Bird's-eye Maple & Walnut Europa 4 @...

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Author Message mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8368 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 6:16 pm:    I'm so excited about this bass. The only woods we used are Bird's-eye Maple and Walnut. It's got an amazing punchy tone with fast attack and crazy sustain. Plus it's sooooo pretty with those golden mother of pearl inlays and violet/amber LEDs. We shipped this to Music Unlimited in Monterey, CA today. Of course it looks even better in person! davehouck Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11625 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 6:55 pm:    Would love to see that Bird's-eye fingerboard in person! bassfingers Advanced Member Username: bassfingers Post Number: 362 Registered: 11-2005 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 7:52 pm:    Oh my!. sonicus Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3868 Registered: 5-2009 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 8:07 pm:    I would probably really like playing this bass as per Mica's description ! Punchy City with fast attack ! Thanks what I like . Looks beautiful too ! hifiguy Senior Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 431 Registered: 10-2006 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 8:43 pm:    What a sweet lookin' bass. Pardon my attack of GAS. jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4382 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - 11:00 pm:    I saw some photo's of this bass on facebook last night, It's certainly a l looker and another superb example of alembic embracing maple fretboards. I hope the dealer produces some video's to show off the bass. wfmandmusic Intermediate Member Username: wfmandmusic Post Number: 162 Registered: 1-2012 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 8:28 am:    Wow! I like this one very much.... cozmik_cowboy Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1815 Registered: 10-2006 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 9:13 am:    Most of it's pretty sharp - but I mourn the passing of Susan's "No maple fretboards" rule. Peter lidon2001 Senior Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 542 Registered: 4-2005 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 10:36 am:    I want to send my Amboyna Essence in for one if Susan and Mica will let me. Maple finger boards were long over due. 5a_quilt_top Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 412 Registered: 6-2012 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 10:56 am:    I saw her under construction when I visited the Mothership during the New Year holiday. The fretboard is indeed stunning. It made me happy to know that "Royale" has inspired a sibling. If she's anything close to her inspiration, she's amazing - trust me. Long may the "Bird's Eye Maple Princess" rule! lidon2001 Senior Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 543 Registered: 4-2005 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 11:27 am:    But then again, having just picked it up, it plays so well not sure if I should change anything. The old "don't fix it if it ain't broken". But it sure would look good on it, and I did ask for one back when I ordered it. Another choice in an accomplished artist's palette can only be a good thing. mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8371 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 12:33 pm:    It's a pretty major repair, Tom. We can totally do it of course, but since it involves finish time, it can take a while. I know you didn't ask my advice, but I'd leave it as is, for now anyway. tbrannon Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 1665 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 1:54 pm:    I love it- throw some caramel pickups in there and I'd be looking to sell a kidney. Looks like a satin finish on the walnut? Looks less glossy- I really like it. mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8372 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 2:23 pm:    Nope, it's regular gloss finish with satin neck. You can see the reflective surface in the picture of the tailpiece. I'm just experimenting with the lighting. It's so hard to take pictures of guitars! pauldo Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 1398 Registered: 6-2006 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 7:16 pm:    Dag gum it! That close up of that neck is giving me a bad case of GAS. I would love to sit down and hear what a maple neck on an Alembic sounds and plays like. moongerm Member Username: moongerm Post Number: 79 Registered: 8-2013 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 8:03 pm:    Beautiful and more beautiful with that fingerboard and killer looking leds. Wow! bigredbass Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 2307 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 9:34 pm:    In a different world, I would use the connection with Ikebe Gakki into the world of the Japanese builders, take several of the non-Series instruments and distill several models into versions just like this, and have a line of Japanese-only production models (NOT Taiwan, Phillipines, China, and so forth, JDM or nothing) built using an interesting, yet repeatable and reasonable wood recipe just like this. Limited production (hell, number them one of 100 or something along those lines), but do-able while keeping the numbers low enough to make money and stay very exclusive. Certainly FGN or any number of others would do a fine job, and allow more people into this world. Joey hifiguy Senior Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 432 Registered: 10-2006 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 10:41 pm:    That fretboard is making me crazy and I'm not a huge fan of maple fretboards. Strong John Lodge vibes here. lidon2001 Senior Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 544 Registered: 4-2005 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 5:14 am:    Thanks Mica, your input is always appreciated and welcome. I see rivers of maple going around the eyes. Amazing how nature puts it together. rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1505 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 3:53 pm:    I've never been a fan of Maple fretboards, but I have to make an exception for this one! WOW!!! sonicus Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 3870 Registered: 5-2009 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 5:09 pm:    I remember a preference among some folks in the recording industry and country music scene for ash body maple neck Fender Bass's as what they thought was what they wanted in the mix. This bass might be THAT on steroids . Who nows , a new paradigm perhaps ? Maple neck Alembic bass's for that market demand , and nicer , ten fold to boot then anything else available , the BEST made . 5a_quilt_top Senior Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 413 Registered: 6-2012 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 10:14 am:    Re: sound of a maple fingerboard - as near as I can tell, it's brighter than the traditional ebony. To complicate things, Royale also has three purple heart neck lams, which adds some brightness and makes it difficult to tell how much influence the fingerboard has. Playability on a fretted maple fingerboard is the same as ebony to me - both are hard woods. YMMV on a fretless - I've never played a fretless maple fingerboard, so I can't comment.