Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Factory to Customer => Topic started by: mica on October 04, 2005, 05:59:10 PM
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Saw this and I knew it must be your bass:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21372.jpg)
It's waiting for the neck, the clamps are just to keep things flat and ready to glue to the neck. I asked Chip to open up the clamps so we could see clearly what was going on:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21373.jpg)
I especially like the placement of the bottommost swirly bit On to the back:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21374.jpg)
Love how the top and back are successive slices - it's very cool. And finally a side view, complete with squishy glue:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21375.jpg)
When Chip was figuring out the placement of the body on the top, he found a small defect in the area that was going to wind up in the scrap pile. Sorry you weren't able to influence the template placement, but in this case, there was only one obvious choice, and it just worked out that the defect could be avoided.
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Mica, WOW, and thanks so much for the photos! It looks incredibly beautiful already but I am confused about the body laminates. I did not ask for the wide laminate to be Purpleheart. That said, is that a maple laminate between the Coco and the purpleheart or just a glue line? If its Maple, Cool. If it's glue I'm afraid we have a problem. Mike
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That's maple on either side of the purpleheart.
Valentino
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Excellent!!! That will look even better than I had hoped! I am so pumped up! You were so right when you said I should just trust Chip!
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Mica, Any shots of the neck? Val tells me that it is shaped and the fingerboard has the side LEDS'!
How 'bout if I ask nicely? Please,pplease, oh Please?
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What kinda glue is that?
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I was about to be obnoxious and say wood glue, but noticed that Mica was already much more specific: it's squishy glue.
Nice grain, and the placement is wonderful.
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Thanks Bob, These pictures have me really wound up!
It's so exciting to see the bass in various stages of gestation. You know, the strange thing about Cocobolo is that it appears so different in its' raw form. It was so hard to visualize the color from the wood bank photo. And this being my first custom, makes it a little scary. You're always second guessing yourself. I guess In Val/Mica/Susan/Chip/James/etc... we trust should be my motto from here on out.
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I know exactly what you have gone through on the color of coco bolo. The raw wood looks completely different, and even those acetone wipes don't really get you to the final thing (and I still hate destroying any of that wonderful oil...).
It's still going to change. I don't understand why these pictures look so dark - there's no finish (or paint, as Mica prefers) on it yet! Though I think that for whatever reason, the colors in those two body shots (?!) are probably fairly close to how it will turn out.
And the grain is still going to move around, as the rounding of the edges and so forth occurs. It's still in the process of becoming an instrument, and I'm also looking forward to seeing just how wonderful it turns out.
Trust is a good thing, at least with these people.
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The neck:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21823.jpg)
and up close to see all the dinstinct layers:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/21824.jpg)
It's a really attractive arrangement, I'm liking those little Maple veneers a bunch. Ed - nothin' sexy, it just plain ol' titebond wood glue.
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I was wondering if you used hide glue.
Guess not;)
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OH MY GOD! I LOVE IT!! It's turning out even better than I imagined! The color of the Flame Maple really compliments the center arrangment. And those extra Maple lams should look pretty cool when it comes time to carve the Heart Omega, eh?
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Big picture day for you, Michael! These are all from the carving department:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/22416.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/22417.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/22418.jpg)
Backplates still getting fitting details:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/22419.jpg)
James finished the MD inlay:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/22420.jpg)
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Wow!!
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Wow is right! Killer neck wood combo, and a pistol grip to boot (and a heart omega to come?!). Great concept, Mike, best of luck.
Chris
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I am truly at a loss for words, but I will make an attempt anyway! I love the blend of colors. I know that they'll change once the finish goes on and I'm sure the photos are not color adjusted at this point but still I can see the potential richness in the combination. Thank you Val for your wonderful advice. And a great big thanks to you, Mica for continuing to post these awesome photos! I really feel like part of the family! Also, the MD looks just right, very classy and the abalone at the 15th fret has a nice combination of hues. I hope they're all that pretty!
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Congrats JL on a stunning bass! Feel free to pass any of your other lefty Alembics my way if you feel the need to thin the herd, I have a feeling this one will be number one at your house for a long time.
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Southpaw, You know there's a good chance I might just do that! The wife ( the real one ) thinks I ought to sell at least one of my others because between this new one and my 80' graphite series II, the others are probably going to start collecting dust. Not a fitting life for an Alembic! If I can actually bring myself to part with any, here's what I have;
86' dark brown cocobolo Distillate
98' figured/burled Walnut Europa
90' Cocobolo Elan 6
If I do, I will post in the For Sale section to give club mambers first shot at them. Mike
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I almost forgot to say thanks to all the well wishers out there. I am so excited. I'm sure like many of you, this is the culmination of a life's dream!
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Val, Just wanted to inquire about the extra cocobolo that was to be sent to THG Knobs. How does that work ? Should I contact him directly about my wishes? Als, Any idea how long it takes for a custom knob order? Michael
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Michael, that's beautiful! The 12th fret oval MD is a really nice touch. Does the 3rd fret oval say anything? It's hard to tell from the pic.
BTW, is The wife (the real one) a little bit of subtle Mormon humor?
Rich
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Rich, Thanks, the third fret is probably a very nice piece of abalone, it doesn't say anything other than look at me ;) .The Wife comment is taken from an older thread on the club where someone refered to his Alembic as The Wife
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Michael, I was just trying to make a little bit (obviously a VERY little bit) of Mormon humor myself. Hope to see your new bass one of these days.
Rich
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Rich, I'll let you know when it's actually in my hands. Val tells me it may be January before I see it. Maybe we could have another Alembic Day some time next Spring? I don't think it's going to leave the house much with all the winter weather. Mike
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Heart Omega during carving:
Pete's still got more to do, but you can see the form starting to emerge.
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Mica, seems like with the power outage and server going down, I've lost your latest photo posting. Can you repost when you get a moment plus any interesting updates? Thanks Michael D.
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This bass has pretty much driven me mad. I'd love to see additional photos.
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Mica tells me additional photos will be coming soon! The bass is presently in the beginning stages of finish. A sealer coat as of yesterday! This is the point where you start to get a knot in your stomach from the anticipation of the Grand Unveiling. Now you start second-guessing yourself wondering:
A. Did I make the right choices?
B. Am I going to love it or be disappointed?
C. Was I crazy for doing this in the first place?
D. Will I be homeless after the wife sees the creditcard balance?
E. Would I do it again? (see answers below)
A. Hope so, B. Love it, C. Most definitely YES! D. Hope not, E. If I have to tell you the answer to this one, then you're not a true Alembician!
The bright spot for me is that Alembic has seldom
failed to delight. And so I say...
In Susan/Mica/Ron/Val/Mary/Chip/James/etc. We Trust!
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Here's that heart in carving again:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/23828.jpg)
and a new one with some finish on the bass:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/23829.jpg)
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Simply Amazing!!!!!
Congrats Michael, This one is really something else... The amount of time you spent in the past couple of years obsessing over details really shows!!!
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Beauty!
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Awesome Micheal! What an incredible looking bass. How on earth are you going to remember what all those knobs do?
Graeme
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Congrats again on a stunning beauty!
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No problem, I'm a knob tweaker from way back!
Mike
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Very nice.
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WHOA!! Awesome!
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VERY nice! Spectacular top! Enjoy!
Bill, tgo
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Congrats on September COTM, Michael!
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Congratulations indeed. It certainly turned out to be a spectacular instrument. I really like the body laminates and love the neck. ideas are forming even as I speak ;-)
Graeme
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Congrats on the COTM. So how does it feel? :-)
Keith
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That's a gorgeous piece for sure. Man, every one of these give me new ideas for when I pull the trigger on the dream guitar.
I do have a request though, is it possible to see the neck with the LED's on/illuminated? I have been toying with the idea of surface fretboard LED's, and would love to see what they look like illuminated.
Either way, thanks! That bass just glows and glows!
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Thank you everyone! Needless to say, I feel like a very proud Papa right now! It is very gratifying to see my concept so very well received. I wanted Flash but with Class and with everyone's help, especially Valentino, I think we were successful! Paulman, I will try to get you some shots of the LED'S. I can tell you this, they are VERY bright! I can sit in a totally dark room at night and practice by the light of their glow! Fortunately, I have a dimmer on them for less ostentatious moments. It is a wonderful bass and just as soon as I win the lottery, I'll be starting on a 5, 6, 8, fretless 4, carved top custom ( something that I was considering for this bass back in Dec/04...just ask Mica )and many other wild ideas. Mike
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Mike, congrats. You've been waiting a long time for your dream to come true. It's absolutely beautiful. And congrats on COTM!
Rich
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Absolutely stunning Mike, you must be in heaven!
I'd be willing to trade you the Distillate for it if you ever get tired of your new baby... But somehow I don't think so. Congrats.
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Thanks guys! I think I'll pass on the trade part but if you ever get tired of the Distillate let me know. I would eventually like to gather up the two that I had to sell in order to get his one. That is......once I finish paying for this one!!
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Dear Michael,
I couldn't take it any longer. I just asked Mica if I could copy your body of your bass for mine. Is this OK with you? I mean I know you put alot of hard work into the design but it is the best bass that I have seen overall considering I am a lefty also.
I would be very greatful if you let me just copy the shape, is that OK?
Buy ya dinner--
Thanks, Paul, mele_aloha
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Paul,
The Balance model is a standard one. You wouldn't be copying anyone. There have been several built.
Bradley
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Oh, OK Bradley, now I get it! This is the balance point which is the biggest, then there's the standard point, then there is the balance K which is the smallest.
Thanks, I thought this bass was his original taken off of one of the others.
Thank you, Paul
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Hey Bradley, if you are still there,
Is there somewhere where these body shapes are shown or depicted that someone could compare or is it just by feeling ones way around that I could find out this info because I have been confused about this for some time.
I wanted the lighter bass but all in all I love the look of the larger bass and think that it will have the best sustain in the long run.
So at this point I am torn because I really think I want to go with the larger bass even if it is heavier.
What do you think?
Paul
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And Michael,
If I can connect with ya!, how does the weight fare with you on this model. Are you noticing it at all? I know this is all individual opinions but I just wonder how you are doing with this?
Thanks, Paul
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Paul, In this club everybody's custom is in some way influenced by someone elses ideas. Go for it. Bradley is correct. It'd basically a full balance point body that I added a pistol grip horn and heart omega to. To my way of thinking, the trick is to find the right combo of woods and/or grain pattern to compliment that particular body shape. In this case I was fortunate because I happen to love the look of cocobolo and it is also a great tone wood. But I also thought long and hard about the right color and grain pattern of the wood and also how it would be positioned on the body for optimum effect. It's very subtle but to me the grain and color can have an effect on how you view the body shape making it appear slightly different
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One more thing, Hope you have a strong back. I chose the full size body because I just can't get enough of that gorgeous cocobolo! And I positioned the grain pattern opposite of what is done on most Alembics with cocoboblo. Usually you will see the straighter part of the grain positioned in the middle of the body where as I felt by doing that I would lose the majority of the wilder grain to the curves of the body.
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By the way, just finished a gig with the Raging Bass. The more I use it the more blown away I am by the sound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So clear and tight, yet so full!
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Very good response Michael,
You did mention the weight and my back. After playing the gig I would like to ask two points, how did your back fare, and do you think that the larger body is contributing to the beautiful sounds you are getting? It seems to me that that larger body would add to the sound.
If I were to go down to the medium size or standard point do you think I would loose any of that quality sound you are getting just to loose a little weight? Is it worth it in your opinion?
Thanks so much for helping me with this, Paul
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Well, that's a hard one to quantify. Everything about the bass has an influence on the sound to some degree but Mica says that that in Alembics ( and this is probably true of most neck through's ), the vast majority of the sound comed from the neck woods/construction. I would focus on that aspect of your bass as far as the tone is concerned. The classic Aelmbic tone has been for many years the maple/purpleheart combo (either two or three purpleheart laminates ). More recently, Ebony seems to be taking over as the way to an Ultra-tone. I have also discovered that scale length on Alembics is a great way to kind of tune in the general character of the tone kind of like tweaking the Enhance knob on an Eden or SWR bass head. I base this knowledge on having owned several Alembics in different scale lengths, 32, 33, and three 34's. Now we are talking about a subtle tone change here but to my ear and preferences it is an important difference. now just to be clear, not all my basses were of the exact same contruction woods etc. But all but one had Maple / purpleheart neck laminates, (one is graphite) and three were cocboblo tops. All but the Raging Bass have Mahogany bodies. Anyway, my point is, that for me this one thing seems to hold true. As the scale length DECREASES, there seems to be more of a hump, (if you follow ) in the overall frequency response at about (rough guess here, judging by using Alembic's SF-2 as a guide to tone vs. Hz.) 100Hz. - 300 Hz. Not a bad thing at all, just different. Whereas, as the scale length gets longer, to my ear it seems as if the response curve seems to flaten out more giving a slightly more hi-fi character to the tone. Because I knew I wanted a slighty shorter scale to increase the overall comfort and playability of the neck, I hedged my bets by combining the Ebony neck laminates for increased fundamental with the 33 scale. The result is interesting. What I got was a very comfy playing neck with a tone that can best be described as having both a strong fundamental AND more punch/ drive/ tightness than other Alembics that I have. If this helps here is how I would characterize the tone of all the Alembics I have had or still have. ( I wish it was all of them still )
98' EUROPA; Figured Walnut top, 34 standard neck lams, standard electronics = clear, defined finger tone, razor sharp slap tone, very flat sounding hi-fi character.
90' ELAN 6; cocobolo top. 34 maple/purpleheart neck lams, only one w/maple core I jsut realised standard electronics I believe. (same as Europa but with no quick change tone switches =
very similar to the Europa, but an even more shimering, clear-as-a-bell treble. again very flat, hi-fi sounding.
alembic.com/club/messages/411/18221.html?1116200276
86' DISTILLATE: cocobolo top, 32 standard neck lams, standard electronics = good finger tone , warm and round, fuller and warmer and stronger mid-bass than the Europa, recorded very nice finger tone, very distinct in mix but always round. not as pronounded treble, not as high pitched treble. Not my first choice for slap tone. see this link for a photo.
//alembic.com/club/messages/411/1666.html?1030943741
80' SERIES II; Birdseye maple top. 34 graphite neck, standard series II electronics = A graphite neck Lefty! whoa! who knew one even existed! this is my workhorse bass, does pretty much everything well, strong bottom, round yet tight fingertone (though not as tight as the Raging Bass)Open up the filters and it's razor treble, hi-fi ,slap city! ( what you might expect form graphite ), yet still maintains that clear fundamental. Definately the bass with the widest frequency range in my collection.
06' SERIES II Raging Bass 33 custom maple/ purpleheart/ebony lams, vermillion core, standard Series II electronics = strong, strong finger tone , the clearest tightest sounding of my basses, stronger mid bass than the graphite neck series, bright but very balanced treble, not as hi-fi sounding as the graphite bass. Pitched slightly higher than the other series bass yet still maintining enough fundamental.
I hope this helps to clarify. It may just bring to mind more questions, but that's not a bad thing either. Mike D
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To your other question, My back was fine and I'm not in great shape, but if your doing 4 hour club gigs several nights in a row, you may want something lighter. Then again, if your not making a bass out of cocobolo you might be just fine. It's really up to the individuals stature, age, physical condition etc. Even with a heavy bass, with a normal, uninjured back, if you do some basic back stretching /strenghtening exercises ( including a few crunches to keep the tummy from sticking out too far ) regularly, you should be fine.
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Michael, I love the grain positioning of the coco bolo on your bass. Way cool!
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Well, Very good and very helpful.
As you probably saw, my Series II has a maple core (which your decription of your Elan excites me with clear as a bell tone)and then hopefully will maintain the fundemental with the 3 Ebony neck lambs. I love your decriptions though of all your beauty's and thanks so much again.
I agree with the neck woods as being the primary tone carrier but I can't help believing that the vibes somewhat get dispersed alittle more in the large body and helping the overall sound in a different way one might say. But I do think I am safe overall if I just step down to the standard instead of balanced but this is all based on Mica's and my conversation Tuesday to see what she says in return.
As it stands now with the order that I have, Susan is having to design a pistol grip horn because I ordered the smallest balance K. This is not why I am changing my mind. I was just a little confused when I finally put my balance K order in and was too imbarassed to go back and tell them that I would really rather have the larger body bass stricktly because of the looks. So I know I've caused them a little anguish over this but I hope that if they haven't started my body which I don't think that they have then I can change to the the larger body. I must throw in that I was most influenced by Val in deciding on the balance K to begin with and didn't really know the other bodys that well and so I didn't know what I was doing. But after hanging around in forum for a while I have learned alot.
Anyway, your Raging Bass has been a definate inspiration to me all the way around. Even your neck lambs inspired me in the design. I didn't even have Coco Bolo on my original bass but after slapping up RB on my desktop for a while it convinced me to go CoBo.
Nice pictures and keep em coming as I say you are an inspiration in all that you do here!
Aloha, Paul
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Thanks Olie and Paul, It's great fun to share knowledge and experience with others on a topic so near and dear to my heart! It's almost like reliving the excitement of having my bass built all over again! I certainly agree with Alembic..
Cocobolo is the best! That doesn't mean that I don't drool over Buckeye Burl, 5A quilted Maple, Superb Walnut, Flatsawn Zebrawood, all the burls, etc. etc. but Coco just has a certain something for me. The way each piece's grain pattern is a work of art, the surprise of colors that each board holds until the finish is applied, the wonderfully complex tone. What else can I say?
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I know what you mean as I have even changed my woods a couple of times now as, like you say, I like all of them. It's kind of like- what's my cup of tea today?
But I am very greatful that they have enough Quilted Coco Bolo left for me (and that I could squeeze enough dough-rae-me as my father would say)to afford it this one time.
I really want to have a fretless as my next order and I am sure it will be something in the neighbor of walnut or something really hard like that but for this one I feel blessed to get a part of this tree!
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Bass looks unbelievably fantastic! I can't believe the transformation that the wood goes through once the finish hits! I've seen it a million times on other instruments but it still blew me away! The top is absolutely gorgeous! The color is so rich and warm and the grain so well defined! And Mica says that it doesn't have all the finish on yet? Amazing is right Mike, and obsess, I certainly did plenty of that! But you know in a way, that's half the fun! Thanks to all for the wonderful advice. Mike
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Those neck lams are amazing! A bookmatched to center top on this beauty would have been criminal.
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Mike, that is fantastic! Is that a vermillion body?
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Yes, it is Vermillion. I hoping it adds a certain extra warmth to the tone.
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Beautiful. Wow.
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what scale is it?
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It is a 33. I have a Distillate that is a 32 which I feel very comfortable on, yet I wanted to retain a little wider spacing above the 12th fret and also not lose any of the bottom end of a 34 scale. So I compromised with the 33 and hedged my bet with the addition of the Ebony neck laminates. After many valuable discussions with Val, my conclustion was that the loss of one inch of scale will have a minimal impact on tone and string tension and on the plus side, the neck laminates and the body woods should put me way ahead of the game. Perhaps this is an oversimplification of the situation. I'll just have to wait and see.
(Message edited by jlpicard on January 04, 2006)
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Oh my god... really, utterly speechless here...!
Justin
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Wow! Right up there with the coolest of the cool. Your neck is awesome, and instant classic! Having a similar neck, I can attest to the fact that the performance/function will be every bit as awesome as it's striking visage...
Resistance is futile!
What a masterpiece!
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the bass I posted pictures of in the custom section is a short scale; it's got more low end than you'd think. Ultimately I suppose I'm most confortable on a 32 -- though I may revise that opinion. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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Mike, the grain on the top is outstanding. You've gotta be proud beyond words. Congrats.
Rich
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That bass just kills.
Man. The neck and the pistol grip are super-duper.
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Thanks guys! I am very proud indeed, Rich. If it looks this great in a photo, I can't wait to see it in person!
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Latest update from Val...we're looking at maybey, and I stress maybey, the end of Feb. for completion.
More finishing work to be done, gold hardware to come back form the plater, setup and electronics installation and of course, alot will depend upon what is on Ron's bench already.
You know, the experience of having a custom bass built for me and working closely with the good people of Alembic has served to deepen my appreciation for the level of quality, attention to detail, dedication to The Art, and just plain heart that goes into each and every instrument. These folks obviously love what they do! I consider myself a very fortunate person indeed to have the rare opportunity to own a piece of history and the very pinacle of Bassdom. It just doesn't get better than this!
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First part of rubout caught while James was on a break last Friday:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/24324.jpg)
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Cool! and thanks for the latest post! I'm curious. What is the purpose of this step? Is it to level the finish before buffing or is this just one of the many rubouts done between coats? Is that a mild abrasive compound or just sanding residue and what's being used on that air sander? I hope you don't mind me asking as this doesn't seem to be anything proprietary. I'm so interested in learning more about finishing so who better to ask than the masters themselves?. I've only done oil and brush-on poly/oil finishes on my homemade projects. I'll post a picture in the Miscellaneous section if anyone else would like to chime in. Mike
(Message edited by jlpicard on January 23, 2006)
(Message edited by jlpicard on January 24, 2006)
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Between coats, we call the sanding prep. The term rubout is reserved for the final sanding, where we use finer and finer abrasives up to 3000 grit to smooth everything is all silky like. The chalky looking part is the dust from sanding mixed with water, as such fine abrasives need to be wet sanded.
Then it's ready to get buffed. On the buffing wheel, we use a finer yet compound to coax the shiny surface out. It takes a long time.
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Mica, Thanks for the info! Just for bragging rights, can you tell me approximately how many coats are on my bass? I understand that it varies from wood to wood and cocobolo tends to take alot in order to build a good finish.
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Mica, Just wondering if there's any news or photos available to ease my G.A.S. pains! Thanks again for all that you do. Michael
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Rubbed out, drilled, and ready for the guts to be dropped in:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/25400.jpg)
Will let you know when your bass is on the calibration station.
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Gorgeous!
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Oh thank you Mica, thank you, thank you so much for posting this latest photo! It looks fantastic! I can't stop staring at the grain, and the colors of the coco never cease to amaze me! I've seen so much cocobolo on this site and elsewhere and yet I am still floored by how individual each piece of wood is. The way this top seemingly shifts from various reds to orange (not to mention all the various darker red/browns etc.) and every little variation in between! To me, that is one of the many reasons that makes Cocobolo a very special wood. That is the part I love so much about beautiful woods in general! As indivdual as a fingerprint, Natures art is hard to surpass! It's also one of the big reasons why I love Alembics so much. You do justice to Natures handiwork by bringing out the best in each piece with your artistry. God, words seem so inadequate when I try to describe what I see before me!
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Beautiful bass JL, hang in there, the wait is almost over!
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Hey Paul, the Elan and Europa are still for sale if you get the urge!
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Got the urge, I just lack the cash!!
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Mike, it was nice talking with you. Looks like you have a keeper!
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Tim, Great talking with you too! Thanks for the advice! This is DEFINITELY a keeper!
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Mica, Arrangements are all set to go for Monday. Any final pictures of the finished bass available. I really love the way you do the archive shots!
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Hello Mica or Val, Any news, photos?
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The upgrade is done, Mica is busy getting the April featured custom ready, but we should be shipping next week.
Valentino
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Wonderful! Thanks for the update. I try not to think about it too much to make the waiting easier, but I keep running into friends that are watching the club postings and keep asking me, Where's that killer bass? I've already gotten many compliments based on the photo's alone. I'm sure it's going to be a jaw dropper in person! By the way, Val ,when you mention upgrade are you refering to the upgrade for reducing noise? Mike
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Yes, that's the one.
Valentino
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This photo I took on Wednesday, when the upgrade/calibration was complete and the hum canceller was just ready for final installation:
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/26869.jpg)
Other than the hum canceller, I think the LED operation was the only thing left to do. I should be snapping final archive photos after I finish payroll tomorrow (how I wish I only had to do photos and fun stuff!).
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I love those neck laminates. The tiny pinstripes are awesome- I do believe you've hit the jackpot with this one.
Enjoy~
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I really love this bass!
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Thanks guys, I can't wait to hold it in my arms! And thank you Mica for the update. I really don't know how you manage to keep it all together with your workload! Mike
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Michael - yours is a very classy bass. Gorgeous woods in a truly stunning combination. If it sounds half as good as these photos look you're in for some spectacular tone. Congrats.
Tom
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Michael,
Beautiful. That bass is just it. I'm hoping it's still there when I go to visit so I can check it out.
Brad
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I love the wood on this bass. And the body shape is cool too.
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Hey Brad, As of today, my bass is still there Did you get to see it?
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I saw it on Tuesday, Michael. It's safe and sound, looking beautiful hanging in the front room. I remember it because I did a double take as I always do when I see a left-handed instrument.
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Oh my, what a beautiful bass!!
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Foth, When you said front room Did you mean the Showroom?
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Yes. If you sit on the sofa that is in Brad's pics then you would be looking at it.
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WOOWHOOO!!!!!! Just heard from Val, the Bass ships today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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That's one beautiful Instrument!! Congrats!
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Thanks so much! I can't wait! Monday now seems like such a long way off!
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Been tracking the bass. It arrived at the UPS Customer Center last night at 10:43PM which is only 4 miles from my house and I can't touch it til Monday! So near yet so far! Oh the pain!! Senior Management says that we should celebrate the bass's arrival by redoing the kitchen and bathroom. ;)
Sound familiar, anyone? Just kidding, but I do owe her big time for her understanding of what this means to me and the culmination of a life's dream!
I am a very lucky man to have such a great wife in one hand and a great bass in the other!
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Didja get it? Sorry, you can't play it till you post pics.
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As of this posting, I have not seen the Brown truck yet!? Talk about sheer torture!
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UPS delivers till eight, as I recall....
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He must've got it.
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I got it! And it is FANTASTIC!!! The pictures just don't compare. Jaws hitting the floor all around! Some do double takes, others stare for a while and them come back and stare some more. The sound is wonderful and so versatile. I can dial up a great rear pickup Jaco-esque tone and one flip of the pup selector and its Slap city! The front pickup tone is very deep and ballsy yet tight while the rear gets that great bark and growl while still being thick and full! Ebony neck lams are the best! Thats all for now. Gotta play more,more, more!
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Congratulations Michael! Don't forget to come up for air now and then. Did someone mention pictures?
Peace
Tom
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Sound clips too!
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Congrats again, Michael. I assume the agony of waiting melted away instantly as you opened the case... Don't forget some pictures of the new family member when you have time.
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Never fear. I won't disapoint when it comes to photos. I will post in the showcase section just as soon as I find the time. By the way, has anyone had any experience with Heritage Insurance? Mike
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There are several references to Heritage in this thread (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=3936). There's also a report here (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=20199) and a mention here (http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19151.html).
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I've come across two companies after my renter's insurance (AIG) told me that they would not cover the instruments that I play out. They will cover an instrument as an investment as long as it stays at home.
The first company is Clarion Associates - Musical Instrument Insurance. Their website is clarionins.com .
The second is MusicProInsurance.com .
They both seem reputable. Good luck!!!!
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Here's one or two quick ones to tide you over untill I can make a serious posting in the Showcase section and thanks for the insurance info Mike
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/27753.jpg)
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/27754.jpg)