Author Topic: ISO price advice: used Essence 4 (Read 162 times)

zn_bassman · « **on:** February 19, 2006, 12:11:26 AM »

I'm considering doing some bass wheeling and dealing, one phase of which would be to acquire a used Essence 4-string (stock or preferably with Rogue/Europa or Sig elecs).

If anybody can give me a ballpark fair price range for used Essence-4s as above in decent condition (a few scratches, dings and such are OK), I'd very much appreciate it.

(Message edited by zn_bassman on February 19, 2006)

bsee · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2006, 01:31:44 PM »

It's so hard to do this. A base model Essence four in well-played condition starts around $1000. The same instrument in 95%+ condition would probably run you $1500. Once you start adding options, things get wacky. An Essence with Signature electronics may as well be a Signature Standard and sell in the $2000s.

I have an Essence in short scale with the small standard body, LEDs, purpleheart neck laminates, AXY pickups in custom locations, a customized narrow neck and Europa electronics. The body and top are both vermillion. I think it was a bargain when I picked it up in the mid $2000s. You could hardly call it an Essence at all and it would take $3000 to pull it from my hands now that I have played it. Even then, I wouldn't let it go until my new bass arrives.

All of this is based on private sale. If you go near a dealer, the prices are likely to be at least 20% higher to allow for their margins.

Good luck!

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2006, 03:59:43 PM »

I like Bob's answer.

zn_bassman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2006, 12:57:18 AM »

Thanks guys! Bob, sounds like your Essence is one of the best ever made - right up there with the one Stoney used to have!

How do you guys find the overall tone of the Essence compared with larger-bodied Alembics? Let's assume a baseline of no neck lams and only the Essence's elecs in use (Europa boosts at neutral, etc.). I have a stock Rogue, which I'm *considering* selling to finance another high-end bass. If I do, I'd save up for an Essence later and try to convert the elecs to Rogue/Europa. My main concern here is the influence of the smaller body as opposed to the Rogue's larger one.

And if anybody else has more input about the price of a used Essence or these tech issues, I'd love to hear!

bsee · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2006, 03:16:03 AM »

I had the opportunity to buy Stoney's bass and greatly regretted my error until I found the one I have now. There are a few Franken-Essence basses out there because it was once financially beneficial to use it as a base model for a custom project. The only thing that is Essence about my bass is the serial number.

Your body question is one that Mica or Valentino should probably answer. Most of the rest of the world doesn't get to hear enough similarly configured instruments to make general statements about the impact of body styles on tone. I suspect, though, that you can tailor an Essence body to your tonal preferences by choosing the right woods.

zn_bassman · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2006, 04:42:53 AM »

Considering the prices today, I think the Essence is still the best base model for a modest, cost-effective customization project. That is, as long as you don't overrun the cost of a Europa in the course of adding functional mods like neck lams and sub-Series electronics. Inlays, gold plating, premium woods, etc. are a different story in this context.

My plan, *if* I act on it, is to sell my Rogue, buy a certain other high-end bass, and later get back that neck-thru Alembic panned to the bridge p/u sound by getting a used Essence and hopefully upgrading it to Rogue/Europa elecs. The body wood probably would't be critical, but I'd prefer a darker wood - I chose walnut over maple for my Epic when I played both at a dealer 12 years ago, and I chose bocate over maple for my Rogue last year. My personal taste is for a bit of a darker sound.

Budgetwise, that's about the best I could justify, and the 2 basses would probably fulfill my practical needs ad infinitum. Which would still leave me dreaming about Dragon's Wings, Spyders and such, but that's life. ;-)

(Message edited by zn_bassman on February 20, 2006)

David Houck · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2006, 05:28:53 AM »

Zvi; when you order a new Essence with Europa controls, they can plan for the larger electronics package in the small body during construction. I believe it is the case that upgrading a used bass would require sending the bass back to Alembic and having the control cavity expanded. I'm not entirely certain so you might want to check with Val. Why are you wanting to sell your Rogue?

zn_bassman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2006, 05:45:13 AM »

I'm waiting on Val's response about the feasibility of just such a field upgrade.

I'm still torn between a Status Buzzard-2 (now called B-2 because of the Warwick legal thing) and Alembic. I want the Alembic tone and the B-2's capabilities, and the financial outlook is such that the only way to have both is to sell the Rogue, use the $ to pay for the B-2 and get a used Essence later. To optimize the Essence, I'd try to get the Rogue elecs as a field upgrade.

I just sold my '94 Epic. I wouldn't go set-neck again, only neck-thru. I checked out lots of set-neck alternatives, but neck0thru is the way to go for me.

zn_bassman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2006, 01:10:22 AM »

Got my answer from Val - the only cheap upgrade possible to an existing Essence is to add the Q switch. The electronics cavity would indeed have to be enlarged to fit in the boosts, which would then require refinishing of the body - an expensive proposition which Val says is the same as a down payment on a new bass.