Essence body + Series pickups and humcanceller and preamp + SF-2?

[adriaan]

Could be they didn't have flame koa wide enough for a true bookmatch-to-center, and came up with this double bookmatch.
 
But as Kevin said, it may have had controls on it before, and perhaps they replaced only the part of the top that had the holes, and mirrored that to the top half for the sake of balance. In that case it's a very elegant solution, and you don't get to lose that nice bookmatch-to-center effect that is so yummy with flame koa.

[keavin]

thats very unique in its own. not having your controls rite there at your side, but what i see is full throttle series settings (everything open ) (but) depending on were you set your tones prior to each song,or in between songs etc.... because i always had a problem messing with knobs during the song,which alot of us are in habit of.... ive been told often to find (one)sound on 'that' bass & lets go!!!..... but thats the life in world of series electronics.  

[basstard]

That's pretty interesting! I'd miss a pan-pot though (especially on the fretless - I use the bridge pick-up most of the time, with just a bit of the neck p-up).

[effclef]

Basstard, well my point was more from a sit-at-home or studio standpoint. Even with an SF-2 I would think it wouldn't make things that much more complicated, unless you were a long way away from the rack onstage.  
 
As I think more and more about this I wonder what it would cost in an actual quote! Maybe next year.
 
EffClef

[effclef]

OK, Mica, Susan, Val or whoever at the factory who sees this message: can this be done?
 
Actually I'd change my idea to the following:
 
1) Series pickups and hum pickup
2) Humcanceller and preamp electronics only
3) No controls
4) side mounted 5 pin jack (I thought I saw a bass with that here)
5) Essence, or perhaps Balance-K body size/shape.
6) No batteries - power from DS-5
7) Ebony neck laminates
Elan headstock
 
So that's the idea. Beyond that, I am thinking only of an otherwise stock Essence with the usual choices for woods and laminates.
 
The BIG BIG question here, is if Ron Wickersham would be willing to do this. I am guessing that the current Series electronics are all on one circuit board, and not separated with preamp and filters on separate ones. But my idea involves having the Series hum cancelling circuitry and just the preamp, feeding out to the 5 pin cable which also supplies the only power, and thence into the DS-5 and SF-2 for tone shaping.
 
If the board would fit into an Essence body, great. Otherwise Balance-K, I guess. Not having any controls does give some room.  
 
Price wise I would guess these custom electronics would fall at somewhere less than full blown Series I. If the price would be 75% or more of that, I might as well junk this idea and go with an actual Series design.  
 
But my intent here is to make a light(er) weight bass which still has the wonderful hum cancelling and single coil pickups of a Series, and I wouldn't mind having to use the 5 pin cable full time.
 
If Ron says no, then I think I might modify my pipe dream quite a bit, and do a balance-K with FatBoys to get close to Series pickup sound in a small body.
 
Like it says...Dreaming...for now!
 
But if someone at the factory tells me this is possible, I would love to start this custom!
 
EffClef

[effclef]

Whoops, in rereading the thread I see Mica predicts February - but all I am looking for here is a guesstimate if it's possible. The actual build is probably more like 2006, if I go for this. Sorry, Mica - I didn't mean to sound pushy.
 
EffClef

[kmh364]

The Almost Twins Custom O' Month Series II basses had the recessed side-mounted five-pin jack (as well as the recessed side-mounted 1/4' phone jack) that looks phenomenal!