veneers:
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/60670.jpg)
This body shape is sort of a scaled down version of the 3/4 body shape that Olie (http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_alphaomega.html) loves so much. It's almost a 3/4 3/4... does that make it a 9/16? Anyway, the shape turned out great, here's the plan:
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/60671.jpg)
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That's going to be a great top!
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Susan, saw Princess Bride...INCONCEIVABLE!!!!
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Never tangle with a Portuguesa when death is on the line!
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dave, I've been in love with this Entwistle bass {the 4 string version} since I was in 8th grade. I'm now 44 and the dream is about to come true. I'm 4'11 and usually play a mustang or Hofner because of me size. We were going to go with the Darling body, but I showed Mica this photo and she came up with this totally custom project. This will be a 28 scale bass! A dream come true.
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This will be an interesting project! Is that Anniversary electronics sketched on the drawing?
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(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/60831.jpg)
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Yes.
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(Message edited by tommy on February 06, 2009)
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(Message edited by tommy on February 06, 2009)
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I spied your fingerboard today:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/60838.jpg)
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What is the neck made of?
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Maple with Walnut pinstripes.
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This is going to be a cool bass. Tommy you'll this body, my 3/4 basses feel great so I can imagine how awesome this one will be.
OO
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How long does the finishing process for cocobolo take? I know there are many, many coats. {more than I have in my closet}
and...you made the neck 28' scale.. 1.5 at the nut and 2.1 at the 24th fret. Will the neck look like it's tapering too wide when it reaches the 24th fret in relation to it's overall look?. I just don't want the neck to appear stubby. in relation to the body. Maybe it's the angle of the picture you posted.
(Message edited by tommy on February 06, 2009)
(Message edited by tommy on February 06, 2009)
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Taking shape:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/61026.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/61027.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/61028.jpg)
I don't detect stubbiness to my eye. I think the whole thing has kept typical Alembic proportions. The idea here is that it shouldn't look like a smaller scale bass when you're holding it, just totally natural. Coco Bolo is the boss when it comes to finishing. Some pieces are cooperative and some go fighting tooth and nail. So it can take anywhere from slightly less than 1 month is spray to 3 months in extreme cases. (Message edited by mica on February 09, 2009)
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Beautiful top!!
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I agree Dave, great top. And my post above should have read, Tommy you'll 'LOVE' this body.
OO
Mi tiepink sux!
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I'm glad everyone there is digging it!
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Another full agreement with Dave. Enjoy Tom!
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Tommy:
Once it's done, please post some actions pictures of you and the band in the Artists and their Alembics section. I'd love to see this one in action.
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This is going to be beautiful.Congratulations.
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Olieoliver, how r u liking the hidden strap buttons?
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I love the recessed locks. I have a MK with them and have had some other brands that had them. The only thing is DON't forget your strap, 'cause you ain't using some elses. LOL
OO
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There are some makers who screw together different CNC parts, beat them up, charge a bunch more than the same parts in different combination & good condition, and call it Custom Shop. To completely rescale the instrument? Now that's custom. How totally cool. And I'll second Altgrendel - action pix, please!
Peter
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Cheers to Mica and Susan, the best in the biz!
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For those interested, Yeah, I think it's pretty special and amazing that Alembic can custom fit a bass based on your physical challenges. Still, for me they didn't want just a mini looking instrument, they actually set out in their design to make it appear normal scale and at the same time preserve the retro Alembic style I was looking for. Don't second guess them for a second, they really know their Sh*#! ....INCONCEIVABLE!
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...and I am not left-handed
Cool bass Tommy! Look forward to watching this progress.
Ken (TEO)
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Inconcievable!
You keep using that word -- I do not think it means what you think it means. ...
Beautiful looking instrument already- can't wait to see that Coco Bolo when the finish hits. You get bonus points for referencing The Princess Bride- it's easily my all time favorite movie.
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You killed my father. Prepare to die.
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Tommy, For all it's worth I have been following your thread and I look forward to seeing the final product. Don't let others get you down on the overall experience. A custom bass from Alembic should only give you positive feelings from start to gig.
(Message edited by matthew90046 on April 15, 2009)
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Thanks matthew 90046, you guys are great.
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I'm predicting briant will be thrilled with the Toma_Hawk thread once it starts... Cool bass, tommy.
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A little closer to finished:
Strings are supposed to arrive by the end of next week. SOTAT (Stay On Target Almost There).
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A little closer to finished:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/63889.jpg)
Strings are supposed to arrive by the end of next week. SOTAT (Stay On Target Almost There).
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Someone is going to be very happy...
Congratulations Tommy... It's so close now...!!!
Greg
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This is a fine looking hunk-o-wood.
I'm predicting briant will be thrilled with the Toma_Hawk thread once it starts... Cool bass, tommy.
I won't even bother with it. I watched the design/idea thread a little and I can't get past the body shape. Yuck. To each their own.
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For those of you who have had a bass built, or especially If your new to this thread and have never yet had an Alembic bass built or are having one built, all I can say is at this point in the so close to nearly finished part of the build, the anticipation is deadly! Wow! I cannot wait to get my hands on this thing. This is very exciting,
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Speaking from experience, the last few weeks seem to take FOREVER.. But when you finally open that case, I can guarantee it will have been more than worth it
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Todd hit the nail on the head. The last couple weeks are real long and I think I nearly overloaded the UPS site shipping tracker system by checking the shipping on my bass about 1000 times a day once it left Santa Rosa. Trust me- you're in for a sensory overload when you open that case the first time. It WILL look better than you ever thought was possible and the smell that comes out of the case is better than fresh baked cookies....
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I'd still like to see a side-by-side with a Tribute.
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Tommy,
Look on the bright side, at least it's not a Series! They are functionally complete before they get calibrated by Ron, and depending on how many instruments there are, it can sit for weeks awaiting the master to work his magic. It's playable, but you still can't touch it!!
Ken
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Yes, I would like to see it next to a tribute too. It will be interesting to see how it sizes up. Maybe Mica can do that for everyone to see. My old Fender Mustang was 30' scale and it was small. This little baby is a 28' scale. Pound for pound, this little puppies gonna move some bottom. But, comparing this Alembic to a Mustang would be like comparing a 'Mustang' to a Ferrari GT 250.
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Well, here it is next to a Further guitar:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/64648.jpg)
And reclining:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/64649.jpg)
This bass is awesome. AWESOME.
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HHH-Holy Shit! Oh My God! And Mica said this little baby does NOT sound small!
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Too cool....
Thanks for the size comparison shot Mica.
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Gorgeous!!! Congrats Tommy!!
Oh, and Tommy; I got a chance to talk To Mica earlier today and she said it sounds amazing. In fact, she really wanted to keep it for herself!
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LOL! Yeah, I hear it's got some serious bottom. Well..hopefully this will become the prototype bass for small adults and little rich boys and girls. ;}
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They say good things come in small packages and this sure is a small package. Very nice.
Graeme
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That's pretty sweet. I bet that build would make for a great tenor or piccolo bass.
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a tenor or a piccolo bass have standard size, just different tuning no ?
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That's the typical way to do it. Retuning this bass tenor or pic wouldn't be a bad thing. Although, if it were my bass, I think it sounds so great the way it is, I wouldn't even want to try roundwounds. I would be content the way it is.
We are going to make one of these shorter scale basses for our showroom, so you'll see at least one more of them, but I hope we get to make even more.
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Thanks Mica.
Seeing the side-by-side shot made me smile. My wife will testify that that's not an easy thing.
Tommy:
I bet some action shots in the Showcase section will complete this for all of us (when you get the chance).
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Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
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I've been searching for a picture I took about 12 years ago at Arches National Park in Utah- the way the grain flows down towards the bottom of the bass looks nearly identical to my memory of a rock formation I saw there.
If I find the picture I'll post it here-
Sorry for the Princess Bride interruption- back to it:
?Do you want me to send you back to where you were - unemployed in Greenland?!?
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You've beaten my giant, which means you're exceptionally strong, so you could've put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But, you've also bested my Spaniard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.....!
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What's happend here, are you well tommy??? nothing understood...
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I understand now!! (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4jfx_inigo-montoya_fun)
Never seen this movie ;o)
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A fun movie, but one that raises the eternal philosophical question, Is a Peter Cooke cameo actually cool enough to counteract a Billy Crystal cameo?
Peter
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It would take a miracle.
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That's the other thing I'm wondering about.
How much will it weigh when done? I bet it's going to be pretty light for an Alembic bass.
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Good question. I'm hoping it's light. We'll save that one for Mica.
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My guess is that it won't way as much as a Jazz or P. And definitely won't way lighter than a short scale Alembic. It probably will way more that most commercial short scale basses like the Fender Mustang. Right now I'm playing a friends Hofner and there is no WAY any bass can be lighter. The thing is a toy! AnyWAY, it will be WAY cool. Hope I didn't WAY-ste any of your time.
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That looks a great project Tommy. I presume you are using standard tuning so i'm curious as to what gauge of strings will give you a good feel without being sloppy, especially on the E-string.
Any idea of when its due to be completed?
jazzy
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Several months till completion. As for the tuning, yes will be standard tuning. As for the string guage, I don't know what they have in mind, they've never made one like this before. Maybe after its made they'll play around with the string guage? I understand the sloppy thing with other short scale type basses. The Hofner I'm playing has a sloppy E. I was also thinking of using flat wounds because I love the upright sound, but I'm afraid that it will choke off some of its character. But I'm sure Alembic will know what's best for the instrument once it's in their hands.
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Correction, I meant it WILL weigh less than an Alembic short scale bass. Obviously.
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I have had bad timing with your bass. I always get it after it's been sanded for the next coat of spray:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/61560.jpg)
Oh well, maybe I'll have been luck next week. I'll be keeping my eye out for it so I can show you how it looks all nice and shiny.
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A work of art I say! I just love how the left side slopes inward exposing the backside. And look at all those holes, what in the hell am I gonna do with all those knobs!! :} I'm sure glad you found room for the control knob that makes the bass play by itself.
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The thing I find interesting is that it looks like it's hanging in front of a Tribute guitar and it's actually slightly shorter than the guitar.
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You can't be sure of the relative lengths of each, because you can't see if their headstocks are level with each other. The mounting hooks might be staggered.
Still, it's going to be a beautiful bass.
Mike
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Yes, I'm not sure if they stagger them that close to each other. It still casts a shadow on the tribute so it might appear even larger because it's closer to the camera.
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The tribute has a scale of 25.5, my bass has a scale of 28. I would think the tribute body is much bigger. The body of my bass is about the size of a Little darlin guitar. I'm not sure if that's a tribute or not?? Maybe Mica can shed some light on this.
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Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire, light my fire etc..
Jose Feliciano
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Hows the progress?
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Mica, I'm gigging 5 days a week and my hofners falling apart. What's the status?
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We're just waiting for the strings to come in while the paint finishes curing. Here's a snapshot after the preset (inlays and frets installed):
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/63418.jpg)
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Thanks Mica, Did you order flat wounds or round wounds? I use flat wounds.
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That looks great! I love the way the top looks in that shot!
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Anybody out there have any idea how long it takes the finish on cocobolo to cure?
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Dude. Patience. Get some.
First of all to quote Mica from Feb 9th on this very build thread the first time you asked that question:
Coco Bolo is the boss when it comes to finishing. Some pieces are cooperative and some go fighting tooth and nail. So it can take anywhere from slightly less than 1 month is spray to 3 months in extreme cases.
I was going to ignore this build completely but your persistent badgering has gotten on *my* nerves. I can only imagine what it must be like to be on the actual receiving end of this. The fine people at The Mothership won't say anything to you because they're way too nice. I'm not. I call it like I see it and if it comes across as not nice so be it.
Most Alembics that aren?t super custom take about 5-6 months from start to finish. Some are a bit less and some a bit more usually depending on the finish process and how many instruments are waiting for setup. My bass waited for ~3 weeks for its place in line at setup.
So chill the hell out. Have a drink. Go play another bass. Do something. Just stop the constant bumping of this thread. It isn?t going to make anything happen any faster. Mica is really good about updating when something significant happens. Given the most recent update Mica provided my best guess is that you?ll see your bass sometime around the middle to end of May ? which is less than 5 months and screamin? fast for any custom Alembic.
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I happen to like Mica and the Mothership very much. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as badgering or bumping this thread. It's truly not what I'm trying to do. The printed word can sometimes give off a different emotional interpretation depending on the reader. I'm just really excited about this and mean not to offend anyone. I've spoken with Mica at great lengths and she knows I'm a nice guy, and not this finger pointing guy who's threatening her. Mica's been doing this for a long time, and I'm sure she ignores the people in a nice way who get a little impatient and excited. That's better than lashing out at them. Thanks for reminding me about Mica's Feb 9 posting, that answers my question. I'm also the kind of guy in your words who call it like I see it and your post leeds no room for interpretation. So, i'd like to remind you that this is *my* thread and I'm not bumping it. This is a friendly forum and lets keep it that way. ;)
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I hope you receive your bass soon and it is beyond your expectations. The top is beautiful and will become more so over time. CB takes or can take a long time and defy comprehension. They are perfectionist about finishes. Black ones are a whole nudder magilla! I've waited over a year on a number of occasions so I can understand the process. Enjoy your FTC and play it in good health and inspiration for many years to come.
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Thank you dannobasso.
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Just confirming the change to recessed straplocks.
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I'm not sure what you mean by this, could someone post a picture? Thanks!
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Sure if you go to my build record you will see a link to Ollie's bass. Pictured are strap locks that fold and hide away.