Author Topic: Essence sold as Stanley Clarke model (Read 682 times)

phys49 · « **on:** April 14, 2005, 11:09:16 AM »

I recently bought a bass advertised as a Stanley Clarke model. I bought it from a well known Alembic dealer in Florida. This was my first Alembic purchase. It turned out to be an Essence with some serious upgrades. Is this accepted marketing of Alembic products?
Is there actually any significant difference in an SC model and an Essence with Europa electronics?
To be fair, he bass is a very good looking bass and I did get what I considered to be a good price.

glocke · « **Reply #1 on:** April 14, 2005, 11:42:34 AM »

If it is the place I am thinking of I don't think they would intentionally mislead someone...but it is pretty hard to get an Essence mixed up with an SC...Did they post pics of the bass before you ordered it?

phys49 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 14, 2005, 12:58:57 PM »

The pictures of the bass were accurate. It has a small standard body, crown headstock, purpleheart laminates in the neck, Europa electronics, and side LED markers.
I could not tell the difference between this bass and an SC model. So I am trying to determine if there actually is any difference.

keith_h · « **Reply #3 on:** April 14, 2005, 01:48:02 PM »

The basic Stanley Clarke Signature basses have their own standard electronics that consist of a Volume, Pan and 2 Q switches. I looked at one of the basses you described when I bought my Brown Bass. At that time the description appeared accurate as a Stanley or SC Custom (not Signature) with Europa electronics and were priced accordingly. The body, neck, etc are the same as the SC Signature.
Neither of my basses have the Europa electronics so I cannot speak on there characteristics. I will say that there are others here that are very satisfied with their basses that have Europa electronics.
Another thing to keep in mind is Alembic offers a wide range of electronics options on their instruments. All of which are very high quality.
I have both Essence and Anniversery electronics on my basses and am happy with both.

Which one did you get? The last time I looked they had a couple of nice looking ones in Buckeye Burl and in Vermillion.

Keith

bsee · « **Reply #4 on:** April 14, 2005, 01:53:49 PM »

Yes, the electronics are different. In each case, you would have a volume and a pickup pan control, that much is the same.

With Europa, you get a single filter that applies to the sound from both pickups, and a Q switch that modifies how that filter works. In addition, you get a pair of toggle switches that will provide a fixed boost/cut to a fixed bass/treble frequency, again applied to the tone as a whole.

With Signature electronics, you get two filter/Q switch combinations and each one is applied to only one pickup. This gives you the flexibility to apply the right tone to each pickup individually, possibly pulling out the lows from the neck pickup and the highs from the bridge. You don't get the bass/treble toggles, though.

The list price difference is that Signature electronics are +300 vs. Europa electronics.

In practice, both configurations work very well. I suspect that you will be quite pleased with the control you have over your tone with this setup.

dannobasso · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2005, 02:24:27 PM »

If the price was cool, then you have a great package. I picked up a Distillate 5 via Mica and Susan. I love it. The only difference is that I have a selector instead of a panpot. I'm having it put in my new Excel 5. Enjoy it and fill the world with kickazz sounds.
Danno.

rklisme · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2005, 04:42:17 PM »

Hey Perry

To answer your question, I feel that you were misled and while the end result is you got a nice bass no matter what the electronics package, it is not what most of us would expect if we were told we were going to get a Stanley Clarke Signature bass. The end result is hopefully you have a bass that you can fully appreciate and be happy with.

Rory

adriaan · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2005, 05:27:23 PM »

If you start juggling with the options in the Quote Generator, you'll find that you can easily select some options on an Essence to make it a Stanley Clarke Standard Signature, a.k.a. small body without ph neck lams and no back laminate.

You will also find that by the time you've upgraded the Essence, you're probably at a higher price point than if you had selected the Signature Standard direct - but there is some room to play with. Also a dealer can probably make a better deal if they order for stock.

So yes, it would probably be a very good price if it had included the Signature electronics, and it probably still is a nice price with the Europa electronics. And it has the ph neck lams, and the side LEDs ...

malthumb · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2005, 08:27:40 PM »

The quick answer is What does the Serial Number tell you? If the s/n includes SJ or SC, it is a Stanley Clarke that the dealer specced to have a downgrade on the electronics. If the s/n has a K, it is an Essence optioned up to include the Small Standard body.

We had this discussion a couple years ago on how to properly name models that are sort of hybrids. One of my basses has MKC in the s/n, but it has Series II electronics. I usually refer to it as a Mark King / Series II. It carries the MKC because I ordered it as a Mark King Deluxe and added Series II electronics. I could have done the reverse and ended up with almost the exact same bass, but it would have cost me more if I'd started it as a Series II and specced it down.

Peace,

James

88persuader · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2005, 08:35:38 PM »

One thing i noticed is if you use the quote generator and select a lesser electronics package (like ordering a SC standard but with Essence electronics) the price doesn't go down. You still pay full price for the SC standard. That's a little lame in my view point. I'd LOVE to know, considering you can more or less mix and match all you'd like, what makes for example a Stanley Clark a Stanley Clark? Is it the body shape and size alone? Electronics? Simply a name? If you buy an Essence with a full size standard Alembic body and Signature electronics is it still a custom Essence or is it a Mark King signature?... This CAN be confusing! Especially when it comes to price.

alanbass1 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2005, 11:44:21 PM »

We are having this same debate regarding Mark King signature's. I always held the view that a signature should either be endorsed by the player or replicate the instrument that the player themselves use. Therefore, both the Stanley Clarke and Mark King signature basses ought have the same shape and characteristics of the bass that he used. I have little doubt that the Alembic Perry bought is very nice, but now he has niggling doubts which isn't the way it should be.

bsee · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2005, 02:56:55 AM »

I think it's a totally different discussion. In one case, we're talking about an actual Mark King Signature bass that just doesn't happen to be a replica of what he plays on stage. In the other, we're talking about a lesser model instrument dressed up to look like a Stanley Clarke Signature model.

88persuader · « **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2005, 03:34:56 AM »

Good point Bob.

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 15, 2005, 03:52:45 AM »

You still came out on top!

glocke · « **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2005, 06:10:17 AM »

Im confused about the original post...The essence has a body style that is unique from an SC, yet the original poster goes on to say

I could not tell the difference between this bass and an SC model. So I am trying to determine if there actually is any difference.

So it is either an Essence with the Essence body style or it isn't....can someone clarify this for me?