Mica, Shim's bass has inspired me to again reconsider upgrading my electronics, which I've thought about before, but rejected due to expense.
 
I'm interested (maybe, depending on cost, and whether or not it's possible) in Shim's electronics -minus the LEDs.
 
Now it may well be the case that it's simply NOT an option at this point.  If so, that's fine with me; I was explicitly advised that changes after the finalized order are (A) subject to your discretion; and (B) sometimes just not possible.  I WILL/WOULD BE very happy with the controls I've specified... Europa electronics with the upgraded 3-position Q switch.
 
And I don't want to slow production any further.
 
So, that said... I ask you... is it an option at this point for me to get Shim's electronics?
 
If not, fine.  If so, how much, and how much of an effect/delay on production would it entail?
 
My understanding is that I'd have to pay $400 retail for the upgrade back up to Signature, $500 retail more for (one set of) bass & treble knobs, and then, $150 retail for the second Q switch to be upgraded to 3-positions... $1050 retail... is this correct?
 
Again, I'm not sure if I can even afford this.  But I've been wondering/thinking about it, and seeing the mockups for Shim's bass pushed me over the edge into actually asking.
 
Again, if it's NOT doable for whatever reason, that's FINE, as it's something I can stop thinking about; but IF it's an option, then I'm asking for a price confirmation, and an estimate of the effect it would have, if any, on production & delivery time.
 
PS, I'm prepared to call Beaver and pay for the peghead bevel & omega anytime you or he wants.  If this latest thing is something we do, I would be able to put out for that right away too.
 
I'm sure you want to protect the interests of you and your dealers, and I'm ready to pay for any&all additions beyond my deposit at any point that you or he sees fit.
 
Thanks again for everything, Mark

Hey, thank's a bunch for that update, Mica!
 
I'll look forward to my clump!

Mark,
 
Mr. Felton gets a lot of money from us Alembic freaks, doesn't he?!
 
THe 'Ho.....

At this point, there is very little likelihood I'll upgrade the electronics -assuming it's an option.  I replaced my dying guitar amp, and upgraded a little -but it drained whatever fundage I would have had.
 
Oh well.  I needed the amp, and the Europa electronics are very versatile -especially with the upgraded 3-position Q switch.
 
With the Coco Bolo and the awesome neck, this bass will rock the house -even if the electronics are merely Europa electronics!

Another example of figuring I really like -specifically concentric-ness is Ken's 90's 5-String Coco Bolo Distillate in the Showcase section.
 
Looking at the left side of the picture, I really love the concentric patterns on the horn, and how the concentric circles on either side of the waist drop off and then pick back up on the other side.
 
I just can't wait to see what'chu folks come up with for me!  I know it'll be awesome!

Greetings, busy Alembic elves!
 
When you folks get a chance, I'd love an update on the status of my bass.  Even a brief discription would be appreciated, if you're too busy for pictures.
 
Thanks folks, have a great weekend!

Since I didn't get the work order back to the shop until the day after the last group of bodies was made, you're going to see stuff happening with the next group of body glue-ups, probably a week or so.  
 
I gave Bob a stack of reference pictures for your Coco Bolo, and he said he knows just the piece.

Thanks, Mica, that's great, to hear, thanks for letting me know!
 
It's exciting to hear Bob has something in mind!
 
Just to cover the basses/communicate...
 
I want to double-check/remind/make sure Bob knows the disguised BTC is an essential priority.
 
I double-checked my postings here in my FTC thread with the Coco Bolo, and stand by them.  I've added a comment or two here and there, -like adding Shim's bass to the list, especially his concentrics- but that list stands as a reference.
 
Once again, I'm really excited, and look forward to seeing the front and back when it happens... and I'm betting the finish will really make the neck look awesome too!
 
Thanks again, Mark.

That sez it all.  I know I mentioned this at some point, but I wanna get it on record here.
 
I don't like binding around the continous wood plates -it interferes with the purpose, in my mind.
 
I don't like the way it looks... I want the continous wood plates to fit in as much as possible, with as little disruption as possible.
 
The point is to disguise/minimize noticing the electronics plates -and highlighting them... highlights them!

hey mark what body style are you going with?  with the nice neck lams. i say a balanced k with a stinger.  the stinger point looks awesome with the nice colourful lams throughout
my custom would prolly be something like val's bird of prey but with a  heart stinger and a center vermillion strip flanked by ebony,maple,then mahoghany wide strips. close to yours

Mark,
 
What is a disguised BTC?  Bookmatch to center, but disguised?
 
Bradley

Hey guys!  I'm getting a Balance K Omega.  I considered a stinger very seriously -but decided not to get it.  I considered all the variations, and was more or less equally interested in all of them; and being sort of deadlocked, I just defaulted to the least expensive omega option -the standard circular omega cutout.  And since then, I've decided to add a mini-omega in the peghead -and also the dual bevel.  So at this point, I think it would be better to have an omega at either end -than to have the stinger at one end and the mini-omega at the other.
 
Bradley, my intent for the BTC is for it to not be apparent that there are two halves of wood joined at the center.
 
Sometimes it's REALLY obvious with BTCs that there are two separate pieces of wood, joined at the center.  Quilted and Flamed Maple are notorious for this -something about how the light refracts differently on the figuring with the two different halves of wood.  Even on the best Alembics, you'll see an obvious line down the middle... and I can't stand it.
 
This is why I'd never choose Maple for a BTC top or back -it will always have this line.
 
Now other woods disguise the line of symetry very well -especially liney woods like Zebrawood, or woods that at least are liney in the middle, or that have figuring that lines up on either side of the line of symetry.
 
I specificed a disguised BTC for my custom 8-String, and they did a great job with the BTC Bocate top.  You only notice it if you stick your face right up next to the top and look for the line... otherwise, it looks like one continuous piece of wood across the top.
 
So, I've specified that detail for this bass too.  I don't want the line of symetry to be obvious.  The easiest way to disguise it is just to have liney figuring in the middle, or to have figuring that is more or less parallel to the neck in the middle -as opposed to figuring that goes from side to side across the line of symetry, and which may not line up, and draw attention to the fact that the top is really two pieces of wood.

Oh, I get it.
 
I think I inadvertently (and thankfully!) did that on my 6-string.  I don't think I'm quite as sensitive to it (i.e. don't tell my wife about the quilted maple bass I intend to order someday), but I agree that it looks cool to have it look seamless.
 
The one thing that was a bit of a disappointment to me was the interface of the fingerboard/neck to the BTC-- there's a gap at the edge of the fingerboard.  In other words, the top laminate follows the outer edge of the neck, not the fingerboard (alternately, the neck interface is at right angles, but trapeziodal would follow the fingerboard).  If I'd known this, I would have specifically ordered it flush to the fingerboard.
 
You can see an example of this here:
 
https://club.alembicguitars.com/info/FC_tiger.html
 
If you look closely at the neck joint, you'll see the edges of maple.
 
You're early enough that you might want to think about it.  It affects comfort taper more than classic spacing, for the fairly logical reason.
 
Bradley

Hey Mica, if you see this note and Bradley's post on the previous post, he's right about this.
 
This was actually a minor disapointment on my 8-String... there is a little Maple visable between the BTC Bocate on the top, and the fingerboard.  So, if at all possible, I'd prefer the BTC Coco Bolo go all the way to the fingerboard, so the outer (Mahogany) neck laminate won't be visible from the top of the bass.
 
Bradley's example does show this clearly... Tiger, while looking awesome, does have a visible maple line on either side of the fingerboard, and it would look better without it... it would look better if the BTC top went all the way to the fingerboard.  My 8-String also has a little Maple showing on either side of the fingerboard (and more on one side than on the other, too).
 
It's a relatively minor snivel... but he's right, and I'd like to request y'all try and avoid/minimize it.  I know it can be done, 'cause most BTC Alembics I've seen don't have this visible line on either side.
 
Another greater snivel (for me) is that I've seen two otherwise great-looking BTCered Alembics that don't have the pinstrips line up.
 
They are Coco Bolo Fantasy, and The Roman Conqueror.  You can see the Maple pinstripes don't quite line up... they're slightly off.
 
This is pretty rare for Alembics (in my experience) and it is pretty minimal... but these little details matter to me, so I would ask that, as much as possible please get these little details as close to perfect as you can.
 
The 3 details, again, are: (1) getting the BTC flush with the fingerboard, so the outer (Mahogany) neck laminates aren't visible from the top; (2) making sure the pinstripe(s) line up at the line of symetry; and (3) getting the Bird tailpiece as centered as possible.
 
Thanks again, sorry for being so picky.
 
And Bradley, thanks a lot for pointing this out.  This was/is a minor annoyance with/on my 8-String -but somehow it didn't occur to me to communicate it to Alembic until you mentioned it -so thanks a bunch.  With this fancy and expensive Coco Bolo top, I'm even more concerned with it looking perfect -or as close as possible.

Mark,
 
Just for clarity, all the BTC basses exhibit this-- it is the way they are constructed.  The one exception I'm sure of is Valentino's Bird of Prey (a.k.a. the pointy bass).  Valentino confirmed for me that his was special in this regard.
 
It may not be evident at all on a narrow spacing 4-string, but definitely becomes more prominent as you add strings and comfort taper.
 
Bradley