Custom Fretless "Chain-Links" (C 14588 USA)

[edwardofhuncote]

Well fellas, I've just recieved a call from Mary in the front office... my Custom Fretless is all packed up and shipped out. If all goes as scheduled, this long-awaited dream should land here in Virginia the middle of next week. Since we didn't do a build thread, I thought I would share the pictures Mica sent me at different milestones in the project...

First, there was this template. We decided where the pickups were going, and how the controls would be laid out, -as Mica put it- before the wood chips started flying. If anybody's curious, these electronics are a little different configuration... though technically ordered as a Custom Essence, I asked for an "East-Meets-West" package, which is; Volume / Pan / Filter / 3-position Q-switch / Bass boost-cut / Treble boost-cut / 1/4" mono output. (think- Europa/Rogue, but with rotary boost/cut pots for Bass and Treble, rather than the boost/flat/cut switches) Next thing I knew, the embryo was on a workbench, looking more like a bass all the time. 

[edwardofhuncote]

Then it was time to carve the Omega, a feature unique to each instrument. Ever notice no two are exactly the same? I sent a couple pictures from the shapes I liked, mostly from early to mid-1970's instruments, and they split the difference between them, adjusting for the slightly wider 5-string neck with its 3 purpleheart laminates. And then the figuring underneath the birdseye maple started to show up. 

[edwardofhuncote]

Boom - we have finish!  My eyeballs were scorched the first time I saw this... and that was only a couple coats.   

 As the finish built up, it began to get a warmer, more golden look. Finally when it had some finish, it was time for a special inlay I'd had in mind. It's five links of chain, rendered in pearl. Amazing how they made it even look like metal! More on that detail later... but here it was just after they had inlaid and leveled the fingerboard. Then it got taped back up and sprayed some more. 

Once there was enough finish, and it had time to fully cure, they began the rubout. I had specifically asked for the body to be polished out to "something between a satin and a gloss", but the headstock a full-on mirror finish. Mica described the finish after final rubout as having a satiny-glow. Perfect! 

[edwardofhuncote]

We had a time getting the tuning machines. To help with balance, I had spec'd Schaller M4 Lights, which as advertised weighed about half what standard M4's weigh. They were unavailable for what seemed an eternity, and when they finally came in, they looked absolutely nothing like what we thought. My initial thought was, heck with it, let's just order a set of regular M4's and be done with it, but by the next day, I'd had a change of heart. The more I looked at these, the more I thought they did fit with the 3+2 Elan headstock. A quick email to Mica - let's roll with 'em! 

[edwardofhuncote]

Everything came together just in time for its first public appearance... and Club Member Harry (hieronymous) snapped a couple quick pictures of it all assembled and strung up at the Northern California Gathering... one of these days I'm going to make it out to California for one of those, but I was quite honored my bass made it first! It was in some mighty fine company that day. 

[edwardofhuncote]

Of course Mica's famous Maroon Carpet pictures are coming... 

[elwoodblue]

Woohoo!!
 Looks real dreamy...it's going to be a long few days..eh?

[tbrannon]

Dummy hum canceller? 

[rv_bass]

Beautiful, Greg, very cool bass, congratulations!! 

[edwardofhuncote]

Thanks guys... the reality hasn't fully sunk in on me yet.   

Yeah, I probably won't sleep for a few nights Elwood.   

Toby, the brass plate between the pickups is where the battery goes... just like in the pre-1974 models. My bass only has one battery, installed laying on its flat side, so easy to remove. Only two screws to replace it too, so faster. Mica didn't remember them doing this before. The idea came to me from #73-39. I almost bought that one for restoration... when it didn't work out, I took it as a sign, and ordered this one. 

[growlypants]

Wow - beautiful.  Congrats, by the way!  It's going to be a long few days, until you get her!

[mtjam]

Very cool! Congratulations! Great to see a fellow east-coaster go custom. So when's the first gig with it?

[adriaan]

Very very very nice. And truly custom. And that inlay, just brilliant. Did I say congrats already?

[keith_h]

Looks great. Congratulations.

Did you go with any type of position markers on the side? 

[rv_bass]

The birds eye pattern is really nice in this piece, and I like the radiating "flames" in the wood grain as well.  The rotary boost/cut pots for Bass and Treble is a cool feature, I don't think I've seen those in rotary before.  I didn't see side LED wires, is the toggle switch for mono/stereo?   Cool inlay as well. Very nice!