Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Series I Basses and Guitars => Topic started by: keith_h on March 19, 2010, 06:05:09 AM

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on March 19, 2010, 06:05:09 AM

Well it arrived early yesterday evening. The workmanship is wonderful. Pictures never really show the full beauty and depth of the woods.   I've finished my initial setup and will fine tune it once the bass has a chance to acclimate. The neck is thinner than on my Brown Bass and much faster. The tone is well ... what can I say? :-D  Since it is all imaginary until you post pictures here are a few quick shots I took this morning. They are not up to Mica's standards or other I've seen here but I'll try to get a few better shots over the next week or two.   Keith    
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/77829.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/77830.jpg)
  Since Mica doesn't show many of these here is the headstock.  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/77831.jpg)
  And the neck
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/77832.jpg)

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: 2400wattman on March 19, 2010, 06:20:24 AM

Keith, I bet dollars to donuts Hal would be happy to help you out with your photography skills, all you have to do is ask.  .... ..... ...
It's Killer Keith and the buckeye is making me jealous....dang it!  
Hey let's see the back!24

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: serialnumber12 on March 19, 2010, 06:31:17 AM

Nice toes!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on March 19, 2010, 07:03:57 AM

Thank you Keavin. I am rather attached to them.
 
Adam, I think I'll pass on your suggestion. I should have time to get some better ones over the weekend.  
 
Keith

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: artswork99 on March 19, 2010, 07:18:24 AM

Congratulations Keith! Beautiful! Play it Healthy!
Art

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: poor_nigel on March 19, 2010, 08:02:57 AM

Great bass!  When the weather gets warmer, take it outside for some all-spectrum light shots.  That will really help show your bass' beauty for all of us to enjoy.  I love the way the short scales play, but keep such a deep tone when dialed in.

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: hieronymous on March 19, 2010, 08:15:21 AM

Wow, great looking bass! My photography tips (and I'm no expert) are to try and avoid flash, use indirect natural light - it doesn't have to be sunny, overcast is fine. Also, for the close-ups your camera should have a macro setting - sometimes it's a flower icon - this will allow you to focus for the really close-ups. oh yes, and tripod or some kind of stand and timer! Looking forward to whatever you come up with - that is an amazing bass!!!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: gregduboc on March 19, 2010, 08:36:47 AM

Keith, as you know, your bass is gorgeous. Those birds are a really cool touch. And that wood is perfect.
Congratulations!
 
Greg

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: dadabass2001 on March 19, 2010, 08:52:01 AM

Play on, Keith! Play on....
Mike

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on March 19, 2010, 09:08:49 AM

Thanks folks.  
 
Thomas,
When the weather warmer? I think you've been stuck up in that cold wilderness called Maine too long. We are expecting 70's this weekend. :-)  
 
I hope to get outside and take some shots without the flash.
 
Keith
(Who hopefully got his post count and membership level back to where it should be).

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: David Houck on March 19, 2010, 11:13:34 AM

Wow Keith!  In this one thread alone your post count went from 3 to 1558; a new single day record!
 
Absolutely beautiful bass Keith; I'm glad it arrived safely and I look forward to seeing it in person!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: glocke on March 19, 2010, 11:58:49 AM

All I can say is wow, thats a killer bass.  Up to now I really havent been a fan of buckeye burl, but this bass changes my mind!!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: poor_nigel on March 19, 2010, 06:57:09 PM

Hey Keith - second thing I did when I got home this evening was to turn on the heater in my room.  Old and cold do not go together well.  It was a high for the year of 50+ degrees yesterday.  This is the mildest winter I have ever had here.  Previous winter was a record of a couple of inches below 200 and really COLD.  This winter, all the storms hit Boston and NY.  I kept expecting it to get bitter cold, as usual, but it never did.  I will not take my new-to-me basses outside to photograph until it is in the mid-70s, and that may not be that far off this year.  Nights are up to mid-20s now, so no one round these parts are totally miserable.  
 
The birds really do add a lot to your bass in making it special.  Excellent choice!  More pix!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: Enzo on March 19, 2010, 08:31:55 PM

This wood as usual, is spectacular to look at :o
Beautiful bass, congratulations!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on March 20, 2010, 01:28:39 PM

Thanks again to all for the compliments. More pictures to come but it appears I am spending this weekend getting the vegetable garden started.  
 
Keith

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: oddmetersam on March 21, 2010, 12:31:43 PM

Keith,
This is absolutely fabulous!  Mother nature's handiwork + your specs + Alembic's expertise = a Masterpiece!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: pierreyves on March 21, 2010, 01:46:33 PM

So niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice....

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: crobbins on March 21, 2010, 06:03:40 PM

Very cool...

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on May 17, 2012, 08:00:19 AM

As has been stated other places the first bass is now with Stanley.  I received the replacement bass about a month ago so thought I would post some pic's. As usual the camera really doesn't do justice to the wood. It plays very well and is surprisingly light with the wood back plates.  The back could have just as easily made a beautiful front.  Keith  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/131315.jpg)
   
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/131316.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/131317.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/131318.jpg)

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: tubeperson on May 17, 2012, 08:06:29 AM

That is better than awesome sex!!!!!! No fur coat or flowers to buy.   Nice foot job also (second picture).  Enjoy it before we kill you to take possession!!  Remember, we are in the age of your earn it, we confiscate it.

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: sonicus on May 17, 2012, 04:52:58 PM

BEYOND WORDS ________

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: mario_farufyno on May 18, 2012, 03:18:07 PM

Wow, Keith...
 
Alembic always amaze me how they excell all the time. Gorgeous Bass, congrats!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: rjmsteel on May 21, 2012, 01:27:40 PM

Just too much!!!
The flame in the neck Maple next to the burl....
 
Congratulations on a beautiful instrument.

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: artswork99 on May 21, 2012, 02:41:14 PM

Goodness Keith, absolutely beautiful!

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: hammer on May 22, 2012, 07:41:55 AM

The burl on your new bass is beyond description.  The gradations of lighter and darker wood make look like energy is radiating out from the pick-ups and no one is even playing it. You'll need to get some sound samples up once she's broken in.

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: hieronymous on May 22, 2012, 06:09:11 PM

Incredible!
 
I totally missed the Stanley connection - can anyone point me to a thread explaining it?

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: jazzyvee on May 23, 2012, 12:06:03 AM

This is the thread to the first bass. I remember the conversation so it may be in here.
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/55254.html?1285034953 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=7273)

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: pierreyves on May 23, 2012, 12:39:56 AM

Sorry but I did'nt understand whats happend with your first bass. Keith may you explain me please ?

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: tbrannon on May 23, 2012, 06:50:43 AM

Jazzy provided the link to the original build, and Keith weighed in on the reason for the bass not working for him at the end of Pierre-Yves' thread from the Vienna Jazz festival: http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/109593.html?1332863674 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8119)
 
Although I can't find the post right now, I think either Keith or Mica commented at some point on how the bass made it's way to Stanley.....

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: keith_h on May 23, 2012, 12:04:38 PM

When I ordered the bass I had requested the same neck profile as on my Brown Bass. There was a misunderstanding in regards to this as the earlier ones like mine have a classic taper where I guess the current have the comfort taper. I had also ordered a flame maple neck. The bass was built with a comfort taper and standard maple neck laminates. I tried getting used to the neck but it just didn't work out so a replacement was ordered.  
 
My understanding is Stanley usually orders basses without any finish on the neck. These get pretty grungy after a time. So Mica took the first bass to Stanley to see if he would like the satin finish that a lot of the newer basses get. From the conversations I have had with him and Trevor (his bass tech) he seems to like it quite a bit.  
 
While I have not heard the basses side by side I do think the difference in species of maple sounds different. While the western flame maple is brighter than my brown bass it does not seem to be as bright as the eastern maple used in the first bass.    
 
Keith

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: pierreyves on May 23, 2012, 02:48:45 PM

and what cost for this mistake ? 2 years of waiting or something more ? Thanks for your explanation.

Title: Keith's Series 1 Short Scale
Post by: hieronymous on May 23, 2012, 03:24:40 PM

Thanks for re-relating the story - I'm sorry to bring it up, I just got excited hearing Stanley Clarke mentioned! I just saw him live for the first time in Seattle playing with Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette for his (Jack's) 70th birthday!