| Author | Message | ||
| palmann
New Username: palmann Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi, my name is Pablo Lachmann, I'm living in Germany. I just bought this Essence on eBay:  I was dreaming about a Essence like this for 14 years but unfortunately never had the money to buy one. But even if this will be the only Alembic instrument I'll own for a very long time, I'll try to give it a comfortable home. :o) It stands close to 2 Fender Precisions and to a Gibson Thunderbird. It's in an used condition, but that's fine with me. I want to use it at live shows and in the studio, anyway. Here the specs Valentino mailed me: 1991 4 string long scale Essence bass Walnut top maple accent mahogany body maple neck ebony fretboard brass hardware gold tuners Completed 10/18/91 Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2006 Registered: 5-2002 |
Congrats and welcome! | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 770 Registered: 11-2003 |
It's always great to realize a dream, congratulations. It's ok to post photos of your other gear. I'd be interested in seeing the Thunderbird. I have one on my wish list. Sam | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 407 Registered: 6-2002 |
Welcome to our happy little stringed family Pablo. Feel free to post more shots of your Essence, and your other instruments. I'm crazy for walnut, so post away. You'll find lots of helpful information on this site as well. We'll speak again, Mike | ||
| kungfusheriff
Advanced Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 337 Registered: 8-2003 |
What those guys said. That's a handsome bass, and this is a friendly group who love pictures. How much does yours weigh? Mine's kind of a brick, so I eyeball the Essences from time to time. | ||
| palmann
New Username: palmann Post Number: 2 Registered: 6-2005 |
Thanks for the welcome! Well, it weights about 8-9 pounds and that is about 1 pound less than one of my Fenders. But the Fender is made in the 70's and has a heavy maple body and is, of course, much larger in size. I'll send some more pictures of the Essence soon. But I want them to be good, because the wood of the bass is a little strange, it has two colors... Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| dannobasso
Advanced Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 275 Registered: 3-2004 |
I just picked up a used 5 Essence today. Enjoy yours in good health and inspiration! Danno www.doomtree.com | ||
| palmann
New Username: palmann Post Number: 3 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi, I don't know if you're interested in some rehearsal room experiences. We always do some recordings when writing songs. These recordings are pretty straight, the bass signal is picked off the D.I.-out of my Ampeg directly into the mixer. No compressors, nothing. When I compare the bass sound to the sound of my Precisions, there are about 3 main differences (aside from sounding absolutely cool ;o) ): Less attack, more sustain and very clean chord sounds. Even with a chorus, voicings are very clear and not blurry at all. Another thing is, that it is really responsive, even at high volumes you have to play very exact, but if you do you're rewarded with a great tone, which can be formed very subtly. The tone comes also with a great character, the Status Matrix I own sound comparatively dull compared to the Essence. I was starting to get a little disapointed, when I first played the Alembic in a rehearsal. But this was because of the old strings, which came with it, when I bought it. Now I have put on some very heavy (50-115) nickel strings (I also play those on my Precisions) and it has much more bottom than before and it sounds a lot more like me. I'm very happy with my Essence, the other guys in my band are convinced, too. Even our guitarist, who already loved my Precision sound, admidded that this bass sounds absolutely great. Well, I still have no name for her, but I'm very picky with girls anyway. (And they with me ;o) ) Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| palmann
New Username: palmann Post Number: 5 Registered: 6-2005 |
Some more pictures. I only have a very simple digicam, so they're good only by accident...  On this picture you can see the two colors, I mentioned before:    | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2033 Registered: 5-2002 |
You can tell a lot more about the grain in these pictures, and it's a very nice piece of Walnut with fairly straight grain and lots of color variety! | ||
| jseitang
Intermediate Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 111 Registered: 6-2002 |
great looking wood! | ||
| bigideas
Member Username: bigideas Post Number: 58 Registered: 1-2004 |
is the old body style still available (being this is alembic i would assume so.) i just prefer the look of it, for some reason. | ||
| georgie_boy
Junior Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 16 Registered: 8-2005 |
Beautiful bass Pablo!! Love the wood. As Sam (bracheen) says,I'd love to see the Thunderbird as it is on my "wish" list too | ||
| palmann
New Username: palmann Post Number: 10 Registered: 6-2005 |
I've displaced my camera, so I could not take any new pictures of my Thunderbird. So there's only one picture on my bands homepage, but it's only a standard '91 Thunderbird IV, anyway. Here's the picture, it was taken in '98: http://www.tftt.de/img/thunpabl.jpg No other pictures available, because my main instruments were two Precisions. Sorry... Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| palmann
Junior Username: palmann Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2005 |
This is me playing my Alembic.  BTW, if you're looking for displaced things, try selling your car: I've found my camera when cleaning it up. :o) So I'll be able to do some pictures of my Thunderbird soon. Gruesse, Pablo (Message edited by palmann on February 26, 2006) | ||
| senmen
Senior Member Username: senmen Post Number: 560 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Pablo, welcome to the club and great to see another german guy in here. Where are you from in Germany? I am from Dueren, near Cologne, and we are running a WHO tribute band, WHO ARE YOU Many greetings Oliver Baumann (Spyderman) www.whoareyouband.de | ||
| palmann
Junior Username: palmann Post Number: 12 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hallo Oliver, I'm living near Bad Kreuznach, Rheinland-Pfalz. I just visited your Homepage and read the guestbook entry of Godfrey Townsend. Well we actually played the same festival with The Alan Parsons Live Project (Little big one/Liechtenstein) some years ago. I don't recall if Godfrey was already member of that band back then, but it was fun to have breakfast near those guys anyway. :o) Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| speicky
Intermediate Member Username: speicky Post Number: 112 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hi, Pablo, hello Oliver, seems to work out as the "German thread" here, LOL ! A very warm welcome, Pablo, from me also. I am living near Wiesbaden, so Bad Kreuznach is not too far away. I met Oliver twice so far, and perhaps we could have a coffee together also... if you ever try to find your cam and rediscover your car, just come on over, would be fun, I think ! Christian | ||
| the_8_string_king
Member Username: the_8_string_king Post Number: 89 Registered: 9-2005 |
Congratulations on your Essence! It's truly awesome to finally own an Alembic after years of waiting! | ||
| palmann
Junior Username: palmann Post Number: 13 Registered: 6-2005 |
So here are a few Thunderbird Pics. The sun came out for a few minutes.    Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| palmann
Junior Username: palmann Post Number: 14 Registered: 6-2005 |
While I'm at it. :o)    Gruesse, Pablo | ||
| s_wood
Intermediate Member Username: s_wood Post Number: 187 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hey, anybody who loves Alembics and Thunderbirds is obviously a person of rare taste and talent  | ||
| palmann
Junior Username: palmann Post Number: 17 Registered: 6-2005 |
At least this would be conceivable. So I wish you're right. ;o) Gruesse, Pablo |
