Pierre-Yves' African Blackwood Custom Series II

[toma_hawk01]

P,
 
I don't have this problem with the neck pickup volume control -- from either of my Alembics.
 
It don't sound right, get it fixed.
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-

[pierreyves]

I cheked the vol pots, It's write on:
 
Alembic
475-006
200717
Claro Mexico (!!)
 
no answer from Alembic, here or in private mail

[mica]

You surely received an answer from my private email... my automated vacation reply. I am back at work today.
 
I understand there is something to sort out with the volume controls that you emailed to me while I was on vacation, and I will take care of that separately from this post. Please look for an email in a day or two with some troubleshooting instructions. But, I will let you know that the markings on the pots are normal, indicating they were made for us, by Clarostat in 2007. Their factory is in Mexico - it used to be in the USA when I was a child.  
 
Guitars are probably the most difficult product to photograph aside from cars, and I cannot take a picture that is perfectly centered - I shoot to show the specular highlights on the edge, using office lights and natural lights. I purposefully stayed out of the angle of the photograph discussion, even though you posted the photos that you promised to keep private by email  I chose to wait until you received the bass. Your email to us after you received the bass and your abbreviated version posted here seemed to indicate that you felt there was no fault with the bass that detracted from how amazing it is. I even asked several friends to come and try that bass out here, because it was really quite amazing even by our high standards.  
 
Here's my analysis of the off-center tuning keys. I checked the template that we make the peghead from and it seems they are off center by 2 hundredths of an inch. The template is placed on the peghead and the shape is cut by a hand router. This is a working template, made off the master template and both the original and the working copy have this measurement. It seems we have always made them this way, but there are variances due to the actual handcrafted nature of what we build.
 
When it enters carving, the cut is smoothed, in your case, you requested a front and back bevel to the peghead. This bevelling process is done with sandpaper by hand and hand scrapers. It removes some of the wood at the edge, and any reduction in the size here will amplify any variances.  
 
Your bass has Schaller tuners that you requested. We stopped using these tuners regularly when I was in high school. I noticed that the Gotoh tuners we usually install so not have the abrupt change in form like the Schallers. This is another small detail that amplifies the minor shift of the tuners.  
 
There is another thing to consider in this discussion. Symmetry itself. It may be hard to believe, but guitars and bass guitars are not symmetrical, even Small Standards. They seem symmetrical, but by the very nature that the strings are different diameters, the instruments  are not. The Crown peghead is actually not exactly symmetrical, even beyond the hole placement. These instruments are shaped by real human hands, and there are variances. In the future, I'll advise someone that orders a Crown peghead with front and back bevels with Schaller tuners that this typical variance may be more noticeable, then they can make a more informed decision about what they want and what tradeoffs each feature presents.  
 
I don't mind having this discussion in public, but because of the translation barrier we face, I would appreciate if others will not detract from our exchange here.

[redcloud]

Mica:
Sincerely, what an excellent response.

[pierreyves]

Mica hello
First of all I never promised to keep those images private as you do not have ever asked me. You confuse with the images of the other bass walnut and maple that you asked me to keep it to myself before the release of custom of the month.
Then I thank you for that comprehensive answer.  
I reported this problem on 17 May and the answer arrives today, I also asked in the same post 842 if it was not possible to change the tuners to the problem is less visible, I have never received an answer.
Instead I got the jokes and revenge, and approval of certain others.
I looked at my other bass tuners are perfectly aligned. Put yourself in my place is on the bass of my dreams there are problems.
I've never had a proposal from you.
Regarding the neck, I asked to a similar neck like my deluxe SC 2004. The neck is much wider by about 3 mm ...
I also asked that the pickup selector is reversed (position pointed down) which is not the case.
I have watched the Peghead, if the holes were done correctly, the strings were wrong, which would have been worse.
I wrote when I got the bass to make compliments to you, Susan and Tony, no answer. I wrote still another time, I had an auto-reply.
So yes this bass is great, you did not explain why I have this problem with the pickup selector volume position both.  
This bass is great with the choice of wood, by sound, by the curvature of the neck. It could have been perfect, that's what I regret. The koa bass is perfect, it's the best I've ever had, except that the woods are not of my choice.
On my SC and my MK deluxe deluxe, alignment is perfect and the holes too.
I no longer speak of the position of buttons that, apart from aesthetics, is not a problem.
If you had explained the difference between shaller and Gotoh, I would have chosen this model but now it's too late because the holes are not the same place.
http://www.g-gotoh.com/international/?btp_product=gbs510
 
Best regards
 
(google translate)

[mica]

You are of course correct about the photos, I was confused. On March 11, I sent you photos of other basses under construction, asking that you keep these private. When I sent pictures of your bass on May 12, I had intended to ask the same, but my email record shows that I neglected to do so.  
 
On May 13th you emailed and I replied about the length of the tongue on the back of the peghead where it transitions to the neck. We were talking about the photos of the bass that I emailed to you.  
 
The first question about the tuner alignment was your May 17th post here. It's also when we learned of your holiday schedule, and the day we decided to hold the shipment until you returned, because UPS could not guarantee delivery before your departure. I received no private email about the tuners, you chose to discuss it here.
 
After you had the bass on June 8, you sent a longer version of the post you made on the Club. I certainly appreciated the news the day before I went on vacation myself. Since there was no question posed, I figured I would communicate with you on my return this week, after you had the bass a few days and you began to know the bass as well I as do.
 
You've never been shy with your opinion here, and so it's not surprising that others might not be shy with their opinion when you offer something for public discussion. My opinion is shy, slower, and requires analysis.  
 
The difference between Gotoh and Schaller tuners, is evident from your own experience, and obviously you chose the Schallers for your own preference. The tuners were mounted on the bass when you noted the variance. It's not a variance that we detected, but we were looking at the bass in front of us, I did not look at the photos to find a flaw. The difference between the tuner types was important when analyzing the variance.  
 
The position of the strap holders is the same on any bass with Ebony as the center neck laminate. It's not wise to mount the holder in the endgrain of this wood.  
 
You mentioned in another thread that my family comes first. I suppose this is the same for nearly every one. Without going into details, because of critical family matters from May 23 through May 27, I did not answer many emails or Club posts. And while my family comes first, everything Alembic comes next, as Alembic is made from my family.  
 
As I said in my post 7362, I will send you some troubleshooting information for the electronics by today. That will be by email, so please look for it later on. Once the electronics issue is behind us both, it's hard to think that you won't think this bass to be the jewel of your collection.

[pierreyves]

Thanks Mica to spend time to these answers.
For me, gotoh machine heads had only one look, the same I have on my SC deluxe:
http://www.g-gotoh.com/international/?btp_product=gb350
If I had known this, but I chose Gotoh the other model, now we can not change, so be it.
I never spoke about strap holders but I appreciate the explanation.
I really want to know you more and assisting the development of this bass.
I hope the troubleshooting will be behind soon.
Have a nice week-end.
 
Google blabla...

[mica]

Yeah, I didn't like those Gotohs design much. When we got our regular order, the style was changed without notice. Then they started to make them with the cylindrical shaft, we asked them to make them for us in the older style, both is the shaft shape and the decorative shape, like Didier's bass. I like these best and I was so happy they made them for us.
 
When you talked about the buttons, I thought you meant the strap holders, such is the way with translating!  
 
I'll be away the rest of the day (2 birthday parties!), but I'll look for your email on the first question of the troubleshooting tomorrow with my coffee.

[pierreyves]

Ok here are some news: Mica will send me after the 4th of july new electronic set because it's not possible to fix the problem with an easy way like mail, sound example and pictures I sent.
 
Anyway, more I play this bass, more I find it fantastic and I find some sounds that go beyond imagination!

[pierreyves]

The electronics is now here, I will change it tomorrow with a friend and I will get some news after.

[pierreyves]

I just spent 2 hours to change the electronics, I made two solder points and there is no change! What do you suggest now?
I think this is a problem of resistance connected in series or Parallel posing this problem.
 
We cannot compare the two basses because the blackwood is a serie I with a master volume and koa bass is a series II

[mica]

We've already exchanged emails on this, but to update everyone else, dad is thinking about the problem. It might take more than a few days, but it's something we have been discussing together (mostly him talking to me - I'm no engineer), and I'm sure he'll figure out this mystery.

[pierreyves]

I changed the card preamp some weeks ago (from the Koa bass) to follow Mica's recommandation, = no change.
I'm waiting now for new linear pots, will change and try again... Hope it will work fine after.

[pierreyves]

I just changed log vol pot for linear vol pot sent by Mica = NO CHANGE.

[pierreyves]

At the end of september, the problem reported in June is still present despite the hard work of Dad...