Author Topic: Excel Zebrawood (Read 1070 times)

jaurigemma · « **on:** June 10, 2003, 07:35:24 PM »

Here it is, my Excel w/ Zebrawood top. It has Epic electronics, and this thing plays and sounds like a dream. I can only wait for my new one to come!!! Mica, please, I am dying for an update!!!

elzie · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2003, 11:25:43 AM »

Wow! That is very nice indeed. Enjoy it!

Paul TOBO

rami · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2003, 12:41:41 PM »

This proves that Zebrawood can be beautiful with a satin finish.

Gorgeous bass...WOW!

Rami

jaurigemma · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2003, 08:34:16 PM »

Here's a shot of me and the bass in action:

dnburgess · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2003, 09:05:27 PM »

Nice bass. Is that a satin finish? The grain looks parallel between the two halves of the top laminate - is that so? How would you describe the sound?

bob · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2003, 10:00:37 PM »

Nice shirt. Is that permanent press?

Sorry, it's late and I just couldn't resist. That wood is just stunning, the bookmatched grain is wonderful.

(Edited to add this postscript, since it's always risky making cracks like this on the net...)

Strictly by coincidence, a few hours earlier I was adding orange as a menu option when drawing charts (I'm a software developer), and the color happened to be based on a shirt I saw someone wearing to work a few weeks back. So I'd quit work for the night, thought I'd check in here - and the first thing I see when I go to look at some basses is an orange shirt.

Weird. But that wood is still great.

(Message edited by bob on July 29, 2003)

jaurigemma · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2003, 05:36:01 AM »

No, it's not permanent press. Jeeez guys, you try to do something = unique and ya get yelled at about it.

I love the grain of the Excel, it's much different than my Epic with = Zebrawood. The Epic I have I believe is quartersawn so the lines are = very erractic, not straight like the Excel. The bookmatching is = exceptionally nice, with just a hint of degree, forming a slight V with = the lines in the grain. This is now my primary bass, but my Epic cries = to be played every so often too. My Fender is collecting dust, but I = use that bass in bad territory if you know what I mean.

I can't wait until my new Excel is done. There's a factory to customer = thread if you guys want to check it out.=20

mikedm · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2003, 08:20:31 AM »

Off the Excel topic and into a different grade of bad territory - I have the same Fender decorating a wall. I find it hard to play, the action is extremely high - I wish the bridge was adjustable! If it didn't have Geddy's autograph on it it would be put to better use. How do you like yours?

Back to main line - Excellent looking Excel. Can't wait to see how the rosewood looks on the new one.

Mike

jaurigemma · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2003, 08:25:24 AM »

Actually, that's funny, because my Geddy Lee actually has really=20 good action, not very high at all. The thing with Fenders, or any=20 other mass produced guitar, is that they are hit or miss. I have=20 played several others, and they sound horrible. Mine sounds really good, especially through my F-1X.

Back to my Excel-lent looking Excel, I must have made a typo. The top on the new one is not rosewood, but burl redwood. I can't wait to see it, especially with the brushed nickel hardware. Should be quite sexy I think.=20

mikedm · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2003, 09:58:30 AM »

No, no typo, the error is mine. A bit of luck with the pattern, very nice. Did you order matching back laminates?

The Fender sounds great, although it is a re-issue model run, and maybe I'm spoiled by the action on my Alembic.

jaurigemma · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2003, 10:07:55 AM »

I'll take your word for the typo, I can't view the Alembic site here at work. I can only receive these updates via email. It sucks because I can't see the pictures of my baby when Mica does (hint hint) post them.

No, I didn't get back laminates, none of my bases have them. I still want a Europa or Rogue in the future, but not for a while now. I was thinking of putting signature electronics in the new Excel, but I barely mess with them on my Epic and Excel now. I like the straight up sound of the basses, use the pan control for the different tones I am looking for. I boost the bass for ballads or when the guitar play is thin on certain songs.=20

I can't wait to hear if the pau ferro laminates in the neck make a big impact in the tone or not. I have a piece of the neck wood here at my office, and stare at it every day, waiting.

Truthfully, I haven't touched my Fender in months.=20

mikedm · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2003, 10:39:27 AM »

May not sound like a blessing, but not being able to view the site at work would do me some good. Not sure if the wood sample is helping you or not. Please say you haven't taken to wearing it around your neck?

I have Europa elecs on my Orion5. Great tone and once zeroed in I tend to not alter much other than the pan control. I would like the Signature set for the additional filter and Q, those are great to have. At first I didn't care much for the Rogue body shape, but more and more its staring to look really good...

jaurigemma · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2003, 11:44:14 AM »

DNburgess asked how I would describe the tone. Hmmm, it's definitely different than my Epic. I think the ASH body makes a big difference. It's more woody than my Epic, which has a mahogany body. I've learned an important lesson about my basses over the last year or so.

I started playing without any instructions, and just getting bass scale and chord books, and learning the neck. But when it came to tone controls, more was always better for me. Well, I used to get very upset with my Epic because I had too much bottom end and the top end was very brittle at times.

Well, fate has it that my Bass POD blew up, and I needed a tube preamp. I used to use everything possible to get the tone and sound I wanted, and the POD was cool for that. But I decided after it blew up that I need to strip down and get back to the sound of my instruments instead of all that processing.

So, I went to my favorite bass store (Bass Central in Orlando, FL) and picked up a F-1X preamp. I got home, set it flat, set my epic flat, and wow, tone. Tone I didn't know was there. So, I learned my lesson. I boost very little now, and will occasionally cut for specific sounds.

Even recording now it sounds 1000% better. But I digress.....

frank · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2005, 12:19:38 PM »

WHAT KIND OF STRINGS DO YOU HAVE ON THAT BEAUTY?

jaurigemma · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2006, 09:55:44 AM »

Strings are always an interesting topic. I love RotoSounds, but they don't love me. I don't get to play for long periods of time, because of being on the road for work. So, I have experimented with several different ones.

I can't play nickel strings. I guess I'm blessed with some type of high acid content in my sweat, and after a week the strings are dead.

I have moved to coated strings lately, as they do seem to last longer. I don't like Exilirs, they feel sticky to me after a week. I originally tried the GHS Infinity Steels, which come in Red. They were pretty good.

I have now moved to DR Black Beauties for my 4 String Geddy Lee, 4 string Zebrawood Epic, and my 5 string Zebrawood Excel. I use DR Red Devils on my 5-string Redwood Excel.

I also have two cheapy Traben 5-string basses that I bought to play around with electronics (pickups, tone circuits, etc.) that I have grown tired of. I will probably be getting rid of them and my Geddy Lee soon. Alembic only family for a while, except my Rick Turner Renaissance 5-string.

I want a 6-string, but I can't afford what I want. I've been looking at Carvin's new Icon bass, and might get one of them to dabble in the 6-string area. I can't afford the Europa 6-string that I would really want.