I want to apologize, because I may have committed a disservice to you by bringing up another musician. You are unique, and I regret inadvertently implying comparison..
I had the honor of playing with Nokie Edwards of the Ventures, because the Foghorn and I went to a restaurant where he and his friends had been meeting since the 70s to have breakfast and play guitars. So we got to know each other over waffles and hash browns.
It was like a musical cocoon. Just to be there was an honor, because he has to endure the fame. The collectors, who happen to show up with stacks of albums for him to autograph. Or lunkheads bringing up other musicians and peppering him with questions about equipment. (Ahem.)
And that's not who he is at all. Nokie Edwards is plugged into the same place As Mozart and Django and Holdsworth.
And you.
Mark Twain said that the curse of fame is having complete strangers stop you and tell you what they think of you.
The only reason I dragged Stanley Clarke into this is because I use this for my upright:
You can use all the outs at once (though I can't imagine why anyone would want to). The mute button is a godsend, especially with the way I play
This thing is idiot proof, and I am both. I have it mounted on a mic stand exactly 42 inches to my left. Done. No more turning around to twiddle. Like you said, after that it's all in the hands.
They stopped making them a long time ago, though. So finding something that will do the same thing - simply - for the Alembic is just my gear addiction talking. I'm afraid it's a symptom of the poor impulse control that comes with playing such a bombastic instrument.
I regret doing that guitar geek thing to you, especially here. I'll try to keep it under control.