Author Topic: LIve Fire Exercise (Read 7951 times)

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2014, 06:44:28 PM »

You'll love this article at NoTreble about BGF basses

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2012/02/02/bass-of-the-week-browns-guitar-factory-frettedless-bass/

hammer · « **Reply #16 on:** September 12, 2014, 06:12:56 AM »

Interesting take. I wonder how they keep things tight over time to avoid fret buzz.

FC Bass · « **Reply #17 on:** September 12, 2014, 08:10:52 AM »

Mica commented on the convertible fretless here: http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/29615.html

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2014, 08:20:18 AM »

I wouldn't trust, Hammer...

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2014, 11:10:09 AM »

I don't know if my idea of a half-fretless is D-O-A just yet... I still believe what I'm imagining would work, since the fretless section of the fingerboard would *actually be one long continuous fret* from the nut to the 11&1/2 th, and be fretted from 12th through the 24th. The string action (as in - the distance from top of fret, or continuous fret, to bottom of string) would be the same height as if it were any other bass. It's difficult to describe in such a way that one can visualize. The above picture was best, but it seems to have failed.

I'm starting to question whether fretless is the way to go at all...

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #20 on:** September 15, 2014, 11:12:52 AM »

Let's try the detail picture again...

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2014, 07:52:04 AM »

Haven't updated in a while, but since a couple sales of idle gear and basses have gone through, my custom fund is trending upward. Still, these are the musings of a dreamer. =)

I had been leaning strongly toward Signature electronics, as a sensible, very usable package, but lately I've become fascinated with the East-Meets-West electronics. (hey, you can't get much further East than here, and it's a loooong way Westbound from here to Santa Rosa!) Seriously, most of my basses are wired Volume-Pan-Bass boost/cut-Treble boost/cut, and it's what I am used to, but playing an Alembic with filters and q-switches has changed my tastes somewhat... I'd love to try this setup with a filter.

One of the major concerns while planning my future custom is knowing what body will accommodate which electronics package, and most importantly, which combination will best for me. I still like the Europa body, but also growing fond of the Balance K. There is also an allure to the old-school-cool of the Standard Omega cut.

And this half-baked, half-fretless notion hasn't gone away yet either.

Hmmm... what to do... what to do???

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #22 on:** December 09, 2014, 05:40:56 AM »

Another item to add to the what if list... piezo pickups in the bridge saddles.

Hat-tip to edwin for bringing this post to my attention: http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/67349.html

tbrannon · « **Reply #23 on:** December 09, 2014, 02:38:48 PM »

Piezo would be a nice option to have.

In terms of the electronics and what will fit in what... pretty much the only electronics that require something extra are series electronics, which require a slightly thicker body. So, if you're building a custom with signature electronics, with the intention of someday upgrading to Series, you'd want to plan in advance and do a 'series prep' build with the extra depth and with the humcanceller routed, etc. Otherwise, I think they can squeeze anything into any of the body shapes.

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2015, 10:24:06 AM »

Time for a Dream Thread Update:

I had an epiphany about a month ago, regarding what I want to do musically in the next 20 years, and pretty much hit the reset button. This is a priority, (or rather, moved up the list) so I finally had a quote done on a custom bass, and it's at least within reach for this-coming year. Now that the quote is printed out and tucked into my daily planner under stuff to do, it's getting pretty real now... it's exciting to at least see where the finish line is. The goal here is a fretless bass that I can interchange seamlessly as possible from my Persuader 5-string from a playability standpoint, but also be my ideal vision. Ultimately the primary, go-to instrument... everything the Persuader is, and then some. So...

Here's the basic build:

5 string bass, 32 scale, fretless.
Standard Omega body shape.
3 purpleheart neck laminates.
Classic taper, ebony fingerboard.
East-Meets-West electronics.

Some other options I went with:

Bird tailpiece, polished brass hardware.
Brass backplate & truss rod cover.
Gold tuners & strap buttons.
Sidelined fingerboard, with bronze dots.
Bronze logo, maybe with script.

Undecided as of yet:

Top - birdseye maple, or vermillion.
Headstock - Spoiler Cone or Orion 3+2.
Headstock - front & back veneers.

So I left a couple things open-ended, but not things that would significantly affect the bottom line cost. Before getting much further along, I need some educated opinions regarding pickup selection and placement. Of course the Elves already know what works and doesn't, and I'm very much looking forward to that conversation, but I'm wondering what you folks think.

FC Bass · « **Reply #25 on:** March 06, 2015, 10:02:22 AM »

That's gonna be very nice! :-)

moongerm · « **Reply #26 on:** March 06, 2015, 10:37:02 AM »

Like it!

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #27 on:** March 06, 2015, 10:50:06 AM »

Thanks Flip, that's *exactly* the graphic I was trying to imagine... LOL!

Dang... it's still hard to decide.

adriaan · « **Reply #28 on:** March 06, 2015, 12:51:41 PM »

Starting to look like a JJ Signature, with the cone headstock that JJ himself prefers!

(Message edited by adriaan on March 06, 2015)

FC Bass · « **Reply #29 on:** March 06, 2015, 01:13:10 PM »

That's definitely going to get the JJ seal of approval I guess :-) Here's the Orion headstock with your preferred 2+3 layout:

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on March 06, 2015)