Idea for a Custom Rogue

[edwardofhuncote]

Perhaps inspired by playing my old Tobias Growler 5-string at practice last night, this morning I started wondering what an Alembic interpretation would be like... with a leaning to the Growler's strong points, let's try for lightweight, ergonomic, and fairly simple aesthetics. The (early) Growlers had a single Bartolini 'quad-coil', located roughly in the MusicMan spot, and a stereo output option, each half of the pickup operating independently of the other, with it's own preamp and eq. A little complicated for what I like, but a fantastic design just the same. 

Here goes... an Idea for a Custom Rogue:

Long scale (34") Rogue 5-string, fretted

No top or back laminates, solid ash body

Tummy and elbow contour

Set neck, maple, with a single purpleheart center laminate, comfort taper

Pao ferro or purpleheart fingerboard

Cone headstock, w/ebony veneer face

Basically, Rogue electronics, Volume/Filter/3-position Q-switch, Bass & Treble boost/flat/cut switches, but with a single AXY56 Fatboy

Plastic backplates, truss rod cover.

Chrome hardware, straplocks, tuning machines

Bar tailpiece, no bridge block

Satin 'burnt-amber', 'wine-burst' or 'root-beer float' finish, on body only

What'd I miss...?   

Honestly, my next Alembic (if there is one) will be an older Series I, but I think this would be a very interesting bass. I mean... anything could happen.   

[sonofa_lembic]

I vote for keeping an Alembic an Alembic.  Why try to turn it into a Tobias?  Makes more sense to put Alembic electronics in your Tobias and call it a day.  I have a Epic that is almost exactly what you have listed here.  Mostly Ash body with single Fatboy pickup, cone headstock, set neck, plastic plates, 5 string, pau ferro fingerboard, etc.  Works great as a fretless, but can't hold a candle to my Signature basses.  Pretty much how a Tobias would not hold up to a Signature Alembic I think.  There is a place for every brand of bass out there, and I humbly suggest that Alembics should remain unmodified there at the top of the heap.   

[edwardofhuncote]

Sometimes I dream crazy things Trevor, but thanks for the wake-up juice. 

Your fretless Epic sounds interesting... there was a (fretted) single pickup Excel with an Epic body and Crown headstock on Reverb a while back too... so at least a couple folks have tried some variation on it.

Anyway, I was just putting voice to thought... not really trying to turn anything into anything - just having some fun coming up with stuff the Custom Quote Generator can't compute. 

[dtothec]

Greg I have this Orion 5 with a Rogue body, electronics and pickups. It has a set neck, bar tail piece, plastic covers and no sustain block. It has a Mahogany body with zebra wood top.  It is lighter than my Rogues but isn't as light as one would be with an ash body. It sounds great and even without the sustain block will sustain longer than almost any other bass that I've owned.  I think your idea of the fatboy would give it a little more umph! But I have to agree with Sonafa that I would not try to make an Alembic sound like a Tobias, if anything I'd try to make the Tobias sound like an Alembic. Lol

[edwardofhuncote]

Love that Zebrawood Custom Darrell.

Guess maybe I wasn't clear... the point was not to make an Alembic to sound like a Tobias, or the other way around. It was to make use of certain attributes of the Growler. (specifically I said "lightweight, ergonomic, and fairly simple aesthetics")  A set-neck Rogue seemed like a good platform for that. I wouldn't have expected, nor would I have desired the resulting bass to sound like anything other than an Alembic. Think of the old single pickup Distillate... this is kind of an updated version of that.

Have to admit, I had all but forgotten about this thread, but today's exchanges have sorta' put the whole nutty idea back in mind. Alas, I'm certainly in no position to be ordering a(nother) Custom, so it's just for fun.

[dtothec]

Got ya! I love the Rogue shape and balance for comfort. The weight is another matter.  I like the idea of an ash body (my back isn't what it used to be)  with fatboys for that heavy sound. I personally like bass that cuts through but can be felt. I've never played an Alembic with fatboys and have read that fatboys go deep! I also prefer two pickups for the variety of sound that you can get with neck and bridge pickups or varieties of a combination of the two.

[jacko]

The thing I like about my rogue is just how much lighter than my signature it is.

Graeme