Rory,
 
It's a Rory tribute!  I'll have to buy you dinner next time I'm around San-Fran-Psycho.  I did change a bunch of really subtle things, though, we'll have to see if you can spot them.
 
Hugh, my wife is convinced that I act like a 12 year old, but Desert Storm was 14 years ago.  Hard to believe it; a lot of water under the bridge since then- wife, kids, establishing a career.  I would say, though, that Desert Storm was the real turning point in my life.  I thought about having the Big Red One inlaid (where else but at the first fret!).
 
Mike- I thought about the heart omega headstock, but it just didn't work for me.  I like the hearts at the tail, but not on a 6-- they seem to look best on a 4 or narrow 5 (Hi Flaxman!).
 
Brad

Hugh-
 
I just got what you must've meant (he who laughs last thinks slowest).
 
I may be infantile, but I was baptized after the age of majority.
 
Couldn't resist a bit of the old paronomasia.

Brad, I know what you mean about the 6. A bit wide maybe for an Omega. I have a 90' Elan 6 that has purpleheart laminates and a rip roaring bottom sound. I can imagine what yours will be like with the ebony!! Can't wait to see it finished!

I suppose this falls under "Customer to Factory" rather than the other way around, but here are some pictures from my recent visit:  

 

 

 

 

  Well, that about sums things up.

Brad
Looks like you went with the maple fingerboard.  :-)  Is your neck/fingerboard the Alembic classic 'series' width or the comfort (wider) width?
Paul

Might I be so bold as to submit that the fingerboard is covered in tape?

Adriaan; you could be so bold, but then folks might get the impression that you missed the little smiley face that Paul inserted at the end of the sentence.  :-)

Call me hypersensitive - but it's a regular happy smiley, not the ironic one. Ah, humbug!

You're right; it is the regular smiley face that says I'm in a good mood and not  ;-)  the one that winks at you.  Global communication in the 21st century is so complex!

Dave, let not our musings obscure the focus of this thread - thoroughly NICE bass.

An absolutely gorgeous bass!  My guess is that it's the comfort taper.
 
Edit: I've changed my mind.  I can't really tell, but now I'm guessing classic taper.
 
(Message edited by davehouck on April 19, 2006)

Paul,
 
Dave was right the first time-- comfort taper.
 
I have lots of pictures;  I didn't want to swamp everyone with them.  Maybe I'll parcel them out and post them every little bit .
 
The fingerboard is covered in an ace bandage-- removal pending the results from the plastic surgeon.  Is there a smiley for I'm just making things up?
 
The cocobolo, as is cliched, does not properly show up in photos (well, at least at this resolution-- the 8 megapixel closeups that I have do show the freakyness of it).
 
Brad

Hi Brad,
 
I love how red the wood is.  Amazing.
 
It's been 30 minutes.  That's a little bit.  PICS!  
 
Happen to catch one of a burly custom Essence shaped morsel?
 
You have a true winner there.
 
Tom

Thanks Brad.  I'm going to Alembic on Tuesday, and I'm hoping to find a classic 5 or 6 string neck that I can compare to my Rogue.
Hey, which is faster, an 'ace bandage maple' fingerboard or a 'masking tape maple' fingerboard?  I bet they're both slower than rosewood.
Paul

I think that the real deal with the masking tape is that there is you never have to worry about the frets protruding due to changes in humidity.
 
I didn't get a chance to play it (since most of the hardware is missing!), but Valentino assured me that it does add a real mwah to the tone.  
 
Anyhow, hippy sandwich anyone?
 
 
 
And here's Valentino reprising his sometime role as guitar stand.  Photo is complete in that the bass has its complement of shop dust.
 
 
 
And here's one of the back of the headstock, showing off those awesome neck laminates:
 
 
 
Giddy like a schoolgirl,
 
Bradley