Linus27

Here are my three main basses. A 2005 Musicman Stingray 3EQ in Natural, my 2007 Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn in Candy Apple Red with black pickguard and my 2008 Fender Jazz 1975 Classic re-issue in Tobacco Sunburst. Three very different sounding and playing basses.

I feel for you. Kind of in the same place as you but not at the giving up stage. Just very frustrated. Been looking for a band to join for 3 months now but can't find anything. Posted adverts on the various join my band websites but there seems to be a real lack of musicians around who want to do the sort of stuff I want to do (Foo Fighters, Green Day, Stereophonics type of stuff) or who want to only do covers. A lot of people just seem to want to do it for money. Oh well, don't give up, just hang in and keep looking.

Just interested in what style of band people play in, originals, covers, tribute or no band.

[quote name='Johnzy' post='432194' date='Mar 12 2009, 10:01 AM']My first Musicman bass was a original SUB. A/B it with 3 band stingray at the time and I didnt see the differance. I love this bass to bits, its a pig to work with but when you get it right its fab. playing it is easy, but the painted neck does get very sticky if not wiped down after gigs. I hate the lack of control with the 2 band eq, its a little drastic and its either flat off or full on! I bought a 5 string stingray a couple of years to tour with and its a cool bass, but I've some pet hates. The bass eq is voiced too close to 100h, so when its full on it just blows everything up and is undefined. the mid is a little pointless, and the treble is very clanky. I find I have to fiddle alot more to get a great tone to work with a band. although this bass is KILLER for reggae and dub!!! its gonna have flats on soon to turn it into a DUB beast. One thing I have notices when touring alot is the necks are very unstable. Every month I have complete setup the bass because the neck moves, and therefore I have to intonate etc. this pisses me off as my warwick rarely moves, didnt even wobble when I went from cold Bristol to sunny havana!!! I wouldnt tour for long periods with a musicman, because they are just too unreliable. but I'm gonna keep my two because I love the sound soo much.[/quote] It's intersting you say this as my first musicman had the same problem with the neck. It would never settle down and needed setting up all the time. I took it back to Musicman and they said the wood was to soft and so replaced the neck. The new neck was perfect and never moved. Maybe your neck wood is to soft also.

[quote name='Raggy' post='431586' date='Mar 11 2009, 03:26 PM']Great pictures Chris. Your singers got a fantastic pair of boobs as well [/quote] HAHAHA say it as you see it, don't beat about the bush now will you :) Personally, I think its very hard to come up with an original photo of a band these days. I liked the shot of the instruments on there own. That would make a great back cover of an album but very much like The Jam did.

[quote name='obbm' post='431517' date='Mar 11 2009, 02:07 PM']Your are very welcome to come and try my 2-band but I suggest you bring your amp as a point of reference.[/quote] Thanks Dave, that would be great. Anytime suitable for you? Probably a weekend or Friday afternoon is best for me but I am in no rush.

Thanks Greenking, I think my first move would be to check out a 2EQ and if possible, compare it against my 3EQ to see if there is any noticable difference. Then make a decision after that.

[quote name='tonyf' post='431458' date='Mar 11 2009, 01:33 PM']+1 on the Nordstrand 4.3 Sounded good before but the Nordstrand made SUCH a difference. T PS Ermmmm, still sold it though.....[/quote] So what does the Nordstrand do to the sound? Totally change the sound from the classic Stingray tone or just improves on it?

[quote name='obbm' post='431377' date='Mar 11 2009, 11:41 AM']Yes. [/quote] Hey Dave, really?? Would you mind if I bought my 3EQ along to yours at some point and compared the difference? I would be most appreciative. By the way, my Duck Dunn now sounds lush, very clunky and precision like

Thats really not good news. I wonder if before long my videos are pulled or my Youtube accound closed. I know they already blocked one of my videos.

I am wondering if a 2EQ Musicman is more in what I am after sound wise. Anyone got a 2EQ Stingray I can come and try and even compare to my 3EQ???

WOW, really surprised at the replies here. I was half expecting to be flamed a little. Quite chuffed I am not the only one who has the same feelings. Nothing wrong with the sound at all, but like another poster said, just lacks the guts. niceguyhomer - what difference did you find between the 2EQ and 3EQ?

I've had two Musicman Stingray basses. Both 3EQ, both with superb necks but both a total pain in the arse to get a decent sound from. I thought maybe it was just the rig I was playing. It was a Harke 7000 with the Harke alluminium coned 4 x 10XL and 1 x 15XL cabs. Nothing really wrong with the sound but it was just thin, tinny and no balls to it. I put this down to maybe the alluminium cones. The actual tone was pretty nice but it was just thin and weak. However, if I plugged my Fender 77 Precision in, it sounded amazing. Full, punchy, rounded and full of drive. It was like comparing a V8 Mustang to a 1.0 Metro. However, the Stingray was a total dream to play. A neck to die for and the balance was perfect but I sold her when times were tight. Now move forward 8 years and that memory was not gone and so I bought a new 3EQ Stingray. Again, a dream to play, beautiful balance and a neck to die for. This time, I am playing it through an Ashdown MAG 300H, Ashdown MAG 2 x 10 and 1 x 15. Again though, great tone but the bass is thin and has no balls. I then play my Fender Jazz and its full, smooth and warm. I then play my Lakland Duck Dunn and its fat, powerful, driving and has one set of meaty balls on it. I then go back to the Stingray and its thin and weedy and lacks real punch. I can't believe its all me or the way my rig is setup as I have found the same conclusion with two very different rigs. If I dial the bass up on the Stingray, it gets fuller but also goes a bit wooly and tends to lose the classic stingray tone. To me this makes it a bit pointless. I am beginning to wonder if maybe I have the wrong impression of the Stingray. I thought it would be a great rock bass, full sounding, driving but with its own tone. However, it just seems to lack any bottom end and fullness. I'm trying to actually think of any bands that play driving rock/metal/punk that use a Musicman. Has anyone else found anything similar? I love my Stingray but I can never get the sound I want out of it and I don't really want to start fiddling with changing pickups or using pedals etc.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='426405' date='Mar 5 2009, 04:39 PM']Define 'great'. To be frank, they never held my attention for very long. I don't dislike The Police, I just don't like them enough to consider spending any time listening to them. I can enjoy a track or two but that's about it but, as for great, no, not really. But that's just me.[/quote] I think, looking back at the time they were around, late 70's to early 80's, they were very much ahead of their time. In fact, some of the song could be called timeless classics because even today, some songs still sound fresh. Listening to a lot of other groups now from around them, the songs sound rough, raw and rubbish. I just think at the time, they were special and very much ahead of their time.

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426363' date='Mar 5 2009, 04:22 PM']Are you[b] absolutely [/b]positive? [/quote] In my opinion, YES

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426359' date='Mar 5 2009, 04:19 PM']Must.......................................................resist................................... ..........must.........................................resist [/quote] I'm resisting and so far its working.

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426346' date='Mar 5 2009, 04:12 PM']Fair enough. Oops!! [/quote] You crack me up OOOPPPSS bugger, now I done it

[quote name='Tee' post='426320' date='Mar 5 2009, 03:58 PM']The one on the right (maple) is my No.1 and it will be seeing action tonight.[/quote] Yeah I love the one with maple neck. Looks stunning.

[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='426070' date='Mar 5 2009, 12:43 PM']is this worth debating? Copeland = favourite drummer of all time Sting = one of the main reasons i play bass.[/quote] +1

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426315' date='Mar 5 2009, 03:54 PM']God dammit!![/quote] You're go to hell now with a U2 album and beat up Fender Precision with one string so you can only play Adam Clayton bass line. You're a very bad man.

Guitar Village in Farnham has some ESP basses. Might be worth dropping them a note.

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426304' date='Mar 5 2009, 03:47 PM']Step [b]away[/b] from the thread!! [/quote] You did a smiley, you did a smiley. Your a very bad man hehehehe

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426293' date='Mar 5 2009, 03:40 PM']Leave it!![/quote] Just one more smiley for good luck???

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='426216' date='Mar 5 2009, 02:40 PM'][b]He's behind you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/b][/quote] Is that a fact????