I've fired off an email to Mica last night with some thoughts on getting a series bass and thought I'd put it on here to see if my thoughts can gain some experience/guidance from your knowledge.
I'm not sure even if this will happen but at the moment the 60% off custom items has made me consider again.
Anyway here goes, bearing in mind the 60% off a custom item for this month only, I'm trying to decide before the deadline whether or not a new 5 string non series bass customised with series I or II electronics is within my reach.
I know there are only a few days before the end of this special and if I miss this then I will probably have to wait for Mica's 60th for the next major discount. :-)
I have three options as I see it at the moment.
Option 1) have a standard non series bass built and use the special to have 60% off series I or II electrics and the free side led's
Option 2) investigate the possibility and cost of adding series I or II electronics to my one of my existing basses. The most suitable would be this one:
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/3658.html?1170593034 with Standard Europa electronics
or
This one:
http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/57606.html?1279803631 with signature electronics.
Option 3): Do nothing.
Now from what I've read on previous threads is that some the body shapes are not deep enough to hold the series package. So, with that in mind I wondered if the body on either of these two basses was too thin whether a book matched to centre back laminate could be added to give extra depth? I expect there may be an issue with the neck area if there was some additional wood on the back of the bass.
I suppose if it were possible, then the easiest one to do a conversion with is the black maple Europa since it already has signature electronics and the holes would be in the right place for series electronics. But then I think for my style and music I generally play I prefer the mellower tone of my mahogany body Europa and may feel a bit unhappy about having to lose some of the flexibility of the series package due to the need to use it more for taming the high end brought on by the maple body of the black bass.
If it were to convert the Bocate Europa, then it would have non standard and maybe confusing control layout unless some of the existing control holes could be filled invisibly or artistically.
SO:
If I was to go down option 1 then I would have to offload some of my existing alembics to fund that project. :-(
If I was to go down option 2 which could probably be as expensive as option 1, then I would again have to sell off some of my alembics except the donor Europa bass used for the upgrade. Then I'd have to factor into that the cost of shipping to and from the USA unless it could be done in 2 weeks then I could go for a holiday and drop it off at the start and pick it up at the end. :-(
if I was to go down option3, then I'd still keep my existing basses and my bank balance and have to continue looking for that elusive series bass bargain.
I welcome any advice you can give me about this. Once it gets to October and a decision is not made well...... this message may well become another unfulfilled dreamy post.. hahaha
Before I forget, what's the crack with the approved dealers? If I was to go for a new one I presume I would get it cheaper than direct from Alembic. What about upgrade work does that qualify for a dealer discount too? If i do decide to do this, I kind of like the idea of going to the states to collect the bass from Alembic in person. Would that stop me getting a dealer discount?
Right back to the quote generator to work out some prices.
Jazzyvee
(Message edited by jazzyvee on September 26, 2010)
