Alembic Europa 4...market value?

[hiperi0n]

hello all..first post here in alembic club..i introduce myself i'm Marco from Rome Italy...
then the question...a guy offered me an Alembic Europa 4 for a trade..and i would like to know the approx value of that bass .
I try to give you more info on the bass :
 
Canadian maple body
Cocobolo Top
maple neck 3 parts
Ebony fingerboard
Abalone dots
pickup MXY4 , Pj configuration
electronic Vol , Pan , low-pass filter with q-switch
year 1989
 
some suggestion on price it can value? if i should get it would be my first alembic..so i'm quite sure i would love it..but if the love not happen i want to know for how much i can resell it...thanx a lot to anyone help  
 
(Message edited by Hiperi0n on October 15, 2007)

[adriaan]

Welcome to the Club!
 
As the bass has a maple body, a 3-piece maple neck, and PJ pickups, it's probably an Elan model. A regular Europa would have a mahogany body, a maple neck with 2 purpleheart neck laminates, and 2 MXY4 pickups (soapbar type) with added bass and treble switches. The body style is also slightly different - the Europa's horns are 'sharper'. The Europa has replaced the Elan in the standard line-up, but you can still custom-order an Elan.
 
Ask for the serial number: if it's xxHxxxx then it's an Elan, if xxUxxxx then it's a Europa. The two numbers before the letter are the year when the instrument was built, the numbers after the letter tell you it was the xxxx-th Alembic instrument ever built (give or take a few).
 
As to the value ... probably between 1500 and 2000 euros, more if it's in good shape. Age doesn't really matter, and if you want to sell it later you should get roughly the same amount for it.
 
(Message edited by adriaan on October 15, 2007)

[hiperi0n]

thanx a lot Adriaan...i will ask the seller to give me the serial number..and also some pictures..so i can post them here..
let you know

[FC Bass]

Must indeed be an Elan.
I've paid E 1400 for my Elan, a month later another (almost identical) sold on Ebay for E 994

Click here
 
I think +/- E 1400 is a fair price if the bass is in good shape

[FC Bass]

There are two for sale in Italy: Click here

[hiperi0n]

will see what the seller says...it said me it was an europa....i asked him for pics and serial numbers...
the seller anyway it's not anyone in the website you passed me...will wait
if it's an Elan it's not a fair trade for me..i talk about value..for sure they plays great...
keep u updated  and thanx for the help
 
(Message edited by Hiperi0n on October 15, 2007)

[FC Bass]

Here you can see the subtle differences between the model outlines:  Elan Body and headstock:  



  Europa body and headstock:  

[the_8_string_king]

Elans have 3 or 4 controls.  The very early Elans have only 3 knobs... I believe they are individual volumes and a single low-pass filter; but most (later) Elans have a single/master volume, a pan/balance/blend control, a low pass filter, and a 2-position Q switch.
 
Europas have two additional TOGGLE switches (for a total of 6 controls): these are 3 position bass & treble boost/cut switches -which boost or cut each frequency by 6-dbs.
 
So an Elan will have either 3 or 4 (more often, 4) controls, while a Europa will have 6.
 
(Message edited by the 8 string king on October 15, 2007)