| Author | Message | ||
| frankfiveinc
New Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 6 Registered: 6-2014 |
Hi Everyone! I found a 5-string Essence online last night and I'm holding it for 24-hours until I get some input from all the expertise here in the Alembic Club. Could some of the experienced people take a look at my photos posted at the link below and let me know what you think? Particularly, there was a modification in the cavity that I'm being told "is supposed to be" an Alembic mod, but the large pot looks odd to me in that cavity. There are a few dinks but nothing too severe. He said the action is so low it's buzzing and needs a good setup. Asking $2k, which I thought is a great price, but I can't justify it if it's not a "true Alembic" from the electronics mod point of view……Thanks so much to anyone who can give me a good opinion, especially about the mod in the cavity! The link to my photos is at: https://plus.google.com/photos/104908497723684926873/albums/6153966357031405073?authkey=CNHHgd_v2dH9Dg | ||
| tomhug
Intermediate Member Username: tomhug Post Number: 180 Registered: 7-2008 |
Nice Essence. I cannot offer any insight about that mod, other than it doesn't look like stock Essence electronics. Actually strike that, it looks like the stock Essence electronics are there, plus an extra large potentiometer. Does the interior pot have an audible effect? I'm kind of jealous - I've been in the market for a bass like that for some time - I keep missing them by minutes. I think you could easily get that back to official specs with minimal additional investment. | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 373 Registered: 6-2014 |
Yeah, that's a nice-looking bass frankfive! The extra pot is kind of a puzzle... did the seller know what the "mod" was for? Essence should be Vol./Pan/Filter, so I'm trying to imagine a practical "Alembic" mod other than a Q-switch... whatever it's for, someone sure didn't want to drill and mount it. (or maybe there would've been a clearance issue?) I agree with tomhug, it would probably be easy to revert it back to stock. Also, having that board loose in there is just asking for a short-out. Flip (fc_spoiler) is pretty sharp on this kind of thread... you might send him a note if he doesn't pop in here sometime soon. | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 8535 Registered: 6-2000 |
This bass originally had Essence electronics, volume, pan, filter. What looks like is in there now is volume, bass, and treble mounted, with the pan board as a floater inside. Not very adjustable, but perfectly OK to do. You can swap out the bass and treble module for the filter module, or you could mount the pan where the bass cut/boost is and drill a hole above the jack and undercut the cavity (of course reshielding) and mount the bass control there (I say the bass control because it's a single pot on a small board and is easier to sneak into tight spaces). | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2225 Registered: 2-2005 |
Nice wood on the bass. A change to V/P/T/B controls would be a downgrade in the electronics for that model bass. Do they still have the original parts? If they do I would swap back to a filter. If not to me the bass would be worth less by a couple of hundred as I would need to locate and purchase a new filter module. Keith | ||
| frankfiveinc
New Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 7 Registered: 6-2014 |
Thank you Mica! That really helps me understand the mod and helps me make my decision. I would rather have the Vol/Pan/Filter, so I'm going to refer Tom to the owner tomorrow. I'll keep looking for a 5/6-string Essence, Spoiler, Distillate, or Persuader. What older models have been manufactured in 5/6-string most often? What is the most prevalent scale in older models? Thanks again! | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 1737 Registered: 5-2006 |
Mica is way sharper :-) I think I would add a filter and go for the EMW setup (which needs a special cable available from Alembic) Not sure if it will fit in this cavity with this layout though... Price is ok I think, pretty stunning Woods and looks like its in excellent condition :-) | ||
| slawie
Senior Member Username: slawie Post Number: 790 Registered: 8-2002 |
I have had an Essence 5 for about a year now with the V/P/F Electronics. It is now my main player. I would swoop on that bass the woods look amazing. $2k is a good price also IMHO. It looks as if you could revert it back to original electronics with a minimum of fuss. slawie | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4224 Registered: 5-2009 |
Nice Bass ! | ||
| frankfiveinc
New Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 8 Registered: 6-2014 |
Well, looks like Tom and I are not buying the Essence. My reason is that I want the stock electronics and his is for the weight being too much. So maybe there is someone out there in the club that would like to consider it….it looks like a really nice bass….so it can be viewed at the store's website here: http://www.musicgoroundtroy.com/p/341217/used-alembic-essence-5-wcase | ||
| tomhug
Intermediate Member Username: tomhug Post Number: 181 Registered: 7-2008 |
Yup, Dan (frankfinveinc) was super nice to hook me up with Chris where the bass is located. Unfortunately I discovered the one aspect of this bass that ultimately makes it not quite suitable for my purposes: it weighs 11 lbs! Of course, 11 lbs is not completely terrible for a 5 string bass and even especially for an Alembic (which tend to run heavy). But I have a knee injury that really hurts the next day if I play long sets with basses much over 10 lbs. I had just examined 2 all-maple Essence 5 strings that were both 10.5 lbs, so I assumed this one with mahogany would be lighter than the maple examples. But that's not the case. Still it's a very nice bass at a very sweet price. (Message edited by tomhug on May 31, 2015) | ||
| frankfiveinc
New Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 9 Registered: 6-2014 |
Mica or anyone knowledgeable: What would be the approximate cost to restore the original electronics package? Conversely, if I mounted the pan where the bass control is now and drilled a countersunk-shielded hole above the jack to mount the bass control as Mica mentioned, how would the tonal adjustment in that setup compare to the original volume, pan, & filter of an Essence? Would there be more range of tonal adjustment in the filter electronics or would the vol, pan, treble, and bass be comparable? I'm just wondering if I should reconsider if I could work out a deal with the seller……THANKS SO MUCH! | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 377 Registered: 6-2014 |
I would suggest calling out there frankfive... there's probably several options. If it were me, I'd look into possibly converting that setup to East-Meets-West, where you combine a Filter with the Volume-Pan-Bass-Treble you already have. Here's a thread I started a while back on just that. http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/205552.html?1426109600 Good luck man... I know you've been looking high and low for a fiver. Hope it works out! =) | ||
| frankfiveinc
New Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 10 Registered: 6-2014 |
That sounds like a really cool idea! I'm just not sure about the extra cost….does anyone have a thought about that? It would take some specialized skills….I have the electronic understanding but don't know if I feel comfortable drilling and countersinking, etc. Are there "how to" videos or instructions anywhere here or on Youtube? | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 2229 Registered: 2-2005 |
Adding the filter to make an EMW setup would be straight forward electrically. Based on Mica's update about making the pan pot useable I think adding a filter on top of the current controls would require more than drilling new holes and would require enlarging the control cavity by under cutting or enlarging it with a new cover plate. Keith | ||
| frankfiveinc
Junior Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2014 |
If that's what it would take Keith…it's a major project that I'll pass on and wait. As I was told by others about a saying from a long time member who passed way, "there will always be another." I have kept that in my head ever since. Thanks for you opinion! | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 379 Registered: 6-2014 |
Yeah, if it moves outside a D-I-Y project, I'd give second thought to the E-M-W conversion. Might still be worth a call to Alembic... to put that bass back to stock Essence controls shouldn't require more than a filter module. You could sell the Bass/Treble pots to offset some of the cost... and I can tell you firsthand, installation is a piece of cake. Of course you're right too, there's *always* another one! If I weren't so dead-set on making this custom order into reality, I'd already be looking at this one though. | ||
| frankfiveinc
Junior Username: frankfiveinc Post Number: 12 Registered: 6-2014 |
Thanks Greg! I'm continuing to talk to the seller to see if the original owner still has the filter electronics. He may have sold it to defer the cost of the modification he made (in reverse of your good suggestion). Does anyone have a thought about the cost of a filter module? I would like to go down this road to see if I can work something out because that's the only objection I had to buying it. I also have a question about "dink repair", as I'll call it. If you look at the photos I posted in the link above, you'll see 2 dinks on the edge of the bass below the controls and also to the side of the controls. Does anyone have a thought about applying a micro-amount of super glue to reduce possibly blend the scar in the finish coating and to prevent it from getting worse? I think I saw that suggested in other surface repair posts here but I was wonder what everyone thinks. The dink below the controls seems very noticeable but that may be because it's such a vivid close-up, it may just look worse than it is. Thanks again!! | ||
| edwardofhuncote
Advanced Member Username: edwardofhuncote Post Number: 380 Registered: 6-2014 |
Mica or her Aunt Mary can help you with ordering the correct Filter, as that's something that isn't necessarily sold individually through the Store. As such, I'm guessing they probably won't post pricing info up here, but would gladly discuss it with you over the phone. I'll also guarantee you will learn other stuff during that conversation, as it's an entirely different experience talking to people who actually built the instrument, and know *exactly* what you need. I have repaired some poly finishes with CA glue, and was tempted to try it on a similar dink in my Persuader... just never did. I've since gotten used to it, as just another defining feature of *my* bass. |
