He have me two reasons, and I suspect a third:
1. Slightly more flex means better, more forgiving ride
2. The wide internal rim width helps spread load so “these days”, 36 is overkill.
3. He didn’t say but my research has indicated that it is pretty tough finding 36h rims.
I think the difference in ride will be almost impossible to detect. Tires will play a bigger part in ride quality.
None of us knows how to true wheels - a fact that came to light when I read your earlier post. It’s on our to-do list. The bike is largely stock, but i did consider the dynohub. When I inventoried my battery powered stuff, I saw its virtue but I’m not sure if this tour, although long, isn’t a one-off, so I am trying to save money where the cost to me is inconvenience eg charging. The cost to get bike tour gear is surprising - it means it’ll be a long time until my wife lets me campaign to get the bike stuff I’ve been dreaming of for other bikes.... I should have started younger!
I have a Long Haul Trucker with the stock machine made rims. When I got the bike, I had the rims de-tensioned and re-tensioned by hand. They have remained in true since, despite being used for fully loaded tours and commuting. The only issue I had was hitting a block of concrete at about 40 MPH downhill. I didn't wreck, but noticed later my front brake pulsed. The rim was bulged out where it hit the block. I was able to get the rim hack into shape using a hammer and a small block of steel, the way you would pound out a dent in body work. Interestingly, once I got the dent out of the rim, the rim was still in true, and still is. That was 2015. I bought the bike in 2011. The bike has 36 hole rims.
If you want the most bulletproof rims that be less likely to need truing very often, get 36 hole rims. Overkill? I wouldn't say so, but, if it is, better overkill than slightly wounded.