Well, the talk gets technical around here from time to time because we have a lot of investors. Everyone who buys, or thinks of buying, an Alembic puts a significant amount of their money out to do so. Now, if you're looking at a used $1000 Spoiler (well, maybe $1500 these days), you will get what you pay for and there aren't a lot of choices. On the other hand, if you're looking at a custom built instrument that will cost you between five and fifteen thousand dollars, you kind of want to make the right choices. As great as Alembic instruments are, the original owner who decides to sell will take quite a financial hit. It is not unusual for the loss to be about a third of the original cost. That's a lot of money and time to throw away if the instrument you ordered isn't what you expected. Is it any surprise that people who are thinking about putting $10K of their money down for something want to understand what they are getting and order the right options?
As far as the this great player used a piece of limp vermicelli strung between two popsicle sticks arguments that show up from time to time, I'm not sure they apply. In my reality, an instrument is a tool. Some tools are great for one thing and suck for anything else, other tools can be used for a wide variety of jobs. Alembics, to me, can do just about anything, but try creating a signature Ric sound with a P-Bass or vice versa. When a player is put together with a compatible instrument, you get something great. Some instruments also have an inspiration factor that impacts what comes out. Would someone like Jaco have written the things he did on a pristine Alembic? Maybe not, but whatever came out would probably still have been memorable. I highly suspect that if Alembics were as common and affordable as the Fender, Hofner and Ric were in the 60s, that at least a few of the great players people point to in these comparisons would have been playing them. Many of those guys have looked beyond their original instruments in the years since they made it.
Is a guy who plays continuous 16th notes with a pick going to care about sustain? Probably attack will be more important. If you're playing ballads and occasionally need to let a note ring for two or three measures, maximizing sustain might be more important to you. Maximizing sustain is also more than just that. The same features that improve sustain often also provide a stronger fundamental and better bass response on short duration notes. There are dozens of other characteristics that have to be balanced as well.
In short, those instruments worked for what those players wanted to do. Some of what they played may even have been a result of the limitations of those instruments. The reality is that every player and situation has its own dynamics, and choice of instrument is a very personal thing.
That's all kind of hazy, but one thing is clear. I get more compliments on my bass tone with an Alembic than I ever did playing Modulus, Ibanez or Spector. I doubt I'm the only one around here in that situation.
-bob
