Hi Toby, yes mine is the purple Elan, I just got back from the gig and it sounded great. Very crisp and meaty with plenty of clarity. Playing it at home through the same rig bears no resemblence whatsoever to the wonderful sound I got at the gig tonight. The sound was much clearer and although it didn't sound as bass heavy  at the gig it was still very heavy. Enough low end to make the windows rattle, even at moderate volume.
 
I'm very happy with the sound of the bass live now that I've taken it out I just need to find my own sound with it. I tried some reggae numbers on it and it sounds fine. I like the fact I can get a deep bassy tone and still get a crisp attack to the note.
 
Jazzyvee

 
 
(Message edited by jazzyvee on September 16, 2010)

A variation on the theme. My Elan/Europa/Signature
 
Jazzyvee
 
[moderator's edit to activate the hyperlink]
 
(Message edited by adriaan on September 16, 2010)

Wow, that gold hardware matches so nice with that green tint...

Reminds me of the Green Ranger from Power Rangers when I was a kid :-)
 
~Taylor

You can find a very similar beauty, only in a 4 sting version in the thread below.  
 
http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/411/58550.html?1249617101

Before I went with the green, that 'peanut brittle' tinted- clear was my original choice.
 
J o e y

It is beautiful-I asked Mica for something more 'honey' than the traditional amber tint they use and they nailed it.  
 
Absolutely gorgeous in person.

So, three years later, here's a progress report:
 
First, I don't know if this thing is this way because of all the white wood involved, or the Activators, or what, but . . . . This thing absolutely has the best low C's and D's I ever heard in terms of their tone.  You can easily hear that third or fourth order harmonic (it sounds like a steady grind) even with old strings.  
 
Second, every thing you've read about a the difference in gain between the P Activators and the J Activator in this layout is true.  I REALLY have to crank the pot for the J and back the P pot down quite a bit to get a reasonable blend where the P does not overwhelm the mix.
 
Third, along those lines, IF I made another one, I would move the J one space away from the bridge (in other words, about the width of the pickup shell) and I would see if Ron could modify the Signature electronics to even out the difference in the relative outputs.
 
Fourth, as is the case with the BigRedBass, set-up wise it is extremely stable.  It moves very slowly in the neck (several days for the truss rod adjustments to really show, a frustratingly great thing), then stays there.  When I first got it, it did finish drying out and being a bit skittish, but that's passed now.  Like the BRB, I keep the same set of strings (D'Ad stainless, 45-130) every time, so I check the set-up occasionally with the feeler guages and the relief never changes.  Amazing.  It's also deathly quiet, electronically, as I expected.
 
And lastly, I was pleased that it did not turn out to be TOO bright.  While I was after a Fender-ish wood recipe, the idea of all that white wood with an ebony fingerboard (and stainless strings) did have me occasionally second guess myself that I was buying a clavinet.
In looking back over the last three years, it once agin proved a phenomenon I found in other instruments:  You can always (especially with filters) tone down a bright instrument:  I've found it virtually impossible to brighten up a dull one.  So that part did not turn out to be the case, and I can go from in your face highs to organ pedal thud with just a few turns of a knob and switch.
 
I can tell you to NEVER under-estimate the sympatico that Susan and Mica have interms of getting the idea in your head translated into their hardware.  I always think this is much THEIR axe as it is mine.
 
So, the $64,000 Question:
 
Would I buy another one?
 
(With the minor electronic change I mentioned just to see if I'm right, and a 3+2 head to tell them apart)
 
You Bet ! !
 
J o e y

As much as I admire the various woods ALEMBIC uses, ultimately they just look . . . brown to me. Music is supposed to be colorful, so there I went. NICE axe. (quote BRB)
 
I've always been a fan of the various sun bursts for that reason but; I wouldn't have thought of the green in a million years for sure. Now that I've seen it I'm moved. Terrific!

that is very striking... Green? Yeah!

Beautiful Bass!!!!! Great color!!!!

Used AnI love this bass.Its my bass on steroids!I've an Elan myself,and have been thinking of a Bob NovyRogue body,but after reading through this thread,I'll probably stick w/the Elan body.And by the way, I love that you used those knobs!Brilliant! It's the small things that make all the difference.

Thanks, Karl.  Those big knobs just say 'Alembic' to me, so I had to have them.  
 
Saw your red Elan (Gorgeous!) on your profile page, and IF you have an Elan 5 built, be SURE and have them put the J Activator a little away from the bridge, as it is on your red one.
 
Interesting that this month's featured custom is in Ash, like mine.  A very overlooked choice if you're picking among the 'white' woods.  I just love that big swirly grain stripe look.
 
J o e y

Thanks for the tip Joey,I was thinking the same about the pup placement.Agreed about ash ,a fine wood.Its I will be using.I have better pics of my Elan (w/out the funny looking Bozo in them) in the showcase.They did a spectacular job on the red (of course).                                                                                                                 Karl