Archive through March 13, 2014

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Author Message rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1104 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 - 8:37 pm:    Thanks Slawie! I can't wait to see the Maple with finish on it! To quote Mica in the email she sent me with the pictures of the wood, " ...with finish they are going to be crazy amazing!" stout71 Intermediate Member Username: stout71 Post Number: 196 Registered: 7-2011 Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 6:44 am:    The vermillion neck laminates are standout. It's a nice switch from purpleheart and will look really cool against the blue sunburst finish. I will be watching this build with great anticipation! rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1105 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 11:30 am:    I agree Jerry! I love the orange & black combination! mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8118 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 6:05 pm:    More stuff happening... Gathering up the body woods: Getting ready to glue the back to the body core pack (core with accents in place): Rough neck shaping: Making the neck flush with the body: Uses some very cute hand planes First steps in backplate construction: Next week the top should go on. More pictures then! davehouck Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11287 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 6:29 pm:    Great pics!! It's amazing how it all comes together. rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1116 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 6:55 pm:    WOO HOO!!! It's starting to look like a bass!! I'm seeing some "Alembic Snow" for this Christmas! Thanks Mica! You just made my weekend!! hifiguy Senior Member Username: hifiguy Post Number: 407 Registered: 10-2006 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 7:25 pm:    Lordy lu, that is going to be a drop-dead beauty! artswork99 Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1948 Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 8:38 pm:    Love it! That headstock is smashing!!! jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3846 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Friday, January 31, 2014 - 9:31 pm:    Well this one certainly is taking shape Rusty, you can already see how dramatic the maple quilt is so imagine what it will be like when it is sprayed. Jazzyvee rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1118 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2014 - 4:05 pm:    Thanks guys! Art, I have always loved the Knobby headstock! I never thought I would have the chance to own one myself, but now I will! Jazzyvee, I will be visiting the factory next month so I hope they have some finish on it by then & I can see the quilting in person! rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1122 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, February 14, 2014 - 1:13 am:    Mica, if you haven't already disposed of it, I would love to have a slice of the neck recipe from the excess you cut off. I can pick it up when I come out next month. Rusty rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1124 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 12:59 pm:    I'm suffering from photo withdrawal! Got any new ones Mica?? moonliner Advanced Member Username: moonliner Post Number: 216 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Monday, February 17, 2014 - 1:37 am:    Your bass is really zipping along nicely! The knobby headstock is a beautiful touch. rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1126 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Monday, February 17, 2014 - 9:00 am:    Thanks Keith! I love the Knobby! georgie_boy Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 1087 Registered: 8-2005 Posted on Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 11:16 am:    Love it Rusty! G mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8131 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, February 21, 2014 - 4:42 pm:    Friday is sometimes picture day around here! Top with the recess for the truss rod cover: Whole show with everything but the top and fingerboard: Before the top can go on, the hollow core access needs to be reestablished: Chisel details on the top before it's glued on: No pictures of the top getting glued on, it's really not a photogenic process. Fingerboard is gluing now: It's looking so bassy now rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1128 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, February 21, 2014 - 5:00 pm:    Thank You Mica!!! Every Friday may not be picture day (as much as I would love it to be!!) but when you do post it is OH SO worth the wait!! The neck looks so thin & sexy!! If I didn't know it was a 5 I would think this was 4 string neck. I can't wait to wrap my fingers around it!!! mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8138 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, February 28, 2014 - 6:38 pm:    Only a couple of pictures today, but they are good ones. Now it's even bassier... Miles to go of course, but you can see the whole idea at once now. rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1137 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, February 28, 2014 - 7:30 pm:    WOW!!! That looks awesome!! You can really see the figuring in the Quilted Maple, it's going to look incredible with finish on it! The neck dimensions look like they are going to be perfect! My biggest fear when I commissioned this build was that it would replace my SCSD & I would only want to play the Europa, those fears are growing with each new picture!! Keep 'Em coming though! jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3886 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Friday, February 28, 2014 - 10:45 pm:    It already looks impressive. Keep that fear as the SCSD will be at risk. Think of it like this analogy. You have a custom Rolls Royce and a Bentley continental GT. both will give you a fantastic drive but with different characteristics. Some times you will drive the roller every day and think this is the best car in the world nothing could ever be better. Then one day you decide to take out the Bentley and even though it is not as highly specified on paper there is something about it thal you just can't get from the roller so you then drive that for a few days then think this is a fantastic car why on earth did I need to buy that Rolls Royce. So you then feel guilty for thinking that , get back in the roller and straight away you realise why you bought it. I go through this scenario with my basses all the time. The SCSD doesn't get gigged much or even played as much these days but that is mainly because most gigs I play have songs in the set that need a 5 stringer and as I prefer not to carry more than one bass to a gig the SCSD gets left at home unless it's a Stanley Clarke track. When I play it I enjoy it immensely and am so glad I have it. If you don't have an impending financial reason to sell it then my advice would be to keep both basses then look for just one more. :-) Jazzyvee rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1138 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, February 28, 2014 - 10:54 pm:    Thanks for the advice & comforting words Jazzyvee! There is no danger of me selling my "Coco" (SDSC)! I love that bass & how easy she is to play with the short scale! I think that I will always feel more comfortable on a 4 string, but like you say, there is something to be said for variety! Even now I will sometimes finish the set on my Schecter 5 string rather than change back to my SCSD. Even though the remaining songs don't need the low B, it's a nice change to play them on the 5 sometimes. Rusty mica Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8143 Registered: 6-2000 Posted on Friday, March 07, 2014 - 8:07 pm:    You probably weren't expecting pictures before your visit, but like I told you on the phone today, we were gonna bust through the backplates so we can tackle the control layout next week. OK, so it's only one picture. Next week, final carve and a sealer coat. rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1144 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Friday, March 07, 2014 - 9:27 pm:    You're right Mica, I wasn't expecting pictures, so thanks for the nice surprise!! I can't wait to see it in person next week!! artswork99 Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1966 Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Monday, March 10, 2014 - 8:04 am:    Looking Good Rusty! Have fun on the visit! jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3901 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 2:48 am:    Yeah enjoy your trip and of course let's see some pictures of what's going on there. Jazzyvee rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1145 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 10:22 am:    In 24 hours I get to see my bass in person! Yes, there will be many pictures to post! I can't wait!! 5a_quilt_top Advanced Member Username: 5a_quilt_top Post Number: 267 Registered: 6-2012 Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 12:02 pm:    That's great, but IMO, there's waaay too much awesome-ness going on here to be captured by a humble camera... rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1149 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 12:54 pm:    I agree David! Pictures NEVER do Alembic's justice even in the construction phase! I will have my video camera also to capture the streaming awesomeness! LOL! rustyg61 Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 1151 Registered: 2-2011 Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 1:10 am:    I got to see my Europa today! Words can't describe how AMAZING it looks even at this stage, & pictures don't begin to do it justice, but here's a few anyways! Mica had them finish carving the neck & body & put a sealer coat on it so I could see the figuring in the wood & even with just one coat of sealer that wasn't sanded or glossy, the 3D quilting was incredible! I can't wait to see this with the final high gloss finish! Thank you Mica, Susan, & all the workers who took time out of their day to talk to me & show me their magic!! This is going to be a REALLY special bass!! The neck is PERFECT! Thin & slim just like I wanted it! The backside may even be prettier than the front! I LOVE the neck laminates! Continuous wood back plates look amazing! I LOVE the Knobby headstock! Mica & I came up with a control layout that I like & will fit in the cavity. I shot some video too but haven't had a chance to edit it. I'll post it if it turned out any good. jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3905 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 2:25 am:    Wow Rusty that looks a seriously good bass. The back quilting especially looks like rippled silk and the neck looks very slim compared to a regular alembic 5 stringer. What is the weight like at this stage without all the brass hardware etc? Looks like it will be a stunner. Jazzyvee