Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

"Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy"

Stanley Clarke is usually associated with Alembic basses, but until around 1973-74 he apparently used a variety of basses. I've heard stories that he played a Gibson EB2 and/or a Fender Jazz, but this is the first time I've heard of him playing a Rickenbacker! This video answers a lot of questions I've had about the sound on RTF's Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. So much information is based on scanty interviews at best and hearsay at worst - having this kind of concrete visual information is amazing!

Thanks to Pekka, who posted the link in the Dudepit

Man, that video clip works for a few seconds, then dies. If it works at all.

But it did go far enough for me to see that it is a 4000...

Now the clip won't even load...

Start it and then press pause and let the download get ahead of the play. You should see the light gray bar move to the right, the darker gray bar is the play, and if you keep it behind the light gray one, it'll play.

That was GREAT to see! Stanley was playing his Gibson the night Rick Turner saw Stanley and told him his playing was fantastic but that his toned sucked!!! Very shortly after that, Stanley was playing Alembics.

I had heard that Stanley used a Rick at some point, but that's the first time I've actually seen it. That's a great find.

It sounds so much better than his Alembics. Alembic owners, please don't be offended... just my humble opinion.

That's it... I want a 4000

Astounding, huh? If that's the sound of Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, then I'm sold on the 4000 too. Now we just gotta figure out the amp setup...

Wow, that's fantastic! I love Stan, particularly early Stan. And Ilan, no offense taken, although I personally prefer his Alembic sound. My 4000 sounds not dissimilar to that through my rig if I turn the tone control most of the way down. I hardly ever use it like that though...

Ah, man - that 4000 sounds absoloutely fantastic.

Whoever said the 4000-series were one-trick ponies, huh?

And that AFRO - I want it..! (and the 4000!)

Yeah Henny, the Afro is WAY cool!!! I love the beard too actually...

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you get a 4000's sound by using just the treble pickup of the 4001/3 (without the cap)?

Doug Rauch had a better afro
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~elfunko/images/doug_rauch.jpg

The thing is, his 4000 doesn't sound like a 4001/3 treble pickup. Well, it maybe sounds like one with flats. Is he using flats?

" Now we just gotta figure out the amp setup..."

Looks like an Acoustic 370.