| Author | Message | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2277 Registered: 6-2000 |
Mom got the sketches completed yesterday, and we spent our morning coffee time over the mock-up:  The logo is to be goldplated, and is just there in outline. The cloud is black mother of pearl with a tiny silver "lining" and a mother of pearl lightning bolt. The key is sterling silver attached to the abalone kite with a copper string. The ribs in the kite are silver with a little golden mother of pearl bow. Hope you like! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2444 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's the back of the body in pieces:  and a preview of how the back will look:  | ||
| kilowatt
New Username: kilowatt Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2004 |
Mica, thanks for the shots of the start of the build. What a great way to start a weekend! I hope your dental work has healed and your back to normal. Pete | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2456 Registered: 6-2000 |
Body assembly completed:  Lookin' tasty! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2501 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's that neck of yours:  and the peghead:  Interior veneers are Maple and Vermilion, to coordinate with the accent laminates. It's very cool looking! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2563 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's the body halves shaped:  | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2570 Registered: 6-2000 |
And the body gettign glued to the neck:  Hey, this thing is looking more like a bass every day. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2579 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's Tony sanding the bass after Bob routed it:  | ||
| tbrannon
Junior Username: tbrannon Post Number: 13 Registered: 11-2004 |
I love those vermillion/maple/ebony necks. Happy 4th to all those in the States! | ||
| kilowatt
Junior Username: kilowatt Post Number: 13 Registered: 12-2004 |
Susan, Mica, Valentino and all of the staff, Thanks for the tour last week. We had a great time and everyone was very helpful. Even my wife had fun, (more fun after Susan gave her some web sites to check out for jewlery). My 11 year old son couldn't believe that Mica let him play one of the guitars out front. He also liked the idea Susan had that if he makes the honor roll at school for the year, I would help him get an Alembic guitar. Once again, thanks for all your help and kindness. Pete. P.S. The bass is looking great! | ||
| jalevinemd
Intermediate Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 189 Registered: 12-2003 |
Pete, What wood is the bulk of your neck made of? Is it mahogany? I have maple and I've got to be honest...sometimes on a neck-thru without a book matched to center top I think that it stands in too stark a contrast to the coco bolo top. Whatever your wood you chose blends so beautifully. The whole thing has a very rich, almost chocolatey feel to it. Nice combination! Regards, Jonathan | ||
| kilowatt
Junior Username: kilowatt Post Number: 14 Registered: 12-2004 |
Jonathan, The bulk of the neck is made from mahogany. I am really happy with the way things are turning out. Susan made the suggestion to go with the mahogany. It was done mostly for sound along with the ebony to emulate the sound of Phil Lesh's modified Guild. Believe me when I tell you, that the pictures, as good as they are, don't do any of the instruments justice. When I was in Santa Rosa last week, I was amazed at the attention to detail in every aspect of the building and finishing of everything I saw. Thanks for the compliment, Pete | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2631 Registered: 6-2000 |
The logo is inlaid, and james is ready to inlay the lightning bolt:  James wanted to reduce the size from what you faxed us because the upper part of the bolt comes too close to the logo. In the rough above, the bushings in the template are actually larger diameter than the washers for the tuning keys. Also note the two small grey lines to represent the joints where two pieces of mother of pearl will butt up next to eachother. Let me know if we're good to go and James will proceed with the cutting. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2642 Registered: 6-2000 |
Hey, here's that picture in RGB mode:  Now you should be able to view it. | ||
| kilowatt
Junior Username: kilowatt Post Number: 19 Registered: 12-2004 |
Mica, Thanks for the extra help on the mockup photo. I couldn't open it at first, but my 12 year old son did it in no time. I think the mockup looks perfect and you can keep on rollin. Again, thanks for the help. Regards. Pete | ||
| edwin
Member Username: edwin Post Number: 82 Registered: 5-2002 |
What am I missing? I can't view the mock ups at all and it seems like there is no file linked to the words. This looks like it's gonna be a great one! Edwin Who always wanted a 5 string version of his '67 Starfire..... | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2643 Registered: 6-2000 |
Cool Pete. I'll let James know first thing in the morning. I don't know, Edwin. At first I realized I saved the file in CMYK mode, which doesn't like to open in browsers. This is only the second file I made in Illustrator, so I'll work out the kinks eventually. For now, I think you can right click and select "open image" at least that worked for me (though I have no trouble seeing the picture inline on my Sun workstation in an Opera browser). | ||
| bob
Senior Member Username: bob Post Number: 503 Registered: 11-2002 |
(I see both images fine in Safari, no extra steps) | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2663 Registered: 6-2000 |
James did a great job on the lighting bolt inlay:  The seams are very subtle and the pieces of shell he selected match very well. Body looking good too:  This is literally moments before it was to be rubbed out. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2795 Registered: 6-2000 |
As I told you on the phone, in my brain I thought I'd already posted a picture of your bass loaded (when I needed to do was look at the thread to see I was mistaken) . Anyway, as promised, here's a couple of pics I took on my way out the door tonight:   The preamp backplate was not up to our standards, and we made another one for the plater to redo. | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 2126 Registered: 9-2002 |
Astonishing good looking. In a way "humble" and rich at the same time. Also "new" and "old style" are together. Really tasteful! Paul TBO | ||
| kilowatt
Junior Username: kilowatt Post Number: 27 Registered: 12-2004 |
Mica, Thanks again for the update. I love it. Now that we are in the home stretch, I feel like a little kid wating for Santa to arrive. Please let me know when she is ready for departure so I can clear the house and warn the neighbors of the impending thunder storm. You guys (and gals) are the best!! Pete | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 416 Registered: 10-2002 |
Another fantastic bass. congratulations Pete. I really like the mahogany neck - it seems to almost glow. graeme | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 565 Registered: 10-2003 |
Beautiful. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2595 Registered: 5-2002 |
Beautiful indeed! Looks like there is a modification to the electronics; bass and treble boost/cut switches?? | ||
| kilowatt
Junior Username: kilowatt Post Number: 28 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thanks all, I'm really happy with the way that the bass is turning out. As usual, the people at Alembic have outdone themselves. My thanks to all involved. Dave, the electronics are standard series II. The extra switches are for the LED's. One is a three position switch (all on, side on alone and all off). The other switch is a dimmer for the LED's. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1268 Registered: 9-2003 |
Very nice, Pete! Kudos and Congrats. Cheers, Kevin | ||
| 5stringho
Advanced Member Username: 5stringho Post Number: 214 Registered: 11-2006 |
Hmmmmmmmmmmm, this DOES look vaguely familiar!! My little beast has a bit different BTC placement, probably a more interior cut of the same board, but I'd say it's definately the same piece of Cocobolo. Close enough to say it didn't fall far from the same tree!! She IS a beauty, Pete, well worthy of her place in COTM history!! Enjoy! Mike, tho =] | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 334 Registered: 8-2005 |
Have to agree 100% with Mike on that one! G |
