Not sure if he ever visits the forum but, if he does, i'd like to wish him a fantastic birthday, and thanks for his influence on my taste in music and basses. I guess for you guys it's still 29th but here it's already 30th.
No doubt i will send some alembic bass vibes in celebration. 
Have a great day Stanley.

Yes he is still the man. He has an unique sound that I never heard anyone else capture on an Alembic, even with the same series 1 bass. I wonder how he did that (besides his playing technique of course)? Anyone an idea how he got that special signature sound? What is it exactly?

Quote from: Barend on July 01, 2026, 01:11:44 AMYes he is still the man. He has an unique sound that I never heard anyone else capture on an Alembic, even with the same series 1 bass. I wonder how he did that (besides his playing technique of course)? Anyone an idea how he got that special signature sound? What is it exactly?

I believe from Romantic Warrior onward, Stanley was tuning his bass to tenor. He would have one in standard tuning and another in tenor. You can hear it on the record. So one bass EADG and another ADGC. Over the years he's also run his bass through an F-2b and an F-1X before hitting his amp. There's an old rig rundown on Youtube if you're fascinated. Its pretty outdated though, but still cool to see.

Quote from: NolTaylorBassplayer on July 04, 2026, 08:18:46 AM

Quote from: Barend on July 01, 2026, 01:11:44 AMYes he is still the man. He has an unique sound that I never heard anyone else capture on an Alembic, even with the same series 1 bass. I wonder how he did that (besides his playing technique of course)? Anyone an idea how he got that special signature sound? What is it exactly?

I believe from Romantic Warrior onward, Stanley was tuning his bass to tenor. He would have one in standard tuning and another in tenor. You can hear it on the record. So one bass EADG and another ADGC. Over the years he's also run his bass through an F-2b and an F-1X before hitting his amp. There's an old rig rundown on Youtube if you're fascinated. Its pretty outdated though, but still cool to see.

Yes I know he is tuning in tenor about 50% of the time. I do that myself also for many yearts.

But that's not really what makes his sound. It's a certain honkyness and hollowness (for lack of better words) that I hear in his sound that I haven't heard from another (Alembic) player. I just wonder what settings he is using on his series 1 basses. How he sets the Q switches and filter knobs and the pickup balance and how he is using the stereo option? I think that has more to do with that and his technique/hands than the F-2b and F-1X. The F-1X only started in 1990 so that can't be it cause he always had that sound, way before that. Or maybe the short scale also has something to do with it?

Is this the tone you mean it's one he uses often in solo's or melodies. I love this tone.

I came by Stanley from an entirely different direction. I was aware of Alembic, but there was no neural pathway from that Stanley Clarke to The Rite Of Strings record with Al DiMeola and Jean-Luc Ponty. Stan supposedly played upright on thst record but it was so processed that it could have been anything. I was amazed more by what he played. I was spending a lot of my time driving back then. And listening to music thst I did not play was a welcome respite. I still put that CD in hit play and walk off. 

Quote from: jazzyvee on July 04, 2026, 02:49:50 PMIs this the tone you mean it's one he uses often in solo's or melodies. I love this tone.

Yes that a bit of the honky tone that I mean. Although it is slightly more overdriven than what he usually has. Any ideas about the exact setting that he uses? Pickup balance and filter and Q settings?

Double post

This the sound I mean. At  5:29 he is fiddling the knobs and gets that hollow/nasal sound. Any idea hor he sets the filter and Q and the pickup balance?

That is my favourite version of School Days, solo and tone for the solo.
I have found a close approximation of that tone but it does take fine tuning as well.
I think you have a bass with two filters and separate pickup volumes yes?

 Start with the bridge pickup. Set the Q fully on and the filter closed and just play some of the notes then just really in small increments start to open the filter, you will get to a sweet spot point (around 1/4 turn of the knob), where that sound starts to exist and can be finely tuned and by careful playing near the bridge, you can get a good approximation. You may need to add some of the neck pickup in the same way to add some body to the tone if needed, but it does start to disappear if you have too much of the neck pickup in the mix.
Stanley is always fine tuning his tone during play so you will be in good company

I have also managed to get a close approximation of that tone on my signature bass (With Anniversary Electronics) and since it now has a Fat Boy in it, that sound is stronger.
I think in your video he is using a tenor tuning which may help make the effect stronger/easier to get.

Quote from: jazzyvee on Today at 12:56:46 AMThat is my favourite version of School Days, solo and tone for the solo.
I have found a close approximation of that tone but it does take fine tuning as well.
I think you have a bass with two filters and separate pickup volumes yes?

 Start with the bridge pickup. Set the Q fully on and the filter closed and just play some of the notes then just really in small increments start to open the filter, you will get to a sweet spot point (around 1/4 turn of the knob), where that sound starts to exist and can be finely tuned and by careful playing near the bridge, you can get a good approximation. You may need to add some of the neck pickup in the same way to add some body to the tone if needed, but it does start to disappear if you have too much of the neck pickup in the mix.
Stanley is always fine tuning his tone during play so you will be in good company

I have also managed to get a close approximation of that tone on my signature bass (With Anniversary Electronics) and since it now has a Fat Boy in it, that sound is stronger.
I think in your video he is using a tenor tuning which may help make the effect stronger/easier to get.

Thanks. I have an EvH Signature (has a two three way Q switches and two filters and two volumes) which is in tenor tuning and I have Spoiler (also with three way Q switch and one filter and pickup balance). Both are medium scale. The way you describe it is the way I normally find my tone. Favoring the bridge pickup and dialing back the filter completely and bring it up until I have the right balance and between brightness and darkness, then adding a bit of neck pickup if needed. But even with the most extreme Q switch setting neither one does give me that exact nasally/hollow SC tone. Think I need a series 1 for that? Also a short scale contributes to that sound I think? 

Other things to consider - if you're using nickles, switch to steels, and try the neck pickup soloed into a guitar amp. And don't be gentle on the strings.

Quote from: Barend on Today at 06:49:41 AM

Quote from: jazzyvee on Today at 12:56:46 AMThat is my favourite version of School Days, solo and tone for the solo.
I have found a close approximation of that tone but it does take fine tuning as well.
I think you have a bass with two filters and separate pickup volumes yes?

 Start with the bridge pickup. Set the Q fully on and the filter closed and just play some of the notes then just really in small increments start to open the filter, you will get to a sweet spot point (around 1/4 turn of the knob), where that sound starts to exist and can be finely tuned and by careful playing near the bridge, you can get a good approximation. You may need to add some of the neck pickup in the same way to add some body to the tone if needed, but it does start to disappear if you have too much of the neck pickup in the mix.
Stanley is always fine tuning his tone during play so you will be in good company

I have also managed to get a close approximation of that tone on my signature bass (With Anniversary Electronics) and since it now has a Fat Boy in it, that sound is stronger.
I think in your video he is using a tenor tuning which may help make the effect stronger/easier to get.

Thanks. I have an EvH Signature (has a two three way Q switches and two filters and two volumes) which is in tenor tuning and I have Spoiler (also with three way Q switch and one filter and pickup balance). Both are medium scale. The way you describe it is the way I normally find my tone. Favoring the bridge pickup and dialing back the filter completely and bring it up until I have the right balance bet and pickup between brightness and darkness, then adding a bit of neck pickup if needed. But even with the most extreme Q switch setting neither one does give me that exact nasally/hollow SC tone. Think I need a series 1 for that? Also a short scale contributes to that sound I think? 

By nature, i'm a low frequency kind of bass player so my sound is geared more towards the neck pickup and the bridge is added as required. But being a Stanley Clarke fan boy I have done quite a few gigs where we have covered some of his tracks so I do get to open up the filters more. 
A series bass will get you closer to that sound but without his fingers we can all get a close approximation of that tone. I have used his tracks over the years to learn how to use the filters and find sounds that work for me. Enjoy your journey. 👍🏾

Quote from: adriaan on Today at 07:36:32 AMOther things to consider - if you're using nickles, switch to steels, and try the neck pickup soloed into a guitar amp. And don't be gentle on the strings.

Thanks. Will try the neck pickup in a guitar amp.
I don't think that honkey/hollow sound has to do with the strings. I think it has for the largest part to do with the exact frequencies of the filters and the Q switches.

I agree with you both that you have to have a low action and hard attack and maybe a short scale to get in the Stanley zone. But that has not much to do with the hollow sound.

Experimenting this week also with piccolo strings on another bass. But since I also play guitar a lot I prefer tenor tuning. Piccolo takes you away from bass and is more guitar like than bass like. But still fun to do and nice for recordings and solo pieces.