Is Stanley Clarke now pushing Spellbinder basses?

[Bradley Young]

I like his upright playing, but his upright tone doesn't do it for me.
 
There's a lot of, well, noise in it.  It just has some je ne sais quoi, some harshness that sounds bad to my ear.
 
Of course, the 'orrible tweeters on his SWR rig (used for his electric playing) are harsh to the point of pain.
 
But hey, you've got to love a guy that invites my kids back stage, and I certainly love his music.  And he can play whatever kind of instrument he wants-- but I'd be surprised if he doesn't tour with the red bass.

[jazzyvee]

For me I love the sound of stanley and his alembics and his upright bass playing is nothing short of incredible.  
It would be great if  he stuck to alembic on the RTF tour but it won't affect my enjoyment of the night if  he doesn't. Just like many of us use non alembic instruments. why shouldn't he. If he wants a different sound?
 
I'm just happy to experience the greatness of the man regardless. He inspired me to get an alembic. I sure won't change if  he decides to get something else.  
 
Sometimes even when you have a Rolls Royce there are times when you may want to drive a Cadillac.  
 
 
Jazzyvee

[hendixclarke]

jazzyvee, that was beautifully said, I mean it too.

[terryc]

byoung I know what you mean about his upright playing..I like it..the sound of his fingers and the clattering of the strings on the board..makes it more human if yous see what I mean.
There is some amazing upright playing on the Vertu album.

[white_cloud]

I think to members of this forum it does matter what Stan plays - simply because this is the Alembic club!!
 
Many of us were starstruck by Stan/RTF back in the day - for a lot of us it may have been the simple fact that stan was playing an Alembic that turned us onto the Alembic bass!
 
For me? well I remember seeing Stan playing school days with George Duke..blew me away! Stan was, of course, playing his Alembic - first time I had seen one and it blew me away as well! In fact that was the start of a love affair with Alembic for me so I can see why certain members of this forum feel the way they do about this subject!
 
I have seen (and obviously heard) clips of Stan playing the Ricky 4000 with RTF- sounded terrible! In fact one of my favourite lps, hymn of the seventh galaxy, features the Rick and Stan's sound totally sucks! In fact, I have no idea how he managed to make it sound so bad - I have owned two 4001's and they sounded brilliant!
 
John.

[funkyjazzjunky]

I agree with John.  
 
Besides even when I saw Stanley play the L?wenherz, he still played an Alembic for most of the set.  A decade ago, he played a Ken Smith on a tour with Najee, Larry Carlton and Billy Cobham; but he had his Alembic as well.  Before that, I saw him on tour with a four-string acoustic guitar (He called it a Flyde Bass even though it sounded like a guitar); he still had one of his Alembics for most songs.  
 
I am willing to bet we will see (and hear) an Alembic with RTF

[jazzyvee]

The thing that really appeals to me about stanley's playing is that it feels very personal and his phrasing on both alembic and upright is nothing short of incredible he has written and performed some beautiful music for the bass and much of that we have experienced on his alembic so to have him play that on the rtf tour would make things that much more special. But I'm there for the music... :-)
 
 
To be honest, I don't see why he wouldn't play his one but even if he doesn't and plays the spellbinder for publicity, I can't imagine the effect of him playing a spellbinder bass on tour will  do the same for that company as he has done for alembic.  Spellbinder is there more than likely as a result of alembic being here just like many other 'high end' basses.
 
Get the dragon out Stanley....now that would be something to behold.
 
Jazzyvee
Jazzyvee

[hendixclarke]

If there was ever a time for Stanley to play the dragon, this would be the time, like no other time and I am sure he knows there's great interest.  
 
Pound for pound, if Stanley plays The Dragon Breath, his already commanding presents will raise to the power, of 10. The Dragon is a bad Motha-%@$#!!

[keavin]

Actually the sterling 25th anniv alembic would be the most ideal bass to do this tour with!...........the Sound of Silver!!!

[dnburgess]

I saw Clarke / Duke project tonight at the Sydney Opera House. Good concert.
 
Stanley played a pretty new looking Alembic Series bass and a double bass. It might have been the Dragons Breath - but I wasn't close enough to see the inlay.
 
(Message edited by dnburgess on March 22, 2008)

[811952]

Stanley could fart in a bucket and it would probably sound good and be impossible to duplicate.
 
I've played a few of the original Spellbinder basses, and they really didn't do it for me.  I hated them.  No body mass and felt like rubber with no bottom and no highs.  
 
If Stanley feels moved to play an instrument, then I'm certain he'll play it well and use whatever idiosyncracies to the benefit of the performance..
 
John

[funkyjazzjunky]

Stanley played the Spellbinder on the Clark/Duke Project.  The bass is not attractive at all.

[hendixclarke]

To me, the Spellbinder is just something a collector would maybe want put on a wall with an autographed picture.  
 
As far as Stanley is concern, I think Stanley is using the Spellbinder as a rehearsal instrument. Why practice with a 30-40K bass, when you could play around with a cheaper bass. Thoses other basses would probably be too much of a distraction anyway, or be a risk of ending up missing.  
 
That being said, I believe the Dragon Breath will be at the concert, and maybe along with his other basses under tight security.

[funkyjazzjunky]

Will we see the Dragon here?  
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/50018.html?1206552902