Author Topic: Early Alembic Essence Body Wood (Read 403 times)

sexy666 · « **on:** June 01, 2013, 02:20:33 PM »

Hey guys,

Would you please tell me what kind of wood was the early material of Essence basses? I think it's not Mahogany

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pu5U--X0jCY/UNrIKUgy6SI/AAAAAAAAAe4/e8xzX5PikrU/w534-h712-no/20121226_104227.jpg

Thank you a lot,

sexy from Hungary

tbrannon · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2013, 02:50:18 PM »

looks like maple to me.

rami · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2013, 03:14:44 PM »

If you compare it to the neck wood which is clearly Maple, you can see some difference. It may be Alder.

tbrannon · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2013, 03:33:45 PM »

You might be right, Rami.

I think the difference in the look of the neck woods is a result of the flame and the cut, but the body wood may well be something other than maple.

rami · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2013, 04:37:39 PM »

Hey Toby,

Alder is slightly grainier than Maple as well as a little darker (which is hard to see with the lighting in the picture). It's more suitable for a body wood because it's relatively light weight.

But who can say for sure from a picture? The best way to know for sure is to provide Alembic with the serial number and Mica can tell us. They keep all the build records.

sonicus · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2013, 04:56:58 PM »

Hello , I own a 91 Essence . It is all Maple. I took it to the 2013 Northern California Alembic Gathering where Mica saw it and confirmed early Essence, all maple.

mike13 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2013, 08:11:31 PM »

Mine is a 92 all Maple,the one in the pix is the same all Maple

(Message edited by mike13 on June 01, 2013)

rami · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2013, 08:04:25 AM »

That makes sense. I've never known Alembic to use Alder except for one custom build.

sexy666 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2013, 01:03:27 PM »

Guys, thanks for your answers!
i hope i can get this bass in the future, it's not mine, period.

sonicus · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2013, 02:02:34 PM »

The sound from my all Maple Essence is quite bright .

sexy666 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2013, 03:14:24 PM »

you mean too bright?

mica · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2013, 04:20:52 PM »

That's certainly all Maple. The early Essence basses were 3-piece Maple necks, Maple bodies, and Flame Maple tops. The only options were 4- or 5-string, fretless or fretted, and right or left handed.

sonicus · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2013, 05:12:58 PM »

My all maple Essence is quite bright ___,too bright is not what I wrote or meant. I really like the way it sounds. There is natural high definition.

David Houck · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2013, 07:41:35 PM »

I agree with Wolf, an all Maple Essence bass has, as he said, a natural high definition. They have a great attack. When mine was my main bass, I was playing it through an Eden rig, and it sounded amazing.

sexy666 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 04, 2013, 01:42:38 PM »

So, be seen until the end of the week I will have it or not. I'm so excited about that bass

Thank you for the information and opinions!