Well, I took the plunge and ordered Alembic #3/Custom Alembic #2 today?! It was the culmination of a pretty intense process. I ultimately got NEARLY everything I want? but I decided I had to pass on at least one option ?and I chose the extended range.
It wasn?t easy. This bass has a LOT of schuh-weet options? it?s going to be exceedingly awesome. Now I could have got the extended fingerboard and/or a 7th string? but I would have had to lose some of my other options? and ultimately, I wasn?t willing to do that.
I most definitely had a price limit for this instrument? Alembics aren?t inexpensive? and I started this project with as little options as I could, to keep the cost as low as possible.
Ultimately, I just couldn?t get everything I wanted? as it was, my final specifications exceed the price tag I wanted? but still, it could only go so far. After I got the quote from Valentino, it became increasingly clear that I could either go way over what I?m comfortable paying if I got everything (which I ruled out)? or I?d have to pass on some option(s).
So, the question became, ?what is the paradigm?? This bass is meant to do two things: be a complement to my ultra-awesome 8-String Europa; and be a replacement for my stolen 6-String Elan Plus. If I was forced to chose, I?d say it?s more the latter than the former.
This bass is NOT my dream bass? I?ve already got that. This bass is meant to be a replacement for my stolen Elan. And it will be quite an upgrade. Within that context, the purpose of this bass is to have a very different type of sound from the Ebony/Maple-dominated sound of my Europa.
Mica agreed that Alembics? ?house recipe? of Coco Bolo over a Mahogany body would provide a very different and very satisfying sound that would contrast my Europa.
I love the look of bookmatch to center, and have chosen to have it on both the front and the back; and I?ve come to view continuous rear woodplates as absolutely necessary in general ?and especially with Coco Bolo. I considered losing some combination of these options to pay for the extended fingerboard? but I just couldn?t do it.
I already have the bass with the ultimate range. While I consider a 6-String with 24 frets to be the minimally-acceptable range for me, it will be enough. This bass is going to be about the great sound and great beauty of Coco Bolo. 8-Strings of Power is a big male bass, lots of range, lots of controls, lots of options and details? this bass will be a girl, and she?s gonna look really purdy?
I did elect to go ahead on another extra-special detail, which is a very cool, special custom neck, which will be both VERY colorful and gorgeous, but will also be extremely functional and relevant to my bass? sound.
My neck is going to have one center Ebony laminate flanked by Vermillion on either side ?black flanked by red; to either side, a Maple laminate will be sandwiched within 2 purpleheart laminates ?white//yellow flanked by purple; finally the two outer laminates of the neck will be (hopefully dark brown mahogany). You get this recipe if you take the standard 11-piece Alembic neck of 6 Rock Maple laminates alternating with Purpleheart, and then swap out the center Purpleheart lam for Ebony, swap out the 2 center Maple lams for Vermillion, and swap out the 2 outer Maple laminates for Mahogany.
This neck will thus be made of 5 different woods, and Mica and Valentino assure me the Mahogany in the neck will have a major and pleasing impact on the sound. Vermillion is said to sound similar to mahogany, while being more brilliant. So I should have a powerful Mahogany/Vermillion component augmenting my sound. I?m figuring the combination of these 5 proven tone woods in the neck should produce a pretty rich and flavorful sound ?especially with a Mahogany body sandwiched between BTC Coco Bolo?! I?m hoping the Vermillion and the extra Mahogany in the neck will transmit the Coco Bolo up into the neck. We?ll see!!!
Final specifications:
Custom Alembic 6-String Bass
Mark King Signature Deluxe ?No Mark King Logo
Balance K Omega body
Coco Bolo BTC on front & back with continuous wood backplate(s).
Custom Neck: Mahogany/Purp/Map/Purp/Verm/Ebony/Verm/Purp/Map/Purp/Mahogany
Europa electronics with 3-position Q switch (0/6/9)
Tummy & Elbow contours
Pinstripe(s) Laminate(s) at Alembics? discretion
I want to thank my fellow club members with their help and input at various times during the conceptualization of this bass ?it was greatly appreciated!
I?ve asked them for a ?factory to customer?? so anyone interested will be able to monitor its progress; Valentino sez there?s a little line in front of me, but that it could start production as early as Jan/Feb?
It should be really nice?
(Message edited by the 8 string king on December 01, 2006)
