Mike's Custom Signature 5-string

[jacko]

Deep breaths mike;-)
 
Graeme

[5stringho]

Thanks, Danny, Brian, and Graeme! I'll be talking to everyone here in about a month  
 
Gotta go, Things to do                         Have fun, I am!!Mike, tho =] =]  =]  =]

[deburgh]

Awesome Mike!
 
Enjoy the moment, and be sure and let us know how it sounds!
 
Todd

[5stringho]

Hey, all.
 
I knew I said I'd be back in about a month, but life sorta got in the way. Sorry!
Real quick, and again I apoligize for my tardiness, my new Bass is everything I had expected, wanted, and dreamed about. Absolutely visually stunning, flawless in fit and finish, cool little things I never expected (like flame maple in the neck laminates, thank you Susan and Mica!) and bacically, makes everything else in my stable seem like a toy.
Untill recenty, I was playing in 3 bands, and have used her quite extensively live and actually got to do some studio work with her, too. I'll hook up a link soon. Cuts thru like nothing I've ever had before. I'm finally learning all the tones I can get from her, which are quite endless. And, I have yet to find one I really didn't like. I'm tickled to death with the electronics package, and I really don't know how much better she could possibly sound with Series. What she does now is phenominal. And, the sustain is virtually endless, and plays like lubed-up BUTTAH!! Like she was built just for my hand (Oh, guess she was=] Amazing.
  As I stated, Life is getting in the way at the moment. I'm in the process of relocating to the Youngstown/Akron/Cleveland area, so, after 30 years of playing in the Dayton/Cincinnati area, I guess I'm gonna have to find some new people to play with when we get settled in. It sucks having to leave friends you've been playing music with for years.
  I have plenty of pics in the ol' Digital, but havn't been able to get my future Daughter-in-Law to download and re-size them yet. I'll get them posted, along with a link to the recordings as soon as I can with everything else going on.
  Thanks to everyone who has helped me through this whole process, she turned out to be a real GEM!!
 
   Have fun, B Coool, Mike.......

[dannobasso]

Bring that bad sum bitch to an open mic night and watch the jaws hit the floor! Best of luck fortune and safety on the move and may you be gigging soon.

[5stringho]

Hey, all.
 
Just wanted to post up some sound bytes of the wonderful mixture of wire, wood and electronics that makes up this amazing creation.
Not real great, recorded in the Singer/Harmonica Player's Brother-in-Laws home studio. Plugged direct into a Mackie Board thru my Ampeg SVP tube DI. Recorded into some type of computer set-up. Kinda dry, but gives a general idea of how well she cuts thru and how great she sounds. I find it really hard to play anything else now. Gigged this afternoon, played 5 sets, and used her for all but 2 songs. Picked up my Warrior, played it those tunes, and strapped the 'Bic back on. The Warrior is a terrific Bass, but, it's not the Signature......
http://www.myspace.com/thefinalsuspect  
 
Have fun Mike......

[5stringho]

Hellooo, Mica!
 
Wow, she's really coming along and lookin' Schwueeet! Have you had a chance to come up with anything for the control layout? I don't know about you, but it gives me a headache trying to think how I want all that stuff layed out, if I'd like it that way, or this way, or another way, or if it would all fit, etc. =[
I'll see what you come up with. You're the expert and have the experience at stuff like that. Just keep me posted as to what ya come up with, and we'll take it from there!
Thanks for all your help, Have a great day, Mike =]

[mica]

Here's what I've come up with:

I don't think there are many other options for getting all those controls in there, so I hope you like this one. This is just a rough layout, if you approve it, the actual drilling will be measured out for symmetry.

[5stringho]

Hello, Mica! I really like it, but what about the master Volume control and LED switch=/? Would that REALLY be pushing the envelope? I don't know if i see a place for it in there. Maybe a side-mounted jack would help?? I've been mulling over this for a while,and I'm baffled. Everything looks well-placed and convenient, except for the lack of the master vol. control, and any ideas on the LED switch? Am I expecting to put too much metal on too little wood =)? I would like to have the Master volume, but maybe it's not absolutely necassary. I don't know. What do you think? See if ya can come up with something, I'll continue to rack my little pea-brain, and we'll come up with sumpin!
 
TTY soon, have a great friday, Mike =]

[briant]

Hey Mike,
 
Usually when you've got a pickup selector and individual volume controls for each pickup you don't have a master volume.  It sort of becomes overkill at that point but I *can* see certain times where you'd still want to have it.  I'm guessing there simply isn't going to be enough room in there to add anything else!!  That's a lot of stuff. :-)

[5stringho]

Yes, Briant, is is somewhat perplexing. A veritable forest of knobs and switches;     master volume
neck volume
neck filter
neck Q (3 position) (0+4+8dB)
bridge volume
bridge filter
bridge Q (3 position)
pickup selector switch
mono stereo switch
LED on/off switch
overall bass control (like on an Orion)
overall treble control (like on on Orion)
 
So 7 knobs, 4 mini toggle switches, 1 rotary switch in all.  
 
I've been researching ideas, and I believe it might be possible. Look at Custom Series II basses, notably Dragon Fly, Raging Bass, Hot Lava, Paul's Gorgeous Mele Aloha, and most notably, my bass's Older brother, the Outstanding Thunder and Lightning. These wonderful instruments all have 10 or 11 controls, and most of them have 3 rotary switches, where mine only has 1 with 2 toggles for the Q's. Also, Mine  being a Ghetto Series .05, I have no 5-pin connector. Unless the Anniversary cavity is smaller than Series or routed differently, or the Bass/Treble module takes too much interior room,I'm hoping we can come up with a solution that is logical AND attractive.
  I would prefer to keep the Master Volume. I play live, and it is much better for fade-outs and adjusting stage volume without screwing up my individual neck volumes that I have found my sound with. That is also why I chose the Anniversary Electronics. Just more control. (Am I just a control freak=[!)I would also prefer not to have anything on the upper or lower bout if it can be avoided.
Anyhoo, Mica is a wizard at these things, and I'm sure between her knowledge and experience and my minute collection of Grey Matter we can resolve this little issue!
 
Thanks for your input, Brian, Stay tuned!!
 
     Have fun, Mike, tho =]
 
(Message edited by 5stringho on February 08, 2008)

[mica]

Side jacks take up more room, so that's right out.
 
The Anniversary cavity is the same size as the Series I/II cavity, but the Series I/II has a separate battery compartment, where your bass doesn't. The bass and treble controls were an add-on, and frankly, I don't think it's possible to add everything in the available space with any degree of comfort. So we've got to talk options.
 
One option is to convert back to Signature electronics and then you'd have a volume and blend instead of 2 volume controls illustrated. You'd lose stereo too, so that's where the LED switch could live.  
 
You could also kill the idea of the added bass and treble controls. Then there would be enough room for me to play with getting a master volume and an LEDs switch in there in a logical manner.  
 
Or, since the toggle switches take up much less room than the pots and their circuit cards, you could also change the Orion-like bass and treble controls to Europa-like bass and treble switches.  
 
The last and most unattractive option for me is to leave the control list at the 12 stated items. There's only two routes to go there. One is to have things just really too close together, and the other is to route a separate battery compartment to give more room in the main compartment. The latter will take more time, since we've already rubbed out the bass and it will likely need some refinishing after cutting a new cavity.  
 
Digest these options and let me know what you think.

[5stringho]

Hellooo, Mica. Hmmmmm.Lemme mull this over. I had a feeling this was gonna happen. I think the most logical option is just to trash the Master Volume idea, and see if there would be enough room somewhere for the LED switch. That would leave me with the same tone options. I dunno. Maybe trash the Bass and Treble. Is it REALLY necessary with the Q switches and filters? A separate cavity is definately out, and as usual, you're right. It would just be too cluttered and probably a pain to use, especially live. Let me research this over the weekend, maybe get some feedback from more knowledgeable Alembecians, and I'll get with you early in the week.
Thanxxxxx, Mica, have a great weekend! Mike=`
 
(Message edited by 5stringho on February 09, 2008)

[tbrannon]

Mike,
 
I have Signature electronics with the Rogue bass/treble switches.
 
I can tell you that I have NEVER used the bass/treble switches live and I rarely use them when I'm fiddling around at home.  I tweak the filters and Q's constantly, but if I want more bass or treble I just adjust on the amp.
 
If you're already used to using the controls on your amp to boost/cut your bass/treble response then you might not miss the bass/treble controls on the bass.
 
Good luck
Toby

[5stringho]

Hey,Toby-I really appreciate your input. I considered the Bass/treble switches, but on my Excel, I RARELY turn my Bass/treble control knobs all the way up (6dB) boost, and never turn them all the way down, and the swithes are set @ +6dB boost. It would clip my Eden. I set everything flat, and, like you, constantly fiddle with the controls. I've never had filters and Q's before, so I would prefer to keep the Bass/Treble knobs. Me being a control freak again =(. I also change basses quite a bit (which I HOPE I won't have to do once the new one arrives!) and much prefer to not have to change the amp settings. Our soundman whines and snivels.
If we do away with anything, it will probably be the Master Volume. It would be nice, but I have other bass with the individual volumes, and I find a way to work with them. I could probably adjust:}, but I want to explore all the scenarios.
I thank you again for your thoughts, stay tuned!!
Have fun, Mike, tho =]