Yieieieie-ieks... I have an Alembic hollowbody!!??

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Mica and team over there,
 
I was charmed to receive a letter from the US this morning. Yesyes ...for those computeraddicts around: a letter is a piece of paper in an envelope (also paper) you write (with a pen) an adress on it and post it after stamping. :-)
Anyway ...It IS special to receive a letter from the US. A letter WITH the ALEMBIC-company logo on it (I already thoughth: they are going to offer me a job) :-) again.
Thanx for the registration card of my guitar. That's great to have.
I have two questions:
- the top is marked dark Walnut. I received more than a year ago a mail from Mica (before teh club-area) talking about Clarowood. Is it the same?
- (about the Yieieieeeee-ieks) By body wood it says Mahogany (Hollow Body).
If this is a hollowbody ....how much is the weight of a solidbody???
Or is something else meant by this?
Thanx again for the excellent service and the goin'on care by all of you for us customers.
 
Paul
 
PS1: the person who wrote it has a beautiful handwriting.
PS2: it's a good idea to put the caring instructions on the back of the card.

[mica]

It's recorded as dark Walnut, and your particular piece is from California, a type called Calro Walnut (I remember when you sent me a picture a long time ago!).  
 
Can you imagine if the bass was solid? It would be even heavier. The neck is really most of the weight - plus the magents of the pickups and all the brass parts. But solidbody adds maybe another pound or two. We've always made the Series I and II hollow, and continue this tradition today.
 
I think Laurel has splendid handwriting. We ask her to make all the labels we need around the shop!
 
Glad you received your card in good order - the new registration form has really made getting all the owner information recorded so much easier.
 
For anyone that has requested registration and not received anything, please use the registration form and resubmit, we'll take care of it pronto.

[Derwin Moss (bassdude63)]

On the Series-I & II basses-how much of the body is hollow? I thought that under the top laminates there were hollow chambers to reduce the overall weight. Is this right? Or when you say the bass is hollow, do you mean like Gibson's semi-hollow electrics(ES-175,335,etc.)? Thanks, D.M.

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Mica,
 
The wood type is understood (not Claro but Calro)
That's good info you gave there. Really, I didn't know about that hollow fact. But you understand, when somebody talks about hollowbody here (and Derwin goes with the same idea) we think immediately at those semi-hollowbodies Epiphone or Gibson style.
But ...that's very clear to me now.
Again... as soon as the film on my camera is finished I post some  recent pictures.
Bye!
 
Paul

[Duncan Muller (muller1007)]

Check out this link, and you'll see exactly what they mean by hollow.
 
http://www.alembic.com/info/FBC_2.html
 
Duncan
 

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Well ...I'd better look first before asking.
 
thanx Duncan!
 
Paul

[mica]

Claro Walnut, Claro! Sometimes I type too fast.  Sorry to make this more confusing.
 
Duncan has directed you to the right picture to get an idea of Alembic hollow body construction.  There's still the neck that runs through the center and there's a good bit of wood on either side of the neck - this is so the bridge, tailpiece and pickups have a place to attach.

[Derwin Moss (bassdude63)]

Thanks Duncan, very cool. I try not to look too much at the basses on the website, it makes me want another one bad! It's like when Mica let me play a 25th anniversary model during my factory tour. I could'nt quit thinking about that bass for about a year! Thanks again, D.M.

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

C-L-A-R-O.
Got it!
Thanx again.