I recently became the guardian of this fine bass. When it first came up for sale, I wasn't particularly interested; then I noticed that it was almost exactly what I was plugging into the custom quote generator on my own! So I haggled a little (just a little - the seller was quite nice actually) and snagged it!  
[img">http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/411/54185.jpg[/img]
  It's a five-string, originally tuned BEADG, but I always intended to restring it EADGC. Which I did. And I love it!   A while back I got interested in getting a six-string bass - fortunately I got a cheap one, because I quickly learned that I'm not into the low-B. I've been playing bass for twenty-five years now, and it has just never appealed to me - of course there are other players who use the low B that I like - it's just not for me. But I loved the high C string, so I've been on the lookout for a five-string with the high C.   Another thing I love is short-scale basses. I've got a few vintage ones, but this is probably the first "modern" short-scale that I've owned, and again, I love it! I'm going to take it back to the mothership at some point and have new bridge saddles and a new nut put in - it works as-is for the time being, but I notice that when I pluck the low E with my thumb, you can hear the string moving in the too-wide saddle.   Here's one more picture taken with flash showing off the flame:  

  While I'm at it, here's the http://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=7155]original build thread, and the for sale thread for some other pictures. I'll try and post some more shots later, and also maybe some discussion of the Stanley Clarke Signature model in general.

Looks good Harry~  I'm looking forward to a few video/sound clips of it too!

That's a real beauty Harry! I also enjoy the high C string on my 6 string Basses.   I've never tried a short scale 5 string and I wonder how the low B string would sound.  I'm sure on an Alembic it would sound great - tight and crisp.  But I'd imagine on lesser Basses it would sound  rather muddy and floppy.  A high C seems to make more sense on a short scale Bass.
I also look forward to sound clips of it in action.
 
I'm a big fan!
 

Wow, Harry
 
So, are you pricing the SUV you're going to need for next years gathering?
:-)
 
Ken

Beautiful bass
I have the same(4string)

Thanks guys - I will try and record something soon.  
 
The previous owner had put DR Lo-Riders which I normally like, but they felt really loose on this bass. I can't really comment on the low B because I don't have much experience with them and restrung this bass after a couple of days. I think I remember reading somewhere here on this forum, though, that Alembic now discourages short scales with low B strings.  
 
But so far the low E is great!
 
Ken, actually the case for this is nice and compact - this year it was either the double-neck or the Exploiter - hopefully next year I can bring both the double-neck and the SC. (Assuming of course I don't end up with something else! I was actually planning on bringing the Telembic next time but it's still in Massachusetts and I think I might leave it there for the time being...)

Hey Harry,
Did I read correctly that you have a cheap 6 string bass? Why not tune it EADGCF with a hi-C and higher F? This would give you an extended top range piccolo bass into guitar range great for chording and melodic phrasing. Worth a try!
P.S. I have a 6 string bass with a low B and I love the symmetry: a four string bass in the middle with another string on the top and the bottom. Makes the 5 string a little awkward conceptually and in execution.
Kris

Hey Rami,
I can tell the difference of my low B string on my 34 scale Europa to my 35 scale Modulus Graphite Quantum TBX thru-neck. While the Europa is clean and accurate, it is weak in power and authority compared to the Modulus. I have a burning question: You have some absolutely beautiful 36 scale Rogues with Ebony neck laminates. Can you describe the difference of the low B from these monsters to a normal 34 long scale bass, say one of your Excels? I am dying to know. Esp fretless tones.
Kris

Hey keurosix, I actually considered selling my Ibanez 6-string, but I'm hanging on to it for now, just in case I need a low B! I don't feel like I need the extra range that an F string would provide - I am just loving the SC 5-string so much! The baritone part of the doubleneck goes up into that range, in case I ever need it.
 
As for the symmetry, I was basically playing the 6 like a 5 and ignoring the low B, so the SC feels perfectly natural. But that's just me!

Harry, what are the fingerboard dimensions on your Ibanez 6-string? (width at nut and width at 24th fret) I tried a Soundgear 5-string in a store a while ago and the neck seemed not as wide as most 5-strings. My next bass will probably be a 6-string and I'd like to make the neck width smaller than normal. Alembic shows 2.0 inches at the nut for classic taper. My Carvin 6-string is also 2 at the nut. I'm wondering how much smaller I can go using BEADGC. Maybe 1-7/8?
 
BTW, nice SC! I like that walnut.
 
Mike
 
(Message edited by 3rd_ray on August 01, 2008)

Kris, I'm using the high C and higher F on my Carvin 6-string. It works pretty good. Like Harry, I hardly ever used the low B, so I tried this as an experiment and ended up keeping it that way. I can see how EADGCF would be weird for guitar players, but it works for me. I just don't think of it as a guitar.  
 
Mike

Mike, I'm going to have to get back to you on the neck width of my Ibanez, maybe when I get home tonight. To tell the truth, I don't have much experience with 5- and 6-string basses - heck, even my 4-strings come in so many shapes and sizes that I don't think I know what normal is!
 
Here's another shot of the bass - I'm not thrilled with the lighting/color, but it's another view of the flame.
 

A low B is cool for some stuff.  It 's useful for certain positions as well as reaching to the basement for notes.  I have a Bach Suite in C Major which runs down to low C.  That's alot of fun to play on a 5 or 6 string Bass.
I feel weird holding a guitar.  I'm not used to the high B & E strings.  
 
To whatever floats the boat!
 

Looking sharp, Harry!
 
I love the flame pattern in the walnut.

Beautiful bass. Makes me kinda wish I kept my SC V. Enjoy it.