"I started playing bass at 16 years old," Alain wrote to us, "I listened to many bands and bass players until the day I heard a totally different sound on a tape I bought on a trip in London. The following week, I was rehearsing with my band when the guitar player told me, 'Alain, you've got to listen to this guy!' That was the same amazing sound I just heard a week ago. I didn't know I met Stanley Clarke and Mark King in one week's time. I was 18 and strongly decided to play on such an instrument and have that huge and powerful sound: an Alembic Series II. "With my first paycheck as a physical therapist, I was able to buy an Alembic Spoiler I saw by chance in a local music shop. My girlfriend, who is now my wife, told me to buy it - she was quite sure I wouldn't regret it. Twenty years after I first heard an Alembic bass, the dream finally came true and got my first (and not last I'm sure) Custom Series II."

	The mysterious first fret inlay in mother of pearl. We asked about its meaning, but Alain didn't reveal it. Whenever he plays out with his band Missed Call, people always come after to ask things like, "Never saw such a gorgeous piece of art before, what is it?" and he receives many compliments on the sound.

	Just like most woods, colors on Alembics are difficult to capture from a single photograph. From this angle, more depth in the figure of the Quilted Maple as well as in the Wineburst finish is visible.

	The delicate carving of the Heart Omega takes a careful eye to scuplt. Additionally, Bob pays it special attention in the finishing so the color wraps around the form established by the carving.

	To get this lovely blend of colors, Bob first sprays the entire bass with a pale amber tint. Next comes the claret red, where he follows the perimeter of the bass and aims the spray gun so that the red paint covers the edge and spreads over some of the amber. Finally, a touch of sheer black tinted paint along the edge that spreads lightly over some of the red color.

The Series II bass comes standard with continuous wood backplates. The decorative facings for the plates are cut away from the back laminate before the body is assembled. The plates are in place as Bob sprays the tinted paints so the burst finish blends across the backplates as naturally as the rest of the bass. On a burst finish, we do the back of the body in one solid color, the outside color of the burst, when it's painted over a Mahogany body. But since NN has such a nicely figured Flame Maple back, applying the burst on the back is requisite.

	"Playing on an Alembic bass is already an experiment you never forget. Playing on a Series II almost means you start bass back at the beginning since the quality of the electronics and precision of this instrument allow you no mistake : you must clean up the way you play to get the best out of it. In other words : an Alembic Series II makes you play better ! "The first view of my bass at Bass Connection happy, like the feeling of a baby being born. Back home, I first played it unplugged, the sound was already amazing, do I really have to tell you how it sounded thru my EBS rig? Is there a word to express the richness of this clear and powerful sound you get of that specific combination of woods and electronics you find in a custom Alembic Series II bass? Yes, I find one: MAGIC !!!"

	The peghead face veneers are in matching woods, with Quilted Maple on the front and Flame Maple on the back. Note how the Wineburst finish follows the peghead contours. Since the Series II model comes standard with an inlaid logo, the tinted paints would partially obscure it. So Bob masked the logo inlay after spraying the sealer coats to keep it clear. "I wanted a bass as bright, colourful, juicy, and happy as Life itself! I really do want to thank everyone involved in the building of this 'magical' instrument, the entire Alembic team is really far better than my highest expectations." This project was great fun - not only because Alain asked us to build such a beauty for him, but also because NN's creation coincided with another special event in Alain and Angela's life - their marriage. We know your life together will be bright, colorful, juicy, and happy!

	SPECIFICATIONS Series II 4-string medium scale bass Quilted Maple top Flame Maple back Purpleheart accent laminates with Maple pinstripes Custom "NN" first fret inlay Abalone oval fingerboard inlays Front Laser LEDs in red with external dimmer Side position LEDs in red LED mode switch Wineburst finish Inlaid sterling silver logo with shell Gold-plated hardware Continuous wood backplates Sold by: Bass Connection
Wallpaper: 1600x1200 1280x1024 1024x768 800x600 Widescreen: 1920x1200 1680x1050 Order this Featured Custom on a coffee mug Text and Photographs of guitar © 2006 Alembic, Inc.

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