| Author | Message | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1666 Registered: 9-2002 |
Marc ...I still wondering myself what a Marc "elaborate" bass would be if THIS is "simple". Ohmawgod! Paul the bad one | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1988 Registered: 6-2000 |
Oh yes indeed Marc - it actually doesn't matter for the construction if we put an MVB or pickup selector there, both have the similar physical requirements. Sorry for the minor scare there. | ||
| marcm
Junior Username: marcm Post Number: 48 Registered: 12-2003 |
sorry i freaked out for a moment there i was hoping it was no big thing and indeed it was not | ||
| the_mule
Advanced Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 282 Registered: 1-2004 |
Beautiful work, very tasteful! Love the body shape, old school EVH with a unique 'twist'... Wilfred | ||
| basstard
Intermediate Member Username: basstard Post Number: 122 Registered: 3-2003 |
Sooo... What's the progress on this beauty??? | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 56 Registered: 12-2003 |
thanks wilfred! hi jarek, and thank you. i haven't spoken with mica for a couple of weeks or so. at that time work was starting on the 'big bird' tailpiece, and the hardware was being plated perhaps there will be another update soon marc | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2066 Registered: 6-2000 |
This big bird has flown south for the plating:  The picture is shown before Chris polished it smooth. Here's how it will look installed:  And the deep routing:  This wound up just slightly heavier than the 4 individual tailpieces. | ||
| jeff
Member Username: jeff Post Number: 77 Registered: 12-2003 |
Holy Batman! Darn cool tailpiece to go with a really cool bass! | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 57 Registered: 12-2003 |
hi mica perfect! another "gee mica, do you think you could . . . ?" idea, made real thank you, and chris and thank you, jeff marc | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1756 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother Marc!! How did the beerfest went? Next year?? You are still expected here in Belgium as you know. Anyway ...this bass is PURE Alembic history in the make ...a real milestone in original design. The hail and glory choir has again a new verse to sing ...yeah ...the chorus we know by heart right now!!!! Stupid question I think -maybe I missed it in the thread- but what is the big-bird going to do/add to the bass???? Sustain??? Paul the bad one | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 58 Registered: 12-2003 |
hi paul! sorry i've been out of touch. i'll send you a message about the off-topic stuff and thank you for your kind words. i don't think the theory behind the 'big bird' ever made it to the thread. you're right, it's about sustain. early on i asked mica about how the mass of the tailpiece affects sustain: i wanted as much sustain as possible. i considered individual tailpieces, as on spyders, but i prefer the look of the bird. in any case mica determined that there isn't enough room for individual tailpieces on the 'simple' bass so i asked if a tailpiece could be custom-machined to look exactly like a standard bird, but extend down into the body with the goal of having as much mass of brass as four individual tailpieces added together that's exactly what chris made for me! next time around i'm going to ask mica to do almost the same thing again, but in ebony. the 'big bird saddleblock' would be a block of ebony, recessed into the body like the 'big bird', with the exposed top face of the block carved in the shape of the classic alembic ebony tailpiece shim, as on yahya's 'big bass' for example. as mica has said, nowadays the shim is purely aesthetic: "we use the wooden shim just because it looks so cool". the 'big bird saddleblock' would look exactly as cool as a tailpiece shim, but it would impart added sustain and also give a somewhat warmer, woodier, more 'ebony' sound compared to a brass 'big bird' but that's for next time! vriendelijk groeten! marc | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2187 Registered: 6-2000 |
Need a refresher on the 12th fret inlay - are we orienting with the baseline as the frets or the strings? | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 62 Registered: 12-2003 |
hi mica please orient the OM with the strings: i.e., the top of the OM, with the blue LED, toward the nut, and the bottom toward the bridge thanks, and very happy holidays to you and your alembic family marc | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 2283 Registered: 6-2000 |
I confirmed we are awaiting the return of the blackened brass - hoping it turns out as nice as the sample piece. After speaking today, I was reminded that you never saw the completed inlay:  The color flash of black mother of pearl is difficult to photograph, and this was taken before the board was levelled and fretted. But I think you can get the general idea from the snapshot. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1443 Registered: 5-2002 |
Great inlay!! | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 82 Registered: 12-2003 |
thanks mica! and thank you susan! it's beautiful! thank you too dave | ||
| marcm
Member Username: marcm Post Number: 83 Registered: 12-2003 |
(Message edited by marcm on March 02, 2005) | ||
| basstard
Intermediate Member Username: basstard Post Number: 144 Registered: 3-2003 |
This project hasn't been abandoned, I hope...? | ||
| marcm
Intermediate Member Username: marcm Post Number: 102 Registered: 12-2003 |
not at all, jarek. work on the 'simple' bass is temporarily on hiatus, while i attend to a difficult and unpleasant personal situation the bass has progressed beautifully. she will return to these pages, hopefully soon | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 2125 Registered: 9-2002 |
O-O-O Brother Marc ...still going that process??? Darn ... PTBO | ||
| marcm
Intermediate Member Username: marcm Post Number: 103 Registered: 12-2003 |
hi brother paul yes, alas. i have learned, to my chagrin and at great and ever-mounting cost, that you never really know someone until you go through this particular process with them i hope that all is well with you marc | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 514 Registered: 11-2004 |
One of my favorite FTC threads and a killer bass- just curious if this bass was completed at some stage.... (not that it's any of my business). | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 935 Registered: 6-2002 |
I didn't realise there was so much brass in the bird tailpiece. I'm curious, how much does the bird weigh and how much does the sustain block? Jazzyvee | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5445 Registered: 5-2002 |
JV, that's a custom tailpiece; the normal bird isn't recessed like this one. | ||
| marcm
Intermediate Member Username: marcm Post Number: 104 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hi Toby and Jazzy Thank you for the kind words, Toby. According to Susan back in mid-July, the bass is complete except for one last knob that was on the way from THG; otherwise all the work was done. I haven't received it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. Jazzy, the so-called 'Big Bird' tailpiece weighs a bit more than four individual tailpieces added together. I'm not sure how much the bridge block weighs, but the inspiration for it was the block in Phil Lesh's 'Godfather' bass. Best regards, Marc | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 524 Registered: 11-2004 |
Marc, Outstanding news- be sure to post some pictures when it makes it's way into your hands. I've always enjoyed the pictures in the build process, but I'd LOVE to see some full shots and some of the details. Your bass is one of my favorites. Toby | ||
| the_8_string_king
Senior Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 726 Registered: 9-2005 |
WOW, HOLY COW, I see the first FTC thread was dated October 27th, 2003!!! And you haven't actually got the bass yet, almost 4 years later? I'm curious, what was involved in such a long build time? All the other ones I've seen that take more than a year seem to involve elaborate inlays... just curious. It's clearly an awesome bass!!! I also would like to see some pictures when you get it. Ebony is one of my favorite woods, and sounds awesome -especially as a neck laminate wood. | ||
| the_8_string_king
Senior Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 727 Registered: 9-2005 |
Oh man, I just caught a couple of the previous posts, and read between the (obvious) lines. The "D-word", huh? What a drag. At least you'll have your bass. | ||
| marcm
Intermediate Member Username: marcm Post Number: 105 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hi Mark Thanks for the kind words! According to Susan, my project is the second oldest of all current Alembic projects (no idea whose has been in the works longer than mine). And you're quite right: from August 2004 through January 2006 I went through a difficult divorce, which ended a nineteen-and-a-half year marriage (no kids). It was a hard time for a number or reasons, but it's behind me now and since then I've made a good start on a new life. Yesterday I spoke with Mica. The latest delay with my bass was a problem with the gunmetal-blackening of my bridge. Apparently the plater hadn't applied it very well, and it had begun to flake. The bridge had to go back to the plater, and it is expected to arrive back at Alembic any day now. Mica said that once it arrives and is mounted, she will be taking lots of photos of the bass and then it will be shipped off to me. As odd as this might sound after four and a half years, I can't wait! Marc | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 4825 Registered: 6-2000 |
The rumor is that the blackened brass part will be shipped tomorrow. Stay on target... almost there. |
