SN 75 219

[poor_nigel]

Also, the tailpiece on this bass was a walnut/brass hybred, I did not notice.  Rare, desirable, hard to get.  Nothing I need to deal with now, though.

[edwin]

I'm amazed that the front and back can be removed without obliterating the bass.

And for the record, I love that shot of the back, including the worm hole or whatever that is.

I also like the cocobolo headstock, but I'm curious to see what you have lined up.

If you are replacing all those parts, I'm sure you could recoup some of your costs on the pickups and bridge.

Keep us posted!

[rnolan]

If you mean the hole near the back strap mount ?? that's where the original mount point was, it's been moved more onto the heal (I suspect to help the balance), though may get in the way a bit if you like to play up that high allot, but seems it would help a little with the slight neck heavy issue ??

The better guitars are put together with glue that's designed to come apart (at a temperature a bit above a hot car boot in summer was what the guy (Jim Williams) who taught me how to build them told us).  So you can heat it up (heat lamps, alcohol burner ??) and then "carefully" pull it apart. Early instruments, I think they used animal glue which will also heat apart. We used Tightbond, Aliphatic PVA glue.  Probably the most common pull apart is removing the fingerboard.

[edwin]

The better guitars are put together with glue that's designed to come apart (at a temperature a bit above a hot car boot in summer was what the guy (Jim Williams) who taught me how to build them told us).  So you can heat it up (heat lamps, alcohol burner ??) and then "carefully" pull it apart. Early instruments, I think they used animal glue which will also heat apart. We used Tightbond, Aliphatic PVA glue.  Probably the most common pull apart is removing the fingerboard.

Is that the Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades in LA?

[rnolan]

Hey edwin, no, Jims in Australia (http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/05/12/3215407.htm).  He did a course in Vermont way way back, when he came back I think he just built for a while and then set up a school to teach guitar building.  I think I was in the 2nd uptake (6 students) 35 years ago, we all had the same bench/tools etc and all built an acoustic steel string (I'll post some pics of mine later), so 6 weeks, 6 day a week, 12 hours a day... Massive learning curve, but great skills to have.

[poor_nigel]

Neck was twisted on this bass when it was inspected at the factory, so it is being replaced.  I am too messed up to even play a short scale now, so the bass will be traded.  I have no need for money, nor basses nor sound equipment.  The only thing I seem to want any more is vacation supplies for occasional jaunts place my current situation will not let me visit.  So the bass will probably be traded for a quantity of vacation supplies.  Kind of pathetic, but makes perfect sense to me, and if it is the one last thing on this planet I enjoy, why not?! 

[dela217]

So what ever happened to this bass?

[rv_bass]

There was a post on the club somewhere earlier this year having to do with this bass, not sure where though.  It’s a beautiful bass.

[mica]

It was restored, and it was later sold at an estate sale. I'm not 100% certain, but it seems that our dear friend poor_nigel succumbed to his illness.

[edwardofhuncote]

Thomas was about as much a fan of these instruments as any of us here is. He had a fine collection of Alembics, and a fine manner. He'll be missed here. 

[jazzyvee]

Absolutely  Edward, I had sent him a couple of emails over the years asking him if he would sell it to me and then out of the blue he contacted me around the middle of 2011 regarding his series II Europa to tell me that...... "You do know that someday you will own this puppy, anyway, right?  My word is my bond....." The only condition he laid was " If the bass turns out to just not be what you need to cover your sound and playing needs.........  as the new custodian of this bass, please pick a worthy owner, and not just some ******* with the bucks to lay out for it.  What if a kid bought it and decided it needed Jazz pickups in it?"

I bought the bass from him in early 2012 picking it up from Mica at Alembic. From his emails he seemed to be passionate about the things he treasured and when selling things on, whom he sold to was at least as important as the price. Although he drove a hard bargain, the Europa I had from him is a superb bass and perfect for me, it wasn't his dream bass so he was happy that would go to my safe hands and he planned to use the money to give one of his other basses TLC and modifications. I'm not sure if he ever managed to finish that project. Mica may know more about that as he planned to ship it there for the work to be done.

http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

Well I am really treasuring that bass and it's more bass that I ever thought I'd have.
RIP Thomas (aka Poor_Nigel).