| Author | Message | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 12 Registered: 7-2005 |
Hey folks, Am considering ordering a custom Rogue and have a few questions for existing owners. 1. Has anyone seen/ordered a Rogue with black transparent tint? Was thinking Zebrawood with black over might look cool. 2. Are people generally happy with the pickup placement and balance on their Rogues? I prefer more bridge balance, so considering an AXY neck pup with offset coil, etc. 3. Are they nice and light and well balanced?  Cheers, EG | ||
| smokin_dave
Advanced Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 236 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hey EG, I bought my Rogue 5 new in 2003 and it was the best bass purchase I've made since I bought my Epic 4 new in the early 90's.Beautiful balance as in ZERO neck dive but it is a little weighty.I guess a flame purpleheart top,purpleheart neck lams and brass control plates contribute to it's weight but I don't mind.It just depends on the wood selection I suppose.I can stand a little back pain for the unbelievable tone and playability it has to offer.So far the best bass I've owned yet and I've had a few over the years.I really dig the pup placement as well. http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/5756.html?1093180700 A link to my sweet for you to see.If you do order a custom,get it in before the price increase. Take care. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2516 Registered: 5-2002 |
Check out the Black Rogue (AKA the Nightbass). | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 459 Registered: 1-2003 |
Alembic made a number of transparent black basses fot this guy. Hopefully someone has a picture that shows the transparency better.  | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 460 Registered: 1-2003 |
Another take on black - shifts from black to blue to bronze.  | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 461 Registered: 1-2003 |
More colourshifting blackness - the photos don't capture the effect very well.  | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2747 Registered: 6-2000 |
In order for transparent black to look nice, it needs to be barely transparent, we call it "almost black." On Jason's basses, they looked black fromt eh audience, but up close, under some light, you could see the Flame Maple. Problem with sheer black (or any sheer color) is that it first has to overcome the color of the wood. Since usually we paint colors over Maple, you first have to overcome the yellow cast of the Maple. Hardest of all is the black. Sometimes it looks a little on the green side (when the color is thinner) others, a touch more on the purple (with a thicker amount of black tinted paint). In order to get it so it appears more black - well, it needs more black paint, and that obscures the grain of the wood. Using a black stain first would probably increase the blackness, but we so dislike doing anything to the wood that is not able to be reversed. We have little experience in staining. We did a repair of an old Zebrawood Series I that had been painted with a transparent purple paint by another shop later that looked pretty cool. I think with black, again you'll have to combat the overall yellow color of the Zebrawood, just like with the Maples. Black-ish woods are available like Macassar Ebony and Ziricote. The illusive "Stormburst" finish is referred to on this post, but there is no photo. Maybe the owner can be coaxed into contributing one! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2748 Registered: 6-2000 |
Do enough didgging, and you find things! Here's a picture of a Stormburst Excel from 2002:  | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 13 Registered: 7-2005 |
Great info, guys, thanks! I might have to rethink the black tint, I was hoping you could just have a small bit of it to darken the top colour, don't want to cover it too much. Plain Zebrawood might be ok, will chase up a few more pics. Being a Sydney lad myself, I'm going to drop in and see the Black Rogue in person, get an idea of what's possible! WOO! EG | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 529 Registered: 11-2002 |
Seems like you have lots of great input on color. Regarding pickup placement, I also favor the bridge, and have an offset AXY coil at the neck - which I really like. If I had it to do all over again, I would seriously consider using a regular AXY positioned halfway between the standard neck and bridge positions (with a FatBoy at the bridge). But I'm really pretty happy with what I have :-) We may favor the bridge for different reasons, so it's hard to know what to say here. Regardless, I suggest you put a FatBoy there. If you want to talk more about the neck, and possibly placement, let me know, either here or via email. -Bob | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 14 Registered: 7-2005 |
How different is the FatBoy sound to normal? Maybe Alembic does MusicMan? Soundwise, I mainly play prog-rock, funk, jazz styles, so I'm after something that can cut through a loud mix when I want but also sound nice and sweet when I just want to groove. Still haven't heard a stock Rogue, so not sure whether to mess with it or not. Cheers, EG | ||
| jetbass79
Intermediate Member Username: jetbass79 Post Number: 109 Registered: 2-2005 |
The fatboy to my knowledge is wound around the Series pickup magnet giving it a more substantial amount of "oomph" compared to an AXY/MXY (which are basically the same with different casings). I have found that the AXY bridge pickup in my bass has plenty of oomph for gritty angry solo work -- the Fatboy is more powerful because of the magnet. Honestly when I ordered my bass I never actually played an Alembic before except for a fretless Epic about 10 years ago and was unimpressed because I was a 16 year old kid who knew everything and actually knew nothing. I guarantee the stock MXY pickups in the Rogue combined with the Europa/Rogue circuitry will do the business for you. That filter knob with the Q switch is an amazing thing. | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 15 Registered: 7-2005 |
Hey, how do people find the Rogue necks? Nice and thin and fast? My current bass is a Tobias Killer B-5 with asymmetrical neck, I find it pretty easy to play and low fatigue for long gigs, etc. Wouldn't be too crucial except I have mild RSI from I.T work, so really find thicker necks a bit of a problem these days. EG | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 463 Registered: 1-2003 |
What do you mean by asymmetrical? | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 464 Registered: 1-2003 |
Custom fingerboard width is no extra charge - so if you have an instrument you really like, we can match that. | ||
| byoung
Intermediate Member Username: byoung Post Number: 146 Registered: 12-2004 |
Gus, Alembic has carved asymmetric necks like the Tobias; I'm sure they could make one for you. Brad | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 16 Registered: 7-2005 |
An asymmetrical neck is slightly thinner on the treble side, making it easier to play notes on D/G strings. Wouldn't really need it if the Rogue neck is thin enough, but the Epic 5 could sure do with it! EG | ||
| smokin_dave
Advanced Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 238 Registered: 10-2002 |
I play an average of three one hour sets a night with little hand fatigue.It's what I like best about my Rogue 5.The fast neck action and playability.When I first got it,having never owned a 5 before and especially play my thin necked Epic 4 for 10 years,I was a little wary of a fiver neck but after a few minutes of playing her for the first time I knew it was for me.I have fairly little hands too. | ||
| s_wood
Intermediate Member Username: s_wood Post Number: 160 Registered: 5-2002 |
When I did my first custom order with Alembic I shipped them an old Tobias Basic of mine with a thin and asymmetrical neck profile I loved and they copied exactly! Here's the bass http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/3335.html?1130208694 | ||
| evilgus
Junior Username: evilgus Post Number: 18 Registered: 7-2005 |
Well, it might sound a little weird, but I've changed tack completely and am purchasing that beaut little Zebrawood Excel 4 that David has had here in Sydney for a while. After playing it last week, I just had to have it, the combination of body shape, balance, sound and playability just blew me away! (And it looks hot too!) The FatBoy at the bridge gives a great funky tone with plenty of punch and the mid-placed MXY just balances the sound out nicely. The Pau Ferro fingerboard also keeps plenty of low-mids in there too, gives a nice warm focussed sound. The only thing missing from this particular Excel is the filter and Q switch, but I'm sure those won't be too hard to add in there somewhere. Just goes to show you can't predict which model will suit you until you try a few out! Now I can't wait to save up more money and order a super-Phat Excel-a-Rogue 5-string! :p Cheers, EG | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2569 Registered: 5-2002 |
Congrats!! |
