Give me your thoughts please, oh wise ones!

[welovecats]

I’m very close to (maybe there?) finalizing a build of my dream bass. I’ve spoken to the Goddess atop Mount Alembicus, and I’m pretty clear on my specs. I’m gonna add a pic of somebody’s bass I found here as well, for visual guidance.

The bass:

It’s a series 1 in original body style, with omega tail cut and omega headstock cut.
Brass hardware with inset strap locks.

Zebrawood top and back. I like a somewhat golden zebrawood look, and will use an amber tint. Mahogany core. Caramel pickups and hum canceller. Neck laminates are purpleheart/birch/purpleheart/birch/purpleheart.

Fingerboard: purpleheart with abalone inlays.

Now, on the headstock I currently have purpleheart front with zebrawood back.

Here’s one of my main aesthetic questions: I WOULD use zebrawood for the front of headstock, but I have my heart set on going all out and getting an inlaid Alembic logo, with mop cloud, abalone Alembic, and color fire opal rays. My concern has been that zebrawood may be too busy with this
incredible logo. I’m imagining with amber tint the purpleheart might be slightly brown-ized and work well. But is it possible zebrawood might work with this logo?

What do you all think?

[garyhead]

Has anyone ever tried to Illuminate that beautiful logo with LED's?

[keith_h]

Whether it is too busy or not would depend a lot upon the pattern in the zebra wood. My thought is you will lose some of the contrast that helps the logo stand out in the picture with the lighter color of the zebra wood.

[jazzyvee]

Has anyone ever tried to Illuminate that beautiful logo with LED's?

Took the words right out my mouth. That is something i have on my spec list if i was buying a new series bass. It would certainly prevent the zebra wood dominating the headstock.

[welovecats]

Maybe it should be illuminated AND stay purpleheart.
I’ve shot off an email about the idea of illumination.
Don’t worry, I made sure to blame you guys for putting it in my head…

[welovecats]

Oops I meant “give you credit!”

[jazzyvee]

Why not go all out and have an array of them under the inlay and sequenced to start with a white glow under the cloud then down the rays moving down to the circle which could then glow. :-)

[rv_bass]

Your build idea sounds nice.  Zebrawood front and back with mahogany core is a nice tone combo.  A walnut/maple combo for the neck (or maple Purple Heart) is really nice as well, both provide some contrasting clarity to my ears.

[welovecats]

Why not go all out and have an array of them under the inlay and sequenced to start with a white glow under the cloud then down the rays moving down to the circle which could then glow. :-)

Jazzeeeeeee! (squealed with glee)

This sounds like a job for a true electronics genius…I haven’t met Ron. Can one of you please call him before anyone else on high says no?

[welovecats]

Your build idea sounds nice.  Zebrawood front and back with mahogany core is a nice tone combo.  A walnut/maple combo for the neck (or maple Purple Heart) is really nice as well, both provide some contrasting clarity to my ears.

Thanks RV. I don’t know if you guys can tell, but I’m having the time of my life!

RV—should I have an accent layer of purpleheart between the zebrawood and the mahogany or no? I’m kind of leaning no, but clearly easily um influenced

[rv_bass]

Your build idea sounds nice.  Zebrawood front and back with mahogany core is a nice tone combo.  A walnut/maple combo for the neck (or maple Purple Heart) is really nice as well, both provide some contrasting clarity to my ears.

Thanks RV. I don’t know if you guys can tell, but I’m having the time of my life!

RV—should I have an accent layer of purpleheart between the zebrawood and the mahogany or no? I’m kind of leaning no, but clearly easily um influenced

Well, I don’t have any basses with an accent layer, so I can’t comment on that other than they do look nice

I can comment that I have a couple of basses with zebrawood front and back and mahogany core and I really like the way they sound.

[rv_bass]

And if you like the lighter zebrawood, flat sawn is not a bad look…

[hammer]

So to take Jazzyvee’s idea one step further, why not have the strength of illumination tied in to either the frequency and/or the decibels at which you are playing. Hey, if your going all out really go all out.

[rv_bass]

Or have the fret markers pulse with the rhythm….or install tiny LEDs (single and multiple color arrays) in the grain of the zebrawood of the body top that would then pulse and flow with the rhythm…that would be cool.

[rv_bass]

Or better yet, have the bass top made out of one of these and have the colors lit up, pulsing, flowing, and swirling to the rhythm…that would be crazy.