If you're looking for a maple-bodied Alembic, this is the only model. There aren't many out there, so demand can easily force the price up. Electronics are nothing special compared to a Spoiler or Essence and probably a step down from a Distillate or Europa.
For this particular bass, it looks to be in pretty good shape and has the 7-piece neck with plenty of purpleheart in there. If this is the bass you're lusting after, then you have to pay the price or wait another year until you see a similar instrument appear on sale. If you don't care about the maple core and are just looking for a nice playable Alembic, you might be able to get more for that money in a Rogue or Europa. You also might see an older Persuader or Spoiler five go by for under $2K. I think I sold my Persuader five last year for $1400. There's an Epic five on ebay now that might not make it that high (though I can't get comfortable on an Epic at all).
You have to be careful about string spacing as well. The Elan looks like it has the old standard spacing or something close to it. Many of the newer models have the comfort taper which feels pretty different, and is very wide in a five or six. Know what you're looking for and what you're looking at before you buy.
If you bid $2500, you probably won't be outbid. It's probably a decent deal at $2K and a very good deal at $1800. At $2575 shipped, you're probably not going to get your money back if you sell it. If you're not going to sell it, though, and it's the bass you want to play for the next ten years or more, the extra money doesn't mean much. I have let a couple instruments go because I wasn't willing to pony up another hundred or two over what I decided they were worth. I have almost universally regretted it.
