SC, CA, QA and QEA denote the classes of Pinter's substitution algebras, Tarski's cylindric algebras, Halmos' quasi-polyadic algebras and quasi-polyadic equality algebras, respectively. Let omega <= alpha < beta and let K is an element of {SC, CA, QA, QEA}. We show that the class of alpha-dimensional neat reducts of algebras in K-beta is not elementary. This solves a problem in [3]. Also our result generalizes results proved in [2] and [3]. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.