Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Signature Basses => Topic started by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:15:09 AM

Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:15:09 AM
well here he is- the first mark king deluxe bal k heart omega 5 string aka direwolf- the coco is so dark and rich that photos are really hard to capture the beauty of this beast.In person its a deep dark chocolately red. The detail to craftmanship totally blew me away,as did the huge sound the ash-walnut-maple-coco sandwich produces.  
i hope you enjoy these photos
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:16:30 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19531.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:17:34 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19534.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:18:20 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19537.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:19:19 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19540.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:20:43 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19544.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:21:47 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19547.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:22:57 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19550.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:23:57 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19553.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: lowlife on July 04, 2005, 11:24:51 AM
Stunning.  It's not oten that I feel jealous.
Congrats & enjoy you new baby.
 
Ellery (Lowlife)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:25:12 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19556.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:26:52 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19559.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:40:39 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19562.jpg)
 
thats a custom made tailpiece- neck dimensions are 1.75 nut w/.500 spacing and .180 edges, medium scale.
it doesnt play like a medium scale, the b string is very tight and my fingers are flying across the neck-a total grand slam- it could not have come out better to suit my style of playing- which is kind of remarkable as this was my first custom. mica was very helpful with the neck design and i bascially bought oak tag and laid it out so i could see it. For mica to say its the first 5 string she could play, was a wonderful compliment and if you have short fingers like i do- i would recommend this neck highly.
it will be going on custom #2,
peace
jeff
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: basstard on July 04, 2005, 11:43:48 AM
Absolutely beautiful!!! How about a photo of the whole bass, though?... *hides*
 
EDIT: Heh, you were faster! :-)
 
(Message edited by basstard on July 04, 2005)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 11:57:45 AM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19565.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 12:19:27 PM
Needless to say a bass such as this is half dressed without a proper Alembic strap. i need to thank Lyn over at moody straps for this one of a kind gold embossed strap that Val asked her to make for me. take a look at the embossing itself and notice how deep into the leather it goes. Val said he has seen many embossed alembic straps but nothing showing this level of detail-and
i am forever grateful to my friend Val for going the extra mile for me time and time again.  
 
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19569.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 12:28:36 PM
many of you know this project took a long time to complete- almost 10 months- for those of you waiting for yours? i can only say 3 things
 
1- there is nothing like a grateful dead concert
2- there is only one alembic
3- it WAS worth every minute I waited- these are not just bass guitars we have made for us
 
           THEY ARE WORKS OF ART!!!!!!!!
 
MY THANKS TO ALL THE ARTISANS AT ALEMBIC FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR CRAFT
i will be visiting them in august
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: David Houck on July 04, 2005, 02:47:54 PM
I can't recall if it's been mentioned; how is the 25th fret inlay done?
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 04:41:12 PM
its cut out of mother of pearl, placed in the fret and filled with an ebony epoxy. the 25th fret was james' idea. it was targeted for the 24th and the usual additional on the 25th- james felt it looked better . i basically trusted in james' decisions at the end- he came up with the tailpiece design too. i agreed sight unseen-i like the look he came up with
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 04, 2005, 04:44:20 PM
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19574.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: the_mule on July 05, 2005, 10:48:02 AM
Congratulations Jeff, what a great looking bass the Dire Wolf has become! The Coco Bolo is truly amazing, I love the darkness and the grain figure is particularly striking!
 
Enjoy,
Wilfred
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: howierd on July 05, 2005, 05:17:30 PM
This is one amazing looking Bass. You have to be very proud of this beauty. How long did you play it when you got it? Must have played all Day and night.
Howierd
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 05, 2005, 09:13:48 PM
play it?
i'm supposed to play it?????
 
i was gonna drive a couple of nails through it and hang it on the wall...lmao
 
thank you...i am,,,,very
 
first day? 7 hours total-2 by myself for roadtesting and then 5 with my band-
friday was a good day,,,,,,,a very good day!
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 05, 2005, 09:15:03 PM
i left out the 1 hour of just looking at it..
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 05, 2005, 09:39:33 PM
 
 
(Message edited by flaxattack on July 05, 2005)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 05, 2005, 09:46:17 PM
 
 
(Message edited by flaxattack on July 05, 2005)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 05, 2005, 09:53:10 PM
after some editing in my camedia program, i finally got what i was looking for. the grain baby! the grain!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19628.jpg)
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: kungfusheriff on July 06, 2005, 06:59:05 PM
Flippin' ridiculous. My sincerest congratulations.
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: son_of_magni on July 08, 2005, 07:37:47 PM
Wow, I enjoyed watching the ftc thread on this one.  Glad to see you finally have it!  I shudder to think what the wolf inlay must have cost, it must have been at least 40 hours between all the cutting and inlaying and design.  But I know now that you have it in hand it is priceless.
 
Congrats, Karl
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 09, 2005, 11:08:26 PM
thanks guys....nothing this pretty comes cheaply...
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: alanbass1 on July 10, 2005, 02:19:37 AM
Absolutely beautiful.  I really like the ergonomics of the control layout.  Even taking the inlay out the equation I think it looks better than the bland 2by2 arrangement of normal signatures. Enjoy.
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: lbpesq on July 13, 2005, 07:09:36 AM
Jeff:
 
Congrats!  It has been a blast watching your unique and outstanding bass taking shape these last few months.  I've made it a point to check it out every time I've dropped in at the factory (ahh, the perks of living in the Bay Area).  I will miss the Wolf, but my loss is certainly your gain.  ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY!  Alembic is the closest thing on this planet to Jerry's harp unstrung.  And you have a truly great Alembic.  
 
Bill, tgo
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: jacko on July 19, 2005, 02:31:19 AM
Hey Jeff.  
Just back from France and the first thing i see is your DireWolf! It's absolutely fantastic, I bet you can't stop looking and playing. As for the grain on the coco bolo - well what can i say that hasn't been said already. I know you've had quite a wait for this one but wasn't it worth it in the end? Course it was ;-)
 
Graeme ( the very jealous one )
Title: THE DIRE WOLF
Post by: flaxattack on July 19, 2005, 04:52:43 PM
hiya bud
i was a wondering what happened to you...
thank you so much...
i knew all along it would be-but never to this level of excellence
 what wait?
i ordered it june 1st!!!!,,,,,,lol