Info request: 89H5534

[bsee]

In particular, I am interested in the electronics config and scale length.
 
Thanks!

[bsee]

Hi - is any info available on this one?  I need to make a decision in the next 24 hours or so on it.
 
Thanks!

[valvil]

Here we go:
 
1989 4 string long scale Elan bass
Burl walnut top
maple body
maple neck
ebony fretboard
plastic oval inlays
gotoh tuners
Elan electronics P/J pickups
completed 8/11/89
Custom ordered by client
 
That's it
 
Valentino

[bsee]

Thanks Valentino, I appreciate it.  Is the profile of the Elan neck the same as any other members of the Alembic family, or is it a bit narrower as it seems to appear?
 
Club members:
This bass can be had for just under $1500.  Does that seem like a good deal for it?  I know I have been looking for a medium scale four, but maybe a long scale with enough of an upper horn will bring the lower frets close enough to me that it won't matter?  
 
Also, if anyone else is interested, let me know and I will hook you up with the seller if I decide not to buy it.
 
-Bob

[David Houck]

Well, I think the Burl Walnut is probably a big plus; and the combination of the Burl Walnut on a Maple body is probably quite attractive.  And the Elan body style is attractive as well.
 
I can't remember if the Elan electronics have two preamps or one.  If there is only one, then balancing the output of the P and J pickups might be a issue to consider.
 
I'm thinking $1,500 might be on the high end of the range, unless the Burl Walnut is really nice and the condition is excellent.  I don't know; recently it does seem that Alembics have been selling on Ebay at or exceeding the high end of the trading range.

[poor_nigel]

I paid $1,400 for a Macassar ebony topped Elan just like the one mentioned above from Bass NW, before I found the joys of eBay.  Since this was two years ago, inflation would make it $1,500 today.  Therefore, this would be considered a Bass NW price.  My opinion stops there.  
 
This is possibly a moot subject, since the type of bass Bob is looking for popped up on eBay.  I wish you good luck, Bob, and like all SC's of its type, it sure is a pretty little gem of a bass!  Brand new, too!  BTW - If I remember right, my Elan had about the same finger stretch as any of my other long-scale basses.  So, I doubt you would be interested in it.
 
Spelling and grammar are the bane of us math dogs!
 
(Message edited by poor_nigel on September 15, 2004)

[David Houck]

Yes, it would be nice if the discussion board software could be tied to a spellchecker.

[bsee]

Dave-
 
The top is very pretty, but the condition is claimed as only fair.  It certainly looks better than fair in the pics, so I will be asking for more detail.  I looked around on the club boards and it seems that Elan electronics typically do have two preamps.
 
Nigel-
 
Thanks for the info.  The guys with the 'new' SC want a lot closer to new bass money than used bass money, and I am not really willing to dive in that deep for a trial thing that I might dump a month or two later.  I checked with them off-line last time they had it up and they are looking for $500 more than where the last round of bidding peaked, so above market by definition.  I'd likely take a $1000 bath on the deal if it turns out that way since I wouldn't be selling as an unplayed instrument as a dealer.  That said, if it had abalone ovals and LEDs, I'd pay their price.  
 
As a side note, I have a dealer quote including delivery for a brand new SC deluxe with those features for only about $700 more than this dealer wants for this technically used bass without.  If they drop their price down to meet the market, I will buy the 'used' bass, otherwise I continue to wait.  
 
Meanwhile, I'll probably get better contact info and make it available to the club, or direct the seller to post here directly.  If anyone is looking for a long-scale Elan, then I think this is a beauty pending review of the condition.
 
-Bob

[poor_nigel]

Interesting.  I just ran Clarke Deluxe with Vermillion Body and Gold Plated hardware through the price generator and it popped up $7,400.  $3,500 seems a very good price for this unplayed, obviously constructed before the price hikes bass.  I wonder if they meant just Gold Plated Gotoh machine heads, which are standard and would lower the current retail to $6,500.  I cannot read the sheet well enough, and polished brass in pics like these looks just as gold plated does, except for usually the back brass plates, which this one looks like it has.  Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn't.  Sooner or later they will come down in price till someone wants it bad enough as it is.  Still a very pretty little bass!

[bsee]

That's correct - it's brass hardware, which I confirmed when this was offered last month.