BottomEndian Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 (edited) Well, I've got to the point now where I feel like I know what I want from a custom bass. So I've taken the plunge and put in an order with Alan as my 30th-birthday treat to myself. The spec ([b]edited 5/8/10 after some changes[/b] ): Recurve body (standard, not singlecut) 5 strings, [s]34"[/s] 33" scale unlined fretless Body: black limba with centre laminate of wenge/black limba/wenge Neck: 5-piece wenge/black limba/wenge/black limba/wenge with black limba on front & back of headstock Fingerboard: acrylic-impregnated macassar ebony, flat (infinite radius) Finish: oil-rubbed satin Black hardware [s]2 x RFB pickups (ceramic at bridge, alnico at neck) with series/single-coil/parallel switching for each[/s] 1 x RFS triple-coil pickup, switchable humbucker/triple-coil/single-coil Piezo bridge [s](switchable with ceramic pickup)[/s] [s]Hipshot Xtender on B-string[/s] ACG EQ01 preamp Low-battery indicator I went up to visit Alan on Monday with all these preconceptions about what I wanted in terms of woods and finishes. After a couple of hours looking through woods and talking about the options, I ended up with a much simpler spec, which I think will look much nicer and I'll be much happier with in the long-term. The inspiration for the change of mind was coming across this piece of limba: [attachment=33511:Limba.jpg] Because of the way the tree's grown and the timber's been cut, there's a huge difference between the front and back of the piece -- it essentially looks like black limba on the front and white limba on the back. The black grain only extends an inch or so into the depth of the wood. So the bass will kind of look like it's got a top, even though it's one piece front to back. The top half of the body's outlined in white at the top of the photo. The bottom half is outlined in black down the bottom (you can make some of it out) -- ignore the white outline down there. Because the wood can't be bookmatched, there'll be a really obvious join down the centre, so I've decided to make a feature of it with a narrow laminate stripe (wenge/black limba/wenge) down the middle -- only about 8mm total width, but it should look sweeeeet. And here's the board: [attachment=33512:Mac_ebony.jpg] Just a nice, simple piece of macassar ebony. The light's not great in this photo. It's not completely plain, but it's not overly stripy like some bits of mac ebony can be. Alan's got a really tempting bit of mango for a fingerboard, but it would have clashed horribly with the body. So all in all, it'll be quite an understated bass, but with acres of tonal flexibility. I'll update here as the months go on, for those of you who are interested. Personally, I'm excited, but it's a little bit tempered by the long wait I know is in store... Edited September 29, 2010 by BottomEndian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Nice? Very Simple? Hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 [quote name='GreeneKing' post='609121' date='Sep 26 2009, 11:32 AM']Nice? Very Simple? Hmmm.... [/quote] Well, I guess not. The original idea was all trans-black bursts and quilted maple tops. Then I saw that bit of limba, and everything was immediately much simpler. :wub: And looking through Alan's drawers of current orders was quite an experience. There are some people with very strong backs out there, if the presence of cocobolo is anything to go by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Looking through Alan's drawers ey This is a family show you know! Yes indeed, cocobolo makes me think Alembic too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Hot damn, another nice sounding ACG! I'm a very jealous Eude... Love the idea of using really interesting wood to create a slightly less "boutique" looking bass. This is gonna be a corker Cheers, Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Looks like it's going be a great bass. Great choice of self-birthday present. I'm sure you'll be overjoyed at the finished instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_zimmerman Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I love it when builders (and their customers) take care to bring all the different visual elements of an instrument together, especially the woods. Limba and wenge are a nice match, and I think this is going to be a wonderful, elegant instrument! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassplace Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 [quote name='mike_zimmerman' post='610530' date='Sep 28 2009, 12:28 AM']I love it when builders (and their customers) take care to bring all the different visual elements of an instrument together, especially the woods. Limba and wenge are a nice match, and I think this is going to be a wonderful, elegant instrument! Mike[/quote] Agreed and apologies for going off-thread but what happened to the ACG area under affiliates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 [quote name='bassplace' post='611548' date='Sep 29 2009, 02:07 AM']Agreed and apologies for going off-thread but what happened to the ACG area under affiliates?[/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61813"]Behold the fallout and mayhem.[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassplace Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='611572' date='Sep 29 2009, 01:37 AM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61813"]Behold the fallout and mayhem.[/url][/quote] I can adjust now that I see the Affiliates Market. Now let's see some more of this bass and hopefully mine soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted March 23, 2010 Author Share Posted March 23, 2010 And we're off! The body blank, all glued up and ready for cutting: And cut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 After buying a stock Skelf and falling completely in love with it, the Recurve build's now re-specced to 33" scale and a flat fingerboard (previously 34" scale and 16" radius, IIRC). Both those aspects of the Skelf feel [i]so[/i] right, so it makes sense to keep the two the same. Otherwise I'll switch between the two and my intonation will go to sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='844015' date='May 21 2010, 12:20 PM']After buying a stock Skelf and falling completely in love with it, the Recurve build's now re-specced to 33" scale and a flat fingerboard (previously 34" scale and 16" radius, IIRC). Both those aspects of the Skelf feel [i]so[/i] right, so it makes sense to keep the two the same. Otherwise I'll switch between the two and my intonation will go to sh*t. [/quote] Nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='844030' date='May 21 2010, 12:33 PM']Nice [/quote] Yeah, I blame you. And that Cringean fella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Neck blank, third from top: ...or third from right: Really liking the way the centre piece of wenge is noticeably different in colour from the outer pieces. Beautiful. Interesting shots anyway. Those padauk ones are loooovely. Whoever Mark is, that's a big ol' neck he's got there (6-string? 7-string?). And Joshua's got very similar tastes to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Looking good matey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='881945' date='Jun 30 2010, 02:04 PM']Looking good matey [/quote] As good as a plank can look anyway. Let the magic commence... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuiJRocha Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Hi there! Those padauk ones are loooovely .... yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 [quote name='RuiJRocha' post='882048' date='Jun 30 2010, 03:31 PM']Those padauk ones are loooovely .... yummy[/quote] You notice there are no names on them? That means Alan's making some stock basses. Wallets at the ready, people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='882056' date='Jun 30 2010, 03:36 PM']You notice there are no names on them? That means Alan's making some stock basses. Wallets at the ready, people.[/quote] I wish my wallet was deep enough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='882124' date='Jun 30 2010, 04:42 PM']I wish my wallet was deep enough...[/quote] You and me both, fella. You and me both... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 Fingerboard, in the middle, no slots, marked "Owain": Slightly jealous of Peter's 34" of cocobolo, but it would just look outrageously out of place on my choice of body wood, so I'll let it pass. Clean and simple all the way on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Lovely bit of Ebony there mate! Unlined fretless terrifies me though... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='eude' post='901585' date='Jul 22 2010, 08:25 AM']Unlined fretless terrifies me though...[/quote] Me too... kind of... but I barely look down as it is, so I thought, "Why bother interrupting the board with lines I don't need?" Besides which, I'm not mad enough to eschew side dots. [i]Yet[/i]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='901592' date='Jul 22 2010, 08:33 AM']Me too... kind of... but I barely look down as it is, so I thought, "Why bother interrupting the board with lines I don't need?" Besides which, I'm not mad enough to eschew side dots. [i]Yet[/i]. [/quote] Ha ha! Yeah, the side dots are more than necessary... I used to play an unlined fretless 6er an age ago, and I got on OK, but had no other basses at the time so I just had to. I guess I could get back in that mode, but I'd need a lot of practice! I am intending to get a fretless bass next though, so I might man up and do it properly Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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