One thing I can add regarding comments from other musicians....At one church that I no longer play at, I started to ocassionally work in my Hanewinckel 6 string, usually just at rehearsal. The other musicians thought the idea of a 6 string bass was cool, but were quite clear and unanimous in their preference for the Mark King / Series II 5 string. Once I played the Hanewinckel at a service and immediately after the service one of the parishioners commented that the Alembic sounded much better. He basically said that he could hear the Hanewinckel, but he could feel the Alembic.
Peace,
James