Ok, there are about 10 more pics out there now. The link is right here. Go down towards the bottom for the new ones.
 
Tried to capture more detail for ya.  If you want more angles just let me know!
 
P.S. My fingers hurt. :-)

By the way, hot tip if you're looking to see real detail in these pics. When you go to the web album and view a picture (not in slideshow mode, but just by clicking on one from the album), it will come up with a menu on the right hand side that includes the option Download Photo.  If you do this, it downloads the high-def version of the picture, which is NOT what it shows you as you're viewing the album.
 
So, it is possible to easily get a very high quality version of any of these photos. Let me know if you have any problems!

Beautiful bass! Congrats!

Excellent pictures Jim,
 
Where was your jazz gig at?

Thx Jigga & Paul,
 
The show was at the Columbus Jazz & Rib Festival. It's an annual three day event here.

Awesome, sounds like fun!

Jim,
 
That is tooo awesome the way things worked out!!
 
Man, what a bass! I can't say anything that the other guys havn't said, Xcept for DITTO!! You made an awesome choice, and it really paid off well!
 
Enjoy, TTY, Mike.......

A word on feel and sound of the new bass:
 
Well, I've played it for a day and a half now and have some observations to share if anyone is interested.  
 
Basses I have played in the past include a 5-string American Deluxe Ash Fender Jazz and several Yamaha TRB series, primarily TRB5II.  The neck of the Alembic was an amalgam of the two basses actually, using the front-back depth of the Yamaha neck (didn't have to change anything but it is thinner than the Fender), the nut width of the Fender Jazz bass and something approximating the Alembic classic taper (narrower bridge).  I thought because of the narrow strings at the bridge that my right hand would have the most new learning to do, but my left hand would be basically comfortable.  
 
What actually happened is that the left hand is didn't even have to adapt to anything and the right hand adapted almost instantly to the narrower strings. Biased of course, but this is by far and away the most comfortable instrument I've ever played. After the first 30 seconds I knew there would be no trouble with playing the show with it.
 
The action is very low which I requested. It needs a slight truss rod adjustment to eradicate some buzz on the low B from the 5th fret down, but the buzz is so slight I'm not really messing with it right now. We'll let it get used to Ohio before we decide to monkey with anything.  The action is really soft - the Alembic strings have plenty of movement in them and they bend easily for vibrato and expressiveness.  The top of the neck is the perfect width for me and I play it much easier than my Fender.  All 24 frets are easily reachable with a comfortable grip.
 
The feel of the bass is hard to describe. It is completely solid and firm - like it's carved from a single piece of wood and like that wood is very dense. Dead spots on the fretboard seem basically nonexistent. There is a slight reduction of sustain in the normal spot (G-string 5th / 6th frets) but nothing like most other basses I've played.  Besides, the general sustain on this bass is so much greater than anything I've played that I imagine even the 5th fretted G would probably out-sustain an open A on some basses.
 
The sound produced by this instrument should be registered as a weapon. The lows are unbelievably full and the highs are absolutely crystal. I play through a GK biamped set of cabs with horns, 1x18 and 2x12. The EQ is completely flat but I do add a touch of contour which very slightly hypes the lows and highs. When you open the filters all the way I imagine you could break glass with the harmonics. I have a home recording setup and will put some sounds down for you all to hear. The output level is HUGE on this thing. You must hit the -10db input pad on the GK or it will easily distort.  
 
The control layout is a little tighter than I'm used to but I absolutely love the four-way pickup selector switch. Getting the separate volumes to the right levels for balance is a little tough because of the huge effect it has on the sound. A tiny adjustment can make a huge change to the character of the tone, so you want to get it set properly for what you're trying to do and leave it. The pickup selector switch lets you do that by having the off position.
 
The pickup setup is something I haven't seen before. The bridge pickup is much closer to the strings than the neck one. I suppose this is in order to get equalized volume from both when in stereo mode but don't know yet (don't have the cables to play it in stereo yet).  
 
The side LEDs are very bright. Easily visible in all lighting conditions. I could imagine a dimmer switch feature in Alembic's future!
 
Overall craftsmanship is outrageous. Everything looks like it was melted together. The bridge looks like something you could use for surgery. The one complaint I have here is that there is a very slight rough spot on the side of the fingerboard above the first fret. You can't really see it unless you put it in the right light but if you slide your hand across it you can definitely feel it. It is probably not something I will seek to correct as it is so minor.
 
Also, the tailpiece has a brushed look that I didn't expect. I decided against the gold dip on the remaining hardware but did expect a polished brass instead of the brushed look. I don't know but it looks like it will tarnish easily. If it does I will probably have it plated if possible.
 
Anyway, those are my immediate thoughts. Lest there be any doubt I love my new bass!
 
Regards to all,  
Jim
 
P.S. Anyone have news on Mica is everything ok there?

Jim:
 
Enjoy getting to know you new bass, it's a beauty!  I spoke with Susan yesterday.  Everyone is well and, as they say in Yiddish, kvelling over baby Erik.  
 
Bill, tgo

Very cool Jim, sound like your one proud new papa!
 
Very nice bass man!

Well Jim,
 
You have just excited me to another level and implanted somemore patience in me as I wait for my Series II custom. And on top of your beautiful and articulate discription, I take into consideration that you have played way more, way nicer basses than me to boot.  
 
So I am ecstatic. You have a great way with words that make it almost like I am playing it myself.  
 
I didn't understand your explanation of the 4 way switch making things easier because of the off position. Could you please elaborate on that when you have time.
 
Also you mentioned the need for a dimmer switch in the future for Led's when in fact that is what I have ordered on mine so which was an option that they offered me as I have the blue side's and front Led's coming. So unless you mean something else they are available.
 
Regarding the brushed brass bridge, I have one on my Excel. I was taken back when I first saw your nice bass in the pictures and had to keep looking over and over again because I thought that it looked like what you had there and was hoping that you didn't. But in any case, as I said I do have one and considering that I am in one of the most humid city's in the world, mine has held up surprisingly well. It does have a few tarnished almost like rust looking streaks but I think it was coated as it still looks pretty good considering how much I leave my bass out of the case in this humid climate. But this is something that I often notice on new basses coming out of this thread is that there are alot of these going out surprisingly to me because they would look so much better with the polished or gold plated and as Mica has said in threads alot easier to clean in the future. So I would definitely like to stress to Alembic to make the polished a standard item and brushed a requested item.
 
Another thing I would like to ask you is what you meant by not having the right cord to play stereo. Is it because you have a Series I that you didn't receive a stereo setup? I thought that it would be a stereo bass and that you would receive the cord and splitter box with your bass.
 
Lastly since I am here in Hawaii, the constant dread that I have is getting the bass home. Even if I were to buy it a airline seat with me they wouldn't let it ride in a seat on the plane would they? I am stressing about the transportation after so many threads lately. How did your box fare with UPS? Did you have the extra costing wood box that Alembic offers these days? How did the outside of the package look?
 
I think that is about enough out of me for now and I know it's getting late over there so I don't expect you to answer this long post right away.
 
Thanks again for such an uplifting post and more power to you as you enjoy your new Love.
 
Aloha and Mahalo, Paul da Plumma

Jim:
 
A dimmer can be added to LEDs very easily.  I found the side LEDs on my Further were too bright for my tastes.  I brought it back to Santa Rosa and they wired in a pot and mounted it in the electronics cavity in less than 30 minutes.  If I wanted to drill another hole, it could easily be added to the other pots on top so you could adjust on the fly.  I tend to find a setting I like and leave it there, so I don't mind having to take off the back plate to adjust the LEDs.  You should look, there might even be such a pot in there now.  When I had mine added, Susan was talking about making it standard on all LED equipped instruments.
 
Bill, tgo

Sorry Jim,
 
One other thing, I love real low action also. Do you find that for slap and pop style of playing that lower is better for you? I've heard so say that they like the action higher for slapping. Could you also help me with that? If you'd like we can talk over the phone when you have time as I am sure you are very busy.
 
Could I also ask your opinion on whether or not you would find it helpful to have bass and treble knobs on this bass? When you say you set your setting farely flat on the amp does that mean that the amplification of the preamp in these basses is enough without having added knobs on board?
 
Last but not least, what color Led's did you get? They have told me that I would need the dimmer because I have the blue's and they are the brightest. That is the reason that I have one coming on mine.
 
Sorry for so much, take your time to answer if you have time.
 
Thanks again, Paul

Hey Jim, just a quick note about the tailpiece concern. It should not tarnish as it is finished in a clear coat. That might be why they have the brushed look. The finish might stick better that way. The bridge itself is unfinished and will tarnish but it takes some time and you can always clean it. But yeah plated hardware is less hassle.

Thanks for all the comments & glad you seemed to enjoy my rambling.  This attempts to answer all the questions between this post and my last. If I miss one just let me know.
 
- I'm THRILLED to hear that Mica and the little one are well!
 
- Thanks for the info on the LED dimmer! Wasn't aware of that. If I decide that I really need one I will have it done!
 
- Thanks for the info on the brushed bridge being clearcoated!  That makes me feel better.
 
- My LEDs are red.
 
- The four-way switch makes it easier because it has four settings:  Neck pickup only, bridge pickup only, both pickups and no pickups (off). The no pickups setting is great for the stage because you can set the volume knobs exactly where you want them and then simply switch the pickups off until you want to play. Then when you switch them on the sound is exactly what you expect. The alternative is to turn both volume knobs down when you set the bass down and back up when you pick it up. Unless you play them all the way open this is hard to do for me in the heat of the moment.
 
- I do have a switched stereo jack which is part of the anniversary package, but don't have a stereo quarter-inch cable. I need to get one in order to split the signal to two different channels when the stereo switch is set to stereo.  
 
- UPS handled the package very well. The outside of the box was undamaged. I didn't get the wood one - just cardboard. Inside it was the bass case surrounded by styrofoam peas to keep it still within the cardboard box. It was a very cosy fit. Inside the case the bass was extremely well protected. I've only had one experience but wouldn't hesitate to use UPS.
 
- I prefer low action for all types of play, including slap and thump. I have heard people play with much higher action and they do get a very clear sound, but they also work harder. I can keep the sound clear with low action by simply using very light touch. It takes some time to control the volume of the pops with lower action, but it can definitely be done. Everyone's different though.
 
I think that's it!  
 
Take care!
- Jim