Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Essence Basses => Topic started by: palmann on July 07, 2005, 12:47:44 PM

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on July 07, 2005, 12:47:44 PM

Hi,
 
my name is Pablo Lachmann, I'm living in Germany.
 
I just bought this Essence on eBay:
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19644.jpg)
 
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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: David Houck on July 07, 2005, 02:00:33 PM

Congrats and welcome!

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: bracheen on July 07, 2005, 03:48:14 PM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: dadabass2001 on July 07, 2005, 05:04:52 PM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: kungfusheriff on July 07, 2005, 09:14:13 PM

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.

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on July 08, 2005, 03:42:13 AM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: dannobasso on July 08, 2005, 02:43:51 PM

I just picked up a used 5 Essence today. Enjoy yours in good health and inspiration!
Danno www.doomtree.com (http://www.doomtree.com)

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on July 09, 2005, 02:20:08 AM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on July 11, 2005, 10:56:23 AM

Some more pictures. I only have a very simple digicam, so they're good only by accident...  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19715.jpg)
  On this picture you can see the two colors, I mentioned before:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19716.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19717.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/19718.jpg)

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: David Houck on July 11, 2005, 02:46:05 PM

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!

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: jseitang on October 10, 2005, 09:22:10 AM

great looking wood!

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: bigideas on October 10, 2005, 11:05:19 PM

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.

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: georgie_boy on October 11, 2005, 02:31:43 AM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on December 18, 2005, 05:47:27 AM

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 (http://www.tftt.de/img/thunpabl.jpg)
 
No other pictures available, because my main instruments were two Precisions. Sorry...
 
Gruesse, Pablo

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on February 25, 2006, 05:45:40 PM

This is me playing my Alembic.  
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25537.jpg)
 
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)

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: senmen on February 26, 2006, 01:32:58 AM

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 (http://www.whoareyouband.de)

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on February 26, 2006, 04:35:32 AM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: speicky on February 26, 2006, 06:20:36 AM

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

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: the_8_string_king on February 26, 2006, 01:37:05 PM

Congratulations on your Essence!  It's truly awesome to finally own an Alembic after years of waiting!

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on March 02, 2006, 05:50:07 AM

So here are a few Thunderbird Pics. The sun came out for a few minutes.  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25765.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25766.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25767.jpg)
  Gruesse, Pablo

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on March 02, 2006, 06:07:50 AM

While I'm at it. :o)  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25772.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25773.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/25774.jpg)
  Gruesse, Pablo

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: s_wood on March 02, 2006, 09:21:26 AM

Hey, anybody who loves Alembics and Thunderbirds is obviously a person of rare taste and talent

Title: My new oldstyle Essence
Post by: palmann on March 03, 2006, 04:07:10 AM

At least this would be conceivable. So I wish you're right. ;o)
 
Gruesse, Pablo