| Author | Message | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6280 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's that juicy top relaid out to avoid the awful crack:  and the pretty back:  It will darken up to match the top. It was almost the same color as the oxidized surface of the top before we sliced and sanded. Caught the Walnut you provided just as Kris was sanding it down to the thickness for the accent laminates:  And a nice stack of wooden goodies just waiting to get glued up:  | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6281 Registered: 6-2000 |
And the neck in glue-up from about a month ago:  | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6282 Registered: 6-2000 |
And a couple from after the glue dried:   | ||
| enzo
Member Username: enzo Post Number: 88 Registered: 4-2009 |
Nice pictures Mica. What a sandwich up here, I love the combination ! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6297 Registered: 6-2000 |
Body parts just hanging out in the press: What you're looking at here is the top laminate (which will be bookmatched to center) with its accent laminates on the left, and on the right is the body core (with some of the preliminary plumbing done) and the back laminate already glued together. As the neck is prepared for the next step, these parts are clamped between boards. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6298 Registered: 6-2000 |
Body parts just hanging out in the press:  What you're looking at here is the top laminate (which will be bookmatched to center) with its accent laminates on the left, and on the right is the body core and the back laminate already glued together. As the neck is prepared for the next step, these parts are clamped between boards. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6316 Registered: 6-2000 |
Not quite ready to join everything together, but getting closer:  All the internal plumbing and that upper body half "rib" you requested are in place. And the peghead bevel forming:  | ||
| rickk
New Username: rickk Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2009 |
thanks Mica, these are looking great, I really like the peghead | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8591 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Rick, welcome to the board! | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1250 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hello Rick, and welcome again. Boy, I could swear there are two tired eyes on the left of the back laminate in the second picture from the top.  Mike | ||
| toma_hawk01
Member Username: toma_hawk01 Post Number: 84 Registered: 7-2009 |
Every time I see a new picture(s) here, its like fresh meat to the lions! I love this bass! | ||
| rickk
New Username: rickk Post Number: 2 Registered: 8-2009 |
thanks to all and glad to be here. This is my first Alembic so it took awhile to design. lots to learn....but can't wait to get it! | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 912 Registered: 8-2005 |
So. What is this "RIB"??? What does it do??? | ||
| cje
Junior Username: cje Post Number: 23 Registered: 5-2009 |
Good question. My guess is the "rib" is the routed section in the upper horn. Maybe it's there to bring the weight down, or to adjust how the bass is balanced...? | ||
| rickk
New Username: rickk Post Number: 3 Registered: 8-2009 |
it is to add stiffness to take out a potential resonance in the upper body half | ||
| rowka
Junior Username: rowka Post Number: 31 Registered: 8-2008 |
Why did you think it wouldn't be stiff enough without the ribs? Just curious. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 807 Registered: 6-2002 |
Rowka, It sounds like this is done to address the tone of the resonance,instead of any concerns about a lack of stiffness. I would guess the overall tone will now have a few small resonant peaks in the sound, instead of two. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 2278 Registered: 6-2002 |
Rick - inquiring minds would like to know ... There was some discussion about the effect of the chambered body, and I think it was Malthumb who commented that the chambered body made the lows sound more like coming from a tuba. With a non-chambered body, the lows sounded more like coming from a grand piano. Does the idea behind the rib have anything to do with that? | ||
| rickk
New Username: rickk Post Number: 4 Registered: 8-2009 |
The rib has significantly less science in it than everyone is thinking and more qualitative estimate. I tend to like the sound of the long scale basses with smaller bodies than the larger bodies. After much trying of various basses and tapping on the bodies I decided that some of the tonal difference was coming from the "more hollow" sound versus the "more solid" sound of the smaller bodies. So I added the rib to get the chamber sizes down closer to the smaller body chamber sizes and limit the maximum span of the top and bottom. I also know that this may have had little to do with the differences i was hearing since most of the tonality is in the neck. And I added ebony to this neck, which none of the basses i tried had. Additionally, this bass body is a modified version of the previously featured "Hot Lava" body and Mica noted that it sounded great, but was a little boomy, so if the body chamber sizes were causing that, the ebony would likely make it worse by strengthening the lower resonance points. Soooo....I''m holding my breath and hoping the rib will move the tonality in the direction I want. | ||
| rowka
Junior Username: rowka Post Number: 34 Registered: 8-2008 |
Fair enough. | ||
| bkbass
Advanced Member Username: bkbass Post Number: 211 Registered: 11-2003 |
Or you could simply adjust the filters and amp EQ and call it a day. The subtle differences in the tone due to the so called hollowed out section(s)has very little to do with some mystical resonance tone chamber(s) but everything to do with the overall mass of the instrument. You have a 1/4" top and back wood which would not get the air vibrating in the chamber(s)if you hit it with a sledge hammer. The hollowed out section is to reduce weight more than anything else with the disclaimer that everything is synergistic on any instrument. Need a nudge? Next time you tune up watch the needle, strike a string with and without your finger and thumb on the tuner. You will see a slight increase say 3 cents with your finger on it because it's adding mass to the instrument. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6350 Registered: 6-2000 |
Top laminate getting prepared for it's future appearance on the bass:  | ||
| rickk
New Username: rickk Post Number: 5 Registered: 8-2009 |
Thanks Mica! | ||
| mario_farufyno
Advanced Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 257 Registered: 9-2008 |
Wonderfull to see such jewels being born... Thanks, Alembic. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6380 Registered: 6-2000 |
Been collecting more pictures for you over the past month, so here's a big pile of goodies! In the pipe clamps:  Bob mapping out the routing:  And here routed:  Back too:  Nice sandwich:  More in carving:  Heart Omega partially carved:  I'll upload the sealer coat images in just a few minutes... stay tuned! | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6381 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's the bass with the sealer coats:       I can't stress enough that this bass looks even more beautiful in person. | ||
| artswork99
Senior Member Username: artswork99 Post Number: 835 Registered: 7-2007 |
Wow! | ||
| sonicus
Advanced Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 330 Registered: 5-2009 |
I love how this wood glows with warmth. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 842 Registered: 6-2002 |
Amazing top, Nice neck recipe too! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2412 Registered: 10-2002 |
It may just be that beautiful bookmatch throwing me off but I can't tell if this is going to be a balance 'K' or the older full size balance omega? Graeme |
