Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: blazer on August 26, 2006, 11:19:29 AM

Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: blazer on August 26, 2006, 11:19:29 AM: I guess we all know what happened, very early in their career, Return To Forever's gear bus had been stolen leaving them without gear.

Clarke's replacement bass for the one that was lost in that theft was his famous Brown bass but I think I found footage of Clarke playing his first Alembic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz2w5lblYLA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz2w5lblYLA)

Clarke is playing a Blonde Alembic bass with wood covered pickups and a non standard body shape.

So, correct me if I'm wrong but I think that this is his original bass.
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/30957.jpg)
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: David Houck on August 26, 2006, 12:01:17 PM: Nice video!!!

The pickups are not wood covered, but are the cream casings found on early basses. The brass plate between the pickups is another early feature.

Kinda like this one (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8481).

So I would guess it's a '73.

It's hard to tell, but it looks like a very unusual tailpiece.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: David Houck on August 26, 2006, 12:10:49 PM: The Dragon's Breath was the 30th anniversary of Clarke and Alembic, so that would suggest that the bass in the clip is a '74.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: David Houck on August 26, 2006, 12:16:02 PM: On the other hand, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy was recorded in '73.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: blazer on August 26, 2006, 12:19:54 PM: Well he could've either played his Rickenbacker 4000 bass or his Gibson EB2 bass on the original recordings.

Check this out...

Stanley Playing Lopsy Lu with jeff Beck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI6XOLCpItc target=_blank).

(Message edited by Blazer on August 26, 2006)

(Message edited by davehouck on August 26, 2006)
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: David Houck on August 26, 2006, 12:33:20 PM: Great vid!!!!!
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: dela217 on August 26, 2006, 05:53:00 PM: '73.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: 57basstra on August 26, 2006, 07:11:04 PM: The legend gets a kick start!
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: keavin on August 27, 2006, 01:13:40 PM: (Message edited by keavin on August 27, 2006)
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: keavin on August 27, 2006, 01:14:04 PM: stanley's first alembic was a 1972 which was his origonal 1st alembic & his 'brown bass'was also a 1972,but however his schooldays alembic was (Serialnumber80) which was probably was made in 73 or 74 which he gave it to Bassist Victor wooten some years ago.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt2ro4rwYmQ&mode=related&search= (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt2ro4rwYmQ&mode=related&search=)
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: jazzyvee on August 27, 2006, 04:13:11 PM: Is there any way of downloading the video's from that web site?

Jazzyvee
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: malthumb on August 27, 2006, 06:26:58 PM: Keavin,

number 80 was a 1974. I used to own #84 and it was a '74.

I always thought #80 WAS the Brown Bass. When I bought 87-4431 back in 2000, Stanley was trying to get $16K for #80. I know the auction never got that high, but it makes me wonder whether Victor Wooten bought it from Stanley or if Stanley gave it to him.

Peace,

James
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: keavin on August 27, 2006, 07:15:59 PM: I remember reading somewhere,that stanley was soo impressed with Vic's bassplayin that he presented it (#80)to him during a visit to stans house one day as well as the uprite,,,,,,but correct me if I'm wrong anybody?
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: malthumb on August 28, 2006, 04:34:59 AM: It wouldn't totally surprise me. It's just that Victor wound up with the bass so soon after two auction listings, I just figured they may have struck a deal. As you point out, I know that Victor has #80 as well as Stanley's upright.

Does anybody know for certain if #80 is The Brown Bass or was a replacement for the Brown Bass

Peace,

James
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: 811952 on August 28, 2006, 06:00:54 AM: Jazzyvee,

I found and posted some info on saving vids here:

http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/30978.html?1156769920 (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=19956)

John
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: keavin on August 28, 2006, 06:10:14 AM: The brown Bass still belongs to stanley it's the one He 'officially Retired' after the CD if this bass could only talk,,,,#80 was an alembic he purchased as one of his backup basses during that period when the his career was getting hot & he was on the road quite a bit,by this point his alembic collection was growing. BUT the brown bass was his Main STAGE bass up until the 80's......so in other words the brown bass was his second alembic after losing his first one.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: worldfamousandy on August 29, 2006, 08:12:24 AM: I believe that Steve Bailey actually bought the Alembic from Stanley. I know that the transfer took place during a visit by Steve and Victor to Stanley's house. I went to Bass at the Beach in 2004, and those guys had the bass there. I actually got to play it some, which was cool. I think Stanley had to get rid of it because he was worried that his ex-wife would take it in the divorce, and he wanted to keep it in the family, so to speak.

Andy Calder
www.andycalderbass.com (http://www.andycalderbass.com)
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: hb3 on August 29, 2006, 09:02:42 AM: I remember the big auction when Stanley was selling all his equipment....sad.
Title: Stanley Clarke's first alembic
Post by: crazykiwi on September 16, 2006, 12:28:09 PM: oh wow, those clips were great. I got such a kick out of seeing two legends jamming like that so musically.