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5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 220
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 8:07 am:   Edit Post

I said I wasn't going to do this, but...oh what the heck...



Just received formal notification this morning via emailed FEDEX tracking # from the mothership that THIS bad-A$$ tone machine is all finished - complete with cream-colored pickup covers and gold-plated hardware - and is currently on its merry way to my eager hands.

The head elf christened it with the moniker "Royale" for obvious reasons.

Should arrive just in time for the weekend!
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3195
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 11:21 am:   Edit Post

Congratulations ,

Beautiful ___ spelled with a capital "B" !
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3812
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 1:41 pm:   Edit Post

OH my how superb is that!! Birdseye maple too is a nice touch. It should look amazing with the gold hardware and cream pickups. Looks like 2014 is gonna be a good year for europa basses.

Jazzyvee
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 221
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 2:21 pm:   Edit Post

Offered up by none other than the "Europa King" himself!

I hope to have pix of the finished piece ASAP - they might not be as nice as the pix of my others, but at least you'll get to see the finished piece.

BTW: if I "pass my audition" tonight, it will be pressed into service immediately holding down the bottom end in a new project.

2014 is already looooookin' gooood.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8089
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 3:33 pm:   Edit Post

Hey David - You want that I should post a sofa-shot of Royale?
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 222
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 7:10 am:   Edit Post

Yes, please - that would be very regal!

It would be very fitting to use the famous Alembic sofa for a temporary throne!
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8091
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 10:32 am:   Edit Post

Well alrighty then....

sofa king

These are the cream color pickups. They start aging pretty quickly, and the color mellows to a shade that looks even better with the Maple.
The tan ones age a tad to the green which would be unappealing. These will look the nicest for the longest period of time.
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3814
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 10:54 am:   Edit Post

Mica, thats looks like its made of timber taken from mother natures private stock.
That is such a fantastic looking bass and the wood reminds me of marble.

Enjoy that bass David it's awesome.

Jazzyvee
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 223
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 11:15 am:   Edit Post

It's a cliche' with anything made by Alembic, but I'll say it anyway:

I'm speechless...


If that plays even one-tenth as awesome as it looks, it will be a religious experience.
eligilam
Senior Member
Username: eligilam

Post Number: 415
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 2:42 pm:   Edit Post

Sofa King good!
dlbydgtl
Intermediate Member
Username: dlbydgtl

Post Number: 148
Registered: 7-2008
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 3:13 pm:   Edit Post

Wow, Just Wow! I just love Europa basses. That wood is beautiful. Congrats!
pauldo
Senior Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 1105
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 3:52 pm:   Edit Post

Nice!
Wonder what the back looks like . . .
susan
Moderator
Username: susan

Post Number: 110
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 5:38 pm:   Edit Post

The back is purple heart :-)
mtjam
Intermediate Member
Username: mtjam

Post Number: 128
Registered: 11-2011
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 5:57 pm:   Edit Post

We need pics of that back! : )
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1598
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 6:29 pm:   Edit Post

Oh wow. I love it.

I really love cream colored pickups. I dream of a daphne blue Elan with cream color pickups and a maple board.

Incredible looking instrument!!!
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3815
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 11:18 pm:   Edit Post

Now I know Susan doesn't comment on here that often so i think there must be something more than standard about the back.....!!!!
:-)

Jazzyvee
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 224
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 8:00 am:   Edit Post

Trust me guys - I'm as curious as you are - !!!

The only thing I know for sure about the back is there are continuous wood plates covering the electronics. Beyond that, it's a given that whatever else there is to see will be awesome.

It is supposed to arrive today (pant, pant, pant), so I'll snap some cell phone pix of the back and post ASAP.

BTW: I "passed the audition" the other night, so she's gonna see some heavy use very quickly. My task this weekend will be to ensure she's ready to hit the ground running.
artswork99
Moderator
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 1938
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 8:13 am:   Edit Post

Looks great David! Congratulations on your bass and the audition, Play it Healthy!
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 5635
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 8:53 am:   Edit Post

David:

Congrats, & don't forget to breath while waiting for the delivery!

Bill, tgo
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 228
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 9:13 am:   Edit Post

PANT, PANT, PANT...according to FEDEX website, it's getting CLOSER:

Date/Time Activity Location
- 1/17/2014 - Friday
3:48 am
On FedEx vehicle for delivery
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1599
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 9:18 am:   Edit Post

David,

It'll be a looooooong day waiting for the delivery truck.

Nothing you do will prepare you for the first time you open that case. The new bass/case smell from Alembic is 1000x better than the 'new car' smell!
jcdlc72
Advanced Member
Username: jcdlc72

Post Number: 293
Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 9:23 am:   Edit Post

Iīll have to turn my face away from this... my drool can mar the finish! ;)

Itīs gorgeous!!!
stout71
Intermediate Member
Username: stout71

Post Number: 195
Registered: 7-2011
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 10:53 am:   Edit Post

I'm a HUGE birdseye fan. That stuff almost looks like some kind of swirling alien soup. Really cool. Congrats!
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 229
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 11:31 am:   Edit Post

It has arrived.

OMG.

Cell phone photos WILL NOT do it justice, but I'll try.

I'm at work on lunch break, so difficult to really play it, but the small amount of playing I did reveals the expected sustain and piano-like tone. The open low "B" string is quite resonant, but the open low "E" and "D" strings are unbelievable.

Slap is a piece of cake on this beast. Comfort taper 5-string neck string spacing is very accommodating for slap. Highly recommended.

Set up is excellent, action is right where it should be and it's pretty much in tune(!)

Bonus: it's very well-balanced and weighs less than my MusicMan Classic 5(!)

REALLY crappy pix:



jon_jackson
Intermediate Member
Username: jon_jackson

Post Number: 190
Registered: 12-2008
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 3:11 pm:   Edit Post

Gorgeous!
dead_head
Junior
Username: dead_head

Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2013
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 9:12 pm:   Edit Post

David, congratulations! It's absolutely beautiful! Love the maple top, fretboard, and cream colored covers! It's sweeeeet!!! Play it in good health!



Rob
tncaveman
Advanced Member
Username: tncaveman

Post Number: 220
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2014 - 6:47 am:   Edit Post

WOW - that is pretty sweet looking. And yes, her backside is looking good!

Stephen
jcdlc72
Advanced Member
Username: jcdlc72

Post Number: 296
Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2014 - 9:47 pm:   Edit Post

Gorgeous nonetheless
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1085
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2014 - 10:32 pm:   Edit Post

WOW David!! She is drop dead gorgeous! Congratulations on the new bass & new gig to showcase her in! I can't wait to join you in the ranks of Europa owners!!

Rusty
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3821
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2014 - 4:27 am:   Edit Post

Yeah that is some bass.... I'm so glad you let the neck show through on the back.
Rusty I know how you feel but...... Good things come to those who wait. :-)
You can't rush genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqQ1ROREP24


Jazzyvee
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1087
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2014 - 4:58 am:   Edit Post

+1 on the neck showing on the back Jazzyvee! Mine is going to be painted, but the neck is going to be natural on the back.

Rusty
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 11278
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2014 - 8:20 pm:   Edit Post

Congrats! That's a really nice fingerboard; I've been zooming in to get a good look at it. And of course the top is gorgeous.
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 230
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2014 - 8:49 am:   Edit Post

All -

Thanks for the kind words & feedback. It's a real joy to be able to share my excitement with others like you who appreciate the nuances of these amazing creations.

Rusty - YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY, you have chosen wisely and it will be well worth the wait. The Europa body style and electronics package (+Fatboy in treble position) has more than exceeded my highest expectations.

JV - agreed, IMO, it looks more "Alembic" to expose the neck lams on the backside. The bookmatch on the top was due to the quality of the wood.

Dave - that bird's eye maple fingerboard is a story unto itself. It took as almost as much time to get it (and the finish on the rest of the neck to which it is laminated) "just exactly perfect" as it took to build the remainder of the bass. But, anything less than "just exactly perfect" can't leave the mothership - so it is worth every minute spent on it.

To everyone - many apologies again for the poor quality of the photos. Cell phone camera + really poor lighting = what you (can't) see here.

I promise to take some better pix soon.

Had planned to do so this weekend, but wound up spending my limited time playing her instead.

Speaking of that, I got an unexpected chance to A/B her to Crown of Creation during an impromptu jam last night - first public appearance for both of them. Brought them over to a friend's house (with no bass rig) just to open the cases and do a little "show & tell" and wound up getting talked into plugging directly into a PA mixer (!) despite my protests.

"Aw com'on man, how bad could it sound? Here, just plug in & we'll play a little".

It actually sounded pretty d*mn good...

In this context, Royale, with her brighter, punchier and more focused tonality had the upper hand. The nuances of COC's darker, thicker and more complex tonality did not translate as well when plugged directly into the PA.

Side note: the stock Europa electronics package is a total breeze to navigate when playing live or in an uncontrolled jam setting. It's very simple, intuitive and effective. Very easy to switch between a spanky slap tone and a deep, authoritative heavy tone. I'll plug the Fatboy again here - it really adds punch and girth to the treble position and allows the bass to stand out a bit in the mix.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1204
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Monday, April 21, 2014 - 1:42 am:   Edit Post

Hey David, have you stopped playing Royale enough to take more pictures yet? :-)
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 290
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Monday, April 21, 2014 - 10:01 am:   Edit Post

If you look in the June Vintage Guitar mag (on sale now) she's featured in the Alembic ad and I posted some pretty crummy pix in the "Showcase" section.

But - as luck would have it, she's here at work with me today (rehearsal tonight), so I'll try to snag a camera and get some better pix during lunch.

Shameless plug:

I have to say that she's the best bass I own. All of my basses (the Alembics in particular) are very resonant, but Royale tops them all. The whole bass vibrates with every note and she stays in tune amazingly well.

I've been doing a lot of 4-string gigs lately, so Royale has been on vacation in her case for the last two weeks. I pulled her out this morning to prep her for tonight and the D and low B strings were slightly flat. All of the others were right on.

Also, I've never adjusted the truss rods or messed with the bridge. Neck is perfect and hasn't budged one bit since she arrived three months ago.

You will love this body style, Rusty. Very comfortable and balanced seated or standing.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1207
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Monday, April 21, 2014 - 8:54 pm:   Edit Post

That's something else you & I have in common, my bass was featured in the 2nd Vintage Guitar ad from February 2012. Did you know Mica was going to use Royale in the ad or were you surprised like me? Glad you are getting some playing time on this gorgeous Europa! I can't wait to get mine!!



http://www.alembic.com/vg
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 292
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 1:03 pm:   Edit Post

Rusty -

Yes, I had a little preview of the ad prior to it appearing, but it didn't diminish the thrill of seeing it.

Wish it was more playing time for Royale, but I gotta show th' love to the rest of my posse and sometimes a 4-string is the correct tool for the job.

Rehearsal last night was interesting. The guitar player's son, a bass player, was present and his eyes 'bout popped outa' his head when he saw Royale.

This naturally prompted explanation about what is special about Alembics in general and Royale in particular.

Needless to say, the young lad learned a lot about high-end bass construction and technology and a good time was had by all.
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3974
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 4:23 pm:   Edit Post

Maybe he will persuade his dad to get him one. :-)

Jazzyvee
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1211
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 - 1:58 am:   Edit Post

My ad caught me completely by surprise! I had no idea Mica was going to use my bass until she posted the ad here on the forum! Funny story, I showed the ad to a drummer friend & told him it was my bass & showed him a pictures of my bass too & he thought it was just the same model as my bass, not my actual bass, & he said "Wow, they are really consistent with their wood patterns aren't they?!" I had to explain that this wasn't just the same model as my bass, it was my actual bass!

Glad you were able to enlighten a new devotee to the magic of Alembic!
5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 293
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 - 11:32 am:   Edit Post

Guys -believe me, his dad can afford it.

And I've also planted the "they make guitars, too" hint in HIS head.

We'll see where all of this goes...

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