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Alembic Club » Factory to Customer » Rusty's Custom Series II 5-string » Build Record » Archive through March 21, 2014 « Previous Next »

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s_wood
Advanced Member
Username: s_wood

Post Number: 379
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 7:20 am:   Edit Post

Killer quilt, Rusty!
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1618
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 7:42 am:   Edit Post

Really, really beautiful. Loving the maple top and this is one of my favorite neck recipes. The neck lams and that accent veneer in the body really, really look nice.

Curious to see how that vermillion looks once it gets hit with that blueburst.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3262
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 7:54 am:   Edit Post

Rusty , That looks great !
gearhed289
New
Username: gearhed289

Post Number: 2
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 8:05 am:   Edit Post

Incredible, wow! Thanks so much for the pics.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1152
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 9:45 am:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee, I was surprised how light the bass is right now. It weighs maybe 5 pounds? My wife even held it with no effort.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1153
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 9:50 am:   Edit Post

Toby, the back of my neck won't have the blueburst, I want to keep it natural all the way through the body. So they are going to tape it off when they spray the body halves.
oddmetersam
Advanced Member
Username: oddmetersam

Post Number: 341
Registered: 7-2008
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 11:37 am:   Edit Post

A truly fabulous instrument! I already figured you'd want the back of the neck's playing surface to be natural satin w/o the blueburst, but to to keep the neck natural all the way through the body is a great idea. At least once during every gig you should flash the back of the instrument to the crowd just to hear the "Huzzah" that ensues....
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1154
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 12:06 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks Sam! I do want the satin finish on the back of the neck, but it will be high gloss where it goes through the body. Here's a Photoshop mock up of what it will look like.

5a_quilt_top
Advanced Member
Username: 5a_quilt_top

Post Number: 269
Registered: 6-2012
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 12:22 pm:   Edit Post

Dude - you might want to consider changing your forum name to "10a quilt top"...'cuz that top (and back) is at least twice as amazing as any 5a quilted maple that I've ever seen.

Also - did you go for the comfort taper on your 5-string neck?
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1155
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 12:32 pm:   Edit Post

Haha! Thanks David! My neck dimensions are custom, I gave Susan the measurements I wanted & they built it to my specs which are 34" scale, 1.77" at the nut, 2.5" at the 24th fret, & .9" thick (front to back) at the 7th fret. It feels very similar to the neck on my Rickenbacker 4001 as far as thickness. I like a thin neck!
pauldo
Senior Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 1117
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 4:02 pm:   Edit Post

Rusty, it has been said before; but the backside picture in your post # 1151 is certainly worthy of a WOW!

In fact I would say wowee wow wow.

Really nice!
jon_jackson
Intermediate Member
Username: jon_jackson

Post Number: 194
Registered: 12-2008
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 4:37 pm:   Edit Post

Are you placing the 5-pin and 1/4" connectors in the edge? Two of mine have that placement and it is pretty swell, leaving a clean front of beautiful wood.
Jon
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1156
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 12:08 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Pauldo! This is with just one coat of sealer, imagine how amazing it's going to look with the high gloss clear coat on it!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1157
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 12:21 am:   Edit Post

Yes Jon, I am having the 5 pin & 1/4" jacks side mounted. Like you, I wanted a clean top with as few things on it as possible, so I'm side mounting the jacks & I also eliminated the pickup selector switch. I would never use it & it was just one more thing to clutter up the top. I can get the same function by turning down the volume knobs. The long jack you see in the picture is the side mounted 1/4" jack, so the challenge was to place the other controls where they wouldn't hit the 1/4" jack inside the electronics cavity. Mica came up with this layout & I loved it!
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3906
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 12:01 pm:   Edit Post

On my series II I also have my sockets on the side and whilst it keeps the front clear of the cable it is more difficult to remove certain 5 pin sockets than others and I am concerned that the socket will eventually become loose in the bass.

I have two cables with this type of connector which are really difficult to remove and i feel that it is putting undue stress on the socket.



This type is fine and comes out of the socket easily so now I use this one on the S2 and the other on the S1.


The difference may be manufacturing tolerances on the plug and the angle you need to get your hand to pull out the cable. The front mounted socket is far easier to deal with.

I think if I was specifying a side mount socket I would have it mounted on a metal plate that would make it easier to pull it without stressing the socket.
jazzyvee
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 11302
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 5:30 pm:   Edit Post

Beautiful quilts! This is going to be a great bass!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1158
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 6:40 pm:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee, Mica told me that they are now extending the edge of the 5 pin socket just beyond the edge of the wood instead of flush with the wood like they have done in the past. I think that may make it easier to get the connector aligned when plugging it in. Not sure if it will help when removing the connector or not. I just ordered cable & the Neutrik connectors that Jimmy Johnson uses to build his cables, so I will build me a spare 5 pin cable, probably in a shorter length than the 20' cable that comes with the bass. Some of my gigs need the 20' cable, but some I'm never more than 10' away from my amp so a 10-12' cable would work & not have the excess on the floor to step over.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1159
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 6:49 pm:   Edit Post

Here's the video I promised. Please do not take my lack of enthusiasm for disappointment in any way! Quite the contrary, I was SO blown away with the build so far that I was almost speechless! Jazzyvee, I gave you a shout out in the video for my source of info on the Europa since we have talked so many times & you answered all my questions I had trying to decide what electronics I wanted other Europa related questions. S. Wood, I also gave kudos to your amazing blue Europa as the inspiration & reason I will now own one myself!

The video is on You Tube, but it is unlisted so you have to have this link to access it. Please let me know if there is any issue with it not playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9KohyBBgvo&feature=youtu.be
moongerm
New
Username: moongerm

Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2013
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 7:36 pm:   Edit Post

Very nice! Can't wait to see it with all of the Series II goodies installed. I saw a post about the CVQ center detent question. Is that a possibility still?
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1160
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 7:51 pm:   Edit Post

Mica told me that it would be a 26 week wait to get the center indent CVQ & they didn't even tell her a price so I scrapped that idea. I will just learn to adjust the CVQ by ear the same way I did my SF-2, so it will be OK.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1161
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 - 7:59 pm:   Edit Post

BTW Brian, I see this was you 1st post, welcome to the Club! I checked out some videos of your band on your website, y'all are amazing! You should post in the Introductions page & share your videos! The members here will love it!

http://alembic.com/club/messages/397/397.html?1391467374
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3908
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2014 - 10:49 am:   Edit Post

Yo Rusty, Iv'e just watched the video, it looks great even without all the hardware installed. The knobbly head is a good call. Thanks for the credit too. :-)

Jazzyvee
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3909
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2014 - 11:01 am:   Edit Post

Yo Rusty, Iv'e just watched the video, it looks great even without all the hardware installed. The knobbly head is a good call. Thanks for the credit too. :-)

Jazzyvee
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1163
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2014 - 11:14 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Jazzyvee! I agree, I'm so glad I picked the Knobby! I've always loved the old school look of the Knobby but wasn't sure how it would look on the Europa, but I think it looks great! You're welcome for the credit, you were & continue to be a great source of info for the Europa!

Rusty
moongerm
New
Username: moongerm

Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2013
Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - 8:07 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Rusty, Thanks for the warm welcome! Watched the video again. That ebony neck laminate looks fantastic and the maple top looks stunning. Most certainly and amazing instrument. Peace and blessings.

-Brian
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1167
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - 8:41 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Brian, you're welcome for the welcome! LOL! The Ebony laminate is wider than the Vermillion laminates so I should get some great sustain & bottom end on this one!

Rusty
dead_head
Junior
Username: dead_head

Post Number: 37
Registered: 12-2013
Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - 9:14 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Rusty, just saw your video. Love that quilt! Best wishes with your new treasure!


Rob
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1168
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - 9:32 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks Rob!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1174
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 21, 2014 - 12:47 am:   Edit Post

Hey Mica, I've been cruising the old build threads from yesteryear & I noticed on several a picture with tape on the hum canceller while it was waiting for your Dad to do the final tweaking, what is the tape for?

It's Friday, could that possibly mean pictures of the routing & control holes? ;-)
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8148
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Friday, March 21, 2014 - 7:29 pm:   Edit Post

The tape just holds the humcanceller in place until the upgrade is done and it can be permanently attached.

Yup, I was sneaking around the drying room and saw your bass all pretty and full of various holes and cavities now. wo15018_spray02.jpg

Sorry I couldn't maneuver in for a better picture (and the lighting is not flattering in that room!), but at least you can see that stuff is continuing to happen :-)

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