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edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1832
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2014 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post

So is the control cover contoured to match the original curvature of the top? Carved? Or somehow pressed into the shape? It's quite lovely! The pickup area looks great, too.

Great to see all this progress!
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 260
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2014 - 12:29 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks Edwin.
A plaster mold was made from the top of my bass and then the cover was vacu formed to that shape. Hopefully it will all match up nicely.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8268
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2014 - 12:45 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks for posting those, Keith! I was running all around getting my stuff together for the Gathering last Friday.
wisconsindead
New
Username: wisconsindead

Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2014
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - 11:58 am:   Edit Post

Wow. That is so cool. Is the control area the burl maple?

Why did you decide on plastic for the pickup holder?

And will the dummy coil be visible? I personally like the look of a middle "pickup"

Either way, this is a very fun watch
wisconsindead
New
Username: wisconsindead

Post Number: 3
Registered: 8-2014
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - 12:04 pm:   Edit Post

Oops, mistake. So both the pick up and control areas are wood...?
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1840
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - 3:11 pm:   Edit Post

They look like bird's eye and burl, respectively.
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 266
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - 5:40 pm:   Edit Post

Edwin has it right.
For the time being it will just have the two pickups. I might go series later on.
funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member
Username: funkyjazzjunky

Post Number: 936
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 5:44 pm:   Edit Post

Love the burl for the pick-guard. What is the other type of wood used for the top?

VMG
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8287
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 6:00 pm:   Edit Post

Gold mother of pearl inlays going in tomorrow, then the frets.
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1841
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 6:29 pm:   Edit Post

I'm wondering how the pickups will be suspended. Will they be screwed to the bottom of the routing with springs or will there be some kind of mounting on the surface to which they will be attached?

VMG, if you mean the rest of the bass (outside the pickup area), it's mahogany. Old Starfires were either mahogany or maple ply. The latter was used mostly for the sunburst models.
zomnius
Junior
Username: zomnius

Post Number: 23
Registered: 9-2013
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 11:42 pm:   Edit Post

what a pièce of art. great to see trapezoid pick-ups.
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 268
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 27, 2014 - 2:14 am:   Edit Post

Edwin, I don't actually know how the pickups are going to be mounted.

Here's the latest pic.The LED's look amber in this pic, but they are red. Feels like it's getting closer!

moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 269
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - 11:44 pm:   Edit Post

Here are some more pics Mica sent. Needless to say, I'm thrilled as can be!

Here's the fingerboard with golden mother of pearl inlays

Fingerboard

Here are the inlaid logo shell bits. This pic has the first bit of oil finish applied.

pre logo

This pic has the logo resting on the headstock for a photo op only. Pre oil finish.
logo
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 270
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014 - 12:04 am:   Edit Post

I've wanted an inlaid logo with shell on ebony ever since I first laid eyes on one, so this is a long held dream coming to fruition.
When I first discovered Alembic back in 1978, there were many things that caught my attention and fascinated me in a very deep way. One of the things that really struck me was how amazing it was that the company didn't need to have their name on the instrument. Everything you needed to know was right there in that beautifully designed logo. It's really quite exquisite.
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3649
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014 - 12:15 am:   Edit Post

Beautiful ! , I like the mysterious aspect as well !
mtjam
Advanced Member
Username: mtjam

Post Number: 205
Registered: 11-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014 - 5:07 am:   Edit Post

Looks great!
artswork99
Moderator
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 2009
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014 - 6:22 am:   Edit Post

Yummy, looks great!
wisconsindead
New
Username: wisconsindead

Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2014
Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014 - 7:44 am:   Edit Post

This is gonna be such a sweet bass when its finished. Love the fretboard. Is that silver for the alembic logo?
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 272
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2014 - 3:25 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Wisconsin Dead! It's not the fancy, all silver option…. just the silver finish. Although now you have me thinking!
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 273
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, October 03, 2014 - 2:41 am:   Edit Post

This just in… how much more silver could my logo be?

None.

None more silver.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8294
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, October 09, 2014 - 6:48 pm:   Edit Post

Some more oil on that there neck

finish

Looks as good as new!

Tailpiece of coming up next week as I understand. Should be ready to start drilling holes then and mounting electronics and what not.

Soon!
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 277
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 3:00 am:   Edit Post

JOY!!!!

That is so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this Mica.. I really appreciate it!

Soon!
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 278
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 16, 2014 - 3:21 am:   Edit Post

Hello Mica,

Any chance of exciting pictures of oil drying?

:-)
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 281
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, October 31, 2014 - 1:50 am:   Edit Post

Happy Halloween!
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8308
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 2:10 pm:   Edit Post

Here's the control layout set next to the plan we made when you were here:

RPR

I actually think it looks pretty darned good just about where the original plan was. Are we putting on a stereo/mono switch?
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3723
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 2:26 pm:   Edit Post

I love it .
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1852
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 4:01 pm:   Edit Post

Interesting to see the controls so far forward. Lots of room for expansion! Looks great!
moonliner
Advanced Member
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 282
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 5:55 pm:   Edit Post

The original plan was to leave room for growth, but I think I would need to have a whole new cover made for the additional electronics so I was thinking of shifting everything to the left a bit and treat it like a "regular" bass. I need to sleep on it.
(The layout right now is for reference only. No holes drilled yet)
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 8312
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 9:36 am:   Edit Post

Check some placement options over in the Changes / Additions section, Keith.
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1853
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 10:21 am:   Edit Post

Interesting. I guess I'm so used to seeing the controls in the classic Starfire positions. I'd have to strap on the bass and see how my hand hangs to be able to really evaluate these layouts.

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