Thanks.
I took the fret less plunge 3 years ago with a Rob Allen 4-string "acoustic" with lined fingerboard. It's worked out real well, but it's a 4-string and not an Alembic, so I decided to keep an eye out for a SII 5-string with lined fingerboard. I just happened to see this post and it's exactly what I was looking for.
My advice is do not be deterred by lack of frets - lined fingerboards allow us mortals to successfully navigate those waters with relative ease.
Without lines...well, at least for me, it would be a bit daunting.
