What do you all think about this Elan?

[ampeglb100]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16222&item=7323957532&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
 
What if you could get this for the starting price, is it a good deal?  He sent a bunch of pix and it looks pretty nice...  Isn't the standard Elan like a P-J config?  Would a Europa blow this thing away for a another $1000 or so used?  I want to get an Alembic, but can't just go all out all at once, so...  And I need a long horned, better balanced model.  
 
Thanks,
 
Andy

[David Houck]

Andy; I'm guessing that the older Elans had the P-J pickups, but the newer ones had the AXY's starting around '90 or so.  I may be wrong about that, but there are a number of Elans in our Showcase section that do not have P-J setups.  This particular bass will have a distinct sound because it's all Maple.  I have an all Maple Essence that I think has a very nice sound.
 
A Europa is going to have the bass and treble boost/cut switches, and thus will be more flexible tonally.  Also, Europa's have Purpleheart neck laminates which add sustain and fundamental.
 
This listing has been up for a while.  The price is a bit on the high side, but not unreasonable.  Recently prices on used Alembics have moved up.  With the inlays and Q switch, this is probably a little more desirable than an Essence; and for balance it's probably more desirable than a Spoiler.  So given that, and considering what Essence basses have sold for recently, the price is not unreasonable.

[dwmark]

Andy:  I will be posting an Elan 4 on the site in the near future.  It's from 1994.  Great bass but it's got a few dings AND was owned by a smoker.  Price will be below the ebay posting but I haven't figured out what I'm looking for.  Let me get the build info so we know what we're dealing with and some pictures to show the body condition.

[lbpesq]

David:
 
I'm curious as to what difference it makes if an instrument was previously owned by a smoker?  Certainly if it is full of cigarette burns, or the case has been used as an ashtray I can understand, but absent that, what difference does it make?  I've never experienced a guitar smelling like the previous owner or their habits.  If such was the case I have guitars that, based on educated guesses about previous owners, would no doubt drive every drug sniffing dog crazy west of the Mississippi!
 
Bill, tgo

[dwmark]

And I have a cat and it doesn't bother her.  I made the statement in the spirit of full disclosure and without intending to offend any smokers (whatever they are smoking).  But, I always see non-smoker in ebay listings for equipment and thought it mattered to someone.  In this case, the case smells like it was owned by a smoker (it's one of those hard/soft ones).  The guitar smells like an alembic.  Which gives me the chance to ask the question that's been on my mind since the first time I had my hands on one--is it just me or does anyone else think that these things smell different than other basses?

[drjenney]

Audiophiles often post whether or not their equipment was used in a smoke free home. The residue left by cigarette smoke tends to coat and gum up precision electronic components. In this case though, its only a couple of surfaces inside the pots (well shielded inside the bass) and the  1/4 input jack (easily cleaned). So I doubt it makes any difference.

[adriaan]

My Spoiler must have been pre-owned by a smoker. The smell has gone off the bass over the past few months as it has hung on a wall in our living room, but before that I kept it in its case and it was pretty smelly each time I took it out.

[Bradley Young]

The finish will pick up the smoke, too.
 
I lived in an apartment (previously occupied by a heavy smoker), and when the shower steamed up the bathroom, the door would sweat brown goo.
 
I probably wouldn't buy an instrument I thought had been around heavy smoke, unless I was getting a great deal.
 
This isn't meant as an indictment against smokers, just my two cents, in my humble opinion, etc.
 
Brad

[dwmark]

I'm going to put up the Elan soon anyway.  I think it's the case that smells.  Not the bass.  Bathroom door not included.  I'm about to post for the build information.  If you are interested, look for the reply.
 
dw

[jlpicard]

when I get a used bass I always take it apart and do a complete detailing before I call it mine and consider it gig worthy. I have purchased three used Alembics over the years and with the exception of one ( the Elan 6 ), I am amazed at how little care the previous owners gave to such wonderful instruments. Perhaps that's why they get sold: as the previous owners start to fall out of love with the bass, they probably tend to take less and less care of it?
  Never had an Alembic smell smokey, But I did get a Distillate from Boston that had a case which smelled of mildew. After a can of Lysol and just a good airing out, it was back to normal. Must be the humidity back east because the tailpiece on this bass had this black discoloration that looked like mold that somehow got UNDER the clear coat. The only way that I got it off was with the little wire wheel on my Dremel tool. Then again the whole bass looks like it was dropped on it's side ( dent in side of body )or used as a defensive/agressive weapon in a couple of bar brawls! Good thing Alembic over builds them! After the clean up, It was perfectly playable! Even though it was scratched, dented, chipped, finish checked and tarnished, I managed to get what was left of the finish to shine! ( See 86'lefty Distillate in coco in the Showcase ) Oh yes, back to the subject, I think the Elan will be a very nice bass, but all maple construction is going to give it quite a ZING! in the high end. Mike

[jacko]

A couple of smoke related stories - My first 'proper' speaker cabinet was an old carlsbro bin that had spent it's former life as the PA in a working mans club. It absolutely stank. Tried scrubbing it with disinfectant, spraying with airfreshener, rubbing it with aftershave etc. Nothing would get rid of the smell of smoke. My parents made me keep it in the garden shed so the speaker cone eventually got too soggy to move.
- When I bought my first house, the previous owner had been a smoker so all the surfaces - walls, ceilings took alot of effort to clean. the funniest thing though was in the bathroom. He'd obviously spent alot of time in there reading his paper and enjoying a quick smoke as when we put the toilet seat cover down there was a perfectly white egg shape on the otherwise yellowing cistern
 
graeme

[David Houck]

Things to try on that case:
Coffee grounds, baking soda, leaving it open for a very long time.