| Author | Message | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1449 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here we go, another Coco Bolo bass for our own Valentino. This time, he's found a way to get more pointy parts.  The wood looks much cooler in person.  The silver lines reveal some of the shape. It's probably worse for Valentino than a typical customer. He can look at it every day, but it still only goes as fast as it will. I think he's finished designing/changing, but of course that can always change too! | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1061 Registered: 9-2002 |
Tsssssssssss...you're spoiling him ...really!!! VAL ....STOP DESIGNING AND DO SOME MODERATING!!!!!!!! | ||
| bassman10096
Intermediate Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 130 Registered: 7-2003 |
Wow. Bill | ||
| hollis
Junior Username: hollis Post Number: 25 Registered: 11-2003 |
Ditto! | ||
| eastcoastepic
Junior Username: eastcoastepic Post Number: 44 Registered: 10-2003 |
Val, is that the largest/longest 'Pistol grip' that Alembic has ever done? (Seems so!) The balance on this will be perfect, for sure. What, no Heart Omega????  | ||
| bigbadbill
Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 91 Registered: 10-2003 |
Oh Val, how I envy you your job! And that bass is going to be way cool! (I think that's more of a rifle grip than a pistol grip...!). Hope you've got over the flu... All the best Shaun | ||
| cdf
Junior Username: cdf Post Number: 41 Registered: 5-2003 |
Val, Just spoke to you on the phone on other matters, thanks much. Congrats on this project!, great body shape!!! and love the cocobolo, somewhat reminds me of an owls eyes and face Court | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 345 Registered: 7-2002 |
Thanks guys, I'm very excited about this one. That is probably the longest pistol grip. I had a lot fun designing it. Mike helped turn my sketch into reality...then we went nuts on it. The balance should be great, the straplock will end either at the 12th or 11th fret. No heart omega this time, but it will have an omega, just a regular one, though the crown headstock will have a tiny omega too. This is gonna be a series II fretless 4. Bookmatch to center front & back, continuous wood backplates & pickup covers, maple/purpleheart/ebony neck, vermillion core, and all the goodies that go on a series II. Paul, you guys are so well behaved (yes, even you!) that there is nothing for me to moderate. I'm over the flu, even though I'm still hacking now & then. Valentino | ||
| 811952
Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 85 Registered: 10-2003 |
Glad you feel better.. What a gorgeous instrument your's will be! I think you're addicted to Coc(obolo)! This addiction has to be at least as expensive as the other kind, but nicer on the family, easier on the nose, and easier on the ears too. And of course legal. What a nice piece of wood... John | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1574 Registered: 6-2000 |
Inching alonghere... Now that Valentino is a valued member of our crew, his project takes a back seat to all of yours.  You'll never see this part again.  Just hanging out until glueing.  Omega peghead RAWKS. | ||
| basstard
Member Username: basstard Post Number: 83 Registered: 3-2003 |
O.O *jaw drop* It's gonna be one of the most amazing Alembics EVER! And taking into consideration the fact that all Alembics are amazing... Yeah, I think we all get the picture. | ||
| effclef
Intermediate Member Username: effclef Post Number: 120 Registered: 1-2004 |
Is that the first Omega peghead ever? I look at the Standard Point body shape and I wonder if that would make a good scaled-down peghead shape, too. EffClef | ||
| eastcoastepic
Member Username: eastcoastepic Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gee whiz, what's next, a Triple Omega peghead? Hmmmm, not a bad thought, actually! Val, you're quite the innovator...keep up the good work... | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 378 Registered: 11-2003 |
The Omega peghead is a great idea! I can't wait to watch the progression of this jewel. Way to go, Valentino! Sam | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 414 Registered: 7-2002 |
After a couple of days away from work I found my baby all put together at last and I had to take some pictures. This might fall under the heading of Factory to Factory or maybe Customer to Customer...but heck , who cares? I am beginning to see the light... (Message edited by valvil on April 16, 2004) | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 415 Registered: 7-2002 |
I gotta remember to check the image size in inches too ... sorry folks. Valentino | ||
| jeff
Junior Username: jeff Post Number: 26 Registered: 12-2003 |
Yo Val, that is one mighty fine looking bass. Love the custom carving, the contrast in the wood and the omega peghead. I am also intrigued by your choice of neck woods -maple, purpleheart and ebony. Why this combination? Why did you chose the Vermillion core? Jeff | ||
| hollis
Intermediate Member Username: hollis Post Number: 135 Registered: 11-2003 |
Valentino, Your new bass is breathtaking! The design flows beautifully....The omega head stock is a natural addition. Fantastic! | ||
| rraymond
Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 54 Registered: 6-2002 |
In a word, WOW! | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 417 Registered: 7-2002 |
Thanks guys, I am quite happy the way things are turning out. Jeff, I chose vermillion for the core purely on looks; with ebony in the neck and the bookmatch to center coco bolo top I doubt the core will make that much difference, particularly since it's hollow. In regards to the neck, I wanted some of that deep low end you get with ebony but not all of it , and I've been aiming to keep the weight as low as possible. So far, it's been working..after carving but before routing for the pickups (the back cavities have been routed) it weighs only7.5 pounds. The hardware and the electronics will add another 3 pounds or so; hopefully it will stay under 11 pounds, which is pretty good for a series II bass with all that coco bolo, purpleheart and ebony. The neck is superslim, ony 1.5 at the nut. Here's a shot Tony took of me holding it after he carved it.  | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 418 Registered: 7-2002 |
I removed the earlier picture because it was way too wide; here it is again in a more manageable size.  | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 419 Registered: 7-2002 |
Closeup of the crown omega peghead. Its dimensions are slighlty different from the usual crown; I asked Mike to make the top part just a shade wider and the bottom part a shade narrower to make the omega stand out more. Now available as a custom option of course  | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1592 Registered: 6-2000 |
Hey Val - after you went home for the day, I got a nice pic of the backplates while Mike was drilling the mounting holes:  | ||
| 811952
Intermediate Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 149 Registered: 10-2003 |
Good grief. That is the single coolest/baddest/goodest/??? bass I have EVER seen. Holy smokes. I don't know how you remember to eat. I would love to hear it.. John | ||
| jeff
Junior Username: jeff Post Number: 28 Registered: 12-2003 |
Valentino, Thanks for the info on your choice of neck and body woods. I always wonder if someone has stumbled upon the holy grail of bass wood combinations, if there is such a thing. You look very much like the proud father holding his new baby. Your bass is beautiful and, you're not too bad looking yourself (wink, wink!). Take care. Jeff | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 310 Registered: 7-2003 |
Valentino: Great looking bass. I love the omega peghead - wish I'd thought of it! When you are taking pictures again, can you try to capture a look at the laminates running through the peghead omega? That must look COOL! Bill P.S. Sorry we missed you last week when we visited. My son wants to visit some colleges in the Bay area during the summer. He says he'd like to visit Alembic again (I think he just wants another crack at the cocobolo Tribute he played.). I think I can justify adding an extra day to our trip... | ||
| jlpicard
Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 72 Registered: 7-2002 |
Val,Will that cocobolo darken up quit a bit when the finish is applied? It would be a shame to loose the beautiful contrast between the light and dark areas.With what I have been observing on the club site, it seems that with cocobolo, it's sometimes hard to tell what it will do when the finish is applyed. Some pieces darken up a great deal and others just go more reddish-orange( which I prefer ,personally).If you applied an oil finish (ala Brown Bass ) would the coco stay closer to the color of the raw wood? Mike | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 430 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hello Bill, i am sorry i could not make it to work when you came over. I certainly hope you guys will visit again so we can meet. I forgot to take the picture of the tip of the headstock, I'll do it tomorrow, it does look very cool from that angle. Mike, I have a fretless coco bolo Alembic that was finished in oil, and while it does look nice, it's nowhere near as nice as the other 3 coco bolo Alembics I have with a glossy finish. Over time, with an oil finish, coco bolo will darken considerably; with a glossy finish (and depending on how much exposure to UV rays it gets) it will darken too, but at much slower pace. The glossy finish definitely brings out the contrast. My bass is going into spray round #1 either tomorrow or Monday; I am looking forward to seeing how it looks with the first coat on. Jeff, if you run into some nice ladies that also think that I am not too bad looking, let me know. Valentino | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1615 Registered: 6-2000 |
Valentino - I know you missed us today, but you probably missed your bass even more so here's somethign to keep you company:  I'm not sure if Tony left the next prepping for you to do or not. | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 201 Registered: 11-2002 |
Oh man, those are stunning. I don't remember if Rami's were 'continuous' or not, but this is going to be really special. Like I said on the phone the other day, Val, the look on your face in the photo above says it all - I think you should be 'featured' in the next Alembic catalog. But looking at it again, after seeing some other recent photos here, I just have to ask: Are those Purpleheart pants??? -Bob |
