Considering a Custom for my 1/2 Century next year.

[jazzyvee]

One of the options to mark this occasion i'm considering is a custom Alembic. I know a number of members have done this same thing in the past and I'm sure the tradition will continue.
 
However this is just a thought at the moment and may not materialise so just bear with my ramblings etc during this investigation period. I'm also aware that I may also discover in this process that amongst my collection I already have the instrument that is perfect for me be that Alembic or not.
 
Right here we go.
1) Many of us have found that during our playing lives we find ourselves buying different guitars (or bass), in our quest for the one that provides the pallete for us to get our sound. We also have different guitars for different sounds.  
My thoughts are that if I had a custom instrument made with all the things I want in regards to construction, sound, playability, body shape, the perfect guitar for me. What reason apart from sentimental ones would I have to keep my existing collection.
 
2) Have you bought a custom guitar/bass then sold off  your collection as surplus to requirement?
 
3) Was this a good move?
 
Here are my thoughts at the moment for what I'd like.
I'd always wanted an alembic bass since I first saw clarkee with one back in the 70's. However I'd never thought of alembic guitars  until I joined this forum and bought my Orion.  So i'm not sure if I want a guitar or bass.
 
The design I'm considering at the moment is based on the SC Small body shapes and these two i've seen in the archive.
 
(Dragon Magic)


 
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_dragonmagic.html
this one.(Dragons Breath)
 


 
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_dragonsbreath.html
 
 
I like the bookmatch to centre for this project prefer the more rounded modern small standard body shape. I'd prefer a three pickup model rather than two so if I went for a series guitar, then the hum canceller would have to be hidden in the body somewhere as the middle pickup would take up its location on the top.  
My personal experience as a guitarist has been that during a song I rarely need to make any dramatic adjustments to tone once a song has begun so maybe series controls is overkill. ( any thoughts).  
 
My preference is to spend my money on the sonic and playability aspects of the instrument and only go for cosmetics where the cost is marginal so no expensive inlays unless heavily discounted in the specials. The only   exception to that is side LED's that I have found myself wishing for on many dramatic dark stages in my touring days.
 
Woods: I love Coco Bola as a top wood although this spalted bliss is pretty tasty.
 


 
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_spaltedbliss.html
 
Body wood:Not sure really, my Elan 4 with Europa electrics is all maple and that has a lovely sting to the sound bright, punchy  with a great sparkle and sustain which i think may be great for guitar. ( Advice please).
 
Neck: Standard recipe Maple and purpleheart with maybe one ebony stripe, ebony fretboard
 
Hardware; Chrome
 
I appreciate all insight into this I really haven't formulated in my own mind exactly what I want so I plan to revisit my guitars and note down the things about them that work well and not so well.
At the moment my Stratocaster Ultra is the guitar that I can take to any gig and be completely comfortable.  The only minor thing about it, which is probably the same for any passive guitar, is that once you roll back the volume off you lose a bit off the top end so 99% of the time the volume is set at about 75 to 80%. I've considered a custom shop strat and have tried a few in the past but to my ears none of them the sounded any better than my existing Ultra. Nor for that matter did the high end PRS Models either.
 
Next is my Orion. The neck is perfect and i think it is only a mm or so slimmer than the strat at the nut but feels so different. So I'd like that profile. The only thing that makes this guitar less that comfortable in all situations is that when I need to use overdrive which isn't that often it doesn't do it in a way that I really like.
 
Right, daydreaming over for now. I have Soundcheck in a couple of hours. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any input you can make in helping me decide whether to go ahead and if so what things I should be looking at.
Regards
Jazzyvee

[David Houck]

I don't recall seeing a three pickup Series instrument.  I'm just guessing, but it would seem that such an instrument would require new circuitry, which would require additional bench time and cost.  The PF-6 card has connectors for the hum canceler and two pickups.  It seems to me that for three pickups, a new card would have to be designed, printed and assembled.

[jazzyvee]

Neither have I Dave but I have another strat with three Alembic activators and bass and treble controls and I like that flexibility I get with the pickups and the tone controls. It's a bit scary though to go with additional bench time as I imagine Ron's time to be quite expensive. However like I said earlier I'm not specifically looking for a series instrument although that would be a great starting point I'm sure. Thanks again for your input.

[grateful]

I've not touched another electric guitar since I received my Further and seriously doubt I ever will unless it was another Alembic.
 
Regarding overdrive:  I bet your Orion would make a lovely sound if you let it overdrive your Fender Twin.  It'll be bloody loud though.

[lbpesq]

Jazzyvee:
 
I am a member of the Custom Alembic for my Fiftieth club.  I had told myself for many years that I would get myself either an old E-Type Jaguar or a custom Alembic.  The latter was more agreeable with senior management.  As expensive as a custom Alembic is, it's still significantly less than the old Jag.  I absolutely love Woody, my custom Further, but I still hop around on other guitars.  Sometimes I just feel like playing something else, sometimes the song calls for something else.  My belief is that one should never sell an instrument one likes except if you absolutely need the money for one of only two reasons:  survivial or another instrument.  And I'm not 100% convinced about survival as a reason!  Seriously though, it is much easier to sell an instrument than to replace it once it is gone.  I'd think long and hard before clearing out the stable once the new puppy arrives.  Just my $.02
 
Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Thanks for that Bill, i have resisted selling any guitars over the years although I have sold a few that were really below standard. But since I've got pro standard guitars I have kept them all and that has been a good policy really. I agree that sometimes I have wanted a particiular sound and one guitar has just that. I don't plan to sell any really and hope neither of your two conditions will apply to me in the forseeable future.
 
Gateful, yes you are correct about the Orion and my Fender Twin, so far that is the only route I've found to get a good over drive sound that I like but unfortunately I haven't always been able to request that amp when we have been touring. In the main it has been a Roland JC120 or another non valve amp which was one of the reasons  a while back I was searching in vain for a valve driven overdrive pedal.
 
Jazzyvee

[lbpesq]

I've noticed that my Alembics seem to like Fender amps more than Boogies.  Currently I'm mostly using a rack system with an F-2B (Fender sound) into a Mesa 50/50 and a bunch of other stuff.  Jazzyvvee, I may have said this before , but have you ever tried the Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic?  They also recently came out with a more radical version called the Twin Tube Mayhem.  As for tubes, I may soon be moving away from them, as UPS is scheduled to deliver my new Pritchard Amp on Tuesday.  I'm really excited about trying this amp out in view of all I've read.  It just might be  the magic amp.  Great tone, multiple voicings, including acoustic, analog, LIGHT and SMALL!
 
Bill, tgo

[jacko]

I'm also planning a new custom for my 50th but I've got till mid 2011 to save up;-)  We're hoping to fit in a trip to the mothership that year too.  
Details for the custom change every day but at the moment I'm very keen on a 5 string triple 'O' in either buckeye burl or superb walnut, bookmatched to centre with all wood truss rod and pickup covers. At least one ebony neck laminate and inlaid logo. Electronics would most likely be signature, both to keep the cost down and also because I'm VERY happy with those on my MK deluxe.
 
Graeme.
 
p.s. As this is the dreaming for now section I'm also thinking about a ten string (5 pairs).

[flaxattack]

why not get a tomahawk model?
you can get it in a plaid finish graeme!!!!!
and hagus colored pickups to boot!!!!

[jacko]

I'm not Scottish jeff, I just live here. In fact, I'm Northumbrian (a no-man's land between Scotland and England, ownership of which was the cause of a great many border disputes) so strictly speaking I'm English. I am however veryt proud of my Northumbrian heritage so maybe I could add an inlay of the county flag, recognised as being one of the earliest flag designs in britain,  

  or one of St Cuthbert's cross,  

  Food for thought....  Graeme

[flaxattack]

well daymn graeme, how was i to know?
my apologies...
does this mean you are going for the tomahawk in northumbrian finish?  
lmao

[crobbins]

I only play 2 of all the guitars that I own. My Alembic Tribute, and my PRS Singlecut with a whammy bar. If I ever considered a custom Alembic guitar it might be a Tribute with a whammy bar, or a Cali Special....

[jazzyvee]

I've been reading the customer to factory threads to get some ideas of what previous clients have had on their instruments and why. More bass constructions there than guitar but i presume the discussions about woods would be pretty similar.  
So this is going to be a bit of a research project too for me before I can come up with a good set of options to put before Mica for her input.
So I'm grateful for your comments and please any insight you can share is welcome. I'm not sure how far ahead of time I would need to make the order to have it ready on a specific date.
 
Jazzyvee

[hendixclarke]

Jazz, I just read your opening remarks on this thread, and you hit a serious nerve with me.  
 
As someone who has been playing the Small Body Series I for many years, and owned Alembic long scales too, I knew there would be a time, I would desire something that complement my playing style and desires, and for the most part, my Alembics fit the bill perfectly.
 
The Small body was the quintessential bass that fit me until I got critical with myself and my playing style.  
 
Of the two basses, the Small Body, is my favorite Alembic production made bass ever period.  
 
However, I stared to ask myself: What if I had the same sounding (Alembic), but in a better package that fits my style of playing...?
 
What would that look like, sound like... and BE?
 
Would it be a guitar second to none (even the current Alembics I cherish and known and played for years?
 
If the question is yes (Second to none...) then, if it's made in your image, realized, and materialized... and met all your goals then, and only then the new guitar, will embody you like no other guitar on earth. (hopefully, that's a good thing...)  
 
You have to be very honest here...  
 
My Short body was always my first string guitar, but I truly believe without a doubt, after the Toma_Hawk is built, and I get's in my hands round its measurements and refinements (I approved); the Short Body will take second string in my mind.  
 
[(Actually speaking, the Short body design all ready, takes second string...) from the point of conception of the Toma_Hawk.]
 
Not even Stanley Clarke's Dragon Breath (my absolute favorite bass) can come closer to my heart than my custom. (regardless to the embodiments, refinements, amenities  and/or luxuries).    
 
Now, if I seen the Toma_Hawk design used for the next Dragon Breath...,  
 
THAT WOULD BE A HEAVENLY...
 
Peace,
 
Hal-

[hendixclarke]

Hey Jazz,  
 
It is a personal decision, and it requires peace, and tranquility and absolutely no pressure from nobody.  
 
In the end, you will be happy with your choices on road under your feet. Congratulations man.  
 
Peace,
 
Hal-