Look like Stanley will be touring with his new line of basses called Spellbinder.  
 
Has anyone play them, I would love to know your thoughts. They look cheaply built. Does anyone know if Stan has totally moved away from Alembic at this point?

On Chic Corea website, shows Stanley playing a black Spellbinder as they prep up for the RTF Tour. I thought for sure, he'd be playing with the beautful Dragon S2 Alembic bass.

Those basses Suck!!!

Have you played them?

Just took a look at the Spellbinder website. Not my cup o' tea, but anything Rick Turner does, is usually pretty damn good. Have you ever seen a Model One bass in person? Just awesome. And the price of the Spellbinder is $3600. Not bad either, in my humble opinion.

more info on spellbinder.  www.lieberguitars.com

Just what I thought. I'll pass.  
 
An Artist like Stanley Clarke should stay away from the drawing board if he tries to make a case for creations like the Spellbinder basses, when he's been enjoying life with Alembic all the years. He plays a Rolls Royce, and returns with a Yugo basses to sell?  
 
Technically speaking, the Spellbinder lack a lacks an offical peer review I would expect. I tried searching the web on this bass to get more insight, and I found nothing. I asked people here, and nothing returned. I have not even read anything from Stanley as to; why he felt a need to market his own basses?
 
Truly, what else does the gets other than a bass indorsed with Stanley's design and name?  
 
IS THAT ALL  
 
If so, I'll pass.
 
Stanley is not the only person who tried to rub off his influence to the production floors.  
 
Bootsy has a limited Space Bass. I love Bootsy, but he and Stanley can keep their basses. Enough said.

When making a proto-type, or concept you try to incoporate everying into the idea. Once in production, you scale down to control cost, and focus on quality. Here, I seen his newer versions more well thought. I am sure its a learning curve for Stanley to get beyond.  
 
It's still strange or an awkward position for Stanley to compete with Alembic, when he made a career with the best bass in the world IMO.

There were some Spellbinder basses produced in the 80's that Stanley played- he does have a history with them.
 
If it helps the guy pay some more bills, I don't see the problem.  Stanley has lots of 'other' basses onstage through the years- it doesn't mean he stops playing his Alembics.

Remember,
 
Stanley owns and plays a number of brands of basses, but he always comes back to Alembic.  I have seen him play a weird German bass with a lions head bridge and 6 pickups, a Ken Smith bass, and a piccalo bass.  He always returns to his Alembics even though he does not get paid to endorse them.

Funkyjazz, that is so true. Stanley knows which side his bread is buttered on.  
 
I give him credit for trying, because as good as he is, you have to peek and take notice from his perspective on quality. As for me, I am done looking. Alembic is my rock.

Hmm. That's kinda lame -- RTF w/o Alembic?

You got it. I am still marinating this concept too.
I am sure Stanley will pull all the stops with his Alembics including the great Dragon's Breath! http://www.alembicguitars.net/info/fc_dragonsbreath.html
 
Spellbinder who, what?

The lion head bridge instrument - L?wenherz
 
http://www.loewenherzbass.com/english/englishindex.html
 
Stanley Clarke can play whatever he wants people, yes it is an Alembic club, but if he stops playing an Alembic at any moment and you feel hurt, you need  to get help.
 
Spellbinder basses are/were funded and 'co-designed' with SC. The first run in the late 70s had the name 'CLARKE' on the headstock. There's one for sale now.
 
http://www.thelowend.net/gallery/viewtopic.php?t=3307&sid=72b003f7c33f57b8bc27af21f9a0d54e
 
Also, SC played various basses with RTF, including  a Rickenbacker 4001. If he needs the blessing of Alembic club owners to play any particular instrument, particularly one with his OWN name,  something is wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_FTR0gajhw&feature=related
 
Actually the Rick is a 4000, the single pickup one.