Author Topic: Stanley Clarke and his 30th Anniversary Alembic (Read 827 times)

mica · « **on:** October 25, 2004, 04:57:55 PM »

Valentino and I met Stanley backstage shortly before showtime on October 22 at the Masonic Theater in San Francisco. He was more than a little pleased with his new bass:

He said he'll have to get a new wardrobe to match the new bass. Then he sat down and played it - the first thing he said was, "this is my neck." Stanley wasn't able to use the bass at the show - it was an all acoustic performance with Al DiMeola and Jean Luc Ponty The Right of Strings. We enjoyed the show and then brought the bass home. We'll be shipping it tomorrow so he can be enjoying it at home very soon. When Stanley's schedule settles down, he's planning his first visit to the factory. He wants to meet the people that made the basses "that have been such a part of my life."

This will be the December Featured Custom - you'll have to wait until then for the rest of the pictures and details.

bsee · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2004, 05:51:45 PM »

Beautiful! I am so happy that he was pleased, and can confirm that he has great taste in necks.

That's a great shot, too. The pic of the bass really shows up the figuring.

Congratulations, Alembic!

tom_z · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2004, 08:23:40 PM »

Oh my . . . What a gorgeous bass. The top is so rich - I can only imagine that the neck inlay will likely render me unconscious. Sublime!

Tom

Manfred · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2004, 04:19:45 AM »

I agree with all the above. What a fantastic bass. Wait until december? Mica, 2004 is only 11 months because we, all club members, decided to take november out this year. So, better hurry up, it's almost december.

Manfred

jeff · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2004, 05:59:53 AM »

I can not think of anyone more deserving of such a magnificent instrument than Stanley. The quilted coco bolo top is drop-dead gorgeous and I have no doubt that the inlay is spectacular. I only hope that I will be lucky enough to see him play this bass live. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing more of this bass as the Featured Custom!

marcm · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2004, 07:07:27 AM »

a magnificent instrument for an extraordinary player. i know we're supposed to wait until december for the details, but i'm very intrigued by the controls. obviously the concentric knobs are custom; in fact, the controls look just like a series-ii but with all three volume controls and the filter-frequency controls doubled. very interesting indeed, especially for those of us who aspire to having some part or variation of an sf-2 in our next alembic!

mica, won't you please tell us something, just a hint, about what's behind those knobs? please throw a little bone to the faithful

adriaan · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2004, 07:42:18 AM »

Marc, they look more like five collet-type knobs for the volumes and filters, and pointed knobs on the p/u selector and the CVQs. Some impressive materials there. Okay, I wouldn't mind having one.

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** October 26, 2004, 09:18:01 AM »

They're just regular knobs, nothing concentric.

As much as it seems a super-custom bass, it's really very standard. The neck is maple/ebony with an extremely narrow profile, the top is an awesome piece of wood, and the neck and headstock inlays are spectacular. Beyond that, it seems to be a 'generic' Series II in an SC shape.

the_mule · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2004, 09:19:30 AM »

OH........MY........GOD........WHAT........A........BASS!!!

That's wonderful, just wonderful. That facial expression says more than a thousand words! True happiness, a true work of art. Hats off to all Alembicians who so obviously lovingly worked on this!

Wilfred

David Houck · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2004, 10:15:22 AM »

That is indeed a great picture of Stanley's reaction! And the bass is pretty amazing too!

marcm · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2004, 01:43:45 PM »

adriaan, you're right. i'm not sure why, but this morning they looked like concentric knobs, as on hartmut's doubleneck 4 + 6 for example. they are indeed standard collets

i guess i was just projecting an item from my next-bass wish list onto stanley's bass!

thanks!

marcm · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2004, 01:46:02 PM »

adriaan, you're right. i'm not sure why, but this morning they looked like concentric knobs, as on hartmut's doubleneck 4 + 6 for example. they are indeed standard collets

i guess i was just projecting an item from my next-bass wish list onto stanley's bass!

thanks!

marcm · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2004, 01:48:23 PM »

oops! i posted the same message twice, inadvertantly. sorry folks

(Message edited by marcm on October 26, 2004)

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** October 26, 2004, 02:12:32 PM »

Standard collet type knobs, yeah right. Notice the shiny tops?

marcm · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2004, 03:30:17 PM »

i did notice them. i was referring to the shape as 'standard': standard collets with very nice m.o.p. caps!

another touch of understated elegance for a great master of the bass