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NDB: Alembic Stanley Clark
- Thread starter moon-bass
- Start date
The first time I saw Mr. Clark in concert was in Ann Arbor, MI, 1976, with Return to Forever. I thought I was a good bassist until I saw him....sheesh. I can't remember what bass he was playing at that gig, but it probably wouldn't mattered if he was playing a K-Mart Teisco Del Ray, he was that good. Beautiful bass, moon-bass!
It's very comfortable - it isn't a stretch at all, the bottom frets are actually very easy to reach. It's a 30.75 scale. The neck is great!
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
I suppose there's indeed not much of a stretch, if it's almost 4 inches shorter than usual. Now play those crazy piccolo Stanley note bursts!
I'm still not sold on the short scale - it plays and sounds great, but it's pretty different than my Jazz basses
Obligatory pics of course!
Had one until it was stolen about thirty years ago and I’m still broken hearted. Nearly bought one last year but I couldn’t justify the expense. Loved the tone and the look but playing one last year reminded me that it’s not just short scale, it’s skinny scale too! That neck is really thin! Still miss it though. Congratulations.
These are typically 30"(as are Mr. Clarke's), with the occasional 32. Alembic refuses to make them in 34" as with those cutaways, they'd be hopelessly neck heavy.
As a side note, Alembic offers an SC5. Stanley wanted to try a 5 with a C a few years ago, do it's now another choice they offer in this body style.
The tone is brutally clear and as far as the build, they're heirloom instruments, they are BUILT to last a long, long time.
Congratulations, an icon instrument.
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Congrats! I lusted for a decade and took the plunge on one last year. It’s nice to play — it just messes me up switching between it and other basses, as it’s a weird 30.75” — the neck feels as long as a football field. So, when I jump on it after playing another shorty — or a 34” (especially my 5-string 34”) — I have to adjust my brain to recognize the B on the D string is not an A, etc. I won’t even pick it up the week I have a gig on another bass to keep my head on straight.
The electronics allow it to sound like you own a ton of basses, and not just a one-trick pony. Congrats!
The electronics allow it to sound like you own a ton of basses, and not just a one-trick pony. Congrats!
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The separate tailpiece pushes the bridge, and the fretboard, away from the body, so it's effectively, and ergonomically, a medium-scale bass. And it requires medium-scale strings.
In total agreement thank you for the fresh new bass day!It buzzes?! Send it back!
But seriously, what a beautiful bass. This is the kind of new NBD thread we need more of, not the usual… well, you know.
Congratulations! that is a beautiful bass. Wishing you many years of enjoyable playing.
I love these basses, I've owned one for around 30 years now, still going strong, still sounds awesome, still love playing it.
I love these basses, I've owned one for around 30 years now, still going strong, still sounds awesome, still love playing it.
I played one of those once. It was the most solid feeling bass that I have ever experienced.
Enjoy that bass. Alembics are great to have around.
Enjoy that bass. Alembics are great to have around.
Alembic aren't basses.
They're monuments.
Nice score.
They're monuments.
Nice score.
Beautiful!! Did those knobs come stock? I am thinking those would look great on my new bass
Yeah so about that ... It's got flats on it now, and I'm going to put rounds on it. Any suggestions on strings that work well? I prefer pure nickel rounds (not nickel plated) if that helps.
it figures today is the day that I get slammed with work. I'll see about getting one out tomorrow!
The stock Alembic CX-3/45S strings are actually not bad at all, and are somewhat smoother in feel than normal rounds. I've also managed to fit TI JR324 Jazz Rounds on one of my two Alembic (non-Stanley) short scales. Beyond those (and those are the extent of my direct experience), any medium-scale strings with a winding length between roughly 33" and 35" could conceivably work.
Such an iconic and beautiful bass. Bet as soon as you picked it up you tried to play 'School Days'
