gilmour Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) A few days ago I took delivery of a new bass, and gigged it for the first time last night.  It’s a custom order from Scottish Luthier Alan Cringean of [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/"]AC Guitars[/url]. I confirmed the order about a year ago, but had been in conversation with him about the build for several months prior. I’ve enjoyed the whole process of working with Alan and chatting through ideas, bass specs etc. He’s kept me well up to date with regular photos and emails of progress. I had many a change of mind along the way mostly about pickups and pickup position but also ume’d and ahh’d a lot about whether or not to go for a matching headstock. Alan exercised a great deal of patience! The spec I finally came up with was: - ACG Recurve 5 String, 34” scale - Black Walnut Body, Figured Myrtle Top, Dual Pinstripe veneer (maple & walnut) - Maple/Walnut/Flamed Maple neck - Wenge (black) non matching headstock - Macassar Ebony fingerboard - ACG FB Humbuckers in larger 50mm casing - ACG 3 EQ - Black Hardware Once settled on a spec the next step is selecting your wood, essentially Alan emails photos over of blocks of wood, you choose one, he does handwork and at the other end you have a bass! He has a stock of some of the most extraordinary woods you’ll ever see but when it came to thinking about my build I didn’t want anything to over the top, I also quite like woods that are a little imperfect and non uniform, hence the figured myrtle top. I like the look of a very simple fingerboard and think that goes well with a figured top so asked Alan to dig out a plain black one, he does have some amazing highly figured fingerboards if that’s your thing. I was aware that a lot of my design aesthetics are a little conservative, and wanted a few clever moments, it is after all a custom bass: - First up I asked for a double pinstripe veneer, I think mine is the first ACG with this - I’m well chuffed with the way that looks, really subtle and really boutique. - I was tempted to get a neck through bass (I didn’t as I always feel bolt on’s sound better) was to use the same piece of Walnut in the neck and the body, so although it’s a bolt on there’s a nice symbiosis of body and neck. I know this is uber geeky but to my mind it makes sense, again Alan was accommodating. - I also decided not to get a matching headstock (normal for boutique basses) as I always liked the fact my old Spector NS94 had a black headstock. I’d asked Alan just to paint it black, however he explained that part of the reason the veneer is there is structural, so we have a piece of jet black Wenge - looks ace. - Strap locks, I dont much like strap locks, so just normal strap buttons for me - I know not very boutique - but it's mine:) The other decisions for me were around which pickups and preamp to go for. The preamp that is in most ACG bases is their own filter based system, quite unlike anything I’d used before - I find the easiest way to think about it is a bit like a semi parametric EQ with a Q control for each pickup - but it’s not really that! I can’t really explain it your best looking at the website. www.acguitars.co.uk I had a play on Dave Perry (of [url="http://www.extendedaudiodesign.co.uk"]EAD cabs[/url]) ACG bass and really liked the sound of it he has a John East preamp onboard his bass, which is much more familiar. However after meeting Alan at the London bass show and playing his new ACG 3 EQ that’s the one I opted for. I did go for the same pickups as Dave, but in a wider 50mm casing - just because I like the look (so vain). Anyway enough wittering on. I took delivery of the bass, it looks stunning, as good quality as any Alembic or other high end bass I’ve ever played. The build quality is absolutely first class and makes my much loved Stingray look rather amateur indeed.  To play the bass felt instantly usable and playable, it has an asymmetric neck profile which I thought would feel odd for a bit but to me feels like the most natural thing, leaving me questions why other manufacturers don’t use this technique. The action was lovely and low out of the box, and fretting notes become quite effortless. The body shape (being an off set design) will take a little getting used to but it sits well on the body and balances perfectly on a strap. The preamp will take some getting used too as it isn’t a bass, mid, treble affair like most active basses - in fact it’s nothing like that so you have to forget that (or think that’s what the EQ section on our amp is for). What it produces is an incredibly natural sound, not feeling over EQ’d, you can then fine tune certain frequencies to stand out a bit more. The bass sounds great and I know the preamp has loads to give. The low B sounds absolutely monstrous, really tight and punchy - I was worried it might nit, but again Alan assured me it would be fine, something to do with neck rigidity or some such that I don’t understand. I’m not someone who gets through a lot of basses, I’ve been gigging the same one for 5 or 6 years now, and when I have purchased a new one I generally give it a month or so of playing before taking it on a gig (if it ever makes it that far). Not the case with my ACG, gigged it the day after I got it. Was a little nervous about doing this, but it plays beautifully, sounds great and generally made my life easier. I’m a very happy bassist at the moment, all of my band mates commented on the bass favourably. Now all I need to do is start thinking about a second, you know as an onstage backup... There are more (better) pics of the Bass in the [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/Gallery/327/"]ACG gallery[/url]. Edited September 30, 2012 by gilmour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) Seriously gorgeous mate, really pleased for you and delighted it turned out so amazing! Thanks for the insight into all the little design features, lovin the double pinstripe too! Edited October 1, 2012 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Amazing bass mate, and a cracking review too! Glad you're loving it You gonna do any youtube action with it? Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='eude' timestamp='1349078553' post='1821310'] You gonna do any youtube action with it? [/quote] I haven't done any youtube vids for ages so I guess one's due Just finding the time to do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='gilmour' timestamp='1349079879' post='1821327'] I haven't done any youtube vids for ages so I guess one's due Just finding the time to do it... [/quote] I've been promising to do some for ages, may as well wait for bass 3 to appear later this year and then pull the finger out... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Absolutely stunning, congrats. Now no backsliding to your old bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Chocolate Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 B E A utilfull! What a fantastically sexy looking Bass! Great review as well, I really really really want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sté Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 very nice and tastefull bass. Congrats ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I have been having Stingray 5 GAS for a while, but I must say seeing this beauty and then checking the ACG site that my desires are on the move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1349184224' post='1822914'] I have been having Stingray 5 GAS for a while, but I must say seeing this beauty and then checking the ACG site that my desires are on the move. [/quote] You really can't go far wrong with an ACG mate Do it... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Shes a beauty!! [quote name='eude' timestamp='1349080029' post='1821330'] I've been promising to do some for ages, may as well wait for bass 3 to appear later this year and then pull the finger out... Eude [/quote] Hold fire.....bass 3 Eude?? do tell.... Edited October 2, 2012 by funkypenguin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='funkypenguin' timestamp='1349186303' post='1822950'] Hold fire.....bass 3 Eude?? do tell.... [/quote] Ha ha, yeah, was keeping it a secret, been on the go for a wee while this one... The Tulipwood topped Wenge neck Finn 4 at the bottom of this post >> http://basschat.co.uk/topic/9623-acg-build-progress/page__view__findpost__p__1811807 Another 33" beasty for the stable Eude Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 That's a cracker. I ordered the first lefty from Alan a few years ago (AGC 15) but I got carried away and ordered a 6 string. I traded it on as I couldn't get use to such a wide board. It sounded and played beautiful, I miss it. I will order a very simple bass from Alan, soon, been thinking about the spec for over a year. Great review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1349192820' post='1823077'] That's a cracker. I ordered the first lefty from Alan a few years ago (AGC 15) but I got carried away and ordered a 6 string. I traded it on as I couldn't get use to such a wide board. It sounded and played beautiful, I miss it. [/quote] That is one hell of a lovely bass. If it helps, it's in very good hands, Andrew uses every note on every string, give or take a couple! [quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1349192820' post='1823077'] I will order a very simple bass from Alan, soon, been thinking about the spec for over a year. [/quote] I look forward to seeing what you've come up with mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deksawyer Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Very tasteful and well thought out bass this....and well made to, but we all now that's a given. I'm still hankering after a second one, but can't afford or justify it right now. To be honest, the band I'm playing in right now, there's no need for a 5 string so my Happy Spaceman bass doesn't get the use it deserves! sigh D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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