eude Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 [quote name='GreeneKing' post='1295265' date='Jul 6 2011, 09:55 PM']Mmmm.. Ebony - nice indeed but what's that bit of wood at the end? [/quote] Ha ha, it's the heid! <drool>The neck's Wenge and Flamed Maple</drool> Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Davies Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Hi Eude Love the look of your ACG 5 string and the wood choice for your six I recon is going to be really striking. Just wondered how much the wood was chosen for it’s aesthetic appeal and how much for the tonal properties? I’ve never had the chance to play any ACG’s but they do look really interesting, how do you find the balance and weight of them? Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Ian Davies' post='1305824' date='Jul 16 2011, 02:28 PM']Hi Eude Love the look of your ACG 5 string and the wood choice for your six I recon is going to be really striking. Just wondered how much the wood was chosen for it’s aesthetic appeal and how much for the tonal properties? I’ve never had the chance to play any ACG’s but they do look really interesting, how do you find the balance and weight of them? Cheers Ian[/quote] Hey Ian, glad you like my bass, and the one that's on the way The wood on the one on the way were mainly chosen for the sound, however, there's a a lot of debate as to how much wood choice effects tone and whether or not it is consistent, but here's why I chose the woods involved on that particular bass... I went for the Ziracote top, purely because I like dark wood tops, it's a really unique and fairly hard to get hold of wood. It'll be a fairly thin top with a black veneer underneath, so I don't think there'll be enough of it to effect the sound. I went for the medium density Ash body, as, in my experience, a heavy Ash body adds a nice but of mid-range grunt to a bass's tone. Ideally the heavier the better, but I don't want to kill myself standing up with the bass, so medium weight seemed a nice compromise. The Wenge back, is purely cosmetic. The Wenge/Maple neck, I went for the Wenge, as it lends itself to a bit more natural mid-range grunt with a softer high end, again like ash. I think as it's dense and fairly open grained. The maple stringers are purely just to look nice. The Ebony fingerboard, again mainly cosmetic. I tend to like a slightly figured rosewood board if it's available, but Alan reckoned a nice bit of Ebony would be better, so happy to go with his advice on that... On the subject of balance, every ACG I've played has balanced perfectly, they're very VERY well thought out designs which balance perfectly in the visual sense too, the asymmetrical neck profile feels loverly in the hand and can be a lot better for your hand's health with regards to avoiding carpal tunnel syndrome, surprised it's not more common. The weight of ACGs are very changeable, all depends on the wood, but most of them bar Scoop's "Lazarus" have been somewhere from lightweight through to comfortable. "Lazarus" is made out of very very dense woods and is fairly heavy, however once on a strap, it sounds so nice and hangs so well you don't notice it at all, again down to the good design I think. It's hope that my bass will look and sound as nice as that particular bass My ACG Finn SC weighs somewhere between 7 and 8 lbs, depending on the scale's accuracy, which is silly light down to the very light Swamp Ash body, and the balance on it is superb! If you got any other questions dude, you know where I am! Eude EDIT: Full of typos, recovering for a 3 day trip in Islay for a stag doo, lots and lots of whisky consumed... Edited July 18, 2011 by eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Davies Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thanks for the very comprehensive reply! Really interesting to hear your criteria for the bass - ‘very compact, easy playing, 33” scale’, sounds similar to what I look for in a bass because I’m not the biggest guy out there (read short!) and for me perfect balance and light weight are also very important. I know that there are lots of variants that effect the tone of a bass; pick ups, electronics, construction method etc, and of course the person playing it. That said, I’m personally a great believer in the general tonal characteristics of wood, accepting that each bit of wood is going to be slightly different. Looking forward to seeing the finished bass! Good luck with it all. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 [quote name='Ian Davies' post='1307828' date='Jul 18 2011, 01:48 PM']Thanks for the very comprehensive reply! Really interesting to hear your criteria for the bass - ‘very compact, easy playing, 33” scale’, sounds similar to what I look for in a bass because I’m not the biggest guy out there (read short!) and for me perfect balance and light weight are also very important. I know that there are lots of variants that effect the tone of a bass; pick ups, electronics, construction method etc, and of course the person playing it. That said, I’m personally a great believer in the general tonal characteristics of wood, accepting that each bit of wood is going to be slightly different. Looking forward to seeing the finished bass! Good luck with it all. Cheers Ian[/quote] No bother at all mate, happy to help I too am fairly certain the wood makes a difference, but I've seen so many threads being derailed with people putting their 2p in that I thought it'd be best to put in a caveat... Cheers, Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Davies Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1307835' date='Jul 18 2011, 01:56 PM']No bother at all mate, happy to help I too am fairly certain the wood makes a difference, but I've seen so many threads being derailed with people putting their 2p in that I thought it'd be best to put in a caveat... Cheers, Eude[/quote] Wise words, hope your thread stays on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 More progress [attachment=86966:fretted_neck.jpg] None more black Ebony! Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 You've certainly an eye for picking lovely pieces of wood!! Your shuker was my favourite bass that Jon's produced, till the 5 string uberhorn thats on his homepage came along Looking forward to seeing this develop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 [quote name='funkypenguin' post='1350698' date='Aug 24 2011, 08:39 PM']You've certainly an eye for picking lovely pieces of wood!! Your shuker was my favourite bass that Jon's produced, till the 5 string uberhorn thats on his homepage came along Looking forward to seeing this develop![/quote] Thanks dude, much appreciated I can't wait to see this bass come to life too! Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 I should really add, the choice of woods really isn't "my skill", it's really down to the luthiers who build these basses interpreting the nonsense folks like me come out with. I reckon I'm more lucky than skilled Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1350724' date='Aug 24 2011, 08:57 PM']I should really add, the choice of woods really isn't "my skill", it's really down to the luthiers who build these basses interpreting the nonsense folks like me come out with. I reckon I'm more lucky than skilled Eude[/quote] OK, you've gotten some beautiful wood put on your basses the bloodwood fingerboard on your 5 and the top on your shuker 6 come to mind the only top wood ive liked more than that is the top wood on that Uberhorn, so il be asking for something similar from Jon when i get around to ordering something special Out of interest, how does Ebony compare to rosewood playing and sound wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 [quote name='funkypenguin' post='1350941' date='Aug 25 2011, 01:51 AM']OK, you've gotten some beautiful wood put on your basses the bloodwood fingerboard on your 5 and the top on your shuker 6 come to mind the only top wood ive liked more than that is the top wood on that Uberhorn, so il be asking for something similar from Jon when i get around to ordering something special Out of interest, how does Ebony compare to rosewood playing and sound wise?[/quote] Thanks dude, makes me think wonder the combo of that bloodwood board and amboyna top from the shuker might have looked like, maybe once I've managed to learn how to save money, however I was thinking more along the lines of a Koa top for the next one, hmmm... So you're thinking of going for a custom? Would be keen to hear the specs As far as Ebony vs Rosewood goes, I don't think there'll be much in it as they're both very very hard woods. Rosewood tends to not get used for fretless as it has a slightly more open grain which means it wears out quicker. If anything, I guess the ebony will have a slightly more pronounced high end, what with the tighter grain and it being ever so slightly harder, maybe a little more aggressive sounding perhaps? All guess work to be honest, as I've never had an ebony fingerboard before, I just went with it this time for a change Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) [quote name='eude' post='1351004' date='Aug 25 2011, 08:54 AM']Thanks dude, makes me think wonder the combo of that bloodwood board and amboyna top from the shuker might have looked like, maybe once I've managed to learn how to save money, however I was thinking more along the lines of a Koa top for the next one, hmmm... So you're thinking of going for a custom? Would be keen to hear the specs As far as Ebony vs Rosewood goes, I don't think there'll be much in it as they're both very very hard woods. Rosewood tends to not get used for fretless as it has a slightly more open grain which means it wears out quicker. If anything, I guess the ebony will have a slightly more pronounced high end, what with the tighter grain and it being ever so slightly harder, maybe a little more aggressive sounding perhaps? All guess work to be honest, as I've never had an ebony fingerboard before, I just went with it this time for a change Eude[/quote] sure, if you're interested and dont mind me going OT somewhat its a tentative spec and still subject to change, since it will be a while before i place my order (once ive graduated most likely) 6 string Shuker Uberhorn elite 5 piece maple/wenge thru neck 33" scale ebony/rosewood fingerboard 26 frets (small) Ash body Poplar burl/Chestnut burl top 17.5mm string spacing Brass nut Gotoh 707 ultralite tuners EMG DC pickups Fully adjustable ramps/thru fingerboard Shuker/Fodera/East 3 band preamp Its based on my main bass (the customised Indie 606) with a few detailed alterations (shorter scale, more frets, striking top wood and different preamp) yeah, thats what ive heard people say before i love the look of ebony boards, but ive seen some stunning rosewood boards too so im still not too sure which to go for. cant wait to see your bass come to life! Edited August 26, 2011 by funkypenguin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='funkypenguin' post='1351942' date='Aug 26 2011, 01:52 AM']sure, if you're interested and dont mind me going OT somewhat its a tentative spec and still subject to change, since it will be a while before i place my order (once ive graduated most likely) 6 string Shuker Uberhorn elite 5 piece maple/wenge thru neck 33" scale ebony/rosewood fingerboard 26 frets (small) Ash body Poplar burl/Chestnut burl top 17.5mm string spacing Brass nut Gotoh 707 ultralite tuners EMG DC pickups Fully adjustable ramps/thru fingerboard Shuker/Fodera/East 3 band preamp Its based on my main bass (the customised Indie 606) with a few detailed alterations (shorter scale, more frets, striking top wood and different preamp) yeah, thats what ive heard people say before i love the look of ebony boards, but ive seen some stunning rosewood boards too so im still not too sure which to go for. cant wait to see your bass come to life![/quote] Lovely sounding spec mate 33"er too, it's the way forward for sure! Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1351972' date='Aug 26 2011, 07:58 AM']Lovely sounding spec mate 33"er too, it's the way forward for sure! Eude[/quote] Cheers! im after something that sounds really deep and warm. I love the sound of my main bass with the EQ flat through my trace rig, but id like the top end to sound a little sweeter, hence the different preamp to the EMG 3band i use at the moment. i like the amount of bite than i can dial in with the EMG pre though so il have a chat with John when i take the plunge and see what he recommends 33" really is the way forward! ive been set on having it since i played a Fodera Garrison Imperial last year, ive never had such an effortless playing experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='funkypenguin' post='1352457' date='Aug 26 2011, 02:17 PM']33" really is the way forward! ive been set on having it since i played a Fodera Garrison Imperial last year, ive never had such an effortless playing experience![/quote] That's exactly the same experience that turned me on to 33"! I was over in Boston in 2003 and was very lucky to be allowed a noodle, the bass was effortless to play, not really my kinda tone, but man it felt great! Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1352690' date='Aug 26 2011, 04:28 PM']That's exactly the same experience that turned me on to 33"! I was over in Boston in 2003 and was very lucky to be allowed a noodle, the bass was effortless to play, not really my kinda tone, but man it felt great! Eude[/quote] I came across one through a friend in Manchester. Original Garrison spec, with Chestnut top and heelblock and one of the most amazing sonic and playing experiences ive ever had. Been determined to have 33" scale on my custom commission ever since cant wait to commission the build, once im finished at uni!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) Quick update... Because of me being annoying, shifting the goal posts on this build, i.e. changing the body shape, the original piece of Ziracote was a little too small. Alan, ever the professional, has sourced another equally lovely piece and here it is!... [attachment=89450:IMG_5562.jpg] Ooooo Yeah! Eude Edited September 14, 2011 by eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_zimmerman Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Very nice indeed! It will be great to see that top on your bass. That also leaves the other piece of ziracote available for someone else's order, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='mike_zimmerman' post='1373682' date='Sep 14 2011, 08:34 PM']Very nice indeed! It will be great to see that top on your bass. That also leaves the other piece of ziracote available for someone else's order, right? [/quote] I guess it might You thinking of ordering another bass soon?... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_zimmerman Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1373703' date='Sep 14 2011, 02:47 PM']I guess it might You thinking of ordering another bass soon?... Eude[/quote] I'm always [i]thinking[/i] about ordering another bass. Being able to afford another bass is a different matter entirely... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='mike_zimmerman' post='1373777' date='Sep 14 2011, 09:24 PM']I'm always [i]thinking[/i] about ordering another bass. Being able to afford another bass is a different matter entirely...[/quote] I know the feeling mate, I have an "ACG Shopping List" with all my, hopefully, future basses all specced up in order of justifiability. Sad I know... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_zimmerman Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1373786' date='Sep 14 2011, 03:28 PM']I know the feeling mate, I have an "ACG Shopping List" with all my, hopefully, future basses all specced up in order of justifiability. Sad I know... Eude[/quote] It does nothing to lessen my excitement about my nearly-complete Recurve S ( ), but I've got to have someplace for all those ideas that didn't quite fit into that bass (and goodness knows, I managed to squeeze enough ideas into that one!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 Hey guys, things are moving along now. First, a quick spec change. I've decided to revert back to the original plan of having a Finn SC Classic body shape. My current main squeeze is this shape and it just feels too good to move away from. You can view pics of my current ACG here >> [URL="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/Gallery/200/"]A.C. Guitars - Finn SC Classic 5 string[/URL] So, Alan hopefully should be gluing the body up this week. Here's a pic of the component parts, well the wooden bits anyway... [IMG]http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6326949078_1184204e1e_z.jpg[/IMG] Seeing as we're back to the original plan, we'll be using the original piece of Ziracote now, which is the perfect size for the Finn shape, but was a little too wee for a Skelf. it looks pretty dang loverly in the above pic doesn't it Exciting times Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Wee update, the wenge back is matched up and ready to be glued... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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