Paul's Custom Series II Mele Aloha

[mica]

Here's the neck in rough stage:

 Even rough, you can see the flame figure, especially down at the body end.  And the center pack up close:

[tbrannon]

Too cool!  Awesome wood choices Paul- I like the little Vermillion and maple pinstripes you've used to highlight the ebony/maple lams.  
 
Enjoy the ride~
 
Toby

[the_8_string_king]

Wow, Paul, it looks awesome!

[mele_aloha]

Is all I can say folks is this,
 
Mica and Susan---- You are awesome!!! What a surprise!!!
 
Right now I am going to just gaze in amaze. Tears are about to emerge.
 
Thank you, Paul

[Bradley Young]

Another wicked neck! Where will it all stop?!?!
 

[bassjigga]

Yeah this is getting too easy for Alembic... I think they need to start mixing in carbon fiber or something.
 
Beautiful. When I first looked at the first pic I thought that vermillion pinstripe was some left over pencil line until I scrolled down to the second pic.

[jtussing]

Wow.  Now that's an interesting combo!  Love it!  Congrats!

[hifiguy]

Holy rockets, this thing is going to be a monster and then some!

[mele_aloha]

Here's the specifications for:
 
 Mele Aloha
 
Series II 5-string
Left handed
Balance K body shape with heart omega
Tummy and Elbow contours
 
Body lamination pattern:
 
Quilted Coco Bolo top
Maple pinstripe
Koa accent laminate
Flame Maple core
Koa accent laminate
Maple pinstripe
Coco Bolo back
 
 
Neck lamination pattern:
 
Flame Maple (2/3)
Vermilion pinstripe
Flame Maple (1/3)
 
Ebony laminate
Vermilion laminate
Maple pinstripe
Ebony laminate
Maple pinstripe
Vermilion laminate
Ebony laminate
 
Flame Maple laminate (1/3)
Vermilion pinstripe
Flame Maple laminate (2/3)
 
 
Crown peghead 3+2
Bevelled front and back
Fretted Ebony fingerboard
Abalone oval inlays
Palm Trees inlay at 5th fret*
Initials PM at 12th fret*
Front Laser LEDs in blue
Side LEDs in blue
External dimmer that controls both sets of LEDs
Comfort taper neck (like Excel)
 
Gold plated hardware (tuners, nut, bridge, bridgeblock, bird
tailpiece and truss rod cover)
Continuous wood backplates
Black collet knobs
Recessed silver logo with shell
Add abalone rays to logo*
 
Polyester gloss finish with satin neck feel
Series II electronics with stereo/mono switch
 
I must admit, this is quite a change from my original order. Thanks to Susan and Mica, and Valentino, and all of your comments in this forum I might add- here is going to be my dream-come-true!.
 
Remember friends, especially since I am in Hawaii on the Big Island I am almost going into this bass like a virgin in that I have never played any other Alembics except my Excel which I ordered through a music store on Oahu and recieved via UPS.  
 
Therefore I have no expectations of sounds. It's almost like a blind person picking out a girlfriend. No offense to blind folks, really.
 
This is just the most fun that I've had in my whole life and I have literally waited for this for about 30 years, ever since I was a fan of Phil Lesh, Stanley Clarke, and all the rest. I graduated in 1971 and learned about Alembic shortly after they came about.  
 
My next door neighbor John Rossum was in the original Jefferson Airplane and his brother formed the Imu  Synthesizer Corporation, so I was pretty connected with folks  in the industry. This was down in Cupertino, (Monta Vista).
 
So thanks for all of your help. Sorry if I offended anybody previously but for my 20K plus investment I would like to have one personal thread additions/changes with the admins uninterrupted so that I don't have to bother them on there personal e-mails. I'm sure you understand.
 
Aloha, mahalo to all, Paul da Plumma

[jlpicard]

Paul, From one lefty to another, You're going to totally flip out when you hear your new bass!  
Being an Alembic, the Excel is automatically a great bass, but the Series II is several orders of magnitude above and beyond anything you've ever heard. The versatility, simultaneous clarity and fullness plus warmth and the amazing plug and play when recording is in my opinion unmatched by any other instrument on the planet! By the way, I am quite flattered that my vision of an Alembic ( Raging Bass ) is inspiring others. I feel like a proud Papa! Best of luck and now for the sweet torture....The Wait!
Michael D

[mele_aloha]

Awesome Awesome Michael D,
 
I am so honored to have you acknowledge me here and look at my bass. Your bass is so awesome!
 
Tell me somemore please. Do you have a way to send me any soundbytes? I mean they don't have to be fabulous licks or anything. I would just love to hear that beautiful bass. I was very inspired by it. I especially liked your neck and had notes in my neck design to resemble the internal area.
 
I have sat and just stared for hours and hours and hours and hours and on and on at your bass. At one time it was my background on my computer desktop.
 
I hope that I can get in touch with you over the phone if possible and just talk a bit.
 
Is that possible? I would like to ask you a couple of questions/opinions if I could?
 
Thank you, Paul

[jlpicard]

Paul, please look under the listing for my bass. I have entered my response there. Email me for my  phone number.I'd be happy to talk with you.  
Mike

[Bradley Young]

Paul,
 
This is in response to your earlier post on Michael's FTC thread:
 
Body shapes can be found here.
 
Alas, it is missing several shapes-- Balance, Balance K, Scorpion, Pursuader, and the lovely Dragon Wing.  The page was initially created in 1999, and updated last year to correct some table formatting issues.
 
There is some background on the evolution of the body shapes here.
 
Bradley

[mele_aloha]

Thank you very much Bradley for giving me this info. I have now made up my mind and changed my order based on this info as I have written in my change record.
 
I just really like the larger body style and was a little shakey about the smallness of the balance K.  
 
As Michael said, I like to look at that Coco Bolo so much that I want as much as I can get of it! So I am going for the standard or balance depending what they already have a template of for leftys.
 
Thanks again, Paul

[Bradley Young]

I never thought that the Balance K looked right for a 4 string, but it's clear that I must be in the minority.
 
I'd get the balance, personally, to prevent neck dive, and you already know exactly what it looks like (since you've seen Michael's).
 
Bradley