Author Topic: Headless?! Are you insane?! (Read 1414 times)

bigideas · « **Reply #30 on:** November 24, 2006, 07:47:25 AM »

I agree, Paul's bass is beautiful whatever condition it's in. For that matter Michael's bass is still beautiful, and it's head nearly came off.

I think a headless Alembic would require a reinterpretation of the classic Alembics (small standard, standard point, standard omega) or the newer interpretations of those (balance k point and omega, and lil'darling) by Susan. She would be best able to come up with a design that embraced being headless and was very properly Alembic. Actually, I'm sure the Standard or K Omega could be reshaped quite nicely to accept a tuner/tailpiece at the butt end. As to the logo, have it inlayed on the bass somewhere.

Having said that, short of wanting a headless Series bass, there are most likely a myriad of smaller builders that would build you an excellent headless bass and put Alembic guts into it (David King having been mentioned already.) I say no Series because I'm not sure if Alembic will sell you the Series electronics for a non-Alembic bass.

The question becomes; do you want an Alembic that's headless or a headless with the guts of an Alembic?

lbpesq · « **Reply #31 on:** November 24, 2006, 08:23:23 AM »

Here are some headless Alembics

OUCH! Bill, tgo

haddimudd · « **Reply #32 on:** November 24, 2006, 08:35:48 AM »

Well, the one in the below image almost resembles the headless Status KingBass. It looks much better than the Status even without the headstock. I don't think you would ever get a Status with fancy inlays. Quite frankly, I could see a headless Alembic design with traditional corpus.

Hartmut

hifiguy · « **Reply #33 on:** November 24, 2006, 07:48:56 PM »

That post two up just about made me cry. Was it possible to heal her up?

jsaylor · « **Reply #34 on:** November 24, 2006, 08:30:37 PM »

Wow, that looks horrible. The fact it doesn't have head is pretty bad looking aswell.

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #35 on:** November 25, 2006, 06:54:36 AM »

The cherryburst is club member Steve's and is chronicled in the thread titled Why Is This Man Crying. The last links there indicates Steve's insurance opted to replace the intrument, reusing the electronics in the new one to be built. See this thread and click on the archive link at the top of the page.

Club member Mike Bisch (ox junior) also had a headstock disaster, but had his Spyder repaired with a new cone headstock instead of the V headstock it originally had.

Let's all be safe out there in the clubs
Mike

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 25, 2006, 07:11:39 AM »

The cherryburst belongs to Steve Wood. Here's the thread discussing it. Click on the Archive link at the top of the page to see closeups (AAARGH). Steve's insurance decided to total the old bass and pay for a new one which will reuse the electronic guts of the original.

Club member Mike Bisch (ox junior) also had a headstock removal (a Who Show twirling mic disaster) that was repaired with a switch to the cone headstock instead of the larger V headstock.

Let's all be safe out there in the clubs...
Mike

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #37 on:** November 25, 2006, 07:16:41 AM »

Two views of the same semi-helpful info...

12 and 6, in a plain brown wrapper!
Mike, Sr.
(This senior moment brought to you by tryptiphan and cranberries)

(Message edited by dadabass2001 on November 25, 2006)

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #38 on:** November 25, 2006, 07:23:03 AM »

Let's all be safe out there in the clubs... (and avoid quadruple posts...DO'OH)
Mike

(Message edited by dadabass2001 on November 25, 2006)

(Message edited by dadabass2001 on November 25, 2006)

olieoliver · « **Reply #39 on:** November 25, 2006, 07:59:21 AM »

I would imagine that you would have to hit the head pretty hard to snap it off like that. I've had a few basses get dropped even had one thrown acroos the room and never had that happen.

OUCH!

haddimudd · « **Reply #40 on:** December 05, 2006, 07:59:00 AM »

After playing around with some design options I now think that I would not want a headless Alembic. When comparing to the Status bendwell I think you can get a headstock similarily compact and yet true to the Alembic style. That is what I will pursue on any future Bonsai Alembic shorty project rather than any headless option.

Hartmut

olieoliver · « **Reply #41 on:** December 05, 2006, 08:31:28 AM »

I have a MK-5 that has a smaller head than my other MK-5 on it. Here is a shot of the heads side by side.

You can see one is shorter, I assumu they can be made more narrow too. That is if you wanted to stay with a crown head.

haddimudd · « **Reply #42 on:** December 05, 2006, 08:45:48 AM »

Yes, that's the direction I was looking at, and with my plans for a 4-string it would be even easier, I guess. Thanks for the pics. Looking good.

olieoliver · « **Reply #43 on:** December 05, 2006, 08:52:27 AM »

I bet a 4 could go even smaller. Here is a better shot of the head and one of the whole bass to give you a better idea of how it looks. This bass is a 35" scale and I get no neck dive at all on it. It does however have an extended upper horn which probably helps.

(Message edited by davehouck on December 07, 2006)

haddimudd · « **Reply #44 on:** December 05, 2006, 09:01:12 AM »

I would try to go narrower and even shorter too and see how far the limits can be pushed to still remain true to the classic crown design.