Funky Dunky Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I'm doing a wee bit of research on this wonderful, wonderful tone and looking for views - on which recording - or from which player, have you heard what is, in your opinion, the quintessential MM bass tone? Which model of bass? Which amp was it married with? Post videos or links if you can please :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Flea, Ray 4 & GK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonepete Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Bernard Edwards. ray4 into?. That's my stingray tone heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='tbonepete' timestamp='1410589502' post='2550996'] Bernard Edwards. ray4 into?. That's my stingray tone heaven. [/quote] As far as active basses go. THIS IS IT! Not only the best MM tone, but the best disco and active bass tone! Though, in a different look at this discussion, arguably the best fretless stingray tone is Pino's. I guess the OP has two votes from me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Anything John deacon used one on (more than you'd think) including the obvious one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 I always associated Deacy with Fenders for some reason, what hits did he use a Ray on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Or rage against the machine obviously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1410607971' post='2551202'] I always associated Deacy with Fenders for some reason, what hits did he use a Ray on? [/quote] Another one bites the dust, good old fashioned lover boy, Loads of stuff from the late 70s really. Tobacco burst sometimes white sometimes black pick guard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Tony Levin on the Peter Gabriel Album [i]So - [/i]I have no idea what kind of amp or other gear that he uses. Just awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1410607971' post='2551202'] I always associated Deacy with Fenders for some reason, what hits did he use a Ray on? [/quote] Another one bites the dust, I think was one track he used it on. For me it would have to be Bernard as well. Every time I get out the Ray it's that magical tone I'm looking for I know a lot of the tone is in the fingers and Bernard used a few different basses and made them all sound great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1410607971' post='2551202'] I always associated Deacy with Fenders for some reason, what hits did he use a Ray on? [/quote] As the Stingray did not come out until 1976 anything pre 1976 is Fender, from the 1976 album 'Day at the Races' onwards there is Ray usage scattered here and there between P basses fretted and fretless if you listen/watch. 1976 'Day At The Races Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy and Tie Your Mother Down, 1977 'News of the world' We Are The Champions, 1978 'Jazz' Fat Bottomed Girls, 1980's 'The Game' Another Bites the Dust, [media]http://youtu.be/PI3LAgGBxqU[/media] [media]http://youtu.be/LvB2MnIIdMw[/media] [media]http://youtu.be/04854XqcfCY[/media] [media]http://youtu.be/VMnjF1O4eH0[/media] [media]http://youtu.be/rY0WxgSXdEE[/media] They went left handed for the Montreal 1981 Live show?! Who would have guessed Freddie was gay? [media]http://youtu.be/_hDGTjjJ7Y0[/media] Edited September 13, 2014 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [size=5]DONT OPEN THIS LINK IF YOU HAVE STINGRAY GAS!!!![/size] [size=5][url="http://youtu.be/APmUWC8S1_M"]http://youtu.be/APmUWC8S1_M[/url][/size] [size=5][size=3]Next time someone says they can get a Ray sound out of an Ibanez or Jazz bass etc this is the clip to show them the error of their ways [/size][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerster135 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Defo the first RATM album or Skunk Anansie's Paranoid and Sunburnt. Classic 70s & 80s Stingray tones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 The three big Ray users mentioned here used variations on the theme to start with on their debut stuff and all pre EB too, Cass Lewis- Cutlass rather than Stingray and more known for using a Sabre anyway. Flea- Again a Cutlass as you can see the modulus neck in the early 1984-5 footage. Tim Commerford- Stingray Pre EB but with a Badass bridge and some kind of smooth faced pickup. Oh No maybe it is all in the fingers after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Thanks for the info on John Deacon :-) I agree wholeheartedly with 'Take The Power Back', superb 'Ray tone and a fantastic riff to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 It is killer isnt it!? I ended up having to play along to it, my Classic with the John East 2 band preamp does a fairly good impression of a pre EB Ray too, nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerster135 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410624208' post='2551397'] The three big Ray users mentioned here used variations on the theme to start with on their debut stuff and all pre EB too, Cass Lewis- Cutlass rather than Stingray and more known for using a Sabre anyway. Flea- Again a Cutlass as you can see the modulus neck in the early 1984-5 footage. Tim Commerford- Stingray Pre EB but with a Badass bridge and some kind of smooth faced pickup. Oh No maybe it is all in the fingers after all [/quote] Just to clear up a couple of things here: Cass Lewis - Definitely a pre-eb Stingray on P&S (I've spoken to him about this). He didn't start collecting Cutlass 1s until later on, while he was using G&Ls Flea - Used a Cutlass live a lot in the early days, but switched to transition-era EB Stingray (see the Give it Away video...). Recordings post - Uplift Mofo Party Plan are usually Spectors or Wals, very rarely a Stingray. Timmy C - Definitely used an 80s EB transition Stingray on that first album Edited September 13, 2014 by bakerster135 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='bakerster135' timestamp='1410630525' post='2551480'] Just to clear up a couple of things here: Cass Lewis - Definitely a pre-eb Stingray on P&S (I've spoken to him about this). He didn't start collecting Cutlass 1s until later on, while he was using G&Ls Flea - Used a Cutlass live a lot in the early days, but switched to transition-era EB Stingray (see the Give it Away video...). Recordings post - Uplift Mofo Party Plan are usually Spectors or Wals, very rarely a Stingray. Timmy C - Definitely used an 80s EB transition Stingray on that first album [/quote] Well here is Cass Lewis playing a Cutlass live in 1995 only months after forming the band so you better ask him again [url="http://youtu.be/LY9G2bNd8eo"]http://youtu.be/LY9G2bNd8eo[/url] Obviously that does not prove the album was not recorded with a wooden necked Ray but as we are [i]clearing things up[/i], lol. I know Flea went to a trans Ray, his main bass before getting well known here, thats why I said [u]Debut[/u] stuff, and the Wal thing has been known for a long while, fwiw his best sound was his early Modulus days IMO. As for Tim C how do we know he used a trans era Ray on the album but not live? Just curious as he appears very connected to his pre EB bass, gaining the Badass bridge and the smooth pickup over the early ratm years. Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikanHannille Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 http://youtu.be/Kxkoxb5rDF4 The Musicman tone I'm after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 And a year later he still has that Cutlass on loan if he did not collect them until later, the bass tech is tuning a Ray up in the background ready for the next song if you watch carefully, not a pre EB though as it has an arm contour and possibly a truss wheel as it has no skunk(anansie) stripe [url="http://youtu.be/xYMz6wsIKdg"]http://youtu.be/xYMz6wsIKdg[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) [quote name='MikanHannille' timestamp='1410636645' post='2551545'] [media]http://youtu.be/Kxkoxb5rDF4[/media] The Musicman tone I'm after. [/quote] That is what my black SR5 sounds like, the bass in the clip being a Sterling it has a pickup selector and the ceramic pickup like some SR5s (1993-2007ish?), she is an untameable beast but what a beast she is Edited September 13, 2014 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410636695' post='2551546'] And a year later he still has that Cutlass on loan if he did not collect them until later, the bass tech is tuning a Ray up in the background ready for the next song if you watch carefully, not a pre EB though as it has an arm contour and possibly a truss wheel as it has no skunk(anansie) stripe [media]http://youtu.be/xYMz6wsIKdg[/media] [/quote]I think it would have been late '94 when a band I was in supported Skunk Anansie at the Splash Club at the Water Rat. I remember saying to a band mate 'that's Cass Lewis from Terence Trent D'arby's band...'. Much as I am not really a fan of their music they were very strong and definitely the finished article even then. His rig that night was the Cutlass through a Trace Quatra into 2 Mesa 4x12s that looked like they were EV loaded, the flightcases had The Who stencilled on them; just the most incredible soundstage from the setup, lots of bass,mids and treble a great sound. Really integral to the bands sound. As is so typical of that time in my life when I did decent gigs, my sound was just nowhere at that time, I could play as well(debatable) as I can now but couldn't put it all together. A chastening experience sharing a bill with Cass Lewis! Back to the OP, I always think it sounds like a Stingray on 'Ashes to ashes' by Bowie, though I've only ever seen George Murray use a P bass or a Travis Bean. Definitely one on 'State of independence' by Donna Summer. Martin Edited September 13, 2014 by The fasting showman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 im not a Stingray man but i do love them. Ive always owned Jazz basses. when i played a SR4 it blew me away. i ve owned an SR5 that was amazing. still have not owned an SR4 which are different, in lots of ways. anyways this guy is great on a Music Man. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvWiT6Q6Awk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Cass is the nuts isnt he, I wouldn't want to go on before or after him although at the same time im very envious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410642967' post='2551634'] Cass is the nuts isnt he, I wouldn't want to go on before or after him although at the same time im very envious! [/quote]Whenever I hear the siren voices luring me away from my Ray I just think of the sound he had in the soundcheck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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