| Author | Message | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 41 Registered: 6-2002 |
This was my first Essence - Just knocked me out!  | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 42 Registered: 6-2002 |
Gotta love that Zebrawood! This one has Rogue electronics - Sounds amazing!  | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 43 Registered: 6-2002 |
My first fretless Essence - In Walnut!  | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 44 Registered: 6-2002 |
This is my fretless 5 - with inlaid fretlines - the top is Vermillion with Rogue electronics. My favorite Essence of all!  | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
Junior Username: stoney Post Number: 23 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hey Rami, nice little arsenal ya got there! Your other basses are also killers. | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 45 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks! The others really are killers. But I always like to grab an Essence for a jam. They're light & easy to play, overall very player friendly. Can't go wrong with an Essence! | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
Junior Username: stoney Post Number: 24 Registered: 7-2002 |
You're right there, gotta post a pic of my baby soon! | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Junior Username: rami Post Number: 47 Registered: 6-2002 |
I'd love to see it. Essences are really "Do everything & go everywhere" basses. I love 'em all! | ||
| Googe Endeveronte (goooge)
New Username: goooge Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2002 |
Rami- first of all-you have to have the largest collection of alembics i have ever seen-very impressive I have a question regarding the above basses-aside from the electronics-and specifically addressing the fretless basses-do you find a big difference between the walnut and the vermillion?? I am wondering since they are not bookmatched to center-and essentially there is just the maple there-does the wood really make a difference??-which would you say is more of a growler?? how about your mapleless rogue-any real big difference there?? (ha ha)thanks for the looks at all your basses-(just saw all the excels- GEEZ man-)can't wait to see your next custom peace googe | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Member Username: rami Post Number: 54 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks - it's in the works! I don't really notice a significant difference in sound between the top woods - I don't think they really contribute that much. The 5 string fretless Essence is much growlier I think because it has more mass - and of course, its electronics. The Rogue (Dark Prince) is the growliest Beast I ever played in my life! There is where you truely hear the contribution of the woods to the sound. There is also its 36" scale. The strings are super tight and sustain forever. The bass weighs close to 15 lbs. It feels like it was carved out of solid granite. Nothing like I've ever experienced before. Best wishes, Rami | ||
| Googe Endeveronte (goooge)
New Username: goooge Post Number: 2 Registered: 8-2002 |
The importance of scale length-I heard a little jazz trio in new york once and the bassist was playing a carl thompson-talked to him about it and he mentioned the 36" scale-he said it was the only way to go-singing mids/highs "death booming" lows, and no dead spots anywhere-i have to admit though his sound was a bit "woody" to me-that bass did "sing". so now I beg the question-how the heck do you get your intonation on an unlined 36" scale beast?? my hand hurts just thinking about it. | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Member Username: rami Post Number: 55 Registered: 6-2002 |
The "Evil Twin" is surprisingly easy to play. It's very different from the "Dark Prince". As for the intonation; experience and ALOT of practice. Having long fingers helps too! Rami | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
Junior Username: stoney Post Number: 37 Registered: 7-2002 |
Rami,What's the front laminate on your first Essence? | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Member Username: rami Post Number: 66 Registered: 6-2002 |
Zebrawood. The second one as well. Then Walnut, and finally Vermillion. Rami | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
Junior Username: stoney Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2002 |
OK Rami, I've been cruzin' the site looking at your basses. Time to "fess-up"! How many Alembics do you own...list models please. Man, your house must look like the "Smithsonian of Bass"...cool man! Care to add my custom Spoiler to your collection? I'm willing to bargain ;^) | ||
| Rami Sourour (rami)
Member Username: rami Post Number: 67 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hmmm....I'll have to think about that one. All my Alembics are posted except one (a really cute '92 Essence in Koa that I picked up from a shop in St. Paul MN). That comes to a total of 18. 5 Essences, 9 Excels, 3 Rogues (including "Dark Prince" and "Evil Twin"), Burl Walnut Series II. I think that's about it! Surprisingly, I don't display them. I have a large walk in closet where they're all lined up nicely. To see my place, you'd never know what a total Bass-Head I really am. I also have quite a large collection of Vintage Fender Jazz Basses and other collectable basses. I know...I need treatment for my obsession! | ||
| rami
Advanced Member Username: rami Post Number: 314 Registered: 6-2002 |
This is my '93 Essence in Koa. Very sweet sounding Bass. Plays like a dream too.  Notice the old style body shape. | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1150 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well Rami ...I like the wood, obsolutely. I can be mistaken but don't you think that this is more than "plain" Koa? Kinda "burl"??? Or "flamed"??? I have a friend Dutch friend who has a Essence 5 with the Europa/Rogue electronics. I like the electronics but I can't get used to the small body (well ...compared to the "huge" Bonnie-dimensions). Kind of habit I guess. Doesn't it bother when you switch basses, I mean the body dimension difference?? Paul TBO | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 278 Registered: 11-2003 |
Is there much difference in dimension between the Essence, Rogue, and Exel? I know the Series II is much larger. I think that switching between 4, 5, & 6 strings would cause me more problems. Sam | ||
| rami
Advanced Member Username: rami Post Number: 315 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Paul, That's the beauty of Alembic Basses - they're all so easy to play. With their slim necks and ultra low action, the only differences I ever really notice are the weight and the number of strings. I'm not sure exactly what kind of Koa this is, but it's sure pretty to look at in person. I really like the Essence for it's small body - very easy to take to a jam/gig. Very beautiful "dainty" Bass. Sort of like a girlfriend! Rami | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1151 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother Rami, now THAT's the beautiful thing in all this: differences. I don't have really large hands but am a tall and stout person. Bonnie really fits me well. You like small bodies ...my pleasure. A good girlfriend? Fine ...we can't fall all in love with the same girl no ;-) Paul TBO | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 419 Registered: 5-2002 |
Rami, you mentioned the "old style body shape"; I had never previously noticed a difference in Essence body shapes. My Essence 4 is a '90, so I guess it must be the "old style". I've been going back and forth between the pics of your Essences and though it seems there is a diffence I can't quite put my finger on it. So what was the change in body style and what year was the change made? Sam; I believe the Essence is the smallest body style. | ||
| lembic76450
Junior Username: lembic76450 Post Number: 35 Registered: 5-2002 |
Rami, I was just poking around and was wondering if we have seen your Series II? Is there a pic around here somewhere? | ||
| rami
Advanced Member Username: rami Post Number: 316 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Kenn, It's in the Showcase section / Series II Basses under a thread called "The Walnut Bad Boy". Mica came up with that name! Dave, if you'll notice in the pics, The '93's body is slightly elongated in comparison to the others. Rami | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 138 Registered: 6-2002 |
Rami, nice to see you can still appreciate low-profile Alembics! This type of koa is referred to as watermark koa. Mica described it something like this: "It looks as if water has evaporated off the surface." It's somewhat similar to bird's eye maple. In the Spoiler showcase, you can see my 88 Spoiler with watermark koa and my 94 Epic with flame koa - the woods certainly look very different. You can also see the difference in body size of the 'old-fashioned' Spoiler and the 'modern' Epic. The Epic body is about a .25" thicker (required by the neck construction, I think) than the Spoiler, and I don't think there's much difference in weight. | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 420 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks Rami; I see it now. It's most evident in the distance from the tailpiece to the strap button. | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 749 Registered: 5-2002 |
Mica, Val, or anyone; when was the Essence body changed from the old style to the new style? |
