BassicLee

Considering getting one of my basses resprayed. Any recommendations in the Midlands (Coventry area)?

Lovely bass, mate!

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' timestamp='1392642666' post='2370929'] I hope you're enjoying your day of bass. Great to see you yesterday! [/quote] Oh yes! Had a full morning of it. Now getting my beard ready for tonight.. Need to round up the other Alpher owners to share their basses.

Now that my Alpher Instruments bass is complete, I think it qualifies as bass porn?! You can find the build diary in the relevant forum. Here's the spec: 1 piece swamp ash body Spalted maple top Wenge veneer Wenge neck Macassar Ebony fingerboard Hipshot hardware, with D-tuner on the E string Wizard pickups Custom John East pre-amp (Controls are Volume, pan, treble, bass, passive tone. Switches are active / passive, and bridge pickup series / coiltap / parallel) Strings are Alpher Instruments own brand This is number 10 off the production line. [attachment=155455:IMG_430161055338088.jpeg][attachment=155456:IMG_432901070131558.jpeg][attachment=155457:IMG_432904407172129.jpeg][attachment=155458:IMG_432907514097753.jpeg][attachment=155459:IMG_432911234429471.jpeg][attachment=155460:IMG_432914291955146.jpeg][attachment=155461:IMG_432917948555197.jpeg][attachment=155462:20140217_084749.jpg]

My bass has just been completed by the guys at Alpher, I'm going to pick it up this weekend. When I went to visit them last year, I played a couple of their early basses, and they were lovely. They clearly know their stuff. If you'd told me that they've been building basses for 20 years, i'd have believed you (although their ages would give it away!). Throughout the build process, Chris has been keeping me fully up-to-date on what is happening, always sending through updates and photos, and always happy to chat about any aspect of the build. Their enthusiasm is refreshing, and gave me the confidence that they would make sure that my bass would be nothing short of perfect. Having seen the first few pictures of the finished instrument, and spoken to Chris about how it sounds, they have delivered the goods. As soon as I get chance, I'll record a video for YouTube, to try and show it off a bit. I live just up the road from you (Coventry), so if you want to give it a taz, let me know. I'm from Rugby, so head over that way a bit to see my folks.

Cheers guys. I'm picking this beast up on Sunday (16th), so if anyone wants to give it a try, let me know. I'm based in Coventry. These guys deserve every ounce of praise they get. Supreme workmanship, great knowledge, and really friendly guys. This is only serial # 10, imagine what instrument number 100 will be like.

So, this weekend has seen a lot of progress! My Alpher Instruments bass is officially complete! Here are a few sneak previews, before the guys get their photographer in to do the proper pictures. Can't wait to get my hands on this! [attachment=154706:received_m_mid_1391953016627_ee57d6e4461b123d85_0.jpeg][attachment=154707:received_m_mid_1391964269194_4735f94c97482e8265_0.jpeg][attachment=154708:received_m_mid_1391964269194_4735f94c97482e8265_1.jpeg][attachment=154709:received_m_mid_1391964269194_4735f94c97482e8265_2.jpeg][attachment=154710:received_m_mid_1391964269194_4735f94c97482e8265_3.jpeg][attachment=154711:received_m_mid_1391964269194_4735f94c97482e8265_4.jpeg]

More pictures! Headstock branded, and wiring complete! [attachment=154565:received_m_mid_1391810104060_8b0c50b95397e86d01_0.jpeg][attachment=154566:received_m_mid_1391810104060_8b0c50b95397e86d01_1.jpeg][attachment=154567:received_m_mid_1391810305412_31076e6053e4e24d89_0.jpeg][attachment=154568:received_m_mid_1391810305412_31076e6053e4e24d89_1.jpeg]

It's been a few weeks since I've posted any updates on this, as the guys at Alpher have been working hard on getting the finish perfected on the top. Here are a few photos from today.. [attachment=154357:received_m_mid_1391598255014_a90136c84b526aba63_1.jpeg][attachment=154358:received_m_mid_1391598255014_a90136c84b526aba63_0.jpeg][attachment=154359:received_m_mid_1391616456817_2a4c4d3eb14fbabb30_0.jpeg][attachment=154360:received_m_mid_1391617090372_66c64fedb18cff4431_0.jpeg]

This build is really coming along now. More photos from Alpher Instruments - The neck is now carved.. [attachment=152179:Neck 6.jpg][attachment=152180:Neck 7.jpeg][attachment=152181:Neck 8.jpeg][attachment=152182:Neck 9.jpeg]

A couple more pictures, with the 2nd coat now applied to the body. Humna humna humna.... [attachment=151814:Bass 7.jpg][attachment=151815:Bass 8.jpg]

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1388781379' post='2326088'] When I went to pick up my lovely Alpher bass, Chris showed me your body. It's amazing the work that goes into sanding and filling the wood just to make it useable. Looks like it's going to be a stunning bass. [/quote] I wish I lived closer to be able to pop in! Your new bass looks awesome. Part of a very exclusive club!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1388755140' post='2325621'] Alpher really do seem to be putting out some good stuff [/quote] Definitely. Had to believe that they've been going for such a short amount of time. Everything I've seen them build so far has been incredible.

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1388595714' post='2323846'] That looks fantastic! Like seriously lush! [/quote] Thanks Myke. Really happy with it so far. Hopefully there will be more photos in the coming weeks, and it'll be in my paws soon.

Updates from Alpher! Received the below photo, with the first coat applied to the body. This spalted maple top is just incredible. [attachment=151318:1554577_476728362447442_1957250794_n.jpg]

Noooo! That's gutting. No hope for repairs?

Another update from Alpher Instruments.. The neck is now radiused and fretted. [attachment=150509:Radiused Neck.jpg][attachment=150510:Fretted Neck.jpg]

Beautiful looking bass. Have been keen on these for a while. So many great luthiers around, it's hard to resist! Where abouts in Warwickshire can we see this beauty being played? (I'm Coventry based..)

I've been contemplating the same thing. To remedy, I've just ordered a TC Electronic Hall Of Fame Reverb. I use a Digitech BNX3 at home, to practise, and found that the inbuilt reverb adds that little bit of "something extra" to the sound, so that it doesn't sound so dry and empty. Could also try a bit of chorus, but there is a serious risk of sounding like you landed in the 1980s..

Morning all.. Quick update on my build with Alpher. The fretboard is now going to be macassar ebony, as we though the rosewood board that I had originally specced wasn't quite right, lovely as it was. So, attached photos show the new board, slotted and glued to the neck. There will be side dot markers in white, but nothing on the face. I had originally looked at having an inlay done, but now it'll just be clean.

Quick update.. The guys at Alpher have been speaking to a laser cutting company about the inlay for my fretboard, so hopefully that will be going ahead soon. In the meantime, they have sent me this shot of the headstock. The insert wood is from the same cut of spalted maple that makes the top of the bass body. [attachment=146181:Headstock.jpeg]

We're looking for a new (mainly lead) guitar player to join our band. We gig most weekends, quite often twice in a weekend. All the money made from gigs currently goes into the band fund, and makes the band self-sufficient, but we're working towards starting to pay ourselves a wage from next year, if things go as well as we think they will. We have our own rehearsal space, our own van, and are currently getting together the money for a decent PA, so we don't have to keep hiring in for the larger gigs. So, we're looking for anyone between the age of about 21 - 40ish, they need to be properly committed to doing it (not just talk a good game), and be pro active in helping to organise gigs etc..... Oh, and available to rehearse roughly twice a week (once in the week, once at the weekend). We currently do Wednesdays, and Sundays. Confidence with backing vocals would also be an advantage. At some point, if time allows, we'd also like to work on orginal material, under a different band name but that has to take a bit of a backseat at the moment. Check out the band at [url="http://www.facebook.com/Fraudio"]www.facebook.com/Fraudio[/url] and [url="http://www.fraudiomusic.com/"]www.fraudiomusic.com[/url] Email [email protected] if you think you're the right person for the job Add also appears on JoinMyBand

Looks incredible, Luke. Love the vision you had for this bass, it is stunning.

Thanks guys. As soon as I saw the top wood, it sealed the deal on getting a custom bass build. Alpher Instruments have just about finished another bass, ebony top, swamp ask body, ebony neck and board. It looks incredible. I recommend checking out the photos on Facebook and Instagram, if you haven't already seen it.