7k-20k$US for a new bass?!?!
Why so expensive?
Lots of reasons. You might want to check out the history and achievements of Alembic. They have a history of innovation and it could be argued that they moved the electric bass from a modified guitar to an instrument in its own right. The brand mystique and the popular opinion that Alembic made (makes?) the best "production" bass guitars in the world certainly contribute to what people will pay. You have exotic woods, custom electronics and better than average quality control. If the concept of a "luxury brand" makes sense to basses Alembic is it.
The other point is "expensive". While there are many players that would have to save up for years to get that price, there are a lot of players who have been making six figures (US) for a decade or so (usually not by playing bass professionally) and those people can easily afford a $10K instrument if that is how they choose to spend their money.