Custom bas(s)ed on the Orion or other 'budget' models?

[the_mule]

Hello y'all, as some of you already know I'm very pleased with my Orion 4, but I just have to admit that it won't be my last Alembic.  
 
At some moment in the (hopefully not too distant) future I'll jump on the 'custom train', and it might very well be with the Orion model as my starting point.  
 
This is not only for financial reasons. As I said, I love the Orion, and especially the sound of a set neck instead of a neck through instrument. But I'm not ashamed to admit that I just can't justify paying more than $5000 for my custom Alembic, both to myself and the 'senior management'.
 
At the moment I'm thinking towards a fretless 4 or 5-string Orion with a birdseye maple top (or maybe buckeye burl), purpleheart accent laminate, purpleheart neck laminates, standard omega body and crown peghead shape.  
 
But this 'dreaming of...' ain't why I started this topic in the first place. At the moment I'm very curious about other people who might have (had) the same ideas, and I'd love to see how those ideas materialised. Please show me (us)your 'budget customs'. I also would appreciate comments, suggestions and advise...  
 
Thanks alot!
 
(Message edited by the_mule on April 08, 2004)

[the_mule]

Right, I was thinking (dreaming?) about this overnight, and my ideas are becoming more and more specific already.
 
I still have some doubt between 'set neck' or 'neck through', but visually (with the Standard Omega body shape) and because I own and enjoy an Orion already, the Essence really is the better option:
 
ESSENCE
- 4-string
- Fretless with maple side lines
- Medium 32 scale
- Standard Omega body shape
- Crown peghead shape
- Essence electronics (with Q-switch)
- Mahogany body
- Birdseye maple top with purpleheart accent
- Purpleheart neck laminates
 
What do you think?
 
BTW: I would still love to see pictures of customs based on the Epic, Orion & Essence...
 
Thanks alot!

[dnburgess]

The 3/4 size body might look good with the med. scale.

[the_mule]

You may be exactly right there. Now that you mention this, another option actually is a shortscale fretless Orion with a small standard body, like a blonde Stanley Clarke model:  
 
ORION  
- 4-string  
- Fretless with maple side lines  
- Short 30.75 scale  
- Small Standard body  
- Crown peghead shape  
- Essence electronics (with Q-switch)  
- Birdseye maple top with purpleheart accent  
- (maybe) Birdseye maple back laminate
- (maybe) Deluxe Purpleheart neck laminates  
 
Now I'll just have to make up my mind...
 
(Message edited by the_mule on April 09, 2004)

[dadabass2001]

I bought it used, but a very nice instrument is my fretless Epic with knooby peghead, Hipshot drop D tuner, ghost frets, flame maple top, and red side LEDs. I absolutely love the side LEDs (can't beat em for playing in a dark bar.)
Mike

[the_mule]

Sounds really nice! Before the Paul-brigade tumbles in screaming for them: do you have pictures?
 

[dadabass2001]

Hello Wilfred,
Here's the club link:
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/3173.html?1043362572  
No big shots, but my whole Alembic family is represented.  
Mike

[rraymond]

Hi Wilfred,
 
Six years ago I did exactly what you're thinking about, I ordered a custom built Orion as my first custom bass from Alembic. Here's a link:
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/888.html?1024595319
It's back at the Mothership now having more goodies applied to it.
 
Take it easy and dream on Alembic brother!
 
Reid Raymond

[the_mule]

Wow, those are both very nice examples of Orions with a personal 'twist'. Thanks Mike and Reid!  
 
Well, I've had a lot of time to think about this today (working in the garden on a free day isn't a very difficult job in the head department) and now I'm almost sure I want to go with the Orion-based custom as described a few posts back:
 
- 4-string  
- Fretless with maple side lines  
- Short 30.75 scale  
- Small Standard body  
- Crown peghead shape  
- Essence electronics (with Q-switch)  
- Birdseye maple top with purpleheart accent  
- (maybe) Birdseye maple back laminate  
- (maybe) Deluxe Purpleheart neck laminates  
 
I've noticed it's very tempting to let the visual aspect 'overrule' the sound and playability you're looking for when you're building yourself the custom Alembic of your dreams in your head. But I really prefer the woody characteristics of a set-neck instrument and I now have a walnut top/maple accent/mahogany body fretted Orion that I absolutely love. The little blonde fretless Orion I'm seriously considering should definitely have a maple top/purpleheart accent/mahogany body/maple back laminate(?) AND different electronics for optimal tonal versatility altogether. And visually they'd also be different like night and day. Would be a nice pair...
 
(but who knows what I'll be thinking of tomorrow)

[rraymond]

That's definitely a sweet Orion you're planning Wilfred. I can't imagine how nice an Alembic fretless must sound. (I've got an old Fender Japanese Jazz Fretless that I've upgraded the heck out of to get it sounding good.) Speaking of night and day, here's a pair for you, my Orion with my 1980 Series I which I snagged off Ebay a year ago.
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/1887.html?1033365519
Good luck in the garden, I'm doing my best to avoid that sort of work today! ;-)
 
Reid

[the_mule]

That's a great pair indeed! Is it possible to point out the differences between your Orion and Series I SOUNDWISE without the influence of the Series I electronics kicking in, at basic settings? I'm especially interested in sustain, high/middle/low response and tone (both plugged and unplugged).
 
BTW: what extra 'goodies' are going to be applied to your fine Orion at The Mothership?

[rraymond]

Howdy Mule!
 
Follow this link to an in-house discussion of the phenomena which we call tone and the implications of set-neck vs. neck-thru construction. It is detailed there better that I ever could here!
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/8953.html?1081569899
 
Regarding your question and with respect to my personal experience, I'd have to say that as Mica said, the neck-thru's have more of a smiley face sound, whereas the set-necks have more mid-range. This is true unplugged also, and my neck-thru's have greater sustain as well. Plugged in, the Series I sounds like, well an Alembic, without any finagling of the electronics or effort on my part. The Orion gets that Alembic sound, but I have to dig in to make it as apparent as on the Series I. As always, YMMV. As far as upgrade goodies to the Big K, I'm having the pickups replaced with Fatboys, a Q switch and sustain block added, oval fretboard inlays added, and for pure pimp factor I'm replacing the bronze logo and script with gold one's, and in homage to Keavin's #12, I'm having the old bronze logo mounted to the body down at the point. For some reason, I'm fascinated by that. Weird hunh? At any rate, welcome to the fold, I hope you get that 4-string fretless built, and if you do, don't forget to post pictures! Reid

[the_mule]

Hi Reid, that's some very nice upgrades you're describing. Don't be too hard on yourself, 'weird' just isn't the right term, it's 'individual' and that's something really Alembic-like to be looking for.  
 
Thanks for the useful information about the Orion vs. the Series I BTW.  
 
I'm almost sure that the 'little blonde fretless' will be build some day in the near future, and if that's the case, I'll be spreading the news and a flood of pictures like crazy over this entire board I'm afraid... (moderators beware!)
 
edit: Hmmm, that's CAVEAT MODERATOR isn't it?
 
(Message edited by the_mule on April 11, 2004)

[kmh364]

Mule:
 
Ther's nothing wrong about going with a Custom based on an Orion or other budjet Alembic model. I personally wanted a (relatively) light-weight high-end Jazz Bass-style instrument versus the traditional heavy neck-through instrument. The Orion fits the bill nicely. I fell in love with the East Meets West Custom O'Month, but the dealer that had it wanted way too much for an instrument that was banging around the shop for more than six mos. Instead, I found a dealer willing to discount heavily and I ordered my own version of the same. This time, however, I got it loaded-up with all the features lacking in the original for about a grand or so more. Without realizing it initially, I may end up with the most heavily customized Orion in history, LOL!
 
Cheers,
 
Kevin

[the_mule]

Hi Kevin, the 'budget' thing is meant 'tongue in cheek' off course and certainly there's nothing wrong about a custom bass with a nice / friendly financial starting point, isn't it?
 
I'm following the progress on your bass in the factory to customer-section, it's promises to be a great Orion altogether!