Author Topic: Wood Shade Darker (Read 157 times)

echo008 · « **on:** July 10, 2006, 09:11:18 AM »

Hi Guys, I wanted to post and see if anyone noticed this on there bass or guitar.
From the pic it seems that theres some sort of discoloration in the wood... its obviously a seperate piece of wood but still it has become darker for some reason.... has anyone seen this before? and is this something I need to be concerened about or is the bass just starting to age a bit.
Thanks
- Tom

kmh364 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2006, 09:29:44 AM »

Looks normal to me. Alembic does what other luthiers do: they glue on headstock wings to the neck woods. Otherwise, they'd waste a lot of expensive straight-grained maple if they had to make the neck as wide as the finished headstock and then shape it down to size.

jorge_s · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2006, 09:30:12 AM »

They are called ears. I believe all Alembics have them. Yes it is a different piece of wood and it is part of the great Hippie Sadwich style of construction. If you go to the Factory to Customer forum you will see several necks under construction and you will get a better picture of where they come from.

echo008 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2006, 09:41:07 AM »

Cool ...Thanks Guys I just have not seen this before and wanted to find out some info on it.

My Bass plays and sounds beautiful. I love it
- Tom

811952 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 10, 2006, 10:34:21 AM »

As for the color, the reason why it is darker than the other wood is because you are looking more directly into the end of the grain. The grain of the neck wood is aligned parallel with the neck, and the wings add strength to the head because their grain is aligned parallel to the head and runs the full length of it (the neck grains terminate on the front of the headstock, under the laminate). It's kind of a win-win situation, in that the act of saving wood also creates a stronger structure. Of course, on the cone headstock the wings don't run the *entire* length, but it still adds stiffness.

Man, I wish I had a 5-string Alembic!

John

(Message edited by 811952 on July 10, 2006)

David Houck · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2006, 11:07:25 AM »

There is more about headstock construction here.

echo008 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2006, 11:36:05 AM »

Much appreciated guys thanks again for the info and the link, I just glanced it for now but already I have a deeper understanding of headstock contruction and greater appreciation for the techniques involved.
Its also nice learning about how much care goes into a single Alembic.
- Tom