Alpher Custom Build, Did I get my Spec Right?

[Hazza2004]

Hi there everyone!

 

Its been a while since I posted on here but here we go.  I am about to kick off a custom bass build with Alpher (Mako 5 Elite) and I wanted to get a grasp of people's experiences with their own custom builds.  If you have gone through the process I'd love to know how you felt the process went? If you started the build again are there any changes that you would make to your bass? How happy are you with the final product?  I am fairly set on the specs for my build (33" scale, English walnut top, ash body, roasted maple neck, wenge or pau ferro fretboard, Maybe thinline (still undecided) and Aguilar Super Double and P pickups), but I would also love to get some feedback on whether you think there are any changes that would get me closer to my goal!  This build is mainly for my own work as an artist (as well as a couple of Jazz artists I work with), so will be stung E-C and very inspired by Janek Gwizdala (soloing + Chordal Comping) as well as Rocco Palladino (actual Bass playing) in terms of tone.  Really want a bass that feels super responsive and powerful whilst still being a passive instrument, Have I got the Spec right? any changes that you might want to suggest?

 

All the best, 

Harry

[NancyJohnson]

I had Mike Lull build me an NRT5 (see below) with Bass Direct having to handle the logistics.  I'd gave preferred to have gone direct, but Bass Direct were the business handling UK distribution, so I pushed to go through them.

 

By way of advice, check your build specs several times and contact the builder directly for confirmation of these.  From memory, I specced out everything in finite detail; woods, pickups, hardware, colour etc. but what was confirmed back was littered with errors.  I was forking over more than £5k for this and I wanted it to be right, so I was a bit frantic.  Eventually, I just went to Lull direct to firm things up.

 

[Hazza2004]

Thank you @NancyJohnson,  Ill be sure to do this

 

[Kev]

43 minutes ago, Hazza2004 said:

Hi there everyone!

 

Its been a while since I posted on here but here we go.  I am about to kick off a custom bass build with Alpher (Mako 5 Elite) and I wanted to get a grasp of people's experiences with their own custom builds.  If you have gone through the process I'd love to know how you felt the process went? If you started the build again are there any changes that you would make to your bass? How happy are you with the final product?  I am fairly set on the specs for my build (33" scale, English walnut top, ash body, roasted maple neck, wenge or pau ferro fretboard, Maybe thinline (still undecided) and Aguilar Super Double and P pickups), but I would also love to get some feedback on whether you think there are any changes that would get me closer to my goal!  This build is mainly for my own work as an artist (as well as a couple of Jazz artists I work with), so will be stung E-C and very inspired by Janek Gwizdala (soloing + Chordal Comping) as well as Rocco Palladino (actual Bass playing) in terms of tone.  Really want a bass that feels super responsive and powerful whilst still being a passive instrument, Have I got the Spec right? any changes that you might want to suggest?

 

All the best, 

Harry

 

Hi Harry, you've chose one of the best luthiers in the country!

 

Chris will generally run everything past you stage by stage, you'll choose all the wood blanks (he let me choose directly from the supplier, not just stock he had), the exact hardware you want etc.  You'll get photos every time he works on it and isn't precious about changing spec during the build (provided he hasn't already done the work!)  I can't give any recommendations on what spec your bass will be, but whatever you ask for Chris and Alex will deliver, and their communication is terrific.

[BigRedX]

Over the past 30 years, I've had two guitars and two basses custom built for me. The fact that I still own three of them after a massive clear out of musical equipment and instruments some years ago should tell you everything. The bass that I did let go was a wonderful musical instrument, but it was built specifically to suit the music of a band I was playing in at the time. Since the band folded 15 years ago it had come out of its case a handful of times and, although I've used it twice on recordings, I couldn't justify holding on to an instrument that mostly got played for fun at home about once a year.

 

My advice to anyone contemplating a custom build:

 

1. Pick a luthier who is already building something very close to the instrument you want. That's what they do best.

 

2. If the wood is going to be visible pick something that you like the look of. Otherwise it really doesn't matter and leave the selection up to your chosen luthier. On three of my builds I picked ebony because I like the look of black fretboards. No other reason. For one bass I went to the luthier with a photo of an instrument whose colour scheme I really liked (orange and grey) and woods were chosen to achieve this through a combination of natural wood colour and staining. What those actual woods were didn't not interest me beyond achieving the correct look. For any tonal characteristics they may have given the bass I trusted the luthier to make the right choice.

 

3. If you are going for high C rather than low B make sure that the pickup(s) and electronics are suited to this. IME most bass pickups and pre-amps tend to make high C sound like a bad jazz guitar and not very pleasant to listen to. Go and play lots of basses strung with a high C string and see what works in your opinion for getting the sound you want.

 

Good luck with the build.

[Stofferson]

+1 with @Kev Chris is one of the best.

 

I took delivery of my first Alpha in Feb last year and a few months later commished another one!

Can't add much more than what Kev has put, but you'll discuss and be informed every step of the way!

I've asked for some "different" stuff on this new build, and he went out and got samples and showed me how it looked, it's that attention to detail and service you will get.

 

Enjoy, the waiting is the hard part!

[ead]

I have had an Alpher build done a few years ago.  I'll dig some stuff out when I get home later tonight.

[MNY]

Great company to work with, Chris and Al will do their utmost to ensure that not only will you get exactly what you want but it will be a special instrument. They have access to some spectacular wood. I was close to pulling the trigger myself on something last week but I have decided on taking a different route at least for the time being. 
 

Good luck. 

Edited yesterday at 12:54 by MNY

[Mrbigstuff]

One thing about ordering a custom bass is you can never be exactly sure what the result will be. Owning a bass by the luthier already is a good starting point.

 

I notice you’re specs are inspired by Rocco Palladino and Janek - two players with a very different specs and sounds - so to expect one bass to sounds like both of those is asking too much, especially from a builder who manufactures for neither.

[skej21]

If you want to be doing chordal work like Janek, I’d suggest making sure you spec narrower string spacing (16.5mm string spacing on Janek’s basses usually). It makes a world of difference when you’re moving between chord shapes at speed.

[Gizmo]

what are you playing atm? do you have or have you tried any 33" scale bass ? (not many at retailers i can guess) , I've played/owned and built a lot of basses and guitars and for me it's down to pickup/placement and strings + your own technique (unless your playing an acoustic instrument (again strings+technique are a big part of any of that sound) I find the "ToneWoods" methos is used by folk who want to charge you a lot or so people can justify why they spent a lot .....  come at me bro

[Hazza2004]

2 hours ago, Gizmo said:

what are you playing atm? do you have or have you tried any 33" scale bass ? (not many at retailers i can guess) , I've played/owned and built a lot of basses and guitars and for me it's down to pickup/placement and strings + your own technique (unless your playing an acoustic instrument (again strings+technique are a big part of any of that sound) I find the "ToneWoods" methos is used by folk who want to charge you a lot or so people can justify why they spent a lot .....  come at me bro

Im doing functions and a good amount of working gigs (mostly with my ultra 5 string jazz) but also have my own sort of Nu Jazz Quartet (Bass, Guitar, Sax, Drums) which this build is primarily for, I have to cover a fair amount of ground harmonically (especially during guitar solos) and am tired of switching B-G to E-C on my Jazz for gigs, rehearsals, recording etc. hence the need for a specialised E-C 5 string.  I have played a few 33 scale basses and I have enjoyed them (a couple of my friends have their own custom basses for a similar purpose) and I like the slight bit of extra warmth you get on the High C.  For me, im looking at the woods mostly from a structural/aesthetic point of view and have switched my spec to a thinline sapele body just to add a bit more personality to the bass.