David's 12-string Bass (6x2)

[mica]

Most of the specs are settled, but I hear that we are deciding on the tailpiece(s) soon. Here's those mini-birds Val told you about:  

 This is Tony Stoufer's personal guitar. He makes all the pickups here.  

 Mike finished these with a crosshatched brushed texture.   We're brainstorming for ideas on placement - thinking zig-zag, maybe a chevron or all in a diagonal. I think if you want the mini bird tailpieces, a mini-bird inlay or two on the fingerboard might look really sweet - maybe just at the twelfth fret or something.

[bigideas]

oooooo, that thing is nice. are those pickups rick shaped or standard series shaped? (that thing sortuv smells of rick, in the very best way)
 
12 string bass eh? Garz guitars has pictures of a couple of fretless double course 6 strings. i like the idea. the more the merrier.

[valvil]

I believe the shape of the pickups is Alembic. The guitar is definitely Rick-inspired. I saw it being built, it got started just before I came to Alembic & Tony just took it home recently. A sweet guitar.
 
Valentino

[the_mule]

Aaaaaah, those mini-birds are sooo sweet! I can see a custom 6-string bass with mother bird in the middle holding 4 strings, and two mini-birds on each side of her holding one. That would be really special!  
 
Wilfred

[bigbass]

Yes, I believe the birds will be fine. I'll take'em! I just hope they don't peck-off the finish when they get hungry. They can create a lot of damage in large numbers, you know. I mean.....I saw Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds......pretty frightening.
 
Any assembly / assemblage as of yet?

[valvil]

Not yet David,
 
we're still reeling from the avalanche of orders we got the last 2 months. The bass should enter production next week, I believe.
 
Sorry I wan't able to return your call, but these days I feel like have a phone grafted to my ear, it never ends!!! But boy, it's fun...
 
Your power supply should ship next week.
 
Valentino

[bigbass]

Thank you greatly for everything. You is da best! ~David

[dgcarbu]

David,
 
Can't wait to see the production start for your Alembic.  Watching these pieces of art being made in stages is amazing.
 
Darrell

[mica]

Bob wants some advice from you before he chops up the top/back wood you provided:
 

 
Next to it are the templates for the body for scale. Bob thinks the central section has the most exciting burl action, with some curly figure along the right edge. He wants to use the central portion of the wood, unless you have a strong preference for another region.  
 
If you've got Photoshop available, you might want to try moving the top layer around on this file:
 

[mica]

Here's the other side of the wood:
 

 
Dead center has the most burl clusters - the pronounced grain along the right edge of this picture is clearly very interesting as well.

[bigbass]

Hence, I believe we have a front and a back in consideration of the thickness of the ol' block of wood. How many splits can we make? Are the two sides the same color or is that a color type-o? I would like the redder (is that a word?) to be that of the top. What happens when it is split and we find more visual goodies inside? That which is left over becomes the head-stock front and back, yes? Please advise. Tag, you're it. Love, David

[mica]

 Got some nice flamey and burley action here!  

 I adjusted the color a bit - these office lights don't doa  thing for wood! This is closer to what it looks like to me  

 Yet closer in for some of the idea of the burl clusters.  

 Another color adjustment needed  (Message edited by mica on June 16, 2005)

[mica]

Here's Bob with the slab, so you can get a sense of scale:
 

[bigbass]

Ahh....very nice. I love salmon. Those Fillets will last me a few months if I freeze them. I will prep some garlic and get the correct utensils ready.
 
Are you splitting each of these blocks again for consideration of a front and back?  What does the back side took like?

[mica]

We've only sliced off enough for one laminate, I think the right half in the picture is the thicker one, ready for more resawing. The bookmatch is the of course what I took the picture of (backside won't be bookmatched).  
 
The wood seems fairly similar throughout, so if you candirect us to the areas if figure you want included, we'll make the next slice and mark them up for you.