You need to verify the rotor and or/stator did not short out. You can test for this with the alternator on the car. Whether on or off the car, the procedure is outlined in the shop manual. The brushes usually wear out before anything else fails. But still you need to check.
If you find the slip rings worn excessively, then you may as well replace the alternator because the alternative is to replace the rotor. This is expensive. I will tell you one thing about rebuilds: the slip rings came surface hardened from the factory. When the rebuilders cut them, the remove this hardening and often, the slip rings wear out faster. More important, however, when the slip rings wear at an accelerated rate, the resulting build-up and dust accumulates on the brushes and can create a short from the (+) brush to the alternator case. If this happens, you will burn up this wire straight back in the harness. I long ago put an inline fuse in the power wire to the brush right off the alternator. If anything like this happens, the fuse will blow.
Mitch
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Rebuilding an alternator is fairly simple.