Scale length, magnetic strength (or weakness), and number of pickups have more to do with sustain IMO than neck joint construction. A 24 3/4" scale length Gibson LP Custom with 3 PAFs usually loses the sustain battle to a 25.5" bolt-on Tele. The gain knob on an amp is also a great equalizer/sustain maker. Supposedly neck thru is the best, so why is there even any other construction type? Well, I'm guessing because bolt-ons sustain well enough. The 17 guitars arguement isn't valid with me simply because you're a mortal that has a job, girlfriend and sleeps atleast 6 hours a day. When we see walls of guitars owned by Tom Petty, Slash, Clapton, Paul Gilbert, C.C. DeVille, John 5, et al, for those to merely be playable, they've got to have a guy in there 2 to 3 times a week just to keep them playable and ready. I know all of those guys can do maintenance and strings changes, but they don't because they don't have to. They'd rather play them.
And....details are cool and great fodder for forums, but these guitars made out of wood are constantly proving us wrong all the time. Electric guitars with great acoustic qualities that sound dead amplified, bright mahogany?, warm maple?, heavy basswood?