Author Topic: Neck feel? and a few other questions for those with a Balance K bodystyle (Read 450 times)

lothartu · « **on:** September 14, 2004, 02:49:35 PM »

I love the feel of the neck on my '88 Series I. I'm getting ready to put an order in for a new Mark King Standard Balance K but I've never played one before. The Alembic site lists the neck width as being the same at the nut/body for both the MK and the Series I. What I'ld like to know is this...

(1) Is the actual cut of the neck the same? My Series I wasn't a custom neck so it should be whatever cut/shape is normal for a Series I.

I've played a couple of other Alembics (Essence, Epic) and their necks were more of a C cut where I consider my Series I neck to be more of a very flat D cut.

I just want to make sure that I don't order a custom bass and not have the neck feeling the way I want it to.

Also, for those folks with a Balance K body; I see that there is an option for a 3/4 Balance K.
(2) Is this just a 3/4 size body? If you've got a regular non-3/4 Balance K body and you've played a Series I before, how wide is the regular Balance K body compared to a Series body?

I also see that you can get a Balance K body with/without contours.
(3) Exactly what are the contours? Does a regular Series I have these contours normally since they aren't listed as a Series option?

The Balance K looks to be an extended upper horn version of a regular Series body so I'ld like to make sure that the new bass I order has it's body cut the same way as my Series I is. Be that contoured or non-contoured whatever the case may be.

ty in advance.

valvil · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2004, 05:17:45 PM »

Hello,

to answer your questions: 1) the neck on MK is generally a 'standard taper' neck which is what we use on series instruments. Just mention it at the time you place your order. If you let us have the serial number of your 88 series I we can make sure we follow the same specifications.
The Balance k is an adaptation of the balance point shape scaled down to roughly 3/4 size; it isn't like we have a regular Balance K AND a 3/4 Balance K. There is just the Balance K, which is sometimes referred to as the 3/4 balance K.

The contours are elbow and tummy cuts that are available for an extra 200$ each. They make playing more comfortable for some people and also make the instrument a bit lighter. A traditional Series bass does not have those contours.

Valentino

lothartu · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2004, 08:10:53 PM »

Thanks Valentino, That clears it up for me.

btw, I noticed the option for a K Crown peghead which is apparently just a smaller version of the regular Crown.

Have you guys make a bass yet with the K Crown? If so, are there any pictures anywhere? If no pictures are available then how does it compare to the regular Crown peghead? 75% the size of the regular?

thanks

flaxattack · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2004, 12:04:11 PM »

i have a mark king special k on order- it does come with the k crown to keep things in perpective size wise. one thing my friend val left out is that you can order the neck shaved at no charge. this is take about an eighth of an inch off the back of the neck. makes it similar to the ibanez in feel- imho
i strongly recommend using superbass for your order- steve has the excellent prices AND he knows his stuff- i actually paid a tad higher choosing steve but trust me-i was real comfy with him- he's worth it
my neck is totally custom btw
32 scale
1.75 nut
.180 edges- space from outer string to edge of neck
.500 spacing
2.50 at the 24th fret
1 ebony lam and 2 purple hearts
there is rumor of a post to FTC soon.

kmh364 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2004, 02:28:25 PM »

I second that about Superbass Steve Frank!

lothartu · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2004, 04:49:08 PM »

Great, I'll be keeping an eye out for the FTC thread.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2004, 05:04:18 PM »

Hey Flax: Thanks for mentioning Alembic's ability to customize neck feel (and it's a no charge option on many models!).

Mica and I spent a fair amount of time talking about dimensions of different bass's necks before we settled on mine. We compromised between the feel of the Ibanez SGR 4s and some of the dimensions of my Spoiler's neck and used Stanley Clark's preferred neck dimensions as a reference point (kind of a reality check with something we both knew worked). Mica has a nifty little spreadsheet program that solves for missing mesurements and dimensions once you decide what you want. We managed to combine what I like about the 34 Ibanez necks and get the parts I do like and avoid those I don't about the old style straight (non-tapered) neck on my Spoiler. Plus translating all into a 32 scale! No small feat - and it only took about 10 minutes to work up the numbers. It worked like a charm!!! I love the feel of my new bass's neck. It truly combines all the things I was driving for.

I think this is (yet another) something very special about what Alembic does for its customers when they order a bass to their specs.

Bill

(Message edited by bassman10096 on September 25, 2004)

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2004, 05:07:51 PM »

Bill-

That sounds like exactly what I am looking for. Can you post what you know of the dimensions?

Thanks!

bassman10096 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2004, 09:48:14 PM »

Sure. I'll try to find them. In any event the Alembicians have a record. Either way, we'll get em for you.

Bill

bassman10096 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2004, 03:48:56 PM »

Duh. I just measured (I'll try and find them - Sounds like a blond joke!).

The neck width on my bass at the nut is 1 1/2. At the 24th, it's 2 3/16. So, that makes it 1/4 narrower than the Standard taper neck at the nut and just about the same width as the Standard taper at the 24th.

Hope that helps.

Bill

rraymond · « **Reply #10 on:** September 26, 2004, 05:04:28 PM »

A blonde joke! Now you're talking!

What do you call two blondes in a Volkswagen?

Farfromthinkin!

How about a guitar player joke? Yeah!

How many guitar players does it take to cover a Stevie Ray Vaughn song?

Apparently, ALL of them!

Sorry for the outburst, I'll return to my normal lurking, now! ;-)

rraymond · « **Reply #11 on:** September 26, 2004, 05:37:54 PM »

Uhm, I'm unlurking again, just long enough to post these bass player jokes, lest anyone think I'm insensitive! :-0

How do you make a bass player turn down?

Put sheet music in front of him!

How do you put an insomniac to sleep?

Play a bass solo!

Back to lurking, have fun all!

bassman10096 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2004, 06:11:30 PM »

That, my friends, was a drive-by unlurking!

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2004, 05:09:26 AM »

He lurks....he strikes.... he lurks again.

It's Reid...the known comic...er...poster.

OK, a guitarist, a bass player and a drummer are sitting in a bar....

Mike

palembic · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2004, 05:18:03 AM »

Hoi-hoi ...jokes!!
Wasn't there a thread around here were we can tell jokes?
OK my turn!
How one can one see that the stage is not perfectly horizontal??

When the drool dribbles out of only 1 corner of the drummers' mouth.

hehehe!

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrufl

And now over to Brother Mike ladies and gentle people!!!

Paul TBO

rats ...I don't