Stanley Clarke Bass

[darkstar01]

somatic, i'm not really sure what you mean by being 'destined to the hell of walmart starter kit basses', but surely you didn't mean it in a condescending way.  
my point was, anyone who spends the kind of money one tends to spend on an alembic, on ANY instrument, can do whatever the hell they want to said instrument.
one day i plan to record a track of me destroying some (nameless) high-end bass just to see what happens. maybe you can engineer it.
austin

[pauldo]

Things certainly have gotten twisted now haven't they???
 
The OP (hendixclarke) started this thread as a (in my opinion)  tongue in cheek 'let's make some by-laws for what you should and shouldn't do with your Alembic' in fact he says Let's have some fun here...
 
Now this is getting whipped into a flame war -
 
We all should read Dave Houk's recent post a reminder from the moderator... this is a community and we should behave as upstanding supporting citizens of the community.

[ajdover]

Interesting thread to say the least ...
 
I have 28 basses.  Some are stock, some aren't.  My '73 Fender Jazz bass is heavily modified, e.g., J-Retro preamp, Badass II bridge, new tuners, new Seymour Duncan Pickups, etc.  I modified it because while I liked the bass in its stock form, it still lacked something to make it more playable and sonically pleasing to me.  Hence the mods.  Fender purists would think I completely defiled this bass.  I don't think so.  After seeing what some of these good condition vintage Fenders are going for these days, I think my modifications increased the value rather than decreased it.
 
Some of us think that modifying an Alembic in any way is heresy.  Others think the opposite, that an Alembic owner can and should do whatever they deem necessary to make it better for them.  Neither are wrong, merely opinionated, and that's cool.
 
For me, it's your bass and your money.  Do what you want with it, regardless of make or cost.  In the end you're the one playing it, not someone else.
 
Leo Fender built the first Fender Precision with bolt-on parts (and most of the subsequent Fenders were built in the same way to my knowledge).  I have to think that Leo did this because he knew that players might want to modify them at some point, or at the least make it easier to replace a damaged or worn out part.  As I see it, if Leo thought this, modifying a bass is not only OK, it's completely normal and expected.  I could be wrong about why Leo did what he did, but it's an interesting topic for discussion I think.
 
I don't modify my Alembics (though I am thinking of getting a Q switch for my Essences).  I like them the way they are.  Should they need changes or modifications in the future, I wouldn't hesitate to make them, although I'd probably send them to Alembic to have it done (I'm not good at that kind of thing).  
 
Bottom line: it's yours.  Make it more yours in any way you see fit.  If others don't like it, well, that's their prerogative.
 
Alan

[hendixclarke]

Honestly people, this post was created out of pure fun, and yet it touches and overlaps many personal issues, for example:
 
How much comfort, am I willing to accept or not; when deciding on changing something to fit my personal needs and/or desires?
 
Who should my actions really serve myself, or the social good of others?
 
This is the heart of my question...
 
I once bought a house and painted the interior with bright colors. When it got time to selling it, my Real Estate Agent, told me I needed to paint over my wonderful colored wall, to a more neutral color because my colors were too specialized and it may hurt my chances in getting it sold.  
 
I took her advice, and repainted the walls, and the house was sold, and I made profit; because I was willing to listen and act.  
 
It always pays to please others, and put others first.

[cozmik_cowboy]

OK, Brett, I'm intrigued.  I have never heard a bass that sounds better than an Alembic,and would have no idea how to go about changing the circuitry. Can you explain what changes you made & how they improved it - in a way that an electronic semi-illiterate can understand?
 
Peter

[hendixclarke]

I too, had ask Somatic to send me a sound clip(s) and picture(s) of his work.  
 
Hey, maybe he is the man. I would love to see/hear his work. No fear here.
 
I gave him the mic long ago, and I am ready to be amazed.  
 
Besides, he's an Alembican, my hat goes off to him regardless what he does. And with a twinkle of hope, I remember so well as a child, I believe anything is possible, if one believes.

[mike1762]

Well...this was fun!!!  I'm actually on both sides of this debate.  Until I got my Spoiler, I've altered EVERY bass I've owned in some way.  I have often very much regretted it later.  The most glaring example is a complete mauling of a vintage Tele bass.  I stripped it, routed new cavaties, filled old cavaties, splatter painted it (it was the 80's), new electronics/hardware, etc. It was mine, so I did with it what I pleased.  I now have a worthless conversation piece.  So...do what you gotta do, but be prepared to live with it.  I've seen the complete lack of interest that modified Alembics generate when they are offered for sale.  But seriously, don't wear spandex...ever.  Don't wear make-up either.  It runs under the stage lights and gunks-up the pots.

[hendixclarke]

 
Above, is a picture of my non-Alembic Blue Bass.  
 
As you can see, I added a Bigsby whammy bar and I also, carfully removed the frets; thus giving the bass an even smoother harmonic, and reverblistic touch and sound.  
 
This one-piece, bass is my pride and joy, and I play it when I am doing less funky things.  
 
Hopefully, when I pass it on, the new owners will appreciate the refinements, I tried to do.
 
In terms of doing the same on my Alembic...
[A Dramatic pause].