Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on June 15, 2007, 07:06:18 PM

Title: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: mica on June 15, 2007, 07:06:18 PM
Everyone starts with a neck. Here's yours:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/41061.jpg)
  and a detail - love the veneers:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/41062.jpg)
 and the authentic shop dust!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on June 22, 2007, 11:14:20 AM
Looking good!  
I broke my right foot so now all of a sudden I am playing bass instead of drums at church. I am really looking forward to getting it even more now.
Karen
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on June 29, 2007, 04:51:22 PM
What's going on now?
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on July 31, 2007, 11:01:22 PM
Can I please have another picture? I've been waiting for over 2 months.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: adriaan on August 01, 2007, 01:28:51 AM
Perhaps you haven't been looking at the other threads? These kinds of updates are handled by Mica, who is ... well, check here! (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=3478)
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: mica on August 14, 2007, 01:12:00 PM
Hi Karen,  Your bass is part way throught he finish department. At this point, we install the frets and send it back for the rest of the finish. Here is your bass just ready for the frets:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/43054.jpg)
  And one of the LED tests:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/43055.jpg)
  There's still lots of work to do, but it's looking great alrady.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: 811952 on August 14, 2007, 01:27:21 PM
Love the neck combo.  Subtle elegance.  That purpleheart top looks great as well!
 
John
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: the_8_string_king on August 14, 2007, 02:27:28 PM
What he said!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: the_8_string_king on August 15, 2007, 09:12:32 AM
Interesting... I just noticed... no sustain block -even though there IS an ebony laminate for increased sustain... curious.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: olieoliver on August 15, 2007, 09:17:07 AM
May not need a sustain block with that Purple Heart top.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: artswork99 on August 15, 2007, 09:32:01 AM
Hi Karen,
 
Being fairly new to the forum I have just started to wonder into this area of Factory to Customer and the build records... what a great place to see ones own come into fruition!
 
Enjoy your bass and play it in great health!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: 811952 on August 15, 2007, 12:56:04 PM
It would be interesting to hear side-by-side comparisons of otherwise identical basses, one with the sustain block and the other without.  Would the sustain block serve to give more definition as well?  I think that with the ebony laminate and solid body, it's going to sound pretty fat.
 
John
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: David Houck on August 15, 2007, 06:34:44 PM
Beautiful top!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on August 16, 2007, 04:34:24 PM
Thanks for all the comments everyone. I appreciate it. Now I am kind of wondering about the sustain block myself but trust that it will be fine.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: estring on August 29, 2007, 11:07:44 PM
Hi Karen
You are going to have one sweet sound AND looking bass when it's done
-Chris
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: mica on October 04, 2007, 01:32:09 PM
Ready to ship!  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/44781.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/44782.jpg)
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: tbrannon on October 04, 2007, 03:47:56 PM
This is the most attractive Essence I've ever seen- usually the body shape doesn't do much for me. The neck lam combo is lovely and I love the headstock choice.  Enjoy it!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: dadabass2001 on October 04, 2007, 04:31:04 PM
Sweet!
and a superb looker to boot. Enjoy this beauty..
Mike
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: crgaston on October 04, 2007, 05:33:13 PM
Go Karen!
I love purpleheart instruments! You must post pics and details ASAP, especially of the back.
 
Enjoy!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: the_8_string_king on October 04, 2007, 06:20:34 PM
Very purdy... understated... nice neck combo... should sound quite nice!!!  And it's good you got a Q switch.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: bassman10096 on October 04, 2007, 06:50:05 PM
Very nice.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: the_8_string_king on October 04, 2007, 08:28:34 PM
Oops, silly me... it's unlike me to arbitrarily assume something... looks like an LED switch... or is it a Q switch, and the LEDs just come on when it's plugged in?
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: jacko on October 05, 2007, 04:46:24 AM
Very nice indeed.
 
Graeme
 
p.s. mark- If you look closely, I think you can see the LED switch next to the jack socket so the other switch will indeed be a 'Q'.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: southpaw on October 05, 2007, 08:35:02 AM
I lover Purple heart tops!  Congrats Karen excellent choice of features & woods. 811952 has it right: you won't miss the sustain block.  Not to ruffle any feathers here, but with a neck through bass and an ebony laminate, notes will ring for hours! Plus you save a half pound of weight; When my Distillate was disassemlbed for cleaning, I took the parts to my Post Office and weighed them on the postal scale,(yes, it was slow day for me...) the sustain block was a half pound (9 ounces, I believe). I actually prefer a wood sustain block (make my own) or none such as on my Orion, which also rings for hours.  
Please post more pictures Karen, again, Congrats.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: David Houck on October 05, 2007, 08:47:42 PM
Beautiful; congrats!!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: 5stringho on October 06, 2007, 07:21:23 AM
Schuweeeeeeeet! Looks great and should sound the same! Congratz and enjoy!!
 
Mike
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on October 10, 2007, 10:51:58 AM
I'm waiting for the UPS truck now, since I have to be home and act accordingly for the adult signature required. If that is a Q switch I sure hope the manual tells me how to use it - and what it is.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: artswork99 on October 10, 2007, 10:54:55 AM
Oh, how much FUN that must be Karen.  Do let us know when it arrives and post more pictures if you can.  
 
Play your new bass for many years in good health!
Art
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: keith_h on October 10, 2007, 11:22:03 AM
Karen,
From the FAQ have included the control description. The Q-switch switches between the 8db boost described and 0db boost. It is a nice feature to have. I have it on my Orion with Essence electronics.  
 
Keith
 
 
The Essence controls are volume, pan, and filter. The filter is a low pass filter and is variable from 350Hz to 6000Hz. When the filter is set fully to clockwise, all frequencies are being passed. As you roll back on the filter, you lower the threshold, above which no frequencies are passed. On the Essence, there is an 8db boost at the threshold frequency of the filter control.
 
The Essence has just one preamp, so there is just one trim pot inside the control cavity. Thus, you can't use the trim pot to balance the outputs of the pickups. However, the trim pot does serve two other purposes. One, to control the amount of signal going from the bass to your amp. Some preamps can be overdriven if you are sending too much signal from the bass. Two, to balance the output of your Essence with the output of your other basses.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on October 10, 2007, 02:18:21 PM
Wow thanks, but could you be more specific? Just kidding.
It's here - gotta go!
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: lbpesq on October 10, 2007, 04:46:16 PM
Don't forget to breath once in a while!
 
Bill, tgo
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on October 27, 2007, 04:33:42 PM
OK - breathing now, and it smells great.
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: the_8_string_king on October 27, 2007, 04:42:50 PM
Mmmm.  New bass smell.  I can relate.
 
So... what else have ya got 'ta say about it?
Title: Re: Karen's Custom Bass
Post by: berniek on December 09, 2007, 02:41:14 PM
God rocks !!!
Especially now.