Dreaming of a Mark King Deluxe #2

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Sorry to start another thread folks but I thought that if I posted my question in the previous thread then it might get missed.  This is also a progess report of sorts...
 
Before I ask my question, you may remember that in the previous thread, I asked a few questions about neck dimensions.  Since then, I have had an offer from Michael Walker to CAD the dimensions of my 4001 neck so that I can supply them to Alembic so that I can get the neck I want on my MKD.  In advance - thanks to Michael and hopefully thanks to Alembic!
 
In the meantime, I have also been in contact with Status, as I quite like the look of the Buzzard bass (not to replace my Alembic, in addition to it).  The only problem is that they cannot modify the neck on the instrument because the mould does not allow it - so that's out as I won't pay that amount of money until I can find one to test play and then find out if I do or do not like it.  What is this 'mould' business anyway?  I like the idea that someone has grafted over my bass to create it, not created it from a mould...
 
...anyway, this ultimately brings me to my question.  Sorry for rambling on!
 
Do I ever (short of flying my fat arse to Alembic) get to choose the actual pieces of Coco Bolo wood that are the front and back laminates of my bass?
 
More progess too on the inlay dept. - senior management (i.e. my other half) has authorised Alembic expenditure, as long as the fretboard is inlaid with The Dragon.  That's a shame as my favourite is the Tree of Life.......
 
Watch this space (probably for the ward name and hospital name that I'm recovering in if I decide on the TofL instead of The Dragon)...
 
Cheers for now!
 
Roger

[mica]

Check out the Wood Bank section of the Club - it's where you can pick out particular pieces. I add more every week. If you don't see what you're looking for, let me know. You can refer me to another picture from any maker and I'll dig through the wood pile.  
 
Since Status uses graphite necks, they are molded. With wood, you must carve it. It's one of the reasons we stopped making basses with graphite necks - custom widths require a new mold.

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Thanks for your reply Mica, I'm getting wiser about Alembics almost by the minute!
 
Can I clarify something please?  Does the choice of any particular piece of wood affect the final price of the instrument?

[mica]

If you're talking about a Mark King Deluxe, you can pick any bookmatch of Coco Bolo we have except the Quilted Coco Bolo for no additional charge.

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Great, thanks!

[Michael Walker (rockandroller)]

Aside from the Buzzards currently made by Status, did you know that the original Buzzards were made for John by Warwick, and used wooden necks ( See http://www.warwickbass.com/news/37.htm)  
   
Maybe you could kill two birds with one stone and get Alembic to make you a bass with a Buzzard-style body and headstock...  
   


 
 
(Message edited by rockandroller on January 10, 2003)
 
(Message edited by rockandroller on January 10, 2003)

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

What a great idea! I'm a bit slow sometimes, must be my age!!!
 
What do you reckon Mica?  Would I need to go and see my bank manager for this to happen??

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Roger,
 
I think you definitely have to visit your bank manager (maybe 2 managers LOL). It will be a beautiful investment and in my opinion one of the best you will ever make.
I'm excited to see this happening, like brother Mikey should say: bass-history in the make.
Take care!
 
Paul
 
It's beer o'clock??? So you are really enjoying the new opening hours in UK I guess? I heard they are now modelled to a more belgian schedule?

[mica]

One thing we can't reproduce are other makers' headstock shapes. As a custom order, we can make just about any body shape, but we usually will modify it to fit with our construction techniques (this typically is around the upper fret area) and to make it look a touch more Alembic-y.
 
So, if the project is to proceed, we'll need to know what part of the shape you are really taken with (lower horn, upper bout, etc) and anything you specifically want to change and we can start hashing out some designs once you've started the business with the importer, and presumably your bank manager.  
 
Custom body templates start at $350. Please note that the excecution of some designs will require additional labor and materials that are separate from the templates. This bass looks pretty wide, and so the extra materials will be around $400.
 
If this bass is to have an Alembic Dragon inlay, maybe we should make the lower horn and upper bout look a touch more dragon-like.

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Thanks for everyone's help so far - aren't you all sick to death of my questions and indecisions yet?
 
Paul - I haven't really noticed the new opening hours yet, but I tend not to go out in town much. Besides, the fridge at home has no licensing hours on it!
 
Anyway, on to basses...
 
The headstock is the one thing I don't like about the Status Buzzard, but for practical reasons.  I also play keyboards, and the Buzzard shape headstock is just asking to be embedded into the top of my Roland D-50 so it would have to change anyway.  What I would really want is the Cone 4 shape.
 
My apologies for this, but I'm assuming the upper bout is the part that goes up under the right arm pit?  Assuming this to be the case, there is a large part of the Warwick Buzzard body shape that I like - most of it in fact. To my mind, the Exploiter shape is just too angular and too in-your-face.  I'd ideally like something different in its own right without being madly different for the sake of it. I quite like the Mark King shape (which was where I started) but I'm gradually moving away to something more...ahem - radical. But not too radical.
 
I had forgotten that the Buzzard started life at Warwick in wood, and that shape sets me buzzing (no pun intended) so I think it's fundamentally right for what I want.  It all depends on cost really, so before I waste loads of your time Mica, I'd need a ballpark-ish figure for what I want.  So here goes - specification according to Rog...
 
I like the spec of the Mark King Deluxe, so I'd like to stick with that using Coco Bolo front and rear but with a few changes:-
1). Deluxe Purpleheart Laminates
2). Silver side position markers
3). Dragon inlay
 
The body on the Warwick Buzzard is very close to what I would want, both for size and shape. I would be open to it being made more Alembic-y and also ideas regarding changing the lower horn and upper bout to be 'a touch more dragon-like' but I'm not too creative when it comes to things like this.  I know what I like when I see it but I'm hopeless at suggesting things. I'm sure you could help Mica? Also, I would want the bass to balance at the 2:30 position. Is that a potential problem?
 
I'm not sure if my ramblings here help you Mica. I can see this taking some time!
 
Two questions:-
1). From initial design discussions to finished bass, what sort of time scale are we looking at for something like this?
2). Custom body templates start at $350 - where do they finish?
 
And finally - Senior Management really likes dragony things and so do I, but I think she reckons I've finally lost the plot with this!!!!!!!!!  But she hasn't got to play it!!
 
Cheers everyone,
 
Rog

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

I have a hell-uf-an-idea: let your senior-management talk with Alembics senior management! So the two girls can do the talking and you the playing!!?? ;-)
 

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

I've swapped a couple of e-mails with Mica recently about getting a guide price for this proposed bass.  I haven't heard anything in over a week, has Mica been abducted by aliens?  ;-)  Or do these sort of things normally take this long at Alembic?

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Roger,
 
don't worry!
It takes time. I guess there are some 234 e-mails to answer every day. Apart from letters, phone-calls, visitors, taking pictues, talking to suppliers etc ... . It kan take some time. I suggest you mail her directly in a couple of days or in a week or so.
 
Paul

[Roger Smith (rogertvr)]

Thanks for your reply Paul. I guess patience is the order of the day! I'm anxious to get a proposed price because if it's out of my reach, I need to spend some time having a re-think. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it - it could just be straightforward excitement of course!

[mica]

Hi Roger,
 
I'm back from outerspace (actually, just a nast, nasty flu). After consulting with mom about the design, she reports the custom template will be $550 (this is not discounted to the dealer-just a labor reimbursement paid to us). Additionally, the width requires an upgrade to the Exploiter body shape, a $400 option (but will very soon be $800).  
 
5200 Signature Deluxe
800 body shape
200 Silver Side position markers
50 7-piece Maple and Purpleheart neck
550 labor for template (dealer won't discount)
------
6800 before inlay
 
I'm not sure, but we might have talked about a new Dragon inlay in one of our emails we exchanged. In any event, I will share a Photoshop rendition of the design:
 


 
 
This design is less complicated than the Gothic Dragon inlay (like on the Featured Custom of   Puff.
 
The Chinese Dragon is $3500, compared to the $5000 for the Gothic Dragon.  
 
With a custom body shape, the design and build time for the bass wil run 10-12 weeks. With the Chinese Dragon inlay, it will be 14-16 weeks total. The Gothic Dragon will take 4-6 months to complete,