Update on this bass.
As John mentioned, the finish is a glossy, transparent, smoke-grey over flame maple. Not a burst finish. Slight buckle rash and a few minor dents. I would expect more for a '94. However, right on the tip of the lower horn there is a nick in the finish through to the wood, the size is about 1/16th diameter. Pretty small. but it stands out because of the finish. Maple body, maple neck with walnut stringers. Cone peg head, not my favorite, but how much time do you spend looking at the head of your bass when playing?
Bridge and logo need the usual cleaning. Tailpiece looks to have a brushed finish. The tuning keys and posts are untarnished and show no surface pitting. And as is standard for Essences basses there is no sustain block under the bridge.
I played through a GK 1001RB-II head and a GK 210RBH cab. The bass' electronics are dead quiet. And with the amp settings flat I moved through the filter's range, blend and volume. Great sounds with simple controls. A very odd thing, the pup casings don't show any wear whatsoever. I would expect some finger wear or at least some fading of the gold embossed script on the casings. But nothing, they look brand, spanking new.
The price has gone up to $1500, cash deal. Trade-ins might take a beating when dealing on this bass. There's no case.
Staff is friendly and ready to sell, but not pushy. Zoo has a ton of gear in this price range that they're probably more motivated to move.
A good buy if you're local and don't mind the absence of a case, maybe not so great if you're concerned about shipping without a case.
Mike
