I just wonder where you can get a new US made bass for $600?
But if I understand you Hal, your saying that if you can afford it, you should buy an Alembic bass?
I wholeheartedly agree, good advice.
I would also add that if you have only $200, and you find a cool used bass that grabs your fancy, that it's infinitely superior to spend that $200 on an entire bass, than whatever small portion of an Alembic you could get for the same money.
I have an Epic, a Europa, and a couple of $200 used basses. They all feed my soul and bring me great joy.
JBY