Hakeem's Custom Bass "Tomahawk"

[the_jester]

Thanks fellas,
 
This bass was just paid in full today!
 
The deal was honored with the most smoothest transaction imaginable.  
 
The 'spirit' in this one is strong...
 
Flip, (LOL!!!!) Man, don't say that... (LOL) Alembic authorities will hall my ass off the site with all my pictures LOL!!!!!!
 
I can hear it coming...
 
Hal, this not the Toma_Hawk Blog... Dude chill on the photos already... LOL!!!
 
I promise to be cool. Honestly, I will be devoting most of my time recording with both basses with in Funk harmonies.
 
I'll be doing more intensive animation work with these two basses. It's time for the Toma_Hawk to enter the virtual worlds of computer simulations. This should be fun, but my coffee budget will take a hit increase. I will not be able to sleep for months.  
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-

[garth4664]

Congratulations Hal - this is indeed fantastic news. I'm sure the bass will play as good as it looks and you won't be able to put it down. Looking forward to sound clips.

[the_jester]

Well, its time for a review, after test driving the Toma_Hawk.
 
WOW!!!!
 
This bass is absolutely fun to play. The action is so responsive, I barely need to strike cords for them to respond, but when you do strike with power, the punch resonates each note(s) clean, effortlessly.  
 
Far as balance goes, the Toma_Hawk is body heavy and it's thicker than my 76 Series 1 and the neck is thinner with a faster design than my 1976 bass too. The Toma_Hawk is a far better bass than anything I ever owned or played.
 
This bass feel great, and the controls are nicely spaces and they don't feel crowed at all. The chrome give a high clean posh modern look, and all the wood colors contrast, and coordinated nicely.  
 
The bass has a deep red, vermillion wood, which I find very energetic, exciting and yes -- sexy too. Also, when light bounces off the vermillion, giving a velvet like reflection (it's so nice...).  
 
Want to see pictures?
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/76637.html?1266665605
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-
 
 
 
(Message edited by the_jester on February 20, 2010)

[the_jester]

Lights off...  Nothing to see here  
 
God Bless You...
 
Hal-
 
 
(Message edited by the_jester on February 23, 2010)

[toma_hawk01]

The color concept was Susan's idea, and I think its beautiful. After Mica showed me some examples, I was floored by the contrast of colors.  
 
Stripes ads a sense of danger too; like the dangers one senses of the colors of a coral, or king snake. These colors, naturally alerts the human Psyche almost instinctively. WATCH OUT!
 
Nature is very fitting for this bass, for which it pays homage to the great Native American culture and colors.
 
oddly, I can't help but think of the striped ribbons of those old classic racing cars at Monaco of the 1950's and 60's too.  
 
This neck is beautiful in so many ways, and you get to see the colors of the neck, on the front of the bass too, and that is very cool!
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 20, 2009)

[toma_hawk01]

a mini rendition...

[gregduboc]

Hey Hal!
Man, congratulations!!! What a feeling it must be... Watching your dream being carved!
I'm following this one, no doubt. I really want to see this wood with the finishing touch.
Congratulations again Hal, you are now part of the special part of the club, the Custom Owners!! I can't wait to be part of that!
 
Greg

[toma_hawk01]

Here a touched rendition of the side view of the Toma_Hawk...
 
 
Vermilion-FRONT/Maple veneer/Purple Heart/Maple veneer/Mahogany-CENTER/Maple veneer/Purple Heart/Maple veneer/Vermilion-BACK  
 
It looks dangerously, venomously-poisonous, it's ready to strike.
 

[toma_hawk01]

Greg,  
 
Man... you have the baddest bass I ever seen. (second to mine...)  
 
Knowing you are watching this bass with watchful eyes, say more than what meets the eyes... my friend.
 
Your comments are always appreciated, and welcome like fresh air!
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 21, 2009)

[altgrendel]

Yea, that combination of neck lams always reminds me of racing stripes too.
 
(Message edited by altgrendel on August 21, 2009)

[toma_hawk01]

The Toma_Hawk car is my next project  
I love bold stripes!
 
 
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 21, 2009)

[gregduboc]

Hal, this is really a bass I want to see!!! I fell in love with the shape, I find it very authentic and original.
I'll always keep an eye here!
 
Greg
 
ps. I wanna ride on that Toma_Hawk car!

[toma_hawk01]

With the Toma_Hawk, what I find most intriguing with the shape: I can't tell which end of the bass, has the most dominate/passive characteristics. Both ends: the crown, and the body has (what I call) a point to prove.  
 
It feels like the the body wants to lead you into its arrow pointing position, and yet the crown also has it's powers to lead too.
 
Shapes are indeed magical.
 
As for cars... look at the AMC Pacer...
 
That car would be HOT for modern times, if the back of the car, were actually the front...
 
The back of the car, to me, was the money shot, the killer look. The windows, the room, and openness... That would be very a very modern looking car. (Take a look at one, and see what I mean...)
 
Just an example of what happens when design lack balance on both ends...
JMHO

[gregduboc]

Hal, I think there is one thing for me that really represents what I see when I look at the Toma_Hawk: It wants to be played. Hard. And honestly, I wouldn't want anything else.
Just a thought on my mind
 
Greg

[toma_hawk01]

I believe all shapes, should have a function.  
 
When I see a sail boat, the first thing I see is the magnificent canvas. Its always such a joy, to see the sails grabbing natures winds, and seeing the canvas wave patterns against the backdrops of the deep blue seas. Just looking at the sails without wind, is beautiful enough; but when the winds are full, and the boat is in full motion, that's heaven.
 
Looking at the age of my 1976 Alembic Short body, there are some premier features I would never change. Some people prefer thin guitar bodies, and some people don't. I always ask myself, thin compared to what?
 
My 1976 Small Body (width) is 1.75 and it's perfect. If that size was tried and tested with the 76'er and it lasted this long (and still going strong...) then why change the formula?
 
I have a great baseline...
 
First, this is an Alembic Bass. There's a strong reputation and legacy that embodies every one made. The Toma_Hawk bass will be of no exceptions.
 
This bass will have all meat to take on:
 
1. Over a multitude of finger plowing of Stanley Clarke...  
 
2. Over a multitude of thunderous thumbs and hits of Lewis Johnson...  
 
3. Over a multitude of pops and slaps of Mark King... and...
 
4. It will look like a light saber from Star-Wars in the dark.
 
If it stays half as in good condition as my 1976 (30 years from now...) I will be a very happy old man.  
 
 
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 22, 2009)