Happy Birthday Mr Stanley 'Alembic' Clarke,

Started by jazzyvee, June 29, 2026, 06:23:01 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

cntrabssn

#15
I realized that my post basically repeated Jazzy's content, so I removed it. Sorry...



jazzyvee

No need to apologise, i'm sure many of us have done the same thing. Just consider it an affirmation :-) 👍🏽
The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://alembicguitars.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

Barend

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.
Third solo album Barend Tromp ft. King Crimson members:
https://barendtromp7d.bandcamp.com/album/odd-time-concepts

mica

Stanley's Q-switches are not custom. 

Barend

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?
Third solo album Barend Tromp ft. King Crimson members:
https://barendtromp7d.bandcamp.com/album/odd-time-concepts

jazzyvee

Quote from: mica on Yesterday at 09:43:53 AMStanley's Q-switches are not custom.
His fingers are "beyond custom" though... :-)🤔😂
The sound of Alembic is medicine for the soul!
http://alembicguitars.com/info/fc_ktwins.html

JimmyJ

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!  :D  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