| Author | Message | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 35 Registered: 3-2005 |
Are there any minimum thickness requirements for Alembic to make a set of top and back wings? I have just purchased an absolutely beautiful 24" X 15.5" X 2" piece of Walnut, with the hope that Alembic will make a custom bass out of it for me someday (see attached). How about neck wood dimensions for a 34" scale standard radius? I have been also eyeing some Ebony at a fair price.   | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 888 Registered: 7-2002 |
Very nice wood. Looks like it's plenty big for a top & back if the thickness is 2 inches. Tops (other than for the tribute, which is double thick)are 1/4 inch thick. As long as it's got no fungus or cracks we can use it. In regards to neck woods, we don't let customers provide those, sorry. Valentino | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 37 Registered: 3-2005 |
Thanks Valentino. Someday, this will be my dream bass. Has anyone ever had a solid Ebony neck made? Possible? That's the kind of wood I was looking at. How much would that run from Alembic, if it's practical for a bass? | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 38 Registered: 3-2005 |
Actually, regarding this piece, I was wondering if Alembic could make bookmatched sets of fronts and backs from this? I wasn't too clear on that, sorry. Jeff | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1172 Registered: 3-2004 |
I don't think you would want a one-piece ebony neck. Neck stability comes from laying a few pieces of wood together with the grains running in different directions. With a solid piece, there's not as much to keep it from bending when the connditions tell it that it should. A neck made from several pieces of ebony and no other woods might be possible, though. There has been a neck of alternating purpleheart and ebony lams and no other woods. As far as making bookmatches goes, the width of your piece is sufficient to go to center with just about any body style. With a 2" thickness, you should be able to get the backs and fronts off of just one board if you really wanted to. There will be some loss of wood from the cutting, but a 2" thick piece should easily provide four 1/4" slices. That, of course, assumes there aren't any nasty knots or voids hiding in the middle there. Good luck - nice wood! | ||
| tom_z
Advanced Member Username: tom_z Post Number: 395 Registered: 7-2004 |
I would guess that an all ebony neck could be quite heavy - it would be an interesting project to balance an instrument like that. | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 39 Registered: 3-2005 |
Thanks, for your feedback Val, Bsee, Tom. I remember the custom with the alternating purpleheart and ebony neck, and it was beautiful. I was thinking of that, and almost bought the Ebony until I saw Val's response. I did buy a nice, straight grained Pupleheart 8X4, 8" X 48" for the neck, but Val burst my bubble with the neck wood nix - So that may be used for the core, like the custom I think you're referring to, Bsee. Tom, I wonder of the balance issue of a solid Ebony laminate neck could be compensated with a longer upper horn and an asymmetrical body shape slanting a little towards the lower end - like a B-K / Rogue cross? It may be overkill, but I'd rather have Ebony than graphite any day. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1173 Registered: 3-2004 |
Emjay, what is it you hope to gain by supplying so much of your own wood? I can see the benefit of picking out your own top woods. Occasionally there's a really special tree involved, like the one you may have tumbled out of when you were seven, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Beyond that, I don't get it. Unless you're looking for a wood that they just don't have, I would absolutely look to them to provide everything except the top, back, and peghead faces. Personally, I really think Alembic likes to use their own wood. A special top is one thing, but unless the wood is from the tree you fell out of when you were seven, I think you may have a hard time convincing them to use any more of your wood than that. For example, what happens if a customer-provided piece of core wood is still a little bit green? Who is going to foot the bill for the hassles that come up if the thing twists into a pretzel? The neck would have the biggest risk of that, so I can see why they would absolutely refuse any customer-provided neck woods. On balance issues, I think choosing ridiculously heavy body woods could help. You might end up with a 20 pound instrument, but it would balance nicely. Seriously, though, I would stick to the Rogue. If you are into it and have the dough, Valentino's custom with all the points on the body also has one of the longer upper horns available. I think you're looking at something like $1500-2000 to get that body style, though. | ||
| trekster
Member Username: trekster Post Number: 97 Registered: 7-2004 |
I remeber a long time ago seeing a guitar spread in a magazine. The guitar had been carved out of a ebony LOG..no glue. Downside -- could (I think) only be played secured to a stand, it was so heavy. Upside -- E string sustained for over 5 minutes (or something like that). Then again it was 20 years ago that I saw that, so my mind probably made up the time for the sustain.. but they did say it sustained for a very long time. Heh. I also recall someone saying that there was a similar guitar out there that was chisled out of granite... --T | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 40 Registered: 3-2005 |
Please Bsee, don't be sarcastic with me. And exactly how much more would a solid Ebony laminated neck be than one with five Ebony lams (am I correct?), like the one I remember pictured with the purpleheart lams? I guess I'm a bit of a control freak, and I'm trying to insure my satisfaction as best I can. Many of the wood bank photos are years old, and nobody answered a thread I posted a year ago, about whether a 2002 vintage Walnut was still available. I'm a long way from the factory, with little vacation time off from work, and I'd like to pick out what I want. We're talking about a considerable amount of money in the end, after all. And frankly, a lot of the Walnut I see in the Wood Bank is fair-to-middling looking for my personal taste. Maybe I just don't know the process of a custom build - and everyone here seems very happy with whatever Alembic built for them. Maybe Alembic has an enormous supply of wood to suit everone's tastes? I am able to shop for wood and know it's moisture content, whether it was kiln or air dried, and inspect the grain myself. Also, I was hoping to save some money I can get two pieces of 8/4 RGH AD Gaboon Ebony for the same price as the additional cost for three neck lams. Do you know how cheap a top class 8X4 piece of Purpleheart is, (see attached)? Of course, if I couldn't save money by providing some of the materials, that would be another consideration... Unless Alembic cuts and ages the tree trunks, they are at the mercy of their trusted suppliers, just like me. One hopes, that from a hightly regarded seller in the profession of selling exotic woods, I would get an honest deal. Doesn't Alembic have the ability to inspect wood for moisture content? Wouldn't Val be able to inspect the wood and decide if it's the quality and grain needed for an intended purpose? I would even allow it to be cut, as there is a single intention for this wood - to have the master craftsmen at Alembic make a bass from it. If the wood passes muster, I could sign a release. Wood someone from Alembic clarify if there can be some money in materials saved by supplying one's own wood? Thanks, Jeff  | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 41 Registered: 3-2005 |
Besides, everyone, I never even said I wanted a neck of solid Ebony; if you read my question correctly....... | ||
| lidon2001
Intermediate Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 162 Registered: 4-2005 |
Hi Jeff, I believe Alembic will give you a discount if you provide wood that is already bookmatched. If you give them a block like you are providing, there is no discount other than the savings from Alembic's upgraded Walnut price. You have a very nice piece of Walnut there, it should work well. T | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1176 Registered: 3-2004 |
No sarcasm intended, just an honest question. I do recall an instrument that was made out of wood from a tree with some connection to the buyer. Like I said, I can see wanting to have total control of selecting visible woods that have some variation in appearance. I was considering asking some woodworker friends of mine to help me with sources for a top wood, too. Since I ended up sith an SC Deluxe that comes with cocobolo all around, I didn't bother. I think Tom is right and there isn't much, if anything, in the way of discounts for providing your own wood. I asked about your intent because I thought it would be rude to assume you were doing it to save money. Sorry if you took offense as none was meant. If you want to hash out any personal issue you may still have, email me off-board so we don't clutter your thread. -bob | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1322 Registered: 7-2004 |
Particular trees can be important. Currently, Alembic has walnut from the tree the dog Cujo was tied to in the movie of the Stephen King novel! http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/28216.html Bill, the guitar one | ||
| emjay
Junior Username: emjay Post Number: 42 Registered: 3-2005 |
Wow Bill, I guess I want a Cujo movie tree slice, sight unseen! It must be a really great piece of wood to be in a Stephen King movie. Why would I ever think of buying my own Walnut, Purpleheart, Bubinga, Spalted Maple or Ebony when I can have a bona-fide piece of history that smells like dog pee? I couldn't resist being glib, sorry. I guess I'll just have to take this up with the company when the time comes. Thanks for your time, gentlemen. Jeff | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1325 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jeff: I believe the dog pee smelling wood is Zebra wood. Bill, tgo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 3876 Registered: 5-2002 |
I agree, at the level of detail you are talking about, price quotes for an intended special order bass, a telephone call might be a good idea. One other thought about Ebony lams. I don't know, I'm just guessing, but I'm thinking that part of the cost of an Ebony lam upgrade is for the extra labor involved. I belive it has been posted here before that Ebony is just more difficult to work with than other woods. Thus even if you could supply your own Ebony for neck lams, I'm guessing there would still be additional labor involved in working with the wood and thus a consequent additional cost as well. |
