LoWave
Congratulations from one OF to another !!
Essences are just wonderful little hot rods with that small body, and yours is just gorgeous in Koa (what ISN'T gorgeous in Koa?).
Your bass-playing life will never be the same. I, too, ran across a DEAL on a used one (I NEVER thought I'd have one, either), jumped on it, and never looked back. Best musical purchase I ever made, it really changed my life. Not many things you can say that about.
Vis-a-vis transitioning to the five-string: I got very tired of fours, as I was all over the neck, constantly jumping positions up and down the neck. The five allowed me to play across the fingerboard, and that was like turning on the lights for me. I could never go back.
J o e y