Amplification for a Stanley Clarke Deluxe.

[jesuscano]

Hi Friends, I am a Spanish bass player. At last I managed to get the bass of my dreams, an Alembic Stanley Clarke Deluxe 1987. Previously I had an Essence, but I ended up convincing and I sold soon after.  
Now looking for an amplifier that does justice to this great bass.  
I have a Mesa Boogie 400 +, and a power house of 4x10 cab, but all this is very heavy, and my back is suffering more each day.  
I was looking for a combo that is more limited in space and weight. I have seen some brands such as SWR or EBS, but in Spain there are no stores where they can check all, so I would like to know that your opinion of this, and that you recommend.  
Greetings and thanks.

[keavin]

todays market is full of small light weight and very powerful rigs so i would take the bass & try out several amps to see what satifies your ear.

[David Houck]

Hi Jes?s, welcome to the board!  And congrats on the SC!
 
Lots of guys here use a preamp and power amp in a rack.  For instance, an Alembic F-2B, QSC PLX 2402, and an Eden 210 XLT would be significantly less space and weight and would sound great.

[pierreyves]

for my basses, I use Alembic F1-X preamp, Yamaha P5000S stereo poweramp, SWR Goliath senior and Triad cabinets. The sound of Stanley !

[ajdover]

I don't have a Deluxe, but I do have a Sig Standard.  My rig consists of an Alembic F1-X preamp, SF-2 Superfilter, a QSC 1804 Poweramp, Furman AR-1215 Voltage regulator, a Korg DTR-1000 tuner, and Ampeg BXT series cabinets (2X10, 4X10, and 1X15).  I use it for all my basses, and the SC sounds great through it.  I also have a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout 12 combo, and a Phil Jones Briefcase, both of which sound great with the SC (and many of my other basses as well).
 
Every Alembic I've played through an EBS sounded absolutely fantastic.  It's one of the reasons I picked up the SC Standard (in Seoul, South Korea).
 
If you want something with gobs of power and tone for days in a small combo, though, my recommendation would be the Mesa Walkabout Scout.  If you can't get that, EBS is a great amp as well.
 
Alan

[richbass939]

Congrats on getting your SC Deluxe.  Christmas day is a great time for a guy named Jesus to join the club.  Welcome.
Rich

[jesuscano]

The truth is that I'm very happy with this bass.  
I have a Fender Jazzbass 1966 no RI. Also, I have a reissue Fender Jaco Pastorius. And also an Aria II Sb 1000 from 1979.  
But now these seem toys for children in comparison with Alembic.  
Alembic really is king.
 
www.myspace.com/jesuscano

[pclifton2004]

EBS gets my vote every time. I ran a Deluxe through an HD350 head and a 2x10 placed vertically and it sounded amazing.

[pclifton2004]

Ooh I even found an old pic of it:
 

[David Houck]

Beautiful bass!

[pclifton2004]

Thank you - never should have sold it grrrr

[mario_farufyno]

I use a Epifani cabinet and they are amazingly light in weight, but heavy on tone. Mine is a 2x10 (UL-210) that can handle 500W RMS in a flat response ranging 40hz-16khz. All this in 38 lbs, thanks to his neodimium speakers!
 
Shure it can reproduce frequencies lower than this, with some loss, but is the bassier cab I ever tried (open, clean and fat). It is also amazingly loud, with a sensibility of 102db SPL @ 1w 1m. Few Cabs can pair it and I'm very satisfied.
 
To reduce weight in your Amp, consider using a Solid State. If you don't mind put tubes away, try the new GK MB? or the Italian made Mark Bass Amps instead tube amps equiped with heavy transformers.
 
Have someone here tried the Acoustic Image or Phil Jones's Amps? They seem to be interesting choices too.

[ifredoto]

Jesus,
There are indeed a lot of various cabinets available in todays' market. Having said that, although I too am concerend with space, and let it not be said that an Alembic is not a heavy bass, I've forgone those to 'get the sound'. I have had this rig since 1980 and have found nothing that comes close to replicating my/the Alembic sound. As a cabinet, I use a 1971 SVT Ampeg cabinet which has all of its' original sepakers(afectionanly known by my band mates as the 'brick'). For power, I use a Crown PSA2 mono bridged(+/-1300 watts) and an Alembic FX2 pre amp and of course, the external Alembic power supply. Most folks have no idea what I'm playing through but all agree it sonds great. I've looked to replace the cabinet, but have not been pleased with the sound, presence, and warmth of the cabinet and in conjunction with the amp/reamp, not replicabale. I'm still looking into Eden as a possible replacement(4x10) but it will take a lot of convincing. Bottom line, buck up dude, it is all about the sound!

[jesuscano]

HOLA everybody!  
Thanks for your post.  
I have done some tests I want to share with you.  
I tried EBS, SWR, MARKBASS & PHIL JONES.  
I think the worst of these sound has given me has been the 121 MARKBASS the amp is small and lightweight but it is very difficult to get it out of the warm sound of something stronger.  
The Phil Jones Suitcase, is very clean, but the E sting is lost volume, I think it is more appropriate for an upright basses.  
The EBS Gorm 2x10 is very good, but their price is really high for the type of amp it is. In addition to an amplifier that is heavy and hard to transport.  
The SWR 2x10 workingPro is the amplifier that best fits the sound Alembic I seek, I think  made this my first choice. Although I did not set well if it was made in the USA. Not if that really matters, but my best things are made in USA, my Alembic my Fender, my mesa boogie, my Harley Davidson ...  
Further wait your suggestions. All are welcome.  
Thanks to all.
 
www.myspace.com/jesuscano

[thehifidoc]

I am playing my 6 string through Alembic F-2B then into the PA. I like the sound!!!!