Rarer than heck, Stanley Clarke "Spellbinder" at Bass Bros

[Clarky]

Not my cup of tea stylistically ... and a cool £5k to boot. But super-rare (only 50 ever made) and Stanley Clarke afficionados will find it interesting (calling @jazzyvee)

 

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/lieber-stanley-clarke-lieber-spellbinder/

Edited September 6, 2022 by Clarky

[Lfalex v1.1]

Lovely,  but my acidic sweat would not have a positive effect on the silver around the inlays...

[Shaggy]

Quite Status-esque; have to say I prefer the Alembic SC signature model.  But it’s pretty cool, and Bas Bros generally price quite keenly.

[Misdee]

This is a really rare and very beautiful bass. I have often wondered what these basses are like in reality. 

 

It still looks great now, but in 1979 this bass must have looked like something from Star Wars. I would think that spare parts might be a bit hard to source nowadays, though.

 

It would be interesting to know who this bass originally belonged to. A lot of these basses went to big name players. I know John Wetton had one, as did Lee Sklar. Also, I seem to remember that a left handed one was made and given as a gift to Paul McCartney. 

 

[Slappa da bass]

Hi, I’ve actually plaid this bass myself. Although it’s a cool thing it doesn’t play that well and its extremely unbalanced. Not really in the same league as the Alembic Clarke’s.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

22 minutes ago, Slappa da bass said:

Hi, I’ve actually plaid this bass myself. Although it’s a cool thing it doesn’t play that well and its extremely unbalanced. Not really in the same league as the Alembic Clarke’s.

Much like the Alembic SC then 😎

[Misdee]

On 08/09/2022 at 15:47, Slappa da bass said:

Hi, I’ve actually plaid this bass myself. Although it’s a cool thing it doesn’t play that well and its extremely unbalanced. Not really in the same league as the Alembic Clarke’s. 

In my mind's eye these basses were an exotic image of perfection. It's a mixed blessing to find out that the reality is a bit more mundane.😕

 

I get the impression that Stanley Clarke is so gifted that he is impervious to the ergonomics of his instruments. When you see how he physically dominates the double bass, the bass guitar must feel like a toy to him.

 

 

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Misdee said:

In my mind's eye these basses were an exotic image of perfection. It's a mixed blessing to find out that the reality is a bit more mundane.😕

 

I get the impression that Stanley Clarke is so gifted that he is impervious to the ergonomics of his instruments. When you see how he physically dominates the double bass, the bass guitar must feel like a toy to him.

 

 

He is also quite tall

[Chris2112]

It's a nice looking bass and indeed, quite rare. I have joked in the past that Stanley loved his so much he put it in a case and didn't revisit the idea for thirty years! Alright, he didn't shelve them immediately but he wasn't exactly 'spellbound' for long the first time around.

 

I actually thought that the next model, released in 2001, was more attractive, aside from the rather ugly back plate. Again, these were massively expensive at the time and didn't seem to form a part of Stan's regular arsenal. 

 

[jazzyvee]

On 06/09/2022 at 22:52, Clarky said:

Not my cup of tea stylistically ... and a cool £5k to boot. But super-rare (only 50 ever made) and Stanley Clarke afficionados will find it interesting (calling @jazzyvee)

 

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/lieber-stanley-clarke-lieber-spellbinder/

 

Thanks Clarky, but that bass does not appeal to me. I have seen Stanley play his live at the Jazz Cafe some years back but i prefer the sound of his alembic.

 

[Oz.]

On 08/09/2022 at 02:23, Misdee said:

This is a really rare and very beautiful bass. I have often wondered what these basses are like in reality. 

 

It still looks great now, but in 1979 this bass must have looked like something from Star Wars. I would think that spare parts might be a bit hard to source nowadays, though.

 

It would be interesting to know who this bass originally belonged to. A lot of these basses went to big name players. I know John Wetton had one, as did Lee Sklar. Also, I seem to remember that a left handed one was made and given as a gift to Paul McCartney. 

 

I've owned one since the mid/late 80s, and have used it extensively live and recording. There really are few parts, and generally from Tom Lieber directly. The basses are probably some of the most neck-heavy made - it is impossible, with the strap on the provided pins, to play without holding up a significant weight. Waaay back when I got it, I crafted a three point strap, the third part going from the main strap, with a d-ring that goes around a tuner. Completely eliminates the problem, so I can tell you how it actually plays - which is terrific. It's a short scale, and super fun. Weirdly thin body - crazy thin. It's unlikely there's any mainstream instrument with a body as thin or light as this, which is a major reason for the neck dive.

 

A crisp tone with a fair amount of variation due to phase selection between the pickups. It has a characteristic of cutting through a mix with clarity, without needing to be cranked up. It sings nicely. I don't find it at all suitable for slap. But for most other uses, it's always a pleasure. But it won't do what some more modern basses can. For example, my EB MM 5 string does what those do, and the Spellbinder can't even approximate those tones.
 

The Spellbinder is hella fun to solo on for the tone and short scale. It will never produce Fender-like tones (which is just fine - why would you with this instrument?) - it has its own distinct character. It's so not for every player - maybe not for most - but it has something I haven't felt/heard in other basses, and I've been playing consistently for almost 50 years, and have been a serious collector, and gone through a lot of instruments.

[Misdee]

Thanks for that fascinating insight. I have wondered about these basses for decades, with the likelihood being that I would never get my hands on one.

 

Maybe Stanley Clarke likes neck-diving basses, because his Alembic Signature model is inherently prone to it, too. Bear in mind Stan is a big bloke, so he is dwarfing a short scale bass. I get the impression that he is such a virtuoso that what would be big physical challenges for lesser mortals don't bother Stanley Clarke.