Just bought this essence floating on ebay germany - its been spotted there previously back in 2005, see picture here: http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/395/23354.html. The flame figure does indeed look like that  picture, might just pass as a koa top. Sold, however, as flame maple.

Those woods have really different colours, it's hard to mistake one for the other: koa is kind of an orangy brown, maple is yellow.
 
The picture on the other thread was posted by Dave Houck, who said he adjusted it - presumably to bring out the flame figuring, but probably darkening the colour in the process. That one looks like maple to me.
 
(Message edited by adriaan on August 05, 2008)

Hi Claas,
 
The bass is in fact a Flame Maple top. Here's the complete details:
 
top: Flame Maple
accent: Walnut pinstripe
body: Maple
through-body neck: 3-piece Maple, 34 long scale
fingerboard: Ebony
birthday: July 21, 1992
originally made for: Mesa Boogie Germany
 
It was previously registered to an owner in Bavaria.