| Author | Message | ||
| alembic76407
Intermediate Member Username: alembic76407 Post Number: 200 Registered: 5-2002 |
thanks Roger, someday I will take you up on that offer, your Buzzard will be the best looking and sounding buzzard in the world !!!! David T | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1186 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's the photos you requested:   Note the first tailpiece is a mockup made from MDF while the second is an actual tailpiece made in brass. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 146 Registered: 1-2003 |
Can I just clarify please Mica that the top picture is the proposed shape (in MDF) and the bottom one is an actual brass bird tailpiece? Thanks! Rog | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1187 Registered: 6-2000 |
You are correct, Roger. The top tailpiece is a mock up of the new proposed shape, the bottom picture is an actual bird tailpiece as is found on the Signature model. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 147 Registered: 1-2003 |
To my eye, the bird tailpiece looks a little lost on that bass. I like the mock-up, mostly. Ideally, I'd like the two front edges to curve in a little more - is that possible? What was the verdict from your dad regarding being able to move the knobs round in the electronics cavity? | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 148 Registered: 1-2003 |
I've got another question for you Mica - the proposed bridge shape - is it symmetrical? Or is the top part of it longer than the bottom? | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1188 Registered: 6-2000 |
Not really possible to curve the edge facing the bridge in anymore, the strings need some brass to retain against. It's a little hard to see in the photo, but the E string slot comes as close as is comfortable to the edge. Look at the electronics layout photos, you can see the string slots a little better there. It's absolutely not symmetrical, the bass side of the tailpiece is longer to follow the shape of the body. As far as layout II it will work, but will require 1 hour additional labor to rewire the Q switch for the neck pickup so far away from the control. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 149 Registered: 1-2003 |
Thanks again for your reply, Mica. Controls - I'll have a think about it and I'll post a reply here, probably tomorrow. Your suggestion (Roger Layout) I hadn't previously considered and it's got me thinking about my own proposed layout. Tailpiece - I like symmetry. That's fine coming from me with the design of this bass isn't it? However, I think that as the bridge, the pick-ups, the stripes thru the neck and the knobs are all (or will be) uniform shapes, that the tailpiece should be uniform too. Which brings me to my next question... Is it possible to have a slightly scaled up version of the bird tailpiece? Or....a symmetrical version of the proposed tailpiece? Thanks! Rog | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1189 Registered: 6-2000 |
The bottom contour of the bass isn't bi-laterally symmetrical, so the Dragon tailpiece (the proposed shape) will not look nice if it is completely symmetrical. A larger handmade bird tailpiece is certainly possible. Will be two hours of shop time for Mike to make for you. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 150 Registered: 1-2003 |
I'll have to put some thought into this tailpiece. Does anyone else have any comments? I'd welcome some additional input into this if anyone has got anything to say. Thanks! Rog | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 151 Registered: 1-2003 |
Mica - another control layout question for you. Would it be possible to amend "Roger's Layout" to form "Roger's Layout III"? What I had in mind is swapping the pan and neck filter with each other, and then swapping the volume and bridge filter with each other. Q switches stay as is. Can you let me know if this is possible please? Thanks! Rog | ||
| adriaan
Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 53 Registered: 6-2002 |
I think the bird tailpiece looks much too civilized on this monster. There probably isn't enough space for the Spyder tailpieces, right? Perhaps the bar, or a variation on the half-moon? It needs to look sharp, like the asymmetrical one but then more pointy. (Message edited by adriaan on October 29, 2003) | ||
| senmen
Intermediate Member Username: senmen Post Number: 112 Registered: 7-2003 |
Rog, may I put in another suggestion? Adriaan spoke about the Spyder tailpieces and I also think, that these are too long for the Dragon. But John had on his original Spyders shorter ones, which are approx. half the length of the long ones on the Spyders. Think about this, if you want I can email you some pics. I think that these shorter single tails would look great on your dragon. Oliver | ||
| davehouck
Intermediate Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 178 Registered: 5-2002 |
Ok, since you asked <g>. Of course this is a matter of individual taste and each person's view is as valid as another's; and it is yours that is the deciding factor. I agree with Roger on the symetry of the tailpiece with the bridge and pickups. And I agree with Mica that the proposed "Dragon" shape would not work if it is symetrical with the bridge; and I think the reason is its size and proximity to the curved edge of the body. Because of its size and winged shape, it is necessarily closer to the edge and the relationship between its contour and the contour of the body becomes more apparent. At first I agreed with Roger's observation that the bird tailpiece looked "lost" on the bass, dwarfed. However, now I'm thinking that if the bridge and pickups were in place in the picture, the bird would not seem dwarfed at all but would appear right at home next to the bridge. I'm also wondering if perhaps the bar tailpiece might be a good choice for this application since it would nail down the symetry with the bridge and be substantial enough not to be dwarfed. Dave | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 152 Registered: 1-2003 |
Yes please to the pics Oliver, if you could. To everyone else - my brain is now working overtime, please keep the views and observations coming! Rog | ||
| senmen
Intermediate Member Username: senmen Post Number: 113 Registered: 7-2003 |
Rog, here they come:   As shown the tails on Johns basses (except the V-head and the V-bass) are significantly shorter than on the Spyders). What do you think`? Oliver | ||
| adriaan
Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 54 Registered: 6-2002 |
This one goes way over the top, but there's no harm in fantasizing - Think of a dragon's claw clasping the bottom end of the neck-through. Now morph that claw to the hand in the Alembic logo. See if you can fit in more of the logo, perhaps as an appendix. Or have it melt like Dali's watches. Now back to work. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 153 Registered: 1-2003 |
One of what Adriaan's been smoking please ;-) Thanks for the pictures Oliver. I like the short tailpiece in the left hand picture. Perhaps Mica could tell us all if there is room for that on the Dragon's Wing? | ||
| senmen
Intermediate Member Username: senmen Post Number: 114 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Rog, you´re welcome. I also like this. I think it would look great. Maybe Mica can tell if this would work; I don´t know why they changed the design from short to long back then. Maybe they could do different ones following the curve? Two longer in the outer position and two shorter in the inner position? Man this is really making sense. I feel like it would be my own bass project.... Oliver | ||
| senmen
Intermediate Member Username: senmen Post Number: 115 Registered: 7-2003 |
Sorry, double posted. Oliver (Message edited by senmen on October 29, 2003) | ||
| adriaan
Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 55 Registered: 6-2002 |
Well, I live in the right country for what you suppose I'm smoking. But I don't smoke. Anything. At all. Convinced? No, you're not. But I don't. - Well, I hope that has cleared the air (waves his arms like a madman, grins like a bassplayer). It's just that no one seems to have thought much about a fitting tailpiece for the Dragon Wing before the instrument was nearly complete! | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 154 Registered: 1-2003 |
I like Olivers idea of two different lengths. Of course, the technicalities of this idea lie with Mica. Adriaan - I believe you! You also seem to have a point about the tailpiece - I was set on a bird tailpiece until I saw it on the picture Mica posted, and now it doesn't look right...obviously someone at Alembic has been thinking about this too to have decided to create an MDF mock-up tailpiece. This is all very interesting!! | ||
| senmen
Intermediate Member Username: senmen Post Number: 116 Registered: 7-2003 |
Rog, can you phone me up? 0049-211-41854413 Oliver | ||
| adriaan
Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 56 Registered: 6-2002 |
Oliver's idea is BRILLIANT. If you want it a little less symmetrical, you could also have the longer ones on the E and A strings, and the shorter ones on the D and G. | ||
| cdf
Junior Username: cdf Post Number: 24 Registered: 5-2003 |
For what its worth, I also really like Oliver's idea; short and long. Perhaps they could be positioned in a slightly staggered fashion to echo the trailing edge of the claw. Also like the wooden mock-up from Mica's post of 10/27. So many things to think about, but at least these are pleasant conundrums ;-) | ||
| groovelines
Intermediate Member Username: groovelines Post Number: 121 Registered: 4-2003 |
Here's another hair-brained thought...expanding on Oliver's idea, could the ends be tapered to look like a dragon's talons? I also like Adriaan's suggestion of a modified, half-moon tailpiece. | ||
| zappahead
Junior Username: zappahead Post Number: 45 Registered: 10-2002 |
I like the dragon talon idea. You could merge the Entiwistle tailpiece and the dragon idea by doing that. Maybe make little dragon talons on the end with wood they have lying around. Of course its not my money or effort building this. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1192 Registered: 6-2000 |
Here's some pictures that may clear a few things up:  1.54 inches available space.  1.43 inches available space  crammed to the block route, the hanging Spyder tailpiece. I don't think we can make an individual tailpiece with two anchor screws (required) in this small available space. Not that we don't usually like the tailpiece smashed right against the bridgeblock so the practical space available is about a 1/4 inch less. The bottom center scallop is so near to symmetrical that a symmetrical tailpiece that stays close to the edge will probably look crooked. With just over a tenth of an inch difference between the two sides, I'm afraid that staggered length tailpieces will look more like a mistake. My vote is for the Dragon Wing tailpiece. I think it's the least distracting of any of the choices so far since it echoes the shape of the body and doesn't look like something just stuck on it. But that's just my opinion. The finished tailpiece will have the slope like the bird (when viewed from the edge), the mock up is for footprint only. | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 155 Registered: 1-2003 |
You can always trust Mica for a scientific, balanced view of things! :-) By the Dragon's Wing tailpiece Mica, are you referring to the MDF mock-up? (Message edited by rogertvr on October 29, 2003) | ||
| rogertvr
Intermediate Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 156 Registered: 1-2003 |
P.S. Mica That picture Oliver has published of one of John's basses - how much would that cost to build? |
