Continuing the tailpiece centering discussion.

[pierreyves]

What an incredible waste of time and energy
Yes bob, like you say but not like you write..;o)
 
(Message edited by pierreyves on March 11, 2007)

[bsee]

When my custom bass showed up, one of the first things that struck me when I took it out of the case was the position of the headstock logo.  It looked to be clearly a couple mm off center and bothered the heck out of me for a few days.  As I bonded with the instrument, I came to accept this as part of hand craftsmanship.  Sure, I'd like it if it were more centered, but it is what it is.
 
I think the issue here is one of expectation more than one of craftsmanship.  The only issues I had with my bass were the surprises.  If we can get enough of this information into the FAQs and what have you, the surprises will be reduced and people will know what to expect when they open the case.
 
As far as the tailpiece being off to the treble side, I suspect it is because the strings are spaced evenly edge-to-edge.  That means the strings are more toward the treble side of the neck, so the tailpiece follows.

[grateful]

When this discussion first started, I checked my Further and it too features a not quite centred tailpiece.  Doesn't bother me at all:  it is just further proof of how hand-built these wonderful instruments are.
 
Mark

[keavin]

when i bought my  bass i knoticed the string slots slightly off a bit so i filed in some new  slots to set them straight & the tail peice seems to be perfect also!

[lbpesq]

Don't like the bird tailpiece looking off-center in comparison with the neck lams?  Two easy solutions:
 
1.  BTC top;
 
2.  Get a set neck.
 
Problem solved.
 
I'll think I'll call this the Shakespeare thread:
 
Much Ado About Nothing.
 
Bill, tgo

[bkbass]

This months Bass Player Magazine with Mike Watt on the cover has for the retrorama featured instrument a 1976 series I. As far as I can see the tail piece is off center. That was thirty years ago.

[terryc]

My opinion...alembics are built firstly to sound good, the second point is they look good BUT it is the first point which is most important.
All the other manufactures hide there imperfections with paint but you know those little quirks are what makes alembic unique along with all the other attributes associated with these fine instruments. Tail pieces off centre(however small) strings lining up with laminates, I think my MK standard has a slight deviation on the tuner holes but I don't care, it still turns heads when I play it and it sounds great.
I know the gripe about paying loads of money and expecting perfection but this is earth not utopia, if it were we would all sound like jaco, stanley, king, wooton et al.
I have never noticed it on mine but I don't a central laminate, just walnut pinstripes.

[bassjigga]

We are dealing with hand-made hardware, not CNC machined stuff. I'm sure they could spend the time to make sure the tailpiece were 100% symetrical and that the strings properly lined up, and that it was centered when mounted. But this would probably increase the cost of the hardware 2 to 3 times. Even being slightly off center, I prefer the strings to be in the right place and Alembic still has the best hardware of any bass I've had.

[Bradley Young]

The hardware is cut in a CNC machine.
 
Bradley

[adriaan]

... but the setup is done by hand. But perhaps the slots for the strings are hand-cut?

[bassjigga]

Oops!

[mica]

Most hardware is cut on a CNC machine, but it is finished and sanded by hand, introducing variations. Some hardware is even cut by hand. Please remember there are larger strings on one side of the hardware, this itself introduces some strange optical effects. This is exagerated by our style of spacing the strings edge-to-edge at the bridge, but even center-to-center spacing has the change in diameter effect.  
 
The setup is done by hand, the slots are cut by hand. Please notice that the center of the playing area of the instruments (sighted by the edge of the string to the edge of the fingerboard) is even.

[Bradley Young]

Looks like pedantic boy (me!) got a taste of his own medicine.  Thanks for the clarification, Mica.
 
Of course, I was mostly (technically) correct.  
 
I suggested to Mica that Alembic offer a visually symmetric tailpiece option and it shouldn't cost more than $2000 or so.  (Since it would amount to trial and error.)
 
Bradley

[jalevinemd]

It's funny...I have always considered myself anal beyond comprehension, especially when it comes to my beloved instruments. And until this thread, after nearly 3 years, I never noticed that my Little Bear's tailpiece is off center by a couple millimeters or so. Still one of the best playing, sounding and looking guitars ever! Given the fact that they're completely handcrafted I would think this to be the rule rather than the exception. Like one of the bone radiology attendings in my residency used to say there are no straight lines in nature.  
 
When I find subtle flaws (in just about everything!), my wife always tells me that imperfection is beauty.
 
Regards,
 
Jonathan

[tkotmk42]

My first bass had tail piece placed bit offcenter.
 
On my next bass, I asked Mica to place the tail piece 'dead center' in relation to the neck laminate.  
 
You can see that my bass's tail piece is dead center of neck laminate...  
I think they can center it with bit of effort on their side.  I am greatful for Mica and the team for making mine dead centered.  
 
mine is here
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/2140.html?1117209090