Author Topic: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass  (Read 1718 times)

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #30 on: January 23, 2003, 06:29:26 PM »
If I can I'd like to do a 1 piece top to center. Or bookmatched to center if it's not wide enough.  
 
Any more pics of Mac fingerboards? I think I'd like it but the pic of the Bass in the products page is a bit fuzzy and I can't really see what it looks like. If not I'd like a piece that's darker overall so that the figuring really stands out.
 
Thanks

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #31 on: January 23, 2003, 09:45:29 PM »
Oh and the back. Would it be a problem to get a piece big enough to go to center (possibly a 1 piece made from the same piece as the top!?), if I ended up choosing not to go to center?. If so I'll let you know by Monday. Thanks

mica

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #32 on: January 30, 2003, 01:33:39 PM »
Still waiting to find out pricing for the Thuya Burl. We've got 2 suppliers checking their stock for wide pieces.  
 
I don't have any other examples of Mac Eb boards handy, but here's a closeup from that same bass:
 

 
It's nice and dark with good figure.

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #33 on: January 30, 2003, 02:12:32 PM »
OH YEAH!
 
That's it. I'll have that. Yep!
 
Hey I made a decision!!  
 
Also for the Thuya, if it becomes too much of a problem don't worry about it. I'm still down for the Burl Walnut, provided it is like... BURLY. All the Burl walnut I've been able to find online lately seems to be really lacking. I'm wondering if all the good burls have already been dug up, cut up and used for other things? The quality of the Walnut I've seen lately is nothing compared to some of the stuff from 10 years ago. It must be the damn gun makers buying up all the good pieces.

David Willard (dreamer)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #34 on: January 31, 2003, 05:05:09 AM »
Matt-
I'm not sure if you saw this yet, but there is a fairly new post that Mica made in Showcase of a bass they are restoring.  It has a scroll-looking uppper horn.

Darrin Huff (dhuffguitars)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #35 on: January 31, 2003, 08:54:03 AM »
I guess it is an honor to have Alembic making a version of my bass?!?  The Thuya bass shown above, is Curt's Z-5. If you would like to see more pics of the bass headover to my site http://www.dhuffguitars.com  where you can see updates of his, and my other customers basses.
thanks,Darrin

Darrin Huff (dhuffguitars)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #36 on: January 31, 2003, 10:42:10 AM »
http://www.ctbasses.com/4-7dragonettiFretless.html
here is another example of what you are wanting.......

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #37 on: January 31, 2003, 11:34:17 AM »
Darrin. I've fixed the post above to include a photo credit to you. Sorry about that man, I honestly meant no harm by it.

Matthew Wilkinson (skerik1)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #38 on: February 03, 2003, 09:41:05 PM »
Look at my bass!!!
 
http://www.dhuffguitars.com/matt.html
 
Also, here's a concept drawing I made with photo deluxe:
http://www.ctbasses.com/~mattwilk/bass.jpg
 
Yay!  I can't wait!
 
--Matthew

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #39 on: February 03, 2003, 10:27:35 PM »
Hey Matthew,
 
I've seen your bass. Definately going to be sweet. Darrin does some great work. That's a nice piece of crotch walnut.  
 
I'm interested to see if you like the shorter scale. I know the Alembicians here that play the medium scales swear by them. I might end up getting a medium for my next bass!
 
Matt
 
Imagine how sweet it would sound with some Alembic pickups and electronics in it ;)

Matthew Wilkinson (skerik1)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #40 on: February 04, 2003, 09:52:39 PM »
Yes, I am quite excited to see how the shorter scale feels.  Darrin assures me that I'll like it just fine!  :-)
 
I wanted 29 frets for more range, yet I didn't want to have to have a huge cut-in on the lower horn.  It's kinda based off this instrument here:
 
http://www.ctbasses.com/LES4string.html
 
This is Les Claypool's bass made by Carl Thompson (but you already knew that...).  Notice the bridge position--similar to how many shorter-scale Alembics are.  With a standard neck length, and a bumped-up bridge, the fretboard ends where your standard run-of-the-mill board would end.
 
Ya follow that?  I don't!  lol
 
--Matthew

mica

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #41 on: February 05, 2003, 11:35:40 AM »
The red arrows indicate where the upcurve for a neck through body needs to be added. Your drawing will work fine for a set neck design, but the labor involved in making a continuous curve with sharp angles by the neck on a neck through is very high.  

  We made a neck through Epic as a custom order. From the front, you couldn't tell at all (the bookmatch to center made it work) it was a neck through. Kris told me after he carved that bass I better charge a lot next time, as it was very demanding of his time.  The quick sketch above ceratinly will need some more work (blending the curves better, making the bottom a mirror image). I wasn't excited by the lower horn in your drawing - it certainly needs to be wider. The roundover brings the top surface in 3/4 of an inch, and that horn looks narrow enough that it may overlap.   If you're interested in having the lower horn pointing  outward as in your original drawing, I suggest we put more pressure on the upper part of the curve, to echo the scroll and the give it the "meat" it will need to survive the roundover. The drawing below also adds some substance above the side omega.  

  If either of these general ideas are very close, let me know and Kris and I will review the design together and make the final drawings.   Also, the scrolled horn was not part of the quote for this bass.

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #42 on: February 05, 2003, 12:21:58 PM »
Hi Mica
 
Making the design work for the neckthrough is totally cool. I kept screwing up the body/neck joint so I just did the body. I definately did not want the sharp corners, I just couldn't draw the round ones properly. And the bottom horn on the black image with the arrows is right on. Very Alembic!  
 
I figured as much about the quote. And the scroll may or may not go. The rest of the body is looking good so far though. How much for the scroll, done similarly to the bass Darrin made with the Thuya above? And can you do another body image similar to the black one, but with an extended pistol grip upper horn?  
 
Thanks so much Mica
 
Matt

Matt Bulmer (prime)

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #43 on: February 06, 2003, 11:18:44 AM »
Mica,
 
Can you tell me what the warranty is like on Alembics? I'm talking about things like delamination or cracking as the woods are adjusting. I realize that I'd have to pay for shipping and insurance round trip, but is that something that I would also have to pay to have fixed?
 
Thanks
 
Matt

mica

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Re: Matt's Custom 4-string Bass
« Reply #44 on: February 06, 2003, 04:20:20 PM »
The warranty is for one year. We rarel have warranty work to perform - we just make them so we don't have to fix them.  
 
If repairs are covered under warranty, return shipping within the United States is also covered. You only have to get it to us.  
 
I only know of only one Alembic where a joint delaminated, at that was back when I was about 5 years old. It's a pretty good track record.
 
About the scroll, the shop labor will be between $225-355 depending on the time. We won't charge above the estimate, even if it takes us longer to do. My mom thought you might like an adaptation of this scroll from our kit guitar:
 

 
We've got a Thuya burl coming up that will do a non-bookmatch to center. Our supplier is still looking for a wider piece in his inventory for a possible BTC.