| Author | Message | ||
| Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)
New Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2002 |
Curretly I use a Musicman Sterling 4 string bass and am considering changing it and getting the bass of my dreams an Alembic Stanley Clarke model. I played one yesterday in a music store in the UK and was immediately taken with the instrument it has the juiciest sound imaginable it's like Lisa Nichole Carson instead of Halle Berry.... I digress but.... I notice it is different from the brown bass that I've seen on stanley's albums as it does not include the large rotary switch on the bass horn. Do you know what that is and what it does for the sound?. The shop I visited only has the SC Standard and to see another model is like. I would have to travel about 120 miles to another store. So I'd just like to know what that does before making my mind up. | ||
| Michael Delacerda (dela217)
New Username: dela217 Post Number: 5 Registered: 6-2002 |
The switch you are talking about is a pickup selector switch. On the newer Alembics the switch is moved to a different spot. | ||
| Hidehiro Tsubakihara (bassstar)
New Username: bassstar Post Number: 5 Registered: 6-2002 |
I have the '87 SC model it has no PU selector. But it has four nobs, volume, PU balance, front freq, rear freq. I think that bass you played same as my bass's controls. | ||
| Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)
New Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks for the info guys. | ||
| Mica Wickersham (mica)
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 58 Registered: 6-2000 |
Sometimes there is confusion around the Stanley Clarke Model. Stanley usually plays a Series I short scale model. To confirm if the bass you played was a Signature model, check the serial number. All Stanley Clarke Signatures will have either "SC" or "SJ" in the serial number. If there is no letter code in the number, you're probably playing a Series I or II. We moved the pickup selector because in 1972 the lower horn was a convenient out-of-the-way place to put it. Of course, this was in the days before slap! That knob was right on the front lines then, and had to be moved for safety's sake, you really don't want to rake over that while slapping. Even Stanley let us move the pickup selector on his two newest Series I basses. | ||
| Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)
New Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3 Registered: 6-2002 |
One of the things I notice about the SC Model is that it is quite noticeably top heavy and I find that I have to regularly adjust the position of the strap when playing standing up. I assume this is probably due to the position of the trap peg being at the base of the neck and not on the horn as is usual. Is this a common problem and can you offer any solutions to help the bass be balanced in use. The only way I have currently found to minimise this is to lean back slightly whilst playing so that the bass rests more against my stomach than usual. But this tends to be uncomfortable after a while and and it a bit "posey" | ||
| Mica Wickersham (mica)
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 109 Registered: 6-2000 |
It's actually much more neck heavy if you change the position of the strap holder to the upper horn. I see basses come in for restoration with a hole in the upper horn, and the strap holder moved right back to the heel. Other tips: Use a wide leather strap (3" or so) with a rough suede underside. It will sort of stick to your shoulder and not ride down as quickly. Many short scale players tend to wear their basses a little higher than average. Our distributor in the Netherlands has all his short scale basses fit with the strap holder slightly up the neck from the base to ease the balance issue (this also somewhat restricts upper fret access). If balance is a key issue, it's usually best to lean toward bodies with a longer upper horn (the closer to the 12th fret the better). The Essence, Europa, Rogue, and Elan body shapes are all excellent balancers. One of the finest is a surprise: the Exploiter shape is one of the best balancing shapes we offer. I suppose you can understand why we don't offer the Small Standard shape in anything but a short scale. | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
New Username: stoney Post Number: 3 Registered: 7-2002 |
I've owned 3 SC small body standard Alembics. I have found that moving the strap pin up the neck about an inch will do it and a wider strap will secure your baby. Doing this will put the strap pin at nearly a 45 degree angle to the neck so there's plenty of room for your screw. Is is restrictive? Depends on your style. If you tend to be up on the higher register all night long, it may. I use a lot of Entwistle/Clarke material and it doesn't seem to bother me. After you get used to working around it, it sure beats holding the neck up all night long. | ||
| Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)
New Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hmm, I decided to try the wider strap with a rough under side as I'm not keen on the idea of moving the strap holder and this seems to be working fairly well and not dropping down fast. but I guess it's a matter of getting used to it. On another point. Bass is really my second instrument and I absolutely adore the sound of this SC bass, to the point that I have now changed from playing guitar in one of the bands I'm in, to playing bass and we have now got a new guitarist. However, I'm still having a problems nderstanding the tone controls and the Q switches which makes getting to a particular sound quickly to cater for different songs and feels difficult. I find that I have to keep adjusting the knobs during the song to try find what I want rather than just confidently and knowledgeably whizzing the knobs and switches to dial in a Clarkee type sound, a Reggae bass, slapping or walking bass tone etc. Do you have something like diagrams with knob positions based on a clock hand positions 1 to 12 and switchings up or down for each pickup control to get a particular tone? I think it would be helpful as a new user. Anyway better go or I'll be late for rehearsal. | ||
| Charles "David" Tichenor (alembic76407)
Junior Username: alembic76407 Post Number: 48 Registered: 5-2002 |
The Comfort Strap is the way to go | ||
| Paul Lindemans (palembic)
New Username: palembic Post Number: 5 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hi Jazzy, about the Stanley Clark. It's not in the discussion right now but you have to understand that Stanley plays a Series I or II. There is a big difference with the Signature model, e.a. how the tone of the guitar is "shaped". That has to do with the type of EQ the guitar has. A "Signature" guitar has 2 High-quality Humbuckers. A original Series I or II -the ones SC uses- has two giant SINGLE COILS with a modest "hum-cancelling " so-called "pick-up" between them. That's why you will see SC with a 3 "pick-up" Alembic. The EQ on a SI and SII is completely different in approaching the thing = sound. If you read the Alembic history about it than you will learn that in the old "hippie" days Alembic provided a group called "Gratefull Dead" (with the late Jerry Garcia) and Jefferson Airplane with complete PA systems. Those guys wanted to have an extremely loud but also an extremely clean and controllable sound. That's why the Alembicians -the honourable Ron Wickersham in the first place- went into the sound-shaping concept of the guitar itself to re-think the whole thing! Conclusive: the sound differs absolutely (think Fender versus Gibson) but the Alembicians did a great job to try to close the gap and made with the Stanley Clark Signature a wonderfull (and less costly) alternative for the "original thing". Now about changing the sound of your bass "with the flick of the finger". Sit back while you read this and maybe take the bass with you, plug it in but for best understanding you'll need a cabinet with a horn or tweeter. The SCS has a volume and a pan knob. So theoretically you can pan with constant volume between bridge and necl PU. That's a way to change dramatically your tone. By the way: this is the first difference with the original design I mentioned earlier, an SI or II has 2 volume knobs so you acctually "add" the sound of the 2 pick-ups one to each other with an ovrall volume change as a consequence (that's why a SII has a general volume knob). Try this with your bass with the toneknobs to "bass = zero" and the small Q-switches in upward position. Put volume knob full and and change while playing from brigde to neck PU (Alkembic should start making us a third hand). Now by changing the tone controls you'll see that they are really powerfull just try to turn them around to add more "high". The small "Q"switches for each PU are actually cutting or boosting a small (high) tone range of the output of your PU with a certain db (I think it's 9). When you play a cabinet with a horn you'll hear the difference. So if you sit down and wail around for a while you will be able to shape your preffered sound. I don't have to learn you playing but keep in mind that th esound of the bass is actually "formed" a whole end further from you cabinet and amplifier. The 'Q' switches are coming in very handy to keep the bass-sound in shape so each note is still on his place when it reaches the audience. Don't think too fast that you putting in to much high, the high tones are easily lost in the wall of sound of the band. Now, changing while playing from one song to another to a well precised sound is not that easy but it comes with trial and error. Goin to a low-reggae sound could be done by turning the pan to the neck position and flicking off the Q-switch so the high-sounds are not let through anymore. Going back to the other position depends on how fast it has to happen. Visually you have to remind how it was before. Now you have to understand that every Alembic has a tremenduous response on HOW you play it! Changing position of your hands is immediately translated in another sound. That's the main reason why Stanley started with an Alembic on the first place. His sound comes from his hands: he plays really above the neck, like playing a "double-bass" plucking the strings and let rattle what rattles. Another part of his sound comes from a special position of the Toneknob of the bridge (and neck) PU: try this: turn the pan to the bridge PU, put the tone control to zero (bass), activate the Q-switch, now turn (while playing) the tone-control slowly up to bright (you'll need 3 hands to do this but that's why we are bass-players no?). You'll meet a point that gives a "quacking" sound. If you like the sound turn the pan to add the neck pick-up and also choose a sound there. If you fumble around a bit you can get really close. Remember an Alembic is for well determined and sound-focused players. When mastering the guitar you'll discovering you'll mastering also a lot about your focus in music and as a band member: have fun. Paul | ||
| Michael Delacerda (dela217)
Junior Username: dela217 Post Number: 21 Registered: 6-2002 |
Paul - Well said! These electronics are VERY versatile and can be complicated to someone picking up one of these basses for the first time. What you are describing is exactly why I love the series II electronics. The sound can be shaped infinately with the variable q switches and with the tone controls. Then with the two volumes and the master, things get really exciting. I love it! I turn my gain up on my amp very high and use my master on my bass to control the overall volume since my volume between my bridge and neck pickup varies with the song being played. If I need to cut through the mix I give it more bridge, and increase the overall volume. More bass, I do the opposite. | ||
| Michael Paskel (Mikey) (pookeymp)
Junior Username: pookeymp Post Number: 13 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hey Paul, This info is great...I just received my Mark King this past weekend and was also a bit perplexed with the controls. While performing yesterday, I actually had my 14 year old son stand next to me and randomly turn knobs and switch switches until he came across the sound that I felt worked, and was afraid to touch the controls again. I printed this thread out and will go home tonight and try to educate myself. Thanks. Mikey/ | ||
| Jonathan Johnstone (stoney)
Junior Username: stoney Post Number: 45 Registered: 7-2002 |
Now there's a new approach!! Do you rent out your son by the hour or by the gig? | ||
| Michael Paskel (Mikey) (pookeymp)
Junior Username: pookeymp Post Number: 14 Registered: 7-2002 |
I believe a flat fee per gig can be worked out.  | ||
| Michael Delacerda (dela217)
Junior Username: dela217 Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2002 |
There is another wrinkle to this tone shaping business that has not been mentioned on this thread. The series basses and the anniversary basses are stereo. You can use a separate amp/speaker combination for each pickup! This works out great if you have an F2B in the chain. Extra tweeking! | ||
| Paul Lindemans (palembic)
New Username: palembic Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well-well ...you all are getting very Alembicious right away. About your sun: keep that thing in mind, he is just fumbling and ...he is getting somewhere. We grown-ups (I'm 47 in age but not in mind) are getting too closed and afraid to set things on their head. The SI and SII's -the original set-ups- were invented by people (Ron in the first place) who dared to think differently on sound (goes as well for guitars as for basses: dont forget you lower guys that Alembic is doin' great work on the high end too). So this is mainly the reason why there are so many bass-players that are hating Alembics: its not just NOT doin a simple "Bom" in the first place. You CAN do "bom" but you can definitely go "Boom-tchi-Boom-thi-quck-quack-boinbg-triiioong-pock-pock". Most bass-players love just to "bom" (merely they MUST by their band-leaders). It's why I said: the Alembic oblige you to choose and to come out of the dark wall of undifined wobling sounds, it's a challenge for your taste and for your playin, The Alembic is also hated (yes it happens) by studio-technicians, they'll say: "listen man, you have too many knobs on your bass. Let's agree: I'm the one with the knobs, you are the one with the strings. So just go "bom" and I'll shape the sound!". Brrrrrrrrrrrrr - hatefull in the ears of Alembicians. (I know one guy who said: can't you get a Fender??). Something about the "Strap" thing. My Alembic is very heavy but hey friends: where do you think that sustain is coming from? (Les Paul experimented for his first electric guitar ...on a steel bar!). But for the strap: just look for a good wide, leather strap. It will spread the weight over your shoulder. There is a brand that uses sheep-skin under their straps and they give some comfort to but I'm not feeling to well with it. I'm a bass player, not a sheperd. Keep on the low side, be Alembicious! Paul | ||
| Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)
New Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 5 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks for the great information guys. I have been experimenting with the bass controls and now am getting some great sounds. With the information you all have kindly supplied me, my understanding of how to get good tones will help. My other bass a Musicman Sterling has hardly seen daylight since the SC came home. I understand what you are saying about the Series I and II bases but here in the UK there aren't any stores that hold a good supply of alembics for me to go in and compare for sound. They aren't cheap and people don't walk in every day asking for alembics. Before the one I bought appeared in my city music store I had only ever seen one in any UK music shop around the late 70's and early 80's so I'm over the moon to get finally be the owner of one. | ||
| Paul Lindemans (palembic)
Member Username: palembic Post Number: 51 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hi Jazzy, nice to hear from you again. Don't be too hard on your Musicman. THere will come a time that, when you pick up that guitar, it will feel as "coming home" again. It will always be your starting point. I have the same experience: I started playing a Fender Telecaster bass. Fender re-issued the Fender Precesion 58 as the "Sting-signature". When I play that bass (in a store) it feld as "coming home". What you experienced with buying the Alembic is the same for me. There is one store in BElgium who has them and I went to Holland. But 16 years ago I saw the first Alembic "for real" in ...London! Paul |
