Archive through December 02, 2005 Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Alembic Club » Factory to Customer » Oliver's Birds-eye Maple Dragon Wing » Archive through December 02, 2005 « Previous Next »

Author Message
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 469
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2005 - 12:33 pm:   Edit Post

Mike, mate,
long time no see. Many thanks for your post and your kind words.
I am sure that "Tears for John" will turn out well.
As for our band, WHO ARE YOU, things are running well. Still no keyboarder found but it is working.
Still no gigs yet but we are close to do a "test gig" with invited friends and interested people.
We always said that we want to do solo material as well. We are doing for example Rough Boys and Give Blood from Pete as well as Trick of the Light and 905 from John. Trick of the Light of course with the Spyder 8. Originally we had done 905 acoustically but yesterday we did it with two acoustic guitars and me playing the Spyder 8, not distorted but with a Defretter, Chorus and Delay to lay a broad base soundwise and it was really amazing. To play the 8string as a base instrument on this song. Very interesting variation. The songs I like most are of course The Real me and 5:15.
And of course, following our bandīs name, we are doing WHO ARE YOU. And especially Wonīt get fooled again is really powerful....

Take care mate
Oliver
ox_junior
Advanced Member
Username: ox_junior

Post Number: 256
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2005 - 6:41 pm:   Edit Post

Oliver,

Glad to hear things are progressing as well as they are.

If your drummer is willing to play to a click, I know someone who can provide you with very precise backing tracks to a lot of the keyboard-based songs. They were created using the ARPs and Lowreys Pete used. They sound amazingly authentic. We use them and they work great. Let me know if you're interested and I will provide you with the website.

Cheers, Mike
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 470
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 4:49 am:   Edit Post

Mike,
yes please....
We already have backing tracks and I think these are the same that you use but we have the problem that the click on some songs is mixed on both channels so that we have no chance to separate them....
Maybe you could help us with these other tracks....Plse let me know.
Many thanks and many greetings
Oliver (Spyderman)
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1057
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 6:20 am:   Edit Post

IMHO, the NYC-area needs an international "Battle Of The Who Cover Bands" to assault the general populace! Who's with me on this (no pun intended)?
ox_junior
Advanced Member
Username: ox_junior

Post Number: 257
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 4:58 pm:   Edit Post

Oliver,

If you're using the tracks from Rich Rowley, we have the same problem - the click bleeds through slightly on WGFA during the beginning but isn't really audible through the rest of the tune. Hasn't really been noticable for us, except in the studio (ugh).

KMH,

I've been pursuing your idea for a year now. Hard to get all the bands together in one room, since they come from all over. Failing that, I also tried to put together a Who Tribute "supergroup" - of course, each band wants all their members represented - again, a stalemate.

So for now, each area of the US will have to just live with the Who tributes they have! Lucky for us, my band appears to be the only one west of the Mississippi. :-)

And it would seem Ollie has a lock on Germany!

Mike
ajdover
Advanced Member
Username: ajdover

Post Number: 239
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 6:26 pm:   Edit Post

Mike/Ollie,

I'd be happy just to find a band to play with. I live in musical hell (Fayetteville, NC), where if you don't play country, blues, or I-want-to-eat-your-children death metal stuff, there just isn't anything. Consider yourselves lucky to be playing the stuff you are - I have to content myself with plugging in the Ipod and playing along to my Who collection.

Mike,

I'll be in LA at the end of the month - I'm doing some recording with my brother who lives in Culver City. Maybe we can hook up for a beer or something.

Best regards,

Alan
ox_junior
Advanced Member
Username: ox_junior

Post Number: 258
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 9:12 pm:   Edit Post

Alan,

I don't envy you regarding your musical situation. I am lucky to live in an area that is somewhat, barely, tolerant to what we do. And I mean BARELY - we have to go out of town to get any shows of substance. I hope you find some players who share whatever vision you may have.

I would love to meet up with you at month's end. Let me know when you're here, the beer's on me.

Mike
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 513
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 9:54 pm:   Edit Post

Alan,

When you posted "I-want-to-eat-your-children death metal stuff," I had this mental image of how you might present such a dish (you being a chef and all). Some sort of flowery cut veggies with a light sauce perhaps? Or more of a Chowder?

Good luck with the musical landscape. Things do tend to go in cycles, so maybe you'll get a musical reprieve soon...

Mike,

When I lived in LA in the mid '80s it was sacrilege to play anything other than originals. No pressure there, eh? So I ended up playing a lot of crappy original music. Could have really used a WHO band!

I think it's time somebody yelled for more pictures of Oliver's new bass!

John
ox_junior
Advanced Member
Username: ox_junior

Post Number: 259
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 10:04 am:   Edit Post

John,

It still is sacrilege to play anything other than originals here. I personally would never ever have considered playing in a tribute act if it wasn't The Who, and even then, we had to be GOOD (still working on the 'good' bit). The tribute band thing is quite comical. Most popular tributes here are to The Doors or 80's hair bands. Some enjoy a 'kitsch' following because they're so bad that they're good! There is absolutely NO traditional Top 40 cover band scene here whatsoever. Very strange.

So...we are based in LA but must leave town to get work. Ironic. The talent pool to get the band happening is here, the fan base and the appropriate venues are not.

OK enough about tributes....more about Ollie's new bass!!!

Mike
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1061
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 4:43 pm:   Edit Post

F*k 'em if they can't take a joke! LOL! Gimme well played covers anytime. Originals are only good if they're good and you're familiar with them and actually like 'em (does that make sense?). And, since we can't have Moonie and Thunderfingers anyway, I'm all for the sincerest form of flattery, i.e., (Who) imitation..."substitute"ion, if you will, LOL!

All you Spyder/Dragon Wing guys should get together and do sort of a modern Alembic/JAE jam along the lines of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom"!!!!

Mine goes to ELEVEN, LOL!

Cheers,

Kevin

(Message edited by kmh364 on September 23, 2005)
dadabass2001
Senior Member
Username: dadabass2001

Post Number: 463
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 5:51 pm:   Edit Post

A brief continuation of the thread hijack regarding cover / tribute acts... In Chicago (downtown), originals are just about REQUIRED (like LA)! But twenty miles out in any direction (except into Lake Michigan) (okay... three directions) you can hardly get club owners to even give you a chance without doing covers, and talent agents prefer straight tribute acts because they are an easy sell.
Mike
ajdover
Advanced Member
Username: ajdover

Post Number: 244
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 5:58 pm:   Edit Post

John,

The idea of serving up someone's children (regardless of how much some parents might feel at certain times) is a daunting idea for any chef or cook.

I would serve up children like this:


Assemble children in room with XBox (have to get their attention, don't you know?)
Inform them to sit down and pay attention
Whip out an Alembic
Tell them that this is how it should be
Then tell them this is how it will be

Nothing like sowing the seeds early. And without garnishes .....

Odd occurrence today ... I had a new dishwasher (spulgeschirrmachine, Ollie) put in my house today. One of the installers was a guitar player. He noticed my Ovation acoustic-electric hanging on my living room wall. I invited him back to my bass room and began to show him my collection. Of course, my Alembics came out ... he was blown away, and we started talking about music, what we like to play. I told him I like classic art rock, and of course, The Who. Well, he took the bait, and he's supposed to call me about setting something up. We'll see, I guess. Never envisioned it when my wife and I were in Sears the other day looking at dishwashers!

Kevin,

I'm up for a Spyder/Dragon's Wing Owners meeting somewhere. Just say the time and place, and if my schedule (and budget!) permit it, I'll be there!

Alan
bob
Senior Member
Username: bob

Post Number: 510
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 10:10 pm:   Edit Post

(Edited at the request of the poster to delete out-of-context remarks, which seem to him "inappropriate in the history of what will undoubtedly turn out to be another fabulous instrument for Oliver".)

(Message edited by davehouck on October 11, 2005)
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 518
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 4:55 pm:   Edit Post

Alan,

You've got a few excellent plans there!

John
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 481
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 05, 2005 - 11:16 am:   Edit Post

Mica,
any news on my bass?

Oliver (Spyderman)
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 485
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2005 - 11:46 am:   Edit Post

Mica,
any news on my Dragon Wing?
Any new photos?

Many thanks
Oliver (Spyderman)
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2673
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, October 10, 2005 - 12:31 pm:   Edit Post

No Oliver - else I would have posted some pictures. There is a question however: what color did you want the side LEDs? We have some confusion over this part. The neck and body are ready to glue together, once the LEDs are in place, so more pictures soon!
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 488
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 12:46 pm:   Edit Post

Mica,
many thanks for your posting.
Regarding the side LEDīs your mom had suggested some time ago that amber side LEDīs would match great to the vintage amber tint.
I had talked regarding the details with your mom some time ago. So if there is any confusion plse let me know in advance to avoid any wrong details.
For example I had asked your mom to have the same neck profile and dims than on my Spyders or the extra master vol knob on the front horn etc.
Oliver
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 767
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 2:31 pm:   Edit Post

Hello Oliver,

I have a couple of questions for you; the lower horn is not very thick, therefore if you want the selector switch and master volume in it, we have to make the horn about 1/2inch wider, because otherwise the components just would not fit. The alternative would be to go with the standard configuration. Let us know what you want to do.

We also would like to know if you want the old style top hat knobs like you have on the Spyders or if you want the collet knobs.

Talk to you soon

Valentino
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 491
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 2:42 pm:   Edit Post

Val,
many thanks for your mail. Originally Susan had told me that it would be no problem with the vol and selector switch on the lower horn, but I see the problem. I definetely want the master volume and the pickup selector switch on the front horn. So how will this then look like? Possible to do a drawing of it? Also, already told, I definetely want the old style hat knobs as on my Spyders.
I hope that the wider front horn will not destroy the design. So I must see a drawing or something.

Oliver (Spyderman)
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 768
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 4:40 pm:   Edit Post

Very good. What is your preference as to which of the two goes on the tip of the horn?

Chip is making a drawing, and you'll see it in a few days.

Valentino
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2681
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 5:22 pm:   Edit Post

Here's the plan for enlarging the lower horn about 1/2 inch in width to accomodate the controls:

wider lower horn

The lower contoured part of the shape is the original form. The upper part is where the changes are. Here's the same picture with arrows to illustrate this point:

marked

We've used the footprint of the hat style knob in both positions, since we're not sure which you would want for vollume. You may find you would prefer a pointer knob for the pickup selector. It seems to be a natural shape out at the end of the horn, but you'll let us know what you prefer.
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 492
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 10:44 am:   Edit Post

Mica, Val,
many thanks for the drawing. This looks great.
I want the position of the master vol and the pu selector like on Johns Spyders. The master vol close to the pickup, followed by the pu switch located towards the end of the horn (same position than you did on Mike Bischīs overhaul).
But plse keep the two knobs as close as possible together. On the drawings the lower position seems to be to close to the edge of the curve of the horn. As said before, it should look like on Johns Spyders. As for the selector switch, I already told that it has to be a pointer knob.
As said before I had written and discussed all this before with Susan. So if this is lost plse ask and ask and ask. I donīt want to risk that the specs will differ due to bad communication.
Many thanks and many greetings
Oliver (Spyderman)
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 495
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 2:06 pm:   Edit Post

Mica, Val,
did you see my last message?
Oliver
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 497
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 11:46 am:   Edit Post

Mica, Val,
no news on my bass?
Did you see my last posting with the specs?

Oliver
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2714
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 1:51 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Oliver - you're right, there is no news on this project to show in pictures. Chip making a new template for the body is not really a photo opportunity. He's got lots going on, and not every project gets worked on every week. Design work is especially that way, we have to make sure the design is right, like reviewing for construction conflicts. Once the template is done, the body can be glued and cut - stuff will go very fast after that point.

The specs for your bass are not lost as you expressed concern over, you well know that they were exchanged several times by email, have you misplaced your copy of them? When we have a question about something ambiguous or something that comes up during construction, we are not shy to ask, which is why we asked in the first place.

BTW, on the drawing from the 12th, the large circle was for the size of the pickup selector plate. However, since there will be a backplate for access to the master volume control, this plate will not be needed. It will look much cleaner without the extra brass plate, and you'll get to enjoy more of the wood. Hope you like this idea!
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 499
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 1:57 pm:   Edit Post

Mica,
many thanks for your mail and sorry if I have confused you. Of course I trust in you all, you are artisans....
The idea is great. I really appreciate.
Another thing:
As for the master volume control on the front horn it would be no problem if you need to position the hat knob a bit towards the neck pickup.

Many thanks and have a nice weekend
Oliver (Spyderman)

(Message edited by senmen on October 28, 2005)
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2716
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 2:07 pm:   Edit Post

Is it possible that you can mark one of the photos from the 12th with your preferred placement for the master volume control? I would rather have it placed in the exact spot you prefer, thanks.
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 500
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:31 am:   Edit Post

Mica,
I think they are perfectly in the two drawings. Only the selector swich, as said before, would be better to move a bit into the direction of the volume pot. I understand that you did the drawing with a base plate in mind, but it would be nice to have the selector a bit more centered on the horn.

Oliver
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 509
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Friday, December 02, 2005 - 2:28 pm:   Edit Post

Mica,Val,
no news on my bass since more than one month?
What is going on?

Oliver (Spyderman)

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration