Okay, good!
I'm a clean lines gapless kind of guy too. When I first got the ELA I was a little taken aback by it, it is such a departure from my beloved P+. Knowing what I know to be true I took some time and imagined myself as David as the ELA was born.
Around that time the boom of super clean, bottom firing, often engraved sexy tubes was just beginning. I can see David thinking "Uhhh, anybody can do that. I'll do something different!". Using his signature style as the basis, he *purposely* made something that is the antithesis of the Caravela, Paps, etc. and the klone boom resulting.
To me the ELA is at once beautiful and brutish, simple and maddeningly intricate, something to shine and fetish over then go work on your car with.
The knurling and bumps and little gaps grew on me as I began to understand that the ELA is a statement. An answer. Don't F with me.
Well said, snork... well said!!

