Kiwi

I think the start-off-with-something-familiar and then use it as a base from which to explore other sounds (and the way the settings interact) is how many players would prefer to approach discovery. Having sounds from familiar songs gives some reassurance that the pedal is fit for purpose out of the box without faff but...faff is an option for those down times when owners have a couple of hours to kill. It keeps things interesting. I think MXR and FI are both on the right track in that context and I hope they continue to expand the repetoire of familiar patches. Yeah but there is a question of relevance and perceptions of value. The value for a player is convenience in the beginning, then as their relationship with the unit grows...or not, they can explore when they get bored or have time - 'what else can I work out given it gets to close to X?' I think LukeFRC is absolutely right when he says "it feels like the FI1 was a reissue of the DI with more things a synth geek would want". This is not really a reason for gigging players to buy the pedal unless they're in an originals band. And there are fewer of those around now than even just five years ago. Most of us play covers. Speaking of which...there is still a gap in the market for a decent arpeggiator. So many companys have taken aim and missed.

Ermighad! That's a stunner and it came together pretty quickly. How does it SOUND though?! Do you have any video clips?

This is our take on the 'chopped strands' finish originally offered by Geoff Gould on the Alembic necks. What do you think? chopped strands finish - unpainted.mp4

Do you think he gets out of bed in the mornings looking like that? Asking for a friend.

A MK Series2 was my first decent bass back in the early 90s and for about 12 years it was my only bass. So it kind of set the standard for what felt comfortable, wide bodied basses fit my frame well.

String spacing between the B and E string on my Moses neck is about 10mm and between the D and G string it's about 9mm. Other spacings are likely to be a variation of those figures but to be perfectly honest I can't provide accuracy beyond half a milimetre from the centre of a string. From the centre of the B string to the centre of the G string it's 34.6mm on my Moses neck. I'll see if I can get the fabricator to give me some measurements as well because it would be interesting to compare.

I was playing around with the idea of getting a 5 string version made of my Alembic Series 1 with one of my graphite necks and then I wondered whether it might be easier to get a Jaydee MK 5 string made with one of my composite necks. It looks like the Alembic tribute might be easier after all.

Hey everyone, the necks are on their way to me and should be delivered tomorrow. I'll give them an inspection and, hopefully with all things being well, I can send them to the shipping warehouse before the end of this week.

Hi Gizmo, I don't have one of the necks with me, they're in the UK. But I'll do my best to answer your questions based on the Moses neck the Aurok necks are based on. The radius is fairly flat so probably 16". The profile is a shallow d shape, the string spacing at the bridge can be whatever you like, I'm not sure what the spacing is at the nut, I'll measure a Moses neck tonight as a guide, and get back to you with an edit to this post.

The sound quality sounds pretty good, very hifi and the stability of the polyphonic tracking is impressive. The lack of an arp function is a shame though for me personally given what it's capable of otherwise. They do an arp pedal called the Tararira which was what I was confusing with this pedal.

Oh wait, I might have it confused with the previous model. I wasn't aware there was a new release! Now I'll have to take a look into that as well.

Yeah I had a look at it about a year ago, and decided to keep looking. Either it was limited in programmability or there was no ADSR on each step, I can't remember exactly. The Polyend Mess has it's own issues BTW with pitch stability on some steps which I've never encountered with the other pedals (Moment Machine etc.). I'm assuming this is simply a development snag and it'll get addressed in the future at some point.

Noted. The screws are made from high carbon steel but if parts are misaligned before tightening or the hole is too small, stripping is still a risk.

That is a nice bit of walnut. What finish did you use on the body?

I'm looking forward to hearing some sound clips!

Welcome. We've all been waiting for you.

Nothing wrong with having a difference of opinion. If we all thought the same, this place would be far less interesting. However, differences can be expressed gently and respectfully...

Unfortunately it's a little wider than the SR5 neck (which is 69.3mm)

Out of curiosity what is the neck heel width? I'm wondering if one of the Aurok necks might fit. The Z7 I tried in Andertons was absolutely killer, better sounding than both the rays I have. But I have a profound dislike of that lower horn shape.

Boots do wax earplugs which are vastly superior at noise blocking if you stuff them in right. I bulk buy fifty to seventy quids worth whenever I visit the UK because we can't get them in China.

I've learned the hard way that finding a reliable seller is key. There's a lot of factory rejects on Alibaba and other sites. And little consumer protection for overseas buyers. And cowboy sales people who are only concerned with where their next commission is coming from before they jump to the next employer.

Wow, I don't think those photos have appeared anywhere else on line. Thanks for sharing!

The eq on mine was definitely three band with two volumes and a pickup selector. I cant remember the electronics unfortunately. I only ever opened the back once and I dont recall seeing much in the way of branding or whether there was an exposed PCB. I have a suspicion it could have been one of the basses commissioned by The Bass Centre towards the end of Ashley's time in the UK. It had a p bass sized neck and was black. Im aware that the Bass Centre insisted on p bass sized neck profiles when they signed he to an exclusive agreement. Maybe 1986-ish? Tangshan is a bit of a walk from where I am. Have you visited your wifes home town? I know the name from the earthquake that hit in 1976.

I sold one of Ashley's basses via the Bass Gallery a couple of years ago, a graphite Warlord. Is it possible it might have had a 3 band you worked on? Did Kent Armstrong make the pickups? Also, your user ID is interesting. In Mandarin it means 'comfortable'. Do you have any Chinese connections or is it pure conincidence?

If I have time: 1) Learn how to use all the gear I have including the Polyend Mess and the Akai MPC1 that has been sitting on my desk unused for the last 2.5 years. 2) Get the fingerboard replaced on the Vigier 3) Finish building the strat that was tone chasing Phil Collen's rather more exotic and expensive Jacksons. 4) If economic conditions pick up, sell more stuff. 5) Set up the bass pedalboard for the arpeggiation and manual bass synth lines...I will need a second bass synth pedal for that. I have BC, Aurok, study for a PGCE and a social media channel to take care of plus a day job...