(x) Essence Bass with custom designed electronics history request 97K10656

[TexastT]

I have recently acquired this Essence bass. It is my second Alembic my first is a fretless Epic 5 string. This bass has had some really unusual modifications and it has under the Electronics plate G. Curbow who I am assuming is the famous luthier Greg Curbow of Curbow Basses. The bass is dated 1997 and the back plate indicates the modifications were done on 2000. I can not fathom doing this to a new Alembic but someone unknown did. The electronics are Bartolini not sure of the pickup model but is identical in size to the Alembics. It was routed in the back for a second 9 volt battery for 18 volt electronics. It looks like they were trying to get East West tone functionality in 2000. It has been routed for a side jack as well. The original Alembic electronics were in the case but the blend control is snapped off and a EMG tone circuit was there as well. My guess was they went back and forth until they had this combination.

The bass sounds and plays great. The electronics are really quiet and clear and the bass definitely sounds Alembic as much of the sound is from the wood.

I have some general questions about possibly reinstalling the Alembic electronics back but with the extra holes the East West modification should fill those nicely? Should I leave it as is or convert it back? If anyone can identify the strings by the color of the ball ends that would be nice suspect they are Rotosounds.

If anyone knows anything about the history of this bass I would love to hear it. It looks like it has a story to tell. The seller said he had owned it for over a decade and was a collector and it was stored most of the time.

[mica]

I'm guessing that the pan control suffered from "yankitis" where there's an attempt to remove the collet knob without first loosening the collet. You could restore the full functionality of the original electronics by getting a Pan Preamp from our online store. The pan pot you have on the board now isn't available anymore, so that board is toast.

If you want to fill up 5 holes for pots and 2 for switches, we need to discuss functionality. We can of course use what you have and add a bass and treble control and a Q switch, but you'll have an extra switch to make a need for. This could be a switch to have two gain settings (if you are the type to take a solo it's very helpful). We'll have to figure out your needs.

[mica]

Here's what I found in the instrument file for your bass:

serial number: 97K10656
model: Essence
model number: KLB6
top: Flame Walnut
accent: Maple pinstripe
body: Mahogany
neck: 5-piece Maple with 4 Walnut pinstripes
scale: 34" long
fingerboard: Ebony
inlays: none
side dots: Bronze
pickups: Alembic MXY56
electronics: volume, pan, filter, mono output
originally made for: Ace Music, Miami, FL
birthday: March 28, 1997

The bass was in Texas at some point, and they returned the electronics for testing which we replaced the output jack, but the note didn't have a date on it.