I realized that my post basically repeated Jazzy's content, so I removed it. Sorry...

No need to apologise, i'm sure many of us have done the same thing. Just consider it an affirmation :-) 👍🏽

Quote from: jazzyvee on July 15, 2026, 11:56:10 PMI vagely recall a conversation on the forum that mentioned the Q switches on Stanley's basses have a higher boost setting. Which would make sense since my long scale series II can get more of that honk/hollow tone with the q knob set at a high settings

Interesting. Anyone from Alembic who can confirm that? Would be nice to know what higher boost settings are.

Stanley's Q-switches are not custom. 

Quote from: mica on Yesterday at 09:43:53 AMStanley's Q-switches are not custom.

Thanks Mica! So just the standard series 1 filters en Q switches? Any insights in his settings for that aforementioned hollow solo sound?

Quote from: mica on Yesterday at 09:43:53 AMStanley's Q-switches are not custom.

His fingers are "beyond custom" though... :-)🤔😂

My dear Barend pal,

None of us will ever sound like Stanley because we don't have his hands.   We will never strike the string exactly the same way that he does.  His hands are the biggest factor in the sound that he gets out of his basses.  I apologize to everybody here but I have to say it ... it's NOT the gear!    Even if you could see where his pickup volume knobs are set we would not know his preferred balance because that is set by the trimpots on the preamp board.  And if he's running in stereo it is further tweaked after the bass.

But what we can and do celebrate here is that this monster of a musician has landed on Alembic as his instrument of choice.  That is mighty cool!

For that "hollow" tone you're talking about, I encourage you to experiment with the filter controls and find something that YOU like.  A large boost at a relatively low frequency will likely produce a hollow sound - like having a wah-wah pedal part way open.  But again, just experiment and see if your instrument can inspire you.  That's what it's all about!

Jimmy J

Quote from: JimmyJ on Yesterday at 03:15:27 PMMy dear Barend pal,

None of us will ever sound like Stanley because we don't have his hands.   We will never strike the string exactly the same way that he does.  His hands are the biggest factor in the sound that he gets out of his basses.  I apologize to everybody here but I have to say it ... it's NOT the gear!    Even if you could see where his pickup volume knobs are set we would not know his preferred balance because that is set by the trimpots on the preamp board.  And if he's running in stereo it is further tweaked after the bass.

But what we can and do celebrate here is that this monster of a musician has landed on Alembic as his instrument of choice.  That is mighty cool!

For that "hollow" tone you're talking about, I encourage you to experiment with the filter controls and find something that YOU like.  A large boost at a relatively low frequency will likely produce a hollow sound - like having a wah-wah pedal part way open.  But again, just experiment and see if your instrument can inspire you.  That's what it's all about!

Jimmy J

Thanks Jimmy. Good to hear from you again!

I agree for 100% with you. It is not my intention to copy Stanley Clarke, cause there is only one Stanley. I hope I have my own thing going. At least I am trying. Just was curious about that specific hollow solo sound, because you don't hear that a lot from other Alembic players. I agree that maybe 90% of his sound is in his fingers Only that special hollow sound has not much to do with his fingers I think, it's just a specific setting. I really like that sound and I can't quite get it out of my Alembics. I experiment a lot with different filter/Q-switch pickup balance setting because I record a lot of my solo work. I just fiddle with the knobs until I find the sound that I have in my head for the bass part that I want to record.

Just posted a video here of my recently acquired EvH Signature Alembic which explores a lot of different sound.
Here is the link: https://club.alembicguitars.com/alembic-basses-guitars/new-alembic-evh-bass-with-video/

Well there ya go!  Nice track!  I didn't mean to give you a hard time about this but you did seem to be obsessing over Stanley's "exact" settings.   But you've got plenty of cool sounds happening already.  I guess the next step would be to get yourself a Series bass if you're seeking even more variations.  Or maybe at least get on the list for a SuperFilter pedal?  But again, you're already making a wide variety of sounds so don't drive yourself crazy - or broke - in the pursuit of more.  Keep doing what you're doing, you're on a roll!

I, on the other hand, make exactly 2 kinds of noise - with frets or without.  But the funny thing is, sometimes even my bass players friends can't tell if I'm playing fretted or fretless on a specific track.  Not sure what that means.  I guess I just sound like me all the time?  But I have a lot of respect for bassists who can offer up a wide palette of tones.  That's a fine thing.

Carry on!

Jimmy J