Scoop Posted April 26, 2010 Posted April 26, 2010 On my visit up to the Moffat Bass Bash I just happened to go to Alan's workshop and specced up two more ACGs for myself. This is the build thread of the pale understated fretless one. I'll do a thread on the other one when I give Alan his deposit as I wasn't able to put a deposit down on both over the weekend. Soon... The reasoning behind this build was quite simple. The two basses that Alan has built for me so far have been really loud, in your face, visual pieces. There was the scribbly spalted beech top and spalted maple fretboard of the Recurve and the feast of flaming redwood that was the Finn build. Both were very busy and Alan admitted to me that he had reservations but figured that, in the end, I'd chosen well enough to stay just the right side of taste and decency. I wanted my next four string to be a fretless and I wanted it very understated by comparison to the others. I knew, pretty much before I arrived at Alan's, which top I wanted for this, which will be another Finn 4. And I was also pretty much convinced of the wood for the body core. I wanted a nice piece of lightweight spanish cedar. I have a spanish cedar core on my redwood finn and love it for it's lack of weight. So, the top... [url="http://img689.imageshack.us/i/scoopfless01.jpg/"][/url] In detail [url="http://img689.imageshack.us/i/scoopfless02.jpg/"][/url] No contest. Understated, still beautifully figured, but definately understated. That's a lovely piece of masur birch. But I wasn't really sure about the contrast between this and the medium brown coloured spanish cedar. Ten seconds later I had a brainwave and asked Alan to pull out a few blanks of white limba - which can vary hugely in weight. I chose a nice lightweight one and that together with a 4mm wenge accent sorts the body. The neck is to be made from exactly the woods, in the same pattern order as my redwood finn. From the centre laminate outwards wenge, bubinga, maple (or sycamore, I'm easily pleased ). Like this... [url="http://img709.imageshack.us/i/red7.jpg/"][/url] The fretboard is going to be jet black ebony with white quarter lines on the E string side (not the G). TI flats. Piezo bridge with single coil at bridge and MM sized chappy at neck. I love this stage of a build. It's exciting... Quote
Brave Sir Robin Posted April 27, 2010 Posted April 27, 2010 (edited) Nice top, quite unusual. I think it'll look great with limba, and a black board. Can't wait to see what it's gonna look like. Black hardware I suppose. yum! What it reminds me off... Edited April 27, 2010 by Brave Sir Robin Quote
Scoop Posted April 30, 2010 Author Posted April 30, 2010 Really like that spalted top on the Infinity. I've never tried an Infinity, always wanted to. Attractive basses. That's maple, isn't it? Pretty spectacular, that's for sure. Yes hardware will be black. I'll have quite a wait for this one, I know, but the sense of anticipation is already overwhelming. Quote
Brave Sir Robin Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 Spalted maple, yeah. Looks like driftwood, but would be my top of choice if I was going for another bass Quote
Scoop Posted April 30, 2010 Author Posted April 30, 2010 [quote name='Brave Sir Robin' post='824199' date='Apr 30 2010, 04:29 PM']Spalted maple, yeah. Looks like driftwood, but would be my top of choice if I was going for another bass [/quote] The first ACG I got has a spalted scottish beech top and a spalted maple board. It's a bit too busy for a lot of people's tastes but I love it to bits. [url="http://img255.imageshack.us/i/img3233jh0.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img255.imageshack.us/i/img3234ww4.jpg/"][/url] Quote
Scoop Posted February 16, 2011 Author Posted February 16, 2011 I've changed the spec on this one from Finn to Recurve. Progress. Quote
giblett123 Posted February 19, 2011 Posted February 19, 2011 [quote name='Scoop' post='1129709' date='Feb 16 2011, 02:53 PM']I've changed the spec on this one from Finn to Recurve. Progress. [/quote] I love the look of that, I'm in the process of freeing up some funds to get myself one with some exotic timber involved, these are seriously good basses. Quote
Scoop Posted March 30, 2011 Author Posted March 30, 2011 Alan's just sent me this pic of the ebony fretboard with the quarter fretlines. It's looking great, I can't wait to get my hands on it. [url="http://img683.imageshack.us/i/myfretlessboard.png/"][/url] Quote
Scoop Posted June 11, 2011 Author Posted June 11, 2011 Some more pictures. The bass has now gone in for finishing so it'll only be a matter of a few weeks before it's available to me hopefully. [url="http://img233.imageshack.us/i/recfless01.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img838.imageshack.us/i/recfless02.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img684.imageshack.us/i/recfless03.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img546.imageshack.us/i/redfless04.jpg/"][/url] It's fair to say I'm delighted. Quote
eude Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 Very nice Scoop, this one's coming along loverly Eude Quote
lobematt Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 [quote name='Scoop' post='824301' date='Apr 30 2010, 06:39 PM']The first ACG I got has a spalted scottish beech top and a spalted maple board. It's a bit too busy for a lot of people's tastes but I love it to bits. [url="http://img255.imageshack.us/i/img3233jh0.jpg/"][/url] [url="http://img255.imageshack.us/i/img3234ww4.jpg/"][/url][/quote] I'm not to keen on the top on that one but I love the FB! Quote
Scoop Posted July 25, 2011 Author Posted July 25, 2011 It's finished and I've seen the photos and YOU haven't Nya-nya-na-na-nahh! To be fair to Alan, I'll not post them here until after I've paid him the outstanding balance which will be tomorrow (Tuesday). Got to say, I wanted understated yet still beautiful and I think Alan's done it superbly. I really couldn't be happier with how it's looking. It's a really lovely bit of kit. Quote
eude Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 [quote name='Scoop' post='1316342' date='Jul 25 2011, 09:37 PM']It's finished and I've seen the photos and YOU haven't Nya-nya-na-na-nahh! To be fair to Alan, I'll not post them here until after I've paid him the outstanding balance which will be tomorrow (Tuesday). Got to say, I wanted understated yet still beautiful and I think Alan's done it superbly. I really couldn't be happier with how it's looking. It's a really lovely bit of kit.[/quote] Just cruel... Quote
Scoop Posted July 26, 2011 Author Posted July 26, 2011 Put you out of your misery, Ewan... Many thanks to Alan. Best luthier, IMHO, in the whole wide world. Quote
eude Posted July 26, 2011 Posted July 26, 2011 Consider it done! Thank you for sharing Dave, another amazing ACG bass Now seeing as you appear to be granting wishes, any chance you can muster up my bass a little early?... Eude Quote
Scoop Posted July 26, 2011 Author Posted July 26, 2011 [quote name='eude' post='1317162' date='Jul 26 2011, 03:08 PM']Consider it done! Thank you for sharing Dave, another amazing ACG bass Now seeing as you appear to be granting wishes, [b]any chance you can muster up my bass a little early?[/b]... Eude[/quote] Sadly, no influence on the hurrying up side of things though I am able to slow things down by ringing Alan pointlessly and at length. That any use to you? Quote
eude Posted July 26, 2011 Posted July 26, 2011 [quote name='Scoop' post='1317177' date='Jul 26 2011, 03:20 PM']Sadly, no influence on the hurrying up side of things though I am able to slow things down by ringing Alan pointlessly and at length. That any use to you? [/quote] I'll decline for now, but should I go mental anytime soon, you can expect to hear from me Eude Quote
BottomEndian Posted July 26, 2011 Posted July 26, 2011 There's something about the Recurve horns that's just so... [i]right[/i]. Lovely. Quote
Scoop Posted July 26, 2011 Author Posted July 26, 2011 [quote name='steve' post='1317197' date='Jul 26 2011, 03:32 PM']Tis a thing of beauty Scoop[/quote] I know. But how do you like the bass..? Quote
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