Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Showcase => Elan Basses => Topic started by: Tim Sarter (tsarter) on May 29, 2002, 10:50:06 PM

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: Tim Sarter (tsarter) on May 29, 2002, 10:50:06 PM

The bass on the right is a lovely custom Elan  5.  Body is slightly smaller than the Europa on left. Custom inset Dunlop strap locks, Coco bolo top, Elan Plus (europa) electronics - this one is  a fantastic example of this model!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/469.jpg)
[edited for picture alignment]
 
(Message edited by adriaan on August 30, 2010)

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on August 30, 2010, 08:55:24 AM

Welcome
 
 
Great looking 'fraternal twins' you have there

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: mario_farufyno on August 30, 2010, 04:15:27 PM

Thanks for sharing this beautifull Basses pic...

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: tsarter on August 30, 2010, 09:48:19 PM

Absolutely.  Those were both wonderful instruments.  Wish I still had them!

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: jazzyvee on September 05, 2010, 11:39:16 AM

Do you know who has them now?
 
Jazzyvee

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: vbob on January 09, 2011, 02:37:01 PM

The one on the right looks to have the same electronics setup my new used '91 four string fretless.
 
Is that the europa?

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: tmoney61092 on January 09, 2011, 04:36:45 PM

The one on the left is a Europa, the one on the right is an Elan with the Elan+ electronics which are the same as the Europa
 
~Taylor

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: tsarter on January 09, 2011, 07:00:52 PM

Interestingly enough, they both had very different tones despite having the same electronics and very similar tones.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: vbob on January 10, 2011, 03:02:17 PM

either way that's quite a set of bookends... Beautiful.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: David Houck on January 13, 2011, 07:46:45 PM

The one on the left has a Mahogany body and the one on the right has a Maple body; so my guess is that the one on the left is a little warmer, and the one on the right has more attack and more high end support.  Also, I can't recall seeing much discussion on this but it seems to me that because a five string has a more massive neck that a four string, that there may be a difference there as well, perhaps showing up here as a bit more sustain, and maybe even a touch more fundamental support, for the five string.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: tsarter on January 13, 2011, 11:00:38 PM

They are both fives though, Dave.  It was quite a while ago that I had those and I can't recall their tonal differences, but they were different for sure.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: David Houck on January 14, 2011, 06:35:49 PM

Tim; my visual acuity is obviously and substantially less than optimal!  What I was seeing is the difference between the custom taper on the left and the classic taper on the right.  I do try to keep the car between the lines on the highway.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: mica on January 14, 2011, 06:40:30 PM

Well there is a pretty substantial difference between the masses of the necks between those tow tapers. The classic taper will sound closer to a 4-string tone-wise since it's so much narrower.  
 
And of course the body woods on those two basses will certainly contribute to their differing sounds.

Title: '90 Custom Elan
Post by: jazzyvee on January 15, 2011, 06:16:33 AM

I find what you say there interesting Mica, I have an Maple europa/elan with sig electronics and the narrow taper and also a mahogany Europa with standard electronics and a wider neck taper. I would have expected the Elan based bass to have a much more powerful sound but in the time I've had both basses I'm seeing the  the reverse is the case and the standard Europa bass sounds much bigger fuller sound especially at the lower end. Maybe it is something to do with more wood in the bass or maybe just more mahogany. They are both fantastic basses though.
 
If I was allowed an extravagance I'd ask you to replace my bocate top for a lovely slice of Cocobolo, maybe keep a slice of the bocate in the sandwich for sentimental reasons. Out of curiousity only, is that possible?
jazzyvee