I've just received my first Alembic, a 5 strings Essence.
After owning a lot of nice basses I've pulled the trigger on it not being sure of what to expect. I wanted something different, the price was good and I went for it.
Wow... is this thing considered an entry level? My head is spinning figuring out what a custom could be...
I'm really surprised and excited to say the least.
Will post some details and pics very soon...
It's just one number apart a stolen one reported here ... you could imagine how my heart skip a beat just before unveiling the last serial number digit!

Hi Michele, welcome to the world of Alembic basses.  Entry level is only applicable when you are comparing within the alembic range of instruments. However the build quality is exactly the same on all of their models regardless of price. You will be hard pushed to find another bass that comes close to what you get with an alembic.  Check the quote generator to scare yourself with some custom options. :-)    
 
http://www.alembicguitars.net/cgi-bin/quote/quote?model=Essence

I just received my first Alembic
It is very difficult to stop at just one
Welcome to the club.  
Play it healthy.  
I really have a fondness for the Essence body with 5 strings.  
The people in this forum will guide you through any question
you may come across.  
The Alembic Club is resource rich.

The addiction has started! Congratulations and welcome to the club!

Thanks guys!
In my 20+ years of bass playing I've owned some very nice instruments. I'm not rich plus I am a die hard one-axe kind of guy. That means sold one-buy another... I've done that for years.
I have been very fortunate as I've experienced among the others a couple of vintage Fenders, two Sadowskys, two Smiths, a Carl Thompson and more recently two Fodera. So you bet I'm not naive when it comes to nice handmade boutique instruments.. but.. man.. what's this thing? I LOVE IT.
It's soooooo different from everything I've ever played, I'm not even sure I can properly describe it with my poor english.
The first and biggest change is this totally new to me filter thing. That's genius! With just the pickup pan and the filter knob this thing is capable of many great and USABLE tones!
 
Here are some pics. For some reason I'm not able to post pictures here. If someone can, he's welcome to do it. Those are pictures from the previous owner:
 
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM8-9aDcuYJaH7WmdN_Kz2rS6vVLqANRogk-UAJv7LQBOVljq83PH9jZ8nT83BRbA?key=dVNpdGI3VDktYzZ5YklXS191dFlhX2N3M3RrRXRR

Michele, that's a beautiful bass you just got your hands on. Congratulations!
 
Greg

Michele ,  Congratulations on your new bass and welcome to our little corner of the internet web.
 
 Wolf

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome!
I'm not sure about what wood the top is, I'm between walnut and indian rosewood... While I'm waiting for the serial number to be decoded, anybody guess?

Pretty sure it's walnut. Very nice Essence, enjoy!
 
Wilfred

Oh man I can't believe to find this bass here I 've called the guy last Monday and told me that the bass was sold..........no hard feelings....Enjoy!!!!!!!!because it was a really good price!!!!

Here are the pics, very nice bass! Congrats and welome here :-)  

 

 

 

 

 

  Looks like Walnut indeed.

Very nice . Eccellente!

Welcome!  Nice wide-neck, five-string bass there!  I don't consider your bass entry level at all.  I bet it sounds great.  This club is the best place on the planet for all things Alembic, and not a friendlier forum/club around.  It has some of the most proficient players, fixers, and dreamers one would want to exchange ideas with. Stay a while.

@fc spoiler: Thanks for posting pics!
 
Speaking of the neck, maybe it could be considered wide related to other Alembics but it's a very comfortable neck! I guess it's the Comfort Alembic profile... the spacing at bridge is 17mm which makes it the narrowest and most comfortable I've ever had.
The stiffness and straightness of this neck is UNBELIEVABLE. Let me explain...
I'm a setup fanatic, totally. I setup my own instruments and I'm very picky about it. Well, I give you some numbers...
The Foderas I previously owned were the instruments that took the best setup in terms of neck straightness, low action and ease of playing. Well, that was before Alembic :-D
That's what I do:
Capo at first fret, press the B string at 24th frets. This makes the string a straightedge.
Measure the gap between bottom of the string and top of 8th fret: this is your neck relief and here for an extremely low action (a la Victor Wooten) Fodera suggest 0.010. That way you could obtain (if that's what you want) a string action of 1 mm (measured at 12th fret) and around 1.5 mm (measured at 24th fret). That's to say that a gap of 0.010 measured this way translate to a pretty straight neck with minimal relief. Under that value the Fodera was string buzz fest.
Now, wonder what neck relief value I found on the Essence? I had to double check because I didn't believe my eyes ... 0.002. And I didn't even had to work on it myself ... it came in this way!
Not buzz anywhere on the neck and a FANTASTIC feeling on the left hand.
 
(Message edited by michele on April 14, 2016)
 
(Message edited by michele on April 14, 2016)

Very nice bass, Michele.  
 
Congratulations & Compliments, and welcome to the Board.