Discussion

[flaxattack]

i will bet you $1 that you WILL make a change during production-lmao
definitely sit back and relax- close your eyes, go into a coma and wake up 6 months from now

[jacko]

Bob.  
One thing I can guarantee is how much better your bass will be in person than in the Photos. When i opened my case for the first time I just sat and stared for ages;-)
i agree with the other bob here, if your going for a back laminate, continuous wood backplates are a must.
 
graeme

[flaxattack]

bob
trust me
they will not dfo the brass plating till months from now and will make the change if you wish
get the continous

[bsee]

Ok, here's to summarize the discussion in one place for the benefit of all:
 
Top wood:  3766 in approximately the position I identified.  Adjustment criteria would include:
  -optimal positioning of the little eyes
  -angle and coverage of the dark areas on the body wings
  -will there be dark stripes along the sides of the neck, or is that dark just an illusion from the cut?  If so, should they be trimmed out?
 
1. Back wood:  3767 positioned near the top of the board and slightly canted to eliminate most or all of the sap wood.  Looking to have the light/dark/light stripes abut the neck.  Please show me a pic with templates when convenient.
 
2/3/10.  Headstock:  Looking for a very dark and symmetrical face to set off the hardware and logo.  Looking to confirm the laminates for the headstock as they will be apparent with the bevel.  Looking to get the right crown variation to best flow with the overall design.  
 
4. Need to confirm the pickup placement.
 
5. Are the brass backplates to be goldplated?  This could be trumped by a change to wood backplates at the urging of others in the know.  If this change would be allowed, can I get a price including, if appropriate, any reduction in the price of the gold plating?  I will let Beaver know I am asking since you will probably want to feed that to me through him.
 
6. Looking for ideas on control positions, particularly related to the LED toggle and the output jack.  I don't want to break/trigger the toggle with my cable.
 
7. Is there a dimmer for the LEDs inside the cavity?
 
8. I would like the non-maple laminates in the neck at the wide end of the spectrum if there is any room for variation here.  
 
9. Bridge block:  I think it was in the original spec but I don't see it mentioned on the build sheet.  I am not sure I fully understand it to know if I even want one.  Please guide me...
 
11. Confirming what your definition of the neck measurements means.  Looking for the SC 30th neck, though maybe a hair wider, especially if you believe it is necessary to maintain neck stability in a New England climate and with regular strings.
 
12. Can/will the straplocks be mounted using threaded inserts?
 
 
Valentino/Mica-
 
You may have my office number, but I have been out of work there since 3/1.  I will email you my cell phone number in case you don't have it so that we can discuss any of this directly and at your convenience, as you see fit.
 
 
Thanks to all who have participated so far, and to any who may yet choose to chime in!
 
-Bob
 
PS - Jeff, once production starts, I refuse to make any change that isn't directly in response to a query from Alembic.  

[kilowatt]

Bob, I am also in  line to have a 5 string MK with series II electronics built. I have LED's going in and am having a three position switch and a dimmer. The switch will be, all on,side on, and all off. You can talk to Beaver on this as my bass is also going through Bass Central.
 Don't feel too bad about making changes at this stage of the build, they are much easier to deal with now. I am still trying to decide on inlays and continuous wood backplates myself. Pete    

[bsee]

Pete-
 
With regard to inlays, you may have gathered that I am a big fan of abalone.  I really love the colors and the lines, making them much more interesting to me than MOP.  I am not familiar enough with the other options to say.  I suppose that an inlay materials page would be a great addition to the site so that one could examine all the common materials.  
 
You can see the guidance that others have provided regarding the backplates.  Having already paid my bass off in full, it seems easier to find a couple hundred to throw at them now than it would have to push the original total up when I was placing the order.    
 
With regard to the LEDs, I have side only.  I had heard that there is a dimmer placed inside the control cavity so that you could adjust how bright they are when they come on.  With front LEDs, particularly if you went laser, you might want a more readily accessible dimmer to control their brightness, but that's not what I am talking about here.  I think the perfect side LED setup would be a 3-way switch allowing for {off / on low / on high}, but an internal dimmer is better than just on/off.  Oddly, the darker the room, the less bright the LEDs need to be.
 
Thanks for the feedback, and good luck with your bass!  
 
-Bob

[bob]

Hey Bob, have you considered abalone?

[bsee]

Interesting concept, Bob.  I believe that I have thought long and hard on the subject of abalone.  The only thing that would turn me on as much as more abalone would be more cowbell.  Unfortunately, I am not sure where I can fit more abalone into the design.  Maybe abalone pickup covers?  Maybe I should have asked about the cool abalone caps they put on Stanley's control knobs?
 
-Bob

[jacko]

hey bob. Just my two-pennorth. I think the dark edges alongside the neck would look pretty cool and highlight the maple nicely.
no 6. As the LEDs are going to be on or off, put the switch well out of the way - perhaps even on the lower horn - it's not one of the controls you're gong to be playing with during a gig.
 
graeme

[bsee]

Graeme-
 
I think it would be a lot of work to put one mini-toggle out on the lower horn.  I also think that a mini-toggle out there alone would be a bit silly looking.  I suppose another alternative might be to use a mini-pot type switch instead of a toggle.  Something like what they use for the pickup selector seems like it would be more sturdy and harder to have an accident with.  I will wait, though, to see what Alembic recommends on the matter.  There's always the issue of how things fit in the control cavity, so it has to go someplace where there is space for it.
 
Thanks!
-Bob

[jacko]

Yep, That was probably a bit extreme but the suggestion still stands. How about tucked below the rest of the controls (looking down whilst playing that is)
 
graeme

[bsee]

That would be a possibility as long as it isn't close enough to the edge that it would get a thigh-tap while playing seated.  Worse yet, it might get caught on a loose pair of pants in the same playing situation, and that could be pretty ugly.  I'm trying to avoid all of the bad design characteristics I have experienced during 30 years of playing.  
 
When all is said and done, the side jack is probably the easiest option (least hassle, most straightforward, easiest to describe) for Alembic to execute on.  We'll find out soon...
 
-Bob

[flaxattack]

and you said you werent gonna make changes?
lmao
you may not last through this week@@@@@
serenity now!!!
:-)
get the wood backplates or i will torture you throughout eternity!!!!...haha
youre gonna find the money...and then it will be tooo late....

[bsee]

Production hasn't begun yet, Jeff.  Once we're signed off to start the build, all changes cease unless they ask my opinion on something in the design.  Then I sit back for a few months with the occasional photo fix until it's ready for delivery.  The biggest delay I will have is gold plating the hardware.  Other than that, there's no series electronics or custom inlays that would add complexity.
 
-Bob

[jacko]

Bob. I've just re-read (and understood ) your comments about the side mounted jack. I'd go for this option. The jacksocket on my rogue is absolutely flush with the bodywork - no socket plate or nuts to catch on- and as you'd expect, the craftmanship in this area is spot on. On the Epic, i have the front mounted jack and always feel the cable detracts somewhat from the look of the bass. i use straight jacks though so the cable does stick out a fair bit. Again just my thoughts.
 
graeme