This months'/November 2005s C.o.T.M.s stereo switch...

[the_8_string_king]

Wow! Another awesome custom! (No surprise)
 
I noted that the specs include a stereo/mono switch, which moves me to ask (again -and again, just out of curiousity, as opposed to ego) what is the nature of this stereo/mono switch? Specifically is it similar/identical to my stereo/mono switch on my bass?  Was it inspired by my bass, or is it a coincidence? Or is it something different?
 
I consider myself extremely fortunate to own the fabulous custom that I own, and I am extremely appreciative of Alembic, and all those who have come before me whose ideas benefitted the actualization/realization of my own instrument.
 
It would please me greatly -if it were the case- to know that -in some small way/any way- that MY idea(s) were of benefit to anyone else (as other peoples ideas have MOST CERTAINLY been of benefit to me).
 
So again -just out of curiosity- I ask: what is the nature/function of this month's custom of the months' stereo/mono switch; is it similar or even identical to mine; and was mine the inspiration in any/some way?
 
And to the proud owner... obviously, as this is your second Alembic, you ALREADY know how awesome Alembic is... but, boy, you are really in for something with the ebony laminates!!!
 
They will equal and surpass any expectations or hype that you are likely to have!
 
You lucky canine, you!!!

[the_8_string_king]

Another confusing thing I noticed... it looks like -from the pictures- that despite that fact that this months' custom is a lefty... that the strings are laid out as if it WASN'T a lefty... it looks like... if the bass were hanging vertically... that the lower/thicker strings are to the left of the higher/thinner strings... this confuses me.
 
What's up with this? I've never played a lefty, but I always assumed that it would be set up as a mirror image of a righty... that is to say, that regardless or whether one is a left handed bassist playing a lefty or a right handed bassist playing the more/most common righty setup the the lower strings would be closer to the sky and the higher strings would be closer to the ground...
 
as John Travolta USED to say... I'm SO confused...
 
Can someone explain this to me? Are leftys strung identically to rightys (as opposed to being mirror images...
 
Which is it...?

[mica]

Stereo/mono switches have been a staple since the earliest Alembics, and even on the mods we did before we made our own instruments. At various times being standard or optional on Series I/II instruments, the stereo signal is split one channel for each pickup.  
 
Lefty instruments are usually strung left handed. When a player has learned to play on an upside-down right handed bass, they are used to the right handed stringing. About 10% of the left handed instruments we make are strung right handed. There's another thread about the November Custom with some chatter about the strings here.

[the_8_string_king]

Thanks for the response MRS. Mica!!!