AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Bass looks unbelievably fantastic! I can't believe the transformation that the wood goes through once the finish hits! I've seen it a million times on other instruments but it still blew me away! The top is absolutely gorgeous! The color is so rich and warm and the grain so well defined! And Mica says that it doesn't have all the finish on yet? Amazing is right Mike, and obsess, I certainly did plenty of that! But you know in a way, that's half the fun! Thanks to all for the wonderful advice. Mike

Those neck lams are amazing! A bookmatched to center top on this beauty would have been criminal.

Mike, that is fantastic!  Is that a vermillion body?

Yes, it is Vermillion. I hoping it adds a certain extra warmth to the tone.

Beautiful.  Wow.

what scale is it?

It is a 33. I have a Distillate that is a 32 which I feel very comfortable on, yet I wanted to retain a little wider spacing above the 12th fret and also not lose any of the bottom end of a 34 scale. So I compromised with the 33 and hedged my bet with the addition of the Ebony neck laminates. After many valuable discussions with Val, my conclustion was that the loss of one inch of scale will have a minimal impact on tone and string tension and on the plus side, the neck laminates and the body woods should put me way ahead of the game. Perhaps this is an oversimplification of the situation. I'll just have to wait and see.  
 
(Message edited by jlpicard on January 04, 2006)

Oh my god... really, utterly speechless here...!
Justin

Wow! Right up there with the coolest of the cool. Your neck is awesome, and instant classic! Having a similar neck, I can attest to the fact that the performance/function will be every bit as awesome as it's striking visage...
 
Resistance is futile!
 
What a masterpiece!

the bass I posted pictures of in the custom section is a short scale; it's got more low end than you'd think. Ultimately I suppose I'm most confortable on a 32 -- though I may revise that opinion. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Mike, the grain on the top is outstanding.  You've gotta be proud beyond words.  Congrats.
Rich

That bass just kills.
 
Man.  The neck and the pistol grip are super-duper.

Thanks guys! I am very proud indeed, Rich. If it looks this great in a photo, I can't wait to see it in person!

Latest update from Val...we're looking at maybey, and I stress maybey, the end of Feb. for completion.
More finishing work to be done, gold hardware to come back form the plater, setup and electronics installation and of course, alot will depend upon what is on Ron's bench already.  
 You know, the experience of having a custom bass built for me and working closely with the good people of Alembic has served to deepen my appreciation for the level of quality, attention to detail, dedication to The Art, and just plain heart that goes into each and every instrument. These folks obviously love what they do! I consider myself a very fortunate person indeed to have the rare opportunity to own a piece of history and the very pinacle of Bassdom. It just doesn't get better than this!

First part of rubout caught while James was on a break last Friday: