| Author | Message | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 199 Registered: 9-2003 |
OK, I think I've gotten the hang of it now.  | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 200 Registered: 9-2003 |
BTW, That's a "hippie sandwich" (i.e., analogue of the bass body/lam/top) of Swamp Ash (same as the body...Mica sent scraps from my bass over to THG), with a Purpleheart laminate and a Quilted Maple top cap. The position marker is real 12K gold inlayed flush with the wood surface. They're finished in a gloss oil hand-applied finish. I can't wait to see them on the instrument! | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 203 Registered: 9-2003 |
Mica: Any news about the flight case and the nut? | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 218 Registered: 9-2003 |
Mica, Did you forget about me? I was looking forward to those pix you promised me. Kevin | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1829 Registered: 6-2000 |
Sorry Kevin, I try. I don't always make it.    Still waiting on the case. Will call for the ETA in the morn. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 222 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Mica. I know that you're extremely busy and that I'm not the only impatient PITA that you have to deal with. Thanks for the nice pix. The bass looks awesome with the new knobs! I'm assuming you got the nut back from the platers and everything is copasetic? As soon as you can let me know about the case ETA, and more importantly, the ETA for instrument shipping, I would greatly appreciate it. Cheers, Kevin (Message edited by kmh364 on July 20, 2004) | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1830 Registered: 6-2000 |
The nut is now to our satisfaction. The ETA for shipping is entirely dependent upon the day we receive the case. I'll be calling them as soon as they are open. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 223 Registered: 9-2003 |
Mica, Thanks for the (quick) update. You're up bright and chipper this fine AM. K. | ||
| smokin_dave
Intermediate Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 150 Registered: 10-2002 |
That is a sweet Orion and I love the THG Knobs.They really add the right touch to your bass.Congrats. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 224 Registered: 9-2003 |
Dave: Thanks. Yeah, I was hopin' that the knobs would set it off. I didn't know if I suceeded until I saw them on the bass. Looks like I guessed right. | ||
| groovelines
Intermediate Member Username: groovelines Post Number: 180 Registered: 4-2003 |
Kevin, Saw this earlier this morning, no time to post, something about 'ethics in the work place...' Hats off to you and Alembic on a beautiful piece of art. When you finally have this baby at home (and after you quit posing in front of the mirror with it draped around your neck and you know you will!  ), please post some pics of the whole enchilada, seeing the bits and pieces isn't doing it for me! congratulations! Mike | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 225 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Mike. I'm dying to see the whole thing myself. Mica is a bit of a "Bass Tease": she shows me just enough to get me all worked up, LOL! Seriously though, Mica and Co. surely outdid themselves on this one. I wanted something really nice, and they delivered. Now, I just have to get it delivered, LOL! | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 226 Registered: 9-2003 |
Sorry, duplicate post. (Message edited by kmh364 on July 20, 2004) | ||
| rklisme
Member Username: rklisme Post Number: 65 Registered: 5-2004 |
Kevin This is the first chance I have had to check out your bass with the knobs, very impressive! You already know how I feel about the maple. What an awesome bass, please post pic's as soon as you get it home. Rory | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 228 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Rory. Alembic is still waiting for my flight case. As soon as they get it, I get it. I can't wait. It's been a long seven-plus month wait, but I'm sure it'll be worth every minute. | ||
| tom_z
New Username: tom_z Post Number: 6 Registered: 7-2004 |
Kevin - What a gorgeous instrument! Congrats. Can't wait to see the snaps of the whole bass. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 230 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Tom. That makes two of us. BTW: congratulations and good luck on your new custom. You WILL wait, but you will get to follow the progress right here, which is a very cool thing. You also get one of the finest instruments on the planet, bar none. It makes you feel special for sure. How often do you get that kind of satisfaction from a purchase, regardless of price? | ||
| the_mule
Intermediate Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 167 Registered: 1-2004 |
Kevin, if we'd have anything to say about it, this would definitely be my #1 candidate for a Featured Custom showcase. Very beautiful bass, the Orion body shape is one of the best Susan and/or Mica have ever designed IMHO (I just love mine also) and the knobs works great visually. Congratulations from a fellow Orion owner! (consider yourself lucky for not being able to hear me actually SING this!) JETHRO TULL - ORION Orion, won't you give me your star sign Orion, get up on the sky-line I'm high on my hill and I feel fine Orion, let's sip the heaven's heady wine Orion, light your lights: come guard the open spaces from the black horizon to the pillow where I lie. Your faithful dog shines brighter than its lord and master Your jewelled sword twinkles as the world rolls by. So come up singing above the cloudy cover Stare through at people who toss fitful in their sleep. I know you're watching as the old gent by the station scuffs his toes on old fag packets lying in the street And silver shadows flick across the closing bistro. Sweet waiters link their arms and patter down the street, their words lost blowing on cold winds in darkest Chelsea. Prime years fly fading with each young heart's beat Orion, won't you make me a star sign Orion, get up on the sky-line I'm high on your love and I feel fine Orion, let's sip the heaven's heady wine And young girls shiver as they wait by lonely bus-stops after sad parties: no-one to take them home to greasy bed-sitters and make a late-night play for lost virginity a thousand miles away. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 231 Registered: 9-2003 |
Mule: Thanks. I think there are a lot of other more worthy candidates than my Orion for Custom 'O Month. I just took two COM's and made one decent bass out of it. That it turned out as nice as it did can be mostly attributed to the artisans at Alembic: I just spec'd it, and away they went. I do appreciate your vote, though. It did turn out very nice, especially for a "lowly" Orion, LOL!. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 235 Registered: 9-2003 |
Mica: any news on my case yet? | ||
| bsee
Intermediate Member Username: bsee Post Number: 150 Registered: 3-2004 |
I suspect that Stanley's new bass will be the featured custom for whatever month it is finally delivered and available for public viewing. No one will be able to compete with that one. Any other month, this beautiful bass would have a shot. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 238 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Bob. Another vote for "East Copies West", LOL! You guys are too much! | ||
| bsee
Intermediate Member Username: bsee Post Number: 153 Registered: 3-2004 |
Kevin, It's a beauty. In hindsight, I might have gone for more purpleheart in the knobs with just a maple cap, but I am a fan of contrast. Maybe some purpleheart pickup covers, too? Of course, I wouldn't want to pay for any of those upgrades. Heck, I'm going for the plain black plastic knobs when I order one of these things. For my bass, I just want function, and don't worry so much about the appearance. Everyone else should have a work of art, though! It gives me pretty things to look at while I am playing my sweet-sounding beater. -Bob | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 242 Registered: 9-2003 |
Bob: Just having a little fun with everyone. Sure, I think my bass is very nice and I am justly proud of the way it turned out. I just don't think it's all that compared to what others have done/are doing with their Custom's. I appreciate all the positive comments and am actually quite surprised that a derivative "copycat" design such as mine is garnering such praise. I did think about contrasting knobs: Mica had suggested them months ago. Roger from THG also suggested different woods, and sent me several pix of mock-ups of different ideas. In the end, I just wasn't crazy about sharp contrasts, nor did I want the knobs to command center stage. I wanted them just to kind of blend-in and compliment the gorgeous AAAAA (Master-Grade) Quilt top, not overpower it and draw attention away from the top. I would also have loved to do wooden pick-up covers (along with a gold-plated brass bridge sustain block, wide PH neck lams and maybe some fancy inlays, etc.). The reason(s) I refrained were: A) Additional Cost - I had already spent a lot on this thing, so I didn't want to go THAT far over the top cost-wise; B) Schedule - I ordered the thing over seven mos. ago.....any additional "options", especially time consuming ones like wooden P/U covers, would have prolonged the completion date considerably. I'm at the point in my life where I can afford to splurge a little more on quality stuff than ever before. Since I have a number of guitars already (not basses), I decided that I'd rather have one ultra-high quality bass than a room full of OK instruments or beaters. Just a personal choice, and no reflection or comment on anyone else's gig. (Message edited by kmh364 on July 24, 2004) | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1840 Registered: 6-2000 |
Hi Kevin, I've been down at a conference in SF most of this week, so I hope you aren't upset that I couldn't reply to you before now. The report from the casemaker on Wednesday was that "one case shipped on Monday and the other case on today." We haven't seen either case yet, so we called and left a message. Will let you know when there's news. Also, I will be at the conference all weekend, so it's not likely I'll be able to reply before Monday. Hope you have a good weekend. | ||
| smokin_dave
Intermediate Member Username: smokin_dave Post Number: 154 Registered: 10-2002 |
http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/6188.html As I posted earlier,I really like the layout for your knobs.I did pretty much the same thing with the knobs for my bass as you can see by keeping with the wood layout for my Rogue.Purpleheart,ebony caps and abalone markers.I'm still trying to get pics posted but I want to do it myself.I downloaded Photoshop to resize the pics to the proper dimensions but I'm still not able to post.I'll never give up though. | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 433 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hey kevin, what's the electric layout of those beautiful (knobs?) vol,pan ,Q,Q, filter,filter,led,??? | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 243 Registered: 9-2003 |
Keavin, Looking at the bass as if it was being played by someone else, from right to left: Top row - Master Volume, Pan/Blend, Bass Boost/Cut Bottom Row - Side LED On/Off Switch, "Q" Switch, Filter, Treble Boost/Cut This is the same exact custom electronics package and the control layout of the "East Meets West" Custom Of the Month (with the addition of the LED switch in front of the "Q" switch). (Message edited by kmh364 on July 24, 2004) | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 244 Registered: 9-2003 |
Dave: Your THG knobs look awesome! I wanted to do the position marker line all the way down the side as well. On my knobs, however, instead of shell he used real 12K gold bar stock for the inlays, and to go all the way down the side more than doubled the price of the knobs. I had to wait as it was to get the gold for the inlays, so we kept it the way it was. I'd definitely be interested in seeing the way the knobs compliment the whole bass. Please post pix when you can. | ||
| kmh364
Advanced Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 245 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi Mica, Thanks much for the update. Mad at you? No way: I figured you'd be mad at me for being a pest, LOL! Hopefully, you'll get the case next week and we can get the thing shipped. I certainly wouldn't mind if you took some more pix before shipping as well. I hope you're enjoying your conference and find some time to relax and have a good time. Frisco is awesome. Man, even though I haven't had my morning coffee and/or breakfast yet, I'm thinkin' about Boudin's clam chowder in the sourdough bread bowl down @ Fisherman's Wharf. Wish I was there. You have a good weekend yourself. Cheers, Kevin BTW, Did you ever go to Haight/Ashbury and get your pic taken @ the intersection street sign a la the infamous Warlocks/GD pic ca. '65-'66? I've been to Frisco a bunch and had great intentions of doing same, but I never quite made it. Go figure: another DeadHead tourist from Joisey, LOL! (Message edited by kmh364 on July 24, 2004) |
