Easing up to the drawing board

[adriaan]

Most excellent choices!

Have you considered plated hardware instead of blackened? Nickel and ruthenium would be on the low-key side of things.

[Spoilers!]

I'm waiting to see what the actual top and back pieces we've identified will look like.  I've never been a fan of redwood overall, since most of the examples I've seen had fairly wide and curved grain patterns and I really prefer straight, tight grain.  Will and Mica both made persuasive cases for redwood being the best option for light weight, and Mica was able to locate these bookmatched sets as a potential top and back:





This is reclaimed redwood salvaged from old growth logs.  Based on the vendor's description, I think this is probably "sinker redwood" from trees cut in the 1800s that ended up at the bottom of rivers for over a century.  I'm crossing my fingers that up close the grain will be similar to this "sinker redwood" top:



I'd like to post a photo of the Series II that inspired the neck recipe, but it looks like I can't save one from Instagram.

By the way, after browsing through a LOT of photos I ended up really liking the look of redwood burl.  If I ever go for a fretted twin for this bass, it's likely going to have a burl top.

Ken

[Spoilers!]

Most excellent choices!

Have you considered plated hardware instead of blackened? Nickel and ruthenium would be on the low-key side of things.

Great point!  I was thinking of ruthenium as an alternative to black.  I can't remember now whether it was cost or availability that dissuaded me.  I guess if black becomes an option again in the future, I could always send the bass back for an upgrade!

One thing we are doing is using a black nut and washer for the 1/4" jack so that all of the controls are black.  The jacks aren't available with a black barrel, but with the black nut and washer the bright metal barrel shouldn't be too obvious.

I did go with a compound ebony/brass tailpiece like they put on Brown Basses, and I will probably end up ordering an ebony sustain block to shave a bit more weight and tie the colors together.

[jazzyvee]

I guess you could always side mounting the jack to keep the bright metal off the front of the bass completely and recessed maybe?
Being no expert on woods i'm surprised redwood is considered a lightweight option. That's based on the fact i have a series bass with a burl redwood top and back and one with a maple top and back, both with ebony in the neck and the redwood feels the heaviest.

[Spoilers!]

Hi Jazzy,

Redwood is a softwood, but so is the maple from the western US (where quilting and wide flame is most common).  I haven't played an Alembic with any maple but I do own a couple of Rickenbackers and early G&Ls that are primarily maple.  They are all on the lightweight end of the spectrum.  Is the maple in your Series bass flamed, quilted or birds eye?

Side mounting the 1/4" jack was my first choice for exactly those reasons, but it would have added some weight due to (a) needing a thicker body, and (b) the the jack itself being a different part that is significantly heavier.

With the Signature electronics, five-pin jack and a three-way LED switch, the controls are going to resemble a Series I layout but without the hum canceller.  Space might get tight on the small body, so Mica is going to run the layout by me before any drilling starts.

Speaking of the body, I meant to post this picture a couple of messages back.  It's a comparison Mica drew overlaying the Essence, Spoiler and 3/4 Spoiler body templates.  Just in case it's helpful to anybody else's custom ideas...

[edwardofhuncote]

Exciting to see another Custom fretless come together. Had mine out on a gig last weekend... never disappoints. For that matter, neither does the fretted Persuader 5 that inspired it.


Enjoy the ride. 

[jazzyvee]

Hi Spoilers, my maple is quilted.

[hammer]

I think you’re going to love the 3/4 body. I did the same 3/4 sizing to my custom signature deluxe and not only do I like the weight savings but along with the neck it makes that bass so easy to play compared to the standardpoint full-bodied basses I have.

[edwin]

This is reclaimed redwood salvaged from old growth logs.  Based on the vendor's description, I think this is probably "sinker redwood" from trees cut in the 1800s that ended up at the bottom of rivers for over a century.  I'm crossing my fingers that up close the grain will be similar to this "sinker redwood" top:


Ken

I love old wood! Last month I bought a Wilkinson P bass with an alder body (150 years old) and a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard (both over 100 years old). It has such a great feel. As an aside, it was made alongside a bass for Peter Cetera who wanted something to bring on the road because his '65 P was too precious. It wasn't too long before he considered the Wilkinson too valuable. I just gig everything.

[jazzyvee]

I dropped by this thread whilst researching Koa on the forum. Did this dream materialise into a bass?

[Spoilers!]

No sightings yet.  I did let Mica know I'd be glad to do a Factory to Customer thread when the time comes, so if she isn't too swamped hopefully we'll get to see early glimpses of how the non-figured redwood looks sometime soon.

Thanks for asking!

Ken

[Spoilers!]

Update:  Mica let me know that we're looking at birth date sometime this summer.  The waiting is tough, but on the plus side I was able to score a fretted 3/4 Spoiler from '87 that was for sale in Japan last year.  Playing it removed all doubt about my choice of that body style for the custom.  It also gave time for the Crest to come out.  At Mica's suggestion, we're probably going to incorporate some parts of the Crest's wood recipe to pull the weight down a little bit more.

Ken