Thanks, Jeff!
 
I do agree on the wood backplates.  I wish I took that option.  I think the frugal in me didn't want to pay the full upcharge for gold plating, which includes the backplates, and then pay again to replace those with wood.  Oddly, I would definitely have taken the option if I were leaving the brass alone.  I'll ask if they'll let me make that change and what the cost will be, especially with the nice back wood.
 
Regarding the body position, I see your point.  I considered a number of possibilities there; up, down, canted in, canted out, even the same set of variations upside down.  I am really betting all my chips that the flame-looking areas in the center of the board are going to come forward and deepen with time and a finish.  If I am wrong, I'll have a very nice bass.  If I am lucky, then it will be incredible.
 
Thanks again!
-Bob

Bob, get real: these people are not going to charge you for gold-plating some pieces of brass, throwing them away, and then building you a completely new set of continuous wood plates.
 
Go for it.

Bob,
 
Certainly they wouldn't go through the trouble of making the plates and paying for them to be plated if the order is changed to continuous wood.  I honestly don't know what they would charge under the circumstances, but the details from the configurator don't drill down to that level of detail.  I didn't ask when I was making the order, I had enough other details to work out and it was the hectic end-of-year rush when the order was going in.  I was too busy waffling on more serious details at the time, like scale length and number of strings!  As you can see from the thread, there are even more details that seemed worked out at the time but aren't entirely clear.  It's always better to ask than assume, so this will get figured out over the next week or two with everything else...
 
As much detail as we're getting into before the build, the only surprise I want when this bass gets delivered is how much better it looks in person than in photos.  I can't wait to see the abalone!  I just love the swirls and colors in that shell.
 

Bob,
 
I know. If you like, someday I'll email you my own list of details, some of which just fell off the list. And at the other extreme, there is nothing like that first glimpse of the real thing, or even a small part of it.
 
Though the wait will be difficult, I think you're really in the most stressful part of the process right now. It's actually starting, there's a sense of urgency to nail down every last detail... yet you somehow have to balance that with the magic of the whole thing. And it's very easy to let certain details - like the number you get out of a fairly simple quote generator - distract you from the important stuff.
 
I just thought it was worth reminding you that you're working with real human beings here, and artists at that (though I know you understand that).
 
You've waited a long time for this, so take a deep breath, maybe even call a time out for a week or so just to regroup. A few extra days at this point won't matter at all a year from now, and as I'm sure you realize, everyone - most especially you - will be happier if you wait until it all feels right, rather than questioning and changing things during the build, or second-guessing what you end up with.
 
On a related note, I think we've discussed your frugal nature in the past, and I respect that. Don't know if this will help any, but by the time I finally paid the balance on mine, I found I was already into next year's discretionary spending. Still don't think I really wanted LEDs, but looking back on it now the cost should not have been given as much weight as it was.
 
It doesn't seem to me that you're one of the people who is going to do a whole series of customs, so take the time to get it right. And lots of slow, deep breaths.

I think we're on the same page, Bob.  Making changes once the build actually starts is a definite no-no.  There's too much chance of missing things or making a change that isn't going to flow with the whole design.  Also, I paid in full for my instrument up front (by bank check, so no loss of a couple percent to the credit card people).  Answering all of my questions and making design tweaks is enough hardship for any dealer without going out-of-pocket for a couple months while waiting for delivery.  You do what you can.
 
Once production starts, I'll just sit back and take what updates I get until it shows up on my doorstep.  The only way I'll be saying anything is if I see something in photos that doesn't match the spec, or if they ask.  Honestly, the wait doesn't bother me at all.  If the backplates get added, then there will be only one option that I wanted and passed on, getting the logo done with shell.  Did I mention how much I love abalone?

i will bet you $1 that you WILL make a change during production-lmao
definitely sit back and relax- close your eyes, go into a coma and wake up 6 months from now

Bob.  
One thing I can guarantee is how much better your bass will be in person than in the Photos. When i opened my case for the first time I just sat and stared for ages;-)
i agree with the other bob here, if your going for a back laminate, continuous wood backplates are a must.
 
graeme

bob
trust me
they will not dfo the brass plating till months from now and will make the change if you wish
get the continous

Ok, here's to summarize the discussion in one place for the benefit of all:
 
Top wood:  3766 in approximately the position I identified.  Adjustment criteria would include:
  -optimal positioning of the little eyes
  -angle and coverage of the dark areas on the body wings
  -will there be dark stripes along the sides of the neck, or is that dark just an illusion from the cut?  If so, should they be trimmed out?
 
1. Back wood:  3767 positioned near the top of the board and slightly canted to eliminate most or all of the sap wood.  Looking to have the light/dark/light stripes abut the neck.  Please show me a pic with templates when convenient.
 
2/3/10.  Headstock:  Looking for a very dark and symmetrical face to set off the hardware and logo.  Looking to confirm the laminates for the headstock as they will be apparent with the bevel.  Looking to get the right crown variation to best flow with the overall design.  
 
4. Need to confirm the pickup placement.
 
5. Are the brass backplates to be goldplated?  This could be trumped by a change to wood backplates at the urging of others in the know.  If this change would be allowed, can I get a price including, if appropriate, any reduction in the price of the gold plating?  I will let Beaver know I am asking since you will probably want to feed that to me through him.
 
6. Looking for ideas on control positions, particularly related to the LED toggle and the output jack.  I don't want to break/trigger the toggle with my cable.
 
7. Is there a dimmer for the LEDs inside the cavity?
 
8. I would like the non-maple laminates in the neck at the wide end of the spectrum if there is any room for variation here.  
 
9. Bridge block:  I think it was in the original spec but I don't see it mentioned on the build sheet.  I am not sure I fully understand it to know if I even want one.  Please guide me...
 
11. Confirming what your definition of the neck measurements means.  Looking for the SC 30th neck, though maybe a hair wider, especially if you believe it is necessary to maintain neck stability in a New England climate and with regular strings.
 
12. Can/will the straplocks be mounted using threaded inserts?
 
 
Valentino/Mica-
 
You may have my office number, but I have been out of work there since 3/1.  I will email you my cell phone number in case you don't have it so that we can discuss any of this directly and at your convenience, as you see fit.
 
 
Thanks to all who have participated so far, and to any who may yet choose to chime in!
 
-Bob
 
PS - Jeff, once production starts, I refuse to make any change that isn't directly in response to a query from Alembic.  

Bob, I am also in  line to have a 5 string MK with series II electronics built. I have LED's going in and am having a three position switch and a dimmer. The switch will be, all on,side on, and all off. You can talk to Beaver on this as my bass is also going through Bass Central.
 Don't feel too bad about making changes at this stage of the build, they are much easier to deal with now. I am still trying to decide on inlays and continuous wood backplates myself. Pete    

Pete-
 
With regard to inlays, you may have gathered that I am a big fan of abalone.  I really love the colors and the lines, making them much more interesting to me than MOP.  I am not familiar enough with the other options to say.  I suppose that an inlay materials page would be a great addition to the site so that one could examine all the common materials.  
 
You can see the guidance that others have provided regarding the backplates.  Having already paid my bass off in full, it seems easier to find a couple hundred to throw at them now than it would have to push the original total up when I was placing the order.    
 
With regard to the LEDs, I have side only.  I had heard that there is a dimmer placed inside the control cavity so that you could adjust how bright they are when they come on.  With front LEDs, particularly if you went laser, you might want a more readily accessible dimmer to control their brightness, but that's not what I am talking about here.  I think the perfect side LED setup would be a 3-way switch allowing for {off / on low / on high}, but an internal dimmer is better than just on/off.  Oddly, the darker the room, the less bright the LEDs need to be.
 
Thanks for the feedback, and good luck with your bass!  
 
-Bob

Hey Bob, have you considered abalone?

Interesting concept, Bob.  I believe that I have thought long and hard on the subject of abalone.  The only thing that would turn me on as much as more abalone would be more cowbell.  Unfortunately, I am not sure where I can fit more abalone into the design.  Maybe abalone pickup covers?  Maybe I should have asked about the cool abalone caps they put on Stanley's control knobs?
 
-Bob

hey bob. Just my two-pennorth. I think the dark edges alongside the neck would look pretty cool and highlight the maple nicely.
no 6. As the LEDs are going to be on or off, put the switch well out of the way - perhaps even on the lower horn - it's not one of the controls you're gong to be playing with during a gig.
 
graeme

Graeme-
 
I think it would be a lot of work to put one mini-toggle out on the lower horn.  I also think that a mini-toggle out there alone would be a bit silly looking.  I suppose another alternative might be to use a mini-pot type switch instead of a toggle.  Something like what they use for the pickup selector seems like it would be more sturdy and harder to have an accident with.  I will wait, though, to see what Alembic recommends on the matter.  There's always the issue of how things fit in the control cavity, so it has to go someplace where there is space for it.
 
Thanks!
-Bob