All,
Read this thread with great interest. I own a Spyder and a Europa, so I think my perspective runs the gamut. On the Spyder, the low F is the only note that is difficult for me to reach (I'm 5' 8 tall). I will say that you really have to reach way out on the neck, though - my arm is damn near fully extended to get to the lower registers. Like everyone else here, though, the tones are truly worth it. I have noticed that I tend to have the bass itself extending at about a 30 degree angle away from my body when playing it - thing this is due more the body shape than anything else. And the Spyder is heavy. Real heavy. But for some reason, it doesn't really bother me. Must be due to my years of walking around in the woods with a rucksack! A wide Alembic strap helps as well. I imagine Mike and Oliver can comment more comprehensively on the Spyder, though - they've gigged with theirs more often (particularly Mike).
My Europa, on the other hand, is more comfortable to play. The weight is just about right for me, and the tones, well, nothing short of amazing. I have no problems reaching anything on the neck. I bought it because I wanted the Alembic sound and quality in a Jazz Bass-style package, and the Europa was pretty close body-style and playability-wise. I thought about an Orion (which is basically a set-neck Europa), but I really liked the idea of a neck-through design, and the electronics (if you've never had the opportunity to mess with the quick tone change switches, do so at your earliest opportunity). Superbass Steve made it possible, and it's just a beautiful instrument.
Regards,
Alan
