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mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4849
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 6:06 pm:   Edit Post

Here's a few of the pictures I collected of your guitar earlier in its construction:
assembly
The Bird's-eye figure will look much better once your guitar is in finish. The Maples tend to "blah-out" with the sanding.

assembly

assembly
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4930
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 6:27 pm:   Edit Post

I keep seeing your guitar only after it's been prepped for the next coat of spray:
prepped
That Purpleheart accent laminate is not electric looking in person, this is bluer than the real life look.

I've seen it wet, but couldn't get in at an angle to photograph. There's even a nice gentle quilty pattern behind the bird's-eyes that you'll be able to fully appreciate in person.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 4938
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 12:57 pm:   Edit Post

As you know, your guitar is done:
done
This picture is much more yellow looking than it is in real life.

This one is closer to what you'll see when you receive your guitar:
done

There's lots of great detail in the figure of the wood, different sized eyes and a really pretty quilty pattern all over. Hope you like it!
5stringho
Intermediate Member
Username: 5stringho

Post Number: 165
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 1:56 pm:   Edit Post

Now THAT'S what I call an early Christmas present, Alan! Love the Bird's eye. I almost did that on mine, and your's looks GREAT. Everybody does quilt, which is definately cool, but I've always loved the Birds!
Know she'll sound as good as she looks. Enjoy her, and play her for years! It's something to be proud of!

Best of luck, Mike, Tho
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 1694
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 2:05 am:   Edit Post

Very nice.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 5713
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 5:26 pm:   Edit Post

Really nice top!!
the_8_string_king
Senior Member
Username: the_8_string_king

Post Number: 925
Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 8:01 pm:   Edit Post

Congrats on the gorgeous Orion! I love the "old school" body shape... should be pretty easy to play with the relatively short scale length of a guitar!

And again... NICE Birdeye!!!
alansorion
New
Username: alansorion

Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 6:38 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for your posting! I got the Orion last night and was up until three checking her out! She's a pretty as the pictures portray her to be but as with some beauties, she looks much better in person. There is nothing like having a one of kind work of art and this is certainly one. Happy holiday all.
artswork99
Advanced Member
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 234
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 7:27 am:   Edit Post

Alan,
Enjoy that beauty. Play it healthy!
Art
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 303
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 9:20 am:   Edit Post

Hey Alan,

That's one beautiful guitar. In the unlikely event you should ever decide you want a bit of a change, you can swap the orion electronics for a volume, pan, filter, qswitch set up without any need to drill holes, etc. The person who owned my Orion baritone did it during the interim in which I sold it to him (before he sold it back to me). It was like a whole new guitar (but it sounded great both ways). Enjoy in good health.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 5724
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 9:53 am:   Edit Post

Congrats Alan!!
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 1780
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 10:58 am:   Edit Post

when you think about it
the file size for photos is so small and they look so good
when you got it in your hands
the usual first comment is
damn it looks better in person
play it in good health alan
the_8_string_king
Senior Member
Username: the_8_string_king

Post Number: 928
Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 4:19 pm:   Edit Post

It looks like it already has the volume/blend/filter/Q setup...
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 304
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 6:34 am:   Edit Post

Well, I could be wrong, but standard Orion electronics are volume, bass, treble, toggle switch. I don't see anything in this thread that suggests this guitar has otherwise.
the_8_string_king
Senior Member
Username: the_8_string_king

Post Number: 930
Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 6:13 pm:   Edit Post

Hmm. My bad. I know that standard Orion/Epic electronics are volume, bass, treble, and blend... on a BASS... so I assumed a guitar wouldn't have the/a lesser package of a toggle switch instead of a pan. But if you say it's so, I accept your word, and acknowledge my error!

In any case... it's a great looking guitar!:-)
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 2739
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 6:34 am:   Edit Post

Alan:

Another absolutely stunning Alembic guitar. May you make beautiful music together for many years to come.

Bill, tgo
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 305
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 11:17 am:   Edit Post

Hmm, I had no idea that the electronics for the Orion bass were different than for the guitar. I guess we learn something new everyday.
alansorion
New
Username: alansorion

Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Sunday, December 02, 2007 - 8:57 am:   Edit Post

Funny thing, I was reading about the differences between the toggle and the blend and thought about it but I decided I would stick to the toggle for quicker changes. I'm not looking to get into having fiffteen million suble variatons of pick up combinations. I sounds great the way she is and it is simple. I like simple.
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 306
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 6:55 am:   Edit Post

Don't get me wrong, I like it both ways (and wouldn't have made the change on my own). Actually, when I sold the Orion, I used the money to buy a skylark, and didn't care for it at all (way too many possibilities with tweaking). I sold it and had a custom guitar built with one P-90, and volume and tone control (I regret even adding the tone control now). It was just about as simple as I could hope for.
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1018
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 11:12 am:   Edit Post

Alansorion, I have to agree with you there being a fellow Orion owner. When I got mine it had the standard controls which if ound were quick and simple. I recently upgraded to a filter, and 3 position q-switch. I think it takes a bit more time to get the hang of using the filter, especially in a live situation. To be honest with the band I'm working with at the moment ( Reggae), I only need a few different guitar sounds so I basically use the pickup selector switch once I've got the filter where I want it.

Jazzyvee
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1019
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 11:12 am:   Edit Post

Alansorion, I have to agree with you there being a fellow Orion owner. When I got mine it had the standard controls which if ound were quick and simple. I recently upgraded to a filter, and 3 position q-switch. I think it takes a bit more time to get the hang of using the filter, especially in a live situation. To be honest with the band I'm working with at the moment ( Reggae), I only need a few different guitar sounds so I basically use the pickup selector switch once I've got the filter where I want it.

Jazzyvee
alansorion
New
Username: alansorion

Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 2:31 pm:   Edit Post

I also own a '59 LP Jr. and it has single p/u with a volume and tone. You don't drive youself crazy looking for the just right tone, you just play it! I also have a '64 Strat, a custom Tele made by Rick Kelley in NYC, and a Brian Moore (sort of a LP style 1v 1t 3way) They are all different. Sure I want more but five electrics is a good start, right? Maybe an Alembic bass next?
hydrargyrum
Advanced Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 307
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 8:57 am:   Edit Post

Yeah, my custom is inspired by a LP Jr. A lot of what made me decide on this configuration was a concert I attended featuring Christopher Parkening playing a selection of Segovia favorites. I was blown away by the incredible range of tone he could achieve without any electronics, and decided I would probably be better off learning to play well on my own, rather than relying on electronics to achieve my tone. If I ever have another custom built I will likely go for something much more elaborate (and maybe by then I will be able to appreciate and fully use the guitar).
alansorion
New
Username: alansorion

Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 1:03 pm:   Edit Post

There are many ways to modify a guitar's sound that are external. My feeling is that a guitar must be playable and sound good accousticly. After that the P/U 's and other variables can be changed or added.
paulman
Advanced Member
Username: paulman

Post Number: 265
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 6:02 am:   Edit Post

Heh this thread is digressing slightly, but I must I say I like that axe bro!

A long time ago someone explained to me (quite condesceningly) that you should never be able to hear an electric guitar acoustically as that means the strings are loosing energy becuase of transfer to the solid body.

Heh, he was so full of s**t! All the great electric guitars I have sound great acoustically...and I'm sure this one fits that bill quite nicely :-) Congrats! (and thanks again for the Skylark Kevin!)
alansorion
New
Username: alansorion

Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 12:53 pm:   Edit Post

I sounds great and as soon as I pull it out of the case everyone say's "Whoa"! One guy asked me what the fingboard was he was amazed at the Ebony with it incredible tight grain.
Alan

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