Scoop

It's finished and I've seen the photos and YOU haven't Nya-nya-na-na-nahh! To be fair to Alan, I'll not post them here until after I've paid him the outstanding balance which will be tomorrow (Tuesday). Got to say, I wanted understated yet still beautiful and I think Alan's done it superbly. I really couldn't be happier with how it's looking. It's a really lovely bit of kit.

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1278301' date='Jun 22 2011, 11:05 AM']Entirely in blue gum burl. [/quote] [quote name='skelf' post='1278313' date='Jun 22 2011, 11:15 AM']That is not funny[/quote] Fret not, Alan. It'll be spanish cedar with a non-blue gum top. I'll leave the epoxy tops and all the wenge to another Dave.

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1278301' date='Jun 22 2011, 11:05 AM']Entirely in blue gum burl. [/quote] Muhahahahahahaha! How much would he love that?

Coo, can't wait to see this one come together. Interesting project... Alan will be in his element. I forsee some of the [i]most[/i] inventive swearing ever, lots of coffee, the occasional bit of scrap wood being hurled at the wall, more coffee, much head scratching and forehead rubbing... did I mention coffee and swearing?... all part of the ACG magic! And at the end of it all you'll have an instrument that is simply phenomenal. Just wait til I ask him to build me a 4 and 8 twin neck for my next one...

[quote name='eude' post='1270166' date='Jun 15 2011, 02:38 PM']Any SB based news messer Scoop? Eude[/quote] Yup. Fuller than I expected, not at all reedy or thin which I think many single coils can be, and not that different in truth to the ACG soapbars fitted to Lazarus and Scribble. Sat in the mix really nicely and cut through big time when I needed to assert myself and "dig in" for the odd passage. There was real authority in the tone then. I don't usually go for either the big aggressive or the burpy/slappy sounds myself [I'm after an altogether smoother & , I guess, more traditional tone] so didn't try to get into that territory but I suspect that they'd "do" your sound very well coupled with an ACG preamp. Don't think you'd be disappointed.

[quote name='eude' post='1264114' date='Jun 10 2011, 04:38 PM']Also Scoop, you got any feedback on the 2 SB pickups in your Tefano now you've had it for a while? I looking for a big, aggressive, authoritative voice from this bass, reckon the SBs will fit the bill?... Eude[/quote] I'll reply to this elsewhere, Eude, and probably after tomorrow night as the Tefano will get it's first "proper" outing in a band situation at full whack. I suspect they're everything you're looking for but you can never really tell til you've heard them sit in a mix, I think.

Some more pictures. The bass has now gone in for finishing so it'll only be a matter of a few weeks before it's available to me hopefully. [url="http://img233.imageshack.us/i/recfless01.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img838.imageshack.us/i/recfless02.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img684.imageshack.us/i/recfless03.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img546.imageshack.us/i/redfless04.jpg/"][/url] It's fair to say I'm delighted.

(Scoop gets a bit Highlander) "There can be only one..." Um, Lazarus was the son of Boetius (sp?) but I dunno if he had a son himself. His sisters were Miriam and Martha so you can use those if you like. Martha's a nice name for a bass. I'm waffling aren't I? Nice specs by the way, Eude. I claim noodling rights at the next Moffat bash.

Where to start... The night in Birkenhead when the floorboards gave out underneath the drummer and he disappeared arse first into the pub cellar... The night when a very drunk bloke in Stockport insisted he [i]could [/i]get up and sing a song with us as he'd "just got out of prison"... The night I was depping and had written my charts out using the only pen I could find, a red felt pen. When the gig started the stage lights came on for the first time and I found out I was situated directly below a permanently switched-on red parcan... The night in Oldham where we played to two bar staff and the pub dog. Midway through the first set the dog passed judgement by ambling stage front and cocking his leg on the singer's monitor wedge... I could go on and on...

[quote name='skelf' post='1222678' date='May 6 2011, 10:27 PM']Believe me Scoop is very much appreciated. One of the plusses of this business is that I have met quiet a few guys who started off as customers but I would now like to think of them as friends, Scoop is firmly in that category.[/quote] Thanks for that. All you need to do now is hand over the cash and I'll release your family.

[quote name='henry norton' post='1222528' date='May 6 2011, 07:53 PM']Aww Man, I wish I had a customer like you - seven basses from the same custom builder??? I wish....[/quote] It's 8 I'm afraid, Henry. I bought another one of Alan's inventory basses since I created this thread.

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1222150' date='May 6 2011, 12:46 PM']Pah! Nonsense! I'll be delighted if I look half as good as you when [b]I[/b] reach 76. [/quote] Sigh...

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1222117' date='May 6 2011, 12:02 PM']Anywaaaaay... build's looking good, Scoop![/quote] Aye, a lot better than I do that's for sure.

You forget, with the Tefano which arrived after I began this thread that makes eight anyway. The crown sceptre and orb stays with the incumbant in the event of a tie. Four out of ten, must try harder. And anyway, who says I'm going to stop at eight? Muhahahahahaha!

Another update showing the neck laminates of padouk, sycamore and wenge. Looks like a strip of deck chair material [url="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/blackwoodandneck.jpg/"][/url]

Cool. I'll be watching this one carefully. Good timber choices.

[quote name='giblett123' post='1188343' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:15 PM']Yep, should be stunning, the dirty ash will look great on the grain/shape., really looking forward to checking out the take on the split coil P thing too, could be really interesting.[/quote] I'm not a huge J-Type fan but this does look, I admit, the mutts nuts.

That's going to be a lovely bass, Eude. By Classic, I take it you mean it'll have the standard lower horn as opposed to the Recurve shaped one which Alan also offers. (See, just flexing my mighty ACG-ness knowledge there. Ahem...) At least you're letting us in on the build with this one rather than just pulling it completly finished out of Alan's hat like you did with the Dirty Ash one. Good boy! Ziricote's a good wood that's not often seen. I used to have a Warmoth with a Ziricote 'board. Bloody lovely it was too. Nice one, Eude.

Alan's just sent me this pic of the ebony fretboard with the quarter fretlines. It's looking great, I can't wait to get my hands on it. [url="http://img683.imageshack.us/i/myfretlessboard.png/"][/url]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1179595' date='Mar 28 2011, 03:11 PM']I certainly agree that it is important to let kids have 'their' heroes and villains. We may be older and wiser but that is not what it is about - its about identity and having something of your own. Each generation needs its moment in the spotlight, even if the product is weak - [b]knowledge and wisdom come later. I am expecting it any day now.[/b] [/quote] Sadly, I live more in hope than expectation.

Jeff Beck, Vinny Coliauta, Tony Levin, and a shedload more. All getting on in years and all ridiculously talented musicians. Musicians who are happy to continue evolving will always be relevant and "important". Musicians who don't or can't evolve (and I'm looking at YOU, Clapton) cease to be relevant. Their age, however, is completely irrelevant. Not that I always thought that way. I'm fast approaching the age of 51 and I retired from writing for Kerrang twenty years ago because I thought I was "too old" to be considered credible in that market. Instead I began writing for another publication which was considerably more mature under a [i]'nom de plume' [/i] because it was easier than carrying the "metal-head" baggage of my earlier career over with me. I still freelance for that magazine now, sometimes. I don't want to dismiss what younger people deem to be credible and relevant to them and 'their' epoch. Their opinions are valid. I feel however that in time many of them will begin to broaden their musical horizons and see that those old farts who have continued to evolve actually do have something valid and credible to say through their music.

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1179440' date='Mar 28 2011, 01:22 PM']Next time I might be a bit more adventurous and try a few more basses out and ask some more questions. Being a bash virgin I was a little reticent. Things I should have done: Asked Keith for a go on his delicious upright bass. Asked retroman for a go on the black Rick. Tasty. [b]Try out a few of the high end basses - just to see.[/b][/quote] I brought all five of my ACGs up. They were there for anyone to have a noodle on. You should have had a go...

...and home. Enjoyed it; always nice to meet up and chew the bassy fat. Thanks to Alan (ACG), Shaun and David L Perry for being such excellent company. I laughed til I hurt. "Dry eyeballs"? Not when you're crying with laughter. Thanks to everyone who organised, donated prizes etc. Much appreciated.

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1023677' date='Nov 14 2010, 06:12 PM']I was having a little go on the bass tonight and I've discovered a neat new trick. I'm used to thinking in terms of "absolutes" with bass EQ'ing, so I decided to fiddle around with the controls a bit more on the ACG to see what I could discover.[/quote] Have you discovered how to emulate a wah-wah pedal yet, just be dicking around with your pre-amp? If not then there are joys in the ACG EQ01 you are yet to explore.

Alan has sent me some new photos to drool over and being the lovely chap I am I thought you could drool over them too. [url="http://img146.imageshack.us/i/recurvesc04.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img859.imageshack.us/i/recurvesc05.jpg/"][/url] and finally, a pic of the fretboard (far right) which I've had for ages but have never posted up. [url="http://img33.imageshack.us/i/recurvescboardfarright.jpg/"][/url]