GreeneKing Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 (edited) I'm not sure if this is a build diary as such but, what the hell! I had a hugely enjoyable day today. Dave Perry picked me up and off we headed to sunny Moffat (indeed it was) for Dave to go through the very therapeutic process of bass conception. The whole process is no 'in and out' business but a sociable 3 to 4 hours of getting everything spot on and crystal clear between customer and builder. Dave, as many of us know, is a Status headless 5 string man. Having sampled Alpha Dave's 6 at the bass fumble he 'saw the light' and decided to embark upon the route to the Borders. So here's a wee photage of the day: Dave has done a lot of work around getting the Harlot body shape to tie in with his Status ergodynamics already as you can see: The refining of the 'bottom' of the body required someone with a flawless eye for ascetics and graphics skills par excellence, Mrs C. Discussing the fine details: The designer's view: This was the end of a lengthy process, a bookmatched fretboard: With this feature at the 12th fret: Sorting out the mock up. The variables are huge in number and include a last minute, oops I need the bridge pup 'here' for my thumb rest position Here's the final mock up bearing in mind that the bridge in reality will be a tuner unit for headless purposes. I believe the neck is 4 string width in the mock up: And no meeting of bassists is complete without a bit of the inimitable DP style: So with many thanks to Alan and his loverly wife and Dave for the lift and his good company. Dave you may like to complete the specs for me here. Peter Edited May 29, 2008 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 What an great day. Moffat's a great wee place when the sun's out It is amazing just how many pieces have to be discussed to get a build just right. I can't draw at all, but I went through quite a few evenings altering stuff in spreadsheets. I'm sure the bass is going to turn out great !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Sir Robin Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I can see my bass at the back I really hope I'll be able to free some time and visit Alan to pickup my baby this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I can't see my bass at the back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 [quote]I can't see my bass at the back[/quote] It might be that like mine it's in one of Alan's 'special' drawers. All the best one's make the drawers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 The drawer for the 9 needs to be a big, wide one I received an e-mail from Alan today saying that all the Ghost goodies have arrived for mine. OOOO !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 A custom body shape?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugden Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='210878' date='Jun 2 2008, 12:21 AM']A custom body shape?! [/quote] Alans seems pretty happy to tweek his designs according to customer prefrences. That looks great, sounds like a nice day with alan. Love the back of the harlot really suits the shape well. Infact I think you'll find a number of people wanting to use the shape as well if they go headless.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 [quote name='Sugden' post='211010' date='Jun 2 2008, 11:20 AM']Alans seems pretty happy to tweek his designs according to customer prefrences.[/quote] I'll make a note of that for future reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Just spotted this, Cheers Peter..! Had a trip up to Alan's to sort out the spec and leave a deposit for a lovely new ACG for me.....took me long while to finally decide to change from a graphite status neck, but playing several of Alan's Basses over the last few months (First at the NW bass meet up and then at the finnbass fumble) convinced me....Thanks the Alpha Dave as well for some helpful input prior to this.... We spent a fair bit of time mulling over the body shape as making it headless brings up lots of issues. Most of this was sorted out by emails but the final body shape tweeking was done by Alan's lovely wife (who clearly has a lot of input into these things behind the scenes...) The body shape is the Harlot, but needs tweaking to allow for the headless bridge assembly. Here is the spec I have gone for :- [b][u]Dave Perry's Headless Harlot spec[/u][/b] 5 String Headless 34” scale for standard double ball end strings Black Hardware ACG 01 pre-amp twin filter stack 18 volt version Standard Jack socket (I didn’t want the locking Neutrik unit) Mother of pearl side dot markers only ETS-MK III Headless, rounded, 5-string Bass bridge (15mm spacing as my status) [url="http://www.ets-hardware.com/headless.php?pic=1"]ETS Headless bass bridge[/url] Bridge angled back into the body Zero Fret Black Status Nut for standard and Double ball end strings Twin soap bar pickups (thin body neck pickup just for the quirky looks of it all) Full through neck construction visible front and back with side wings like this sei:- Neck constructed as Bubinga / flamed Maple 7 piece laminate with carbon fiber rods and dual actions truss rod. Side wings to have front and rear exotic facings (Camphor Burl) over a light coloured Flamed Sycamore body core with black veneer contrast line. I was [i]certain [/i]I was going with Amboyna Burl facings right up until Alan showed me some Camphor Burl that was just in the process of being sprayed up….lovely. The Camphor burl is like this:- But mine will have the lighter woods of the through neck visible front and back as a contrast Book matched Acrylic Impregnated Fingerboards: Here is shot of the bookmatched fingerboard I decided upon....stolen idea form the 9 string he is working on....a small area has been sprayed with white spirit to show up the grain as it should look once finished... Alan spent a lot of time measuring my Status so that I would be getting something with a familiar feel, as my status has been my Single main bass for the last 10years...I am a one bass kind of guy.....I will never sell the status as it was also a one off custom job... [i]I cant thank Alan enough[/i] for the amount of time he is willing to spend going through options. Top man Clearly its a fair wait (roughly 8 months) to get the thing completed but thats just part of the process of a custom build... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 [quote name='david_l_perry' post='211588' date='Jun 3 2008, 09:49 AM']ETS-MK III Headless, rounded, 5-string Bass bridge (15mm spacing as my status)[/quote] Are you sure about that spacing? Status basses usually have spacing around 18mm. Even my Alembic only has 16mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='211614' date='Jun 3 2008, 10:24 AM']Are you sure about that spacing? [/quote] Yes indeed..... The older status basses with the solid brass bridge are set at 15mm spacing (not adjustable). I have an older 2000V string fretless as well as my custom empathy. When I had my Status custom built I wanted the older bridge assembly so that I kept the same narrow spacing. Rob was happy to do that when I had my status built 9 years ago as he still had the older units in stock. The newer individual ABM units are set at 16.5mm minimum. Here is a link to the old 2000 that has the bridge dims on it, but rest assured it has been measured more than once.... [url="http://statii.com/status_cats/flyers/series_2000/s2000_2_large.jpg"]Original Status 2000 spec[/url] I am so comfortable on this bass that I didn't want to go for a wider spacing, so Alan is getting ETS to make me one at 15mm spacing, and using the standard 5 string status nut to keep the spacing the same at the top end as well. Neck profile will of course be Alans design Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 (edited) Hi Dave, I think I mentioned this at the NW Bass Bash, but personally I'm not a fan of headless basses as I don't intuitively find the fret that I'm after; the lack of headstock in my peripheral vision throws me out on where I am on the neck though I'm sure that would be overcome after spending more time with one. That said, the spec on this is fabulous and I'm keenly looking forward to seeing this one (and 7's incredible 9-stringer) progress through the build stages. I [i]cannot wait[/i] to get my hands on my Recurve. We'll have to start an ACG Owners' Club you know and get the word out to the masses... Edited June 3, 2008 by Scoop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='210878' date='Jun 2 2008, 12:21 AM']A custom body shape?! [/quote] You can see here the body shape. The only change to the standard Harlot is towards the rear, and that is to allow for the headless assembly. You can just about make out the line of the original below that has been rubbed out. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Great to see another ACG on the way !! The combination of the camphor body and the spalted 'board is going to be wonderful. I think that the pattern on the camphor looks small pawprints I watched the Michael Tobias speech on Bass Player TV and he told of a bass he was asked to make a bass with camphor. Some thought that the bass wouldn't sound very good, but it turned out extremely well. Also the smell of the camphor kept the bugs out of his shop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 That book-matched fingerboard is fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 [quote name='Scoop' post='211702' date='Jun 3 2008, 12:17 PM']Hi Dave, I think I mentioned this at the NW Bass Bash, but personally I'm not a fan of headless basses as I don't intuitively find the fret that I'm after; the lack of headstock in my peripheral vision throws me out on where I am on the neck though I'm sure that would be overcome after spending more time with one.[/quote] It does throw you at first, but you get used to it. I hadn't played a headless for some years when I bought one to use at gigs with small stages, and I didn't rehearse with it at all before the first gig and had no problems, so I think it's also something that once you've learnt, you don't forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Just a little update:- The camphor burl has arrived that will be facing the front and back wings of this bass....I like it a lot It wont be as dark as it looks in this photo once finished. The panels marked B are to be used for the front facing but reversed so that the central lighter section is in the middle of the body:- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Not updated this thread for a while..... latest shots from the ACG world of wood Lots of profiling to be done yet, especially to the rear tuner area...but Damn, I am happy so far. Got to say its superb that Alan takes the time to send over photos and discuss the whole progress of things with you, it makes the whole process so much more personel than just buying an off the shelf instrument.... Called up to ACG HQ with Peter to pick up his finished Harlot 4 string singlecut, and took the chance to check out my headless.....very, very pleased. Sorted out a couple of issues with placement of the electronics and also road tested a pair of new pickups that Alan had just fitted to a stock bass, very powerful single coils. They sounded powerful and plenty of low end [i]and [/i]top end twangyness. Opted for a pair on my bass now The weight of this bass is fantastic (its one of the things I was keen to keep down) and it still has a fair amount of wood to be removed. Once the hardware/electrics are added it will probably be a very similar weight, or possibly a bit lighter. Happy days indeed. Probably another 6ish weeks..... Thanks to Peter for the photos !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) Geez, what an amazing looking bass. The fingerboard/top wood combination looks fantastic. 6 weeks is going to go by rrrreeeeaaaaaallllllllyyyy sssssslllllloooooooowwwwwwwllllllyyyyy PS. You didn't see a huge great 9 string whilst you were there did you?? Edited January 9, 2009 by 7string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 [quote name='7string' post='375775' date='Jan 9 2009, 11:30 PM']...You didn't see a huge great 9 string whilst you were there did you??[/quote] I [i]really [/i]meant to take a closer look at yours, but It was in the spray booth, and discussion and other bits of wood clean distracted me....... Must only be a matter of days for yours now........ Looking forward to the photos at least.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 The mighty niner. I'm looking forward to it too. Soon. Then Dave's beast. Those single coils are going to sing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 [quote name='david_l_perry' post='377189' date='Jan 11 2009, 09:44 PM']I [i]really [/i]meant to take a closer look at yours, but it was in the spray booth, and discussion and other bits of wood clean distracted me....... Must only be a matter of days for yours now........ Looking forward to the photos at least....[/quote] [quote name='GreeneKing' post='377204' date='Jan 11 2009, 09:54 PM']The mighty niner. I'm looking forward to it too.[/quote] It's going to be as great as all the other ACG's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Latest shots from ACG HQ...of my headless harlot Just the pickup cavities to do then on with the sanding. Happy days I asked Alan to take a [i]little [/i]bit more off the front facing to show the inner core contrasting wood, and also send over a few shots of the rear tuner area. The man is a legend.... And here is great shot showing how profiled and slim the upper body is Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l_perry Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Only wish I had a drooling smiley face to hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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