https://reverb.com/uk/item/40363013-alembic-clb4-custom-bass-jazz-style-2004-natural-walnut-ash

yeah i saw that - awesome bass - interesting to see a clunky f@nder jazz body done up up alembic style.  ash core to boot.  that's over on your side of the pond innit?

Looks like a big price

Cool "hybrid" for the right person (not me). You don't see very many Alembics with dot inlays.

QuoteLooks like a big price

well that goes without saying.  i'm all for getting all ya can when ya sell something.  cool bass, but it's gonna ride the bench for a long time at that price.  IMHO, of course, YMMV, past performance is no guarantee of future results, etc & so forth.

this dislodged a past rant from my last instrument buying foray, so i went through my reverb watch list (the only things i watch are alembic basses.  i haven't totally convinced myself that there isn't room for just one more bass at the palatial BeenDown estate).  the live listings section is cluttered with optimistically high priced instruments that have been there months and months and months.  multiple offers.  no sale.  the ended listings section is populated with items that were reasonably priced.  i'm just sayin'.

gotta pull up that "price vs. value" speech i got the last time i was at the used car lot.  in the meantime, back to the salt mines.  demand is high these days for some reason.  :-(

I kinda think Reverb is driving the instrument price hikes all across the board for everyone.

I highly suspect the reason for the round dots is likely they were an after market addition by Martin Simms. The switch between the bridge and knobs is not a standard alembic switch.