George:
I have Series basses with solid mahagony bodies and quilted maple tops with both Europa and standard Series bodies (like yours), so I am familiar with the tone of each. The Europa and standard Series basses sound very, very similar to each other, although I can't say that they are identical. The standard body bass weighs about 2 lbs more than the Europa Series bass, and one would expect that the extra mass would affect the tone by increasing sustain and the fundamental frequencies just a bit - which is exactly what I hear. The difference is quite subtle, and not audible in the context of a mix, be it live or in the studio. Even if I preferred the tone of the standard-bodied Series bass (and I don't think that I do), IMHO the significantly improved ergonomics afforded by the Europa body style are well worth it. The proof is in the playing - I find myself playing the Series Europa basses much more often than the standard Series basses.
My Series Europa basses have solid bodies. I have never encountered a hollow-bodied Europa, but I am sure that Alembic could build one if that were your preference. There is a noticable difference in tone between solid-bodied and hollow-bodied Series basses, and if the hollow body tone is what you prefer I would strongly recommend pursuing the hollow-bodied Europa option.
(Message edited by s_wood on July 24, 2006)
