Mark's Custom 6-string Bass

[mica]

1. The tailpiece placement entirely depends on playability and its position is determined by the person doing the setup for playability. I'm certain that we won't nail it - if you look closely at the tailpieces, they are not perfectly symmetrical, they are rarely dead-center. It's rare for them to be as off as it was on the bass you refer to (which I note in my reply on that thread).  
 
Here's something to consider - if the strings are placed correctly, they will be straight. If you center the tailpiece to the joint on the BTC, and the strings come in crooked, that would look more distracting.  
 
I feel that the minor amount most tailpieces are off center shouldn't be a concern in your case - especially since you are bookmatching to center and you've requested straight grain near the center to make the joint less visible. If you like the overall look with the bird shape, then go for it.  
 
If you don't want the point indicator, then choose either the bar shape (like Rogue) or the half-moon (like Epic).
 
2. There is a ferrite bead installed in every non-Series Alembic, so that's already a given. It's primary function is to make it possible to use wireless. Sorry, your cell phone will still interfere, so don't wear it while playing.  
 
3. The welded palladium jacks are the side-mounted jacks we use. If your order has a side-mounted jack, you will automatically get one. If you are using a face-mounted jack, they are welded solid silver contacts. Both versions are awesome.

[the_8_string_king]

(1.)  I DO like the look of the bird overall... got's the classic Alembic look I want this bass to have.  So, bassed on your comments, I'd say lets stick with it.
 
(2.)  The ferrite bead comes standard, but it's function is to give me the option of wireless... okay, cool!
 
(3.)  I got the impression on some previous thread that the welded palladium jacks were a new option that is a big upgrade from whatever else you use; but if this is not so, if the face-mounted jack is comparable or virtually as good, then I'd probably just stick with what I have, to keep it simple (which is having the jack on the front, for the sole reason that it's less expensive... $200 retail, I think?).
 
So I guess at this point, I'll just stick with the plan, unless for some reason something would cause you/the builders to think that the tailpiece would be SIGNIFICANTLY off-center.  In the absence of any reason to expect this, let's just stick with the bird.
 
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, so I can mentally rest in this area, and not think/worry about it any more!

[the_8_string_king]

Now that I think about it, however, I REALLY much prefer to have 5 screws instead of just 3.  Now it might be the case that it would be easy/easier with the block tailpiece, but harder/impractical/impossible/not recommended with the bird.  In such a case, I'd prefer the block with 5 screws.

[pierreyves]

hello folks!!
May have a translation in french pleeeeaaaase ?

[mica]

We've made literally thousands of basses with 3 tailpiece anchor screws. It will have to be custom milled for you to include more. What are you trying to achieve with the additional screws? I ask only because it's not something that comes up often. In recent memory, only Bob's custom Rogue had more than three anchor screws.   Just so I don't misundertand what you're asking for, the block usually refers to the bridge block which is the chunk of brass that the bridge mounts to. This is attached to the body with one wood screw.   This is a bar tailpiece:

  This is a half-moon tailpiece:

  This is a bird tailpiece:

[bob]

That's funny, I don't even remember asking for that. I did ask for two in the sustain block, but that was only because I was planning to try some much lighter blocks.
 
I just don't recall having any concern about the tailpiece coming off, and certainly have never heard of such a case. I'm not sure there's any point here, Mark.
-Bob

[the_8_string_king]

Mica, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.  My interest in having 5 screws... you could maybe sorta call it paranoia -which is probably a little too strong (but in the general ballpark)- or perhaps more just a certain mentality... an overbuild mentality.  3 screws doesn't seem like much.  If one of the 3 is ever comprimised for any reason, the pressure on the remaining two...
 
Please don't be insulted.  I know Alembic... I know you folks know your stuff, and I strongly suspect you've most likely never even had one only 3-screw-related problem with a tailpiece.  It's just to cater to my not-necessarily-justified ideosyncratic quasi-paranoid concern.  (But no one charged me a catering to my 'not-necessarily-justified quasi-paranoid concerns' fee on my quote, did they?)
 
So lookie here.  The request for more than 3 screws was predicated on the assumption that it would be very simple to accomodate, and would involve little more than the cost of a couple extra screws and a minute or two of time.  If this is an incorrect assumption (as my sometimes dense/thick self is currently getting the impression it is...?) then please withdraw the request, and I'll just get over it.
 
While I'd feel a little better if my preferred bird (or alternatively, the bar) had 5 screwholes like my Europa or 4 screws like Bob's Rogue or Jeff's Dire Wolf,  I know Alembic'll give me an instrument that'll most likely never have an issue, and that'd you'd take care of if it did.
 
Let's cut to the chase.  It would make me feel better to have 4 or 5 screws -BUT ONLY IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EASY FOR ALEMBIC TO DO.  I realize the pricing structure for your instruments assumes certain standards, and any/each deviation may decrease your profitability.  I DON'T WANT THAT.
 
So let's be clear.  I know full well that whatever you get me will be awesome, that there's little likelyhood of any problem -due to your awesome standards and quality control- and that any problem that did occur would be fixed.
 
I get the impression it might be an imposition, if so, consider the request withdrawn.
 
I DO NOT want Alembic experiencing anything other than smooth sailing with this custom.  This bass is pretty much all standard Alembic options, and it'll be awesome with those options.
 
Please be clear, ANY and ALL additional REQUESTS I've made are MINOR DETAILs subject to your discretion predicated on the assumption that any such details entail little to no effort on Alembic's part.
 
I'm CERTAIN I'll be 100% satisfied with the bass with the specifications already listed on the intitial order.  This is my main issue.  The second is making sure it's a good experience for Alembic.
 
The 5 screws, and the control configuration -which thread I'm headed to next- are a distant 3rd concern, much less important than the 1st two things!
 
(I'm not going to bring up this topic again.)

[mica]

I wanted to understand why you wanted more screws than we've used on most of the instruments we've made (including Trip's 8-string).  
 
I can't think of a single tailpiece anchor screw failing since I started working here in 1987. I've never run across a repair to an instrument because of a failed anchor in the files as I've researched histories. I hope this helps put your mind at ease with over 13,000 successful 3-anchor tailpieces tailpieces.
 
It's easy to say that adding a couple of screws equals a couple of minutes of time, you're correct only about the installation of the tailpiece. Someone still needs to machine it.  
 
Imposition? That's not the characterization I meant to convey. Even something that seems like a minor detail (remember our conversation about bookmatching the top and not the accent laminates to center?) can have consequences as far as how much time is needed to address it. It's just custom, and that's waht we're here for.  
 
On the Dire Wolf tailpiece, there's a practical and decorative reason for four anchor screws. Note the space between the D string retainer and the top edge of the tailpiece is too small to hold the screw. One off-center screw would look cock-eyed, so four it is.
 
I'll find out how much additional time is needed to mill the holes and let you know. It may be small, and if it's within your budget and makes you feel better, then it's probably a good idea.

[the_8_string_king]

Thanks Mica, I appreciate it, and no, you didn't convey any sense of imposition.  But it's something that I want to be proactive about on my part.
 
I want to stick with the bird, but I do like the bar; it might be the case that you can't do the bird, only the bar?  Or that doing 5 screws on the bar would be x$ but 5x$ on the bird?
 
Since you're looking into this for me, it might be good to find out IF 5-screws could be done on BOTH the Bird and Bar, and then, if the cost/price would be the same.  My intuition is that the Bar might be quicker/easier/cheaper to to than the Bird (assuming the Bird can be done without any issues -in the first place).
 
Thanks again.

[the_8_string_king]

If possible, assuming there is no price difference, I would prefer pickups with ALEMBIC on them to ones without Alembic;
 
And I'd prefer ones with ALEMBIC in gold as opposed to ones without (again, assuming they're not more $).
 
And I'd also prefer tuners with the A of Alembic on the back.
 
Thanks!

[mica]

Sorry, the 6-string pickups are not available with gold stamping. The name appears engraved on the 6-string pickups.  
 
We prefer the tuners with the A on the back, but as you're following Shim's thread, you can see they are not always available. Most of the time, they are.
 
(Message edited by mica on April 23, 2007)

[the_8_string_king]

I'm busted!!!
 
Yes, that was a Shim reference -which I tried to discreetly sneak in!
 
Yes, like Shim, I'd prefer the Alembic A on the Gotohs... but it's no biggie... I know they're the same!!!  I'd PREFER the Alembic A version -if available.  If not, I assure you you'll hear no sniveling from me on the subject.
 
As far as the pickups... well, if it's not an option... then it's not an option.
 
Thanks, Mica, you folks are the best.  I'm glad I have the benefit of the my previous experience.  I do not have even the slightest bit of doubt that my replacement 6-string will be utterly awesome, and that I'll adore it.  It's like it's already done, and in front of me right now.  It'll be done, and it'll be done when it's done, and it'll be great, and I'll love it!  And life will go on until then!
 
BUT HEY, WHY SHOULDN'T 6-STRING FOLKS HAVE THOSE WONDERFUL PICKUPS WITH ALEMBIC ON THEM???  (Just for the benefit of folks down the road!!!)
 
But seriously, it's no biggie... not even a smallie!!!
 
Thanks again for everything!  Take care, Mark.

[mica]

We don't have an injection mold for the 5-6 string sized pickups yet. It's something that we plan on purchasing, but it won't be real soon (they are even more expensive than some Alembics!). Without an ABS plastic shell, I can't get the gold hot stamping done. I've seem people paint inside the engraved part, we don't offer that service.  
 
Someday, you can get a shiny new set of pickups when the gold stamped ones are available

[the_8_string_king]

Maybe by the time I upgrade the electronics to Series I... assuming I can afford to do the prep for Series I!!!
 
Thanks Mica, hope you TWO (three... ya know what I mean!) have a great weekend!  

[the_8_string_king]

Hi gang!  I'm just taking advantage of the FTC medium to post my Coco Bolo request details/specification here for mutual reference.
 
There actually isn't anything new here, at this point.  I'm just going to copy the previous info I'd E-mailed Valentino on 12/12.
 
(Excerpt copy of E-mail sent to Valentino on 12/12)
 
In the e-mail on 12/1/6, I gave a list of 10 specific examples to use as guidelines for what I?m looking for.  Now, I?ve amended and shortened the list to 5 examples.  I went over the various threads, and found 5 examples that?ll give you a perfect idea of what I want.   Here they are: my VERY FAVORITE ?EVER- Alembic coco bolo sample can be seen in the FTC thread ?Matt?s Coco Bolo Stanley Clarke?, posts 2059 & 2147 (and others) show this awesome example of what I?d like with respects to figuring, ?concentric-ness? (the little swirl on the lower body edge), and color, having lines in the middle (to disguise a BTC) and awesome swirls and figuring.  This example is an unsurpassed example of what I?d like.  I?d flip if you could get me something like this.  A very close second is found if you open the (FTC) ?archive through December 31, 2003?, and look at ?John?s Coco Bolo Skylark? ?and this example is actually BTC?d.  I love this example, and it stands second only to the previous mention/example.  My third favorite example of coco bolo on an Alembic bass is also on this same page: see the FRONT of ?Barry?s Custom Coco Bolo Bass??I love the color/range of color, I love the figuring, and most especially, I LOVE the little concentric pattern on the lower body edge, by the electronics? IT?S SO AWESOME!!! I REALLY would LOVE to have something like this on my bass!!!  Finally, tied for 4 and 5, are Rick?s Dragon Wing and Graham?s Rogue ?both of which are on the main/current FTC page.  I love the figuring and color/color range on both these basses, and both look like they have liney figuring in the center to disguise the BTC; and they each have a little ?concentric-ness?? Graham?s bass has it below the electronics (it?s not quite as awesome as Barry?s) and Rick has a little of it in the smaller horn.  By the way, I believe I rated ?Thunder and Lightning? as my favorite example.  I would now revise that and place it after the 5 examples I just described.  These 5 examples should give you a pretty clear idea of what I?d like.  I?m figuring that since I?m getting coco on front and rear, I hopefully should be able to get some concentric patterns somewhere!
 
(That completes the excerpt/E-mail)
 
I've VERY THOROUGHLY gone through most if not all of the FTC and showcase threads looking for references of finished Coco Bolo Alembics... and I stand behind these 5 examples as being perfect examples of what I'm looking for, with respects to figuring, concentrics, and colors.  Hopefully this will be sufficient to help to select/narrow down wood choices!  I'm not too picky... I'll defer to your experience/recommendations... this is just to give you the clearest idea of what I'm looking for.  I'd be absolutely ecstatic to get Coco Bolo like any of these 5 fabulous Alembics -especially the first 2... but they're ALL AWESOME!
 
Just one more time, I want to emphasize the single most important detail is to have the figuring disguise the BTC (on both the front and the back) as much as possible... to make sure the center line isn't noticable... to make sure there isn't side-to-side figuring that doesn't line up as it crosses the center line.  This is why having liney figuring at least in the middle seems like the way to go.  Okay, I won't say it again!!!  Just had to say it one more time, since it's the most important thing!
 
Thanks again for building the best bass(es) in the world!
 
 
(P.S. Graham, please forgive me for referring to your most awesome and inspiring Rogue as less awesome than Barry's... it was just in the context of describing MY personal subjective preferences AND focusing on THAT specific detail... the concentricity detail of that bass.  Your Rogue is in fact one of my top 5 Alembic Coco Bolo basses ever!)
 
(Message edited by the 8 string king on December 27, 2006)