drTStingray

I tend to run my 2 bands with bass full and treble just under full, volume not quite on full. To get more mid range, roll the tone controls back towards the centre. You can get a vast amount of variation by changing the level of plucking attack, or moving your plucking hand - from mellow near the neck joint through to much more aggressive/punchy the closer to the bridge you move it. I guess in all of those respects it's like a Precision but the range of sounds is much broader.

Interesting - a Stingray or Wal is much closer to the pumped up fat EB3 sound Andy used in Free than many people's popular choices these days - the popular choices sound far thinner, and often less defined (in fact Boz Burrell in the follow up Bad Company - played first a Precision fretless and later a Stingray fretless). Ive played in a range of bands but have used, in no particular order:- 1) Stingray or Stingray 5 - blues/funk/jazz funk 2) Stingray Fretless - rockabilly 3) Stingray 2 band (coral red) - Cliff and the Shadows tribute 4) 60s R and B and pop - Stingray With occassional substitution of an MM Bongo in band 1), 3) (for 2 songs once!!) and also in occassional Prince tribute stuff. To be honest, the playing style, sound and feel are more important than the actual bass. Palm muted playing on a Stingray, for instance, is similar to a Precision with flats, with a bit more power/punch (and thus less effort exerted) and better definition. I liked @Steve Browning 's comment about doghouse v Precision - that used to be a common problem (various genres - people playing electric bass were looked down the nose at) - unfortunately the same sort of thing can apply to P with flats v anything else electric these days!!! As with its predecessor, it's snobbery and ignorance really! 😏 👍

Yes they're definitely around but the 4 strings are more likely to be 9.5 lbs or so. Light 5 strings are rarer generally - but the Specials are very light indeed. I agree - all excellent basses.

Congratulations on your bass - I have a 5 string in white also. Strangely my 5 string is as light as my Stingray Specials - sub 8 lbs!! Not all Stingrays are heavy. As for the chequer plate pg, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I've kept mine on - I quite like it and it has an oddly nice feel whilst playing. Seriously good basses for the money, these - great 2 band Stingray sound - the white seem to be a bit rarer and look very cool 😎

Whilst gigs are not possible currently, this web page, which I was alerted to this morning in connection with reopening offices, would help you to see the risk levels - the variation of local rates of infection is staggering - I wouldn't fancy playing a gig in Ashford at the moment!! https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/#category=ltlas&map=rate&area=e07000146

Interesting - however the graphs published by the ONS show a huge spike in additional deaths across the last three months or so - unless you're comparing on a completely different basis that is the reality. I think the main thing with this is it's possible to reduce risk by your own actions - washing hands, maintaining social distance when outside etc. I personally will be reluctant to go in pubs or even restaurants after July 4th - it's a bit like driving - you can be as safe as you like yourself but you rely on others to be as vigilant. I don't think it helps downplaying the risks to some groups and increasing the fear in others. This was one of the problems at the start of the lockdown - the vast majority wouldn't be affected and especially younger people. Tragically they have been affected and such announcements make people in those groups less vigilant. Based on official figures, nearly 15% of the total tested positive with Covid in the UK have died - whilst I believe far more have had the disease so the percentage is lower, I still view the percentage dying as very worrying. The lab service had been 'made more efficient' and rationalised along with countless areas of the NHS prior to this virus which is one of the reasons the testing process was not ramped up early on. There have been stories in the local press in this region in the last couple of years of testing, say for drink driving blood tests, taking so long the Police were either past or almost at the point of the deadline for prosecution. So what chance with a pandemic?

I'm one of the lucky 50% of working people who can work from home - my finances have never been better as I'm currently spending very little other than on household expenses and food. I also think I'm living a more healthy, less stressful lifestyle - I had a McDonald's for the first time in three months on Sunday - as a previously loyal once or twice a week customer I shan't be having another any time soon. I think getting back to normal is unlikely ever to happen - the airline industry is realising that. Apparently 60% of A and E capacity hasn't been taken up by alcohol related matters either for the last three months. There are some social benefits. However if I was 18 I'd be mortified that pubs are closed - for me, the fact my high street is no longer a place made unsafe by the volume of drink fuelled youngsters and others milling around and breaking into fights is a very positive thing - much as it will have caused Mr Wetherspoon's profits to take a hit.

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60% of 66 million is just under 40 million - given the current number of known infections is around 300,000 (I know that figure is only those tested and lots more will have had it) and 43,000 have died so far it, at that rate it suggests to reach herd immunity will require millions to die - that is very scary indeed - and the lack of people and 'productivity' even if that is simply buying stuff, would make the economy bomb also. The very phrase 'Herd Immunity' sounds like something a head political adviser might dream up.

Unless I misunderstood, live performances are definitely not permitted - in fact a pub operator which normally has live music was interviewed on the evening news and expressed concern that their pub will not be viable without it - theatres etc are permitted to open 😳 Presumably for socially distanced coffee etc? Presumably the level of Covid 19 will gradually increase and the next big spike will be a couple of months after the start of winter (it apparently thrives in colder conditions - a bit like the flu). Interesting to hear the 'herd immunity' phrase trotted out again - hands up anyone who's ever had flu? Do you reckon you've ever, in your lifetime developed herd immunity to it?? The highest modelled estimated deaths in the current pandemic for the UK, with no control measures was 1/2 million - I would imagine a new lockdown will start but there would be pressure for it not to occur before Christmas - to avoid too much negative economic effect. I too shall be being very careful about getting back to gigging, much as I would like to.

Nice bass that - I didn't realise you had one of those! They did some 2 band Stingrays with that electronics arrangement for Guitar Centre around the same time - I can't remember if they were standard Rays or Classic series but you're unlikely to find one in the uk. The ones Ive seen were black. Whatever, that passive sound is very cool - and Musicman's passive tone circuits have always been really good, appearing on the Big Al and Reflex basses and of course, the short scale Stingray. The Joe Dart only has a volume control. Some of the original US made Sub basses from 2003-6 also were available as passive only instruments. So there are plenty to choose from!!

It's a great surprise to me that, given the vintage vibe popularity, and the popularity of the idea 'Leo got it right first time' there isn't a market and clamour to retro fit basses with BBOT bridges with these first generation Fender bass bridges, warts and all 😬😂

Haha - that's my usual solution for a recalcitrant PC or lap top (or smart phone even) 😁😂 However for bass guitar resonance in the body wood behind the bridge, you don't need to plug it in - acoustic resonance is easy to feel if you put the palm of your hand against the back of the bass guitar body behind the location of the bridge whilst plucking an open string 👍 I guess you were joking but just to extend the comment, the only way to adjust it (turn it on or off - probably not off completely) is by muting the string either dynamically by using various playing techniques, or by muting the strings with a mechanical damper of some sort.

There is an easy way to check this out - just pluck an open string (say an E or A) and place your hand on the back of the bass body behind the bridge - all of mine reverberate significantly (although the ones with flatwound strings do so less). That reverberation is more pronounced than at the upper horn (which I suspect comes from the neck). So the theory only basses with BBOT bridges reverberate the body is wrong (as science would suggest). Those reverberations must be two way as the materials aren't isolated at the body/bridge joint and once again, would defy science if they were one way (rather like saying light or heat only pass through a normal window in one direction). The attack/decay can be a factor of design but strings (especially flatwound) would have a big effect and the biggest is the player and type of muting in their playing they use. The sound of a Precision bass is clearly influenced by the pick up design and location and the remainder of the construction. There is a school of thought that body material makes no difference to the sound of a solid bodied electric bass (a theory which would also support the idea that bridges and bodies don't transfer reverberation/sound) - however that view on body wood not making any difference is not shared by most if not all of the organisations and individuals that make bass guitars - we're back to armchair observers v professionals again.......😏 I too have no problem what type of bass people prefer but remember the biggest variable is the player - and another is the strings (especially round v flat) 👍

I think the answer is resonation - the bridge transfers string resonation to the body (as does the neck joint, and other elements which make up the 'system' of the bass you're playing). However it's not one way traffic - the resonation of the body returns back via connections like the bridge back to the strings and pick ups. Now if the bass you use has 1950s style design elements (which might include flatwound strings) it will be great for thump along 50s/60s style sounds but not for late 70s punk or 80s funk for instance. The sturdiness of the bridge would have a bearing and how well it transfers the resonance (and helps create it). I have a Stingray with strings through the bridge - it increases sustain a lot compared with a non strings through bridge, with roundwound strings (flatwounds tend to reduce this a little). The up to 2018 Musicman basses have a large bolt each side of the bridge which run deep into the body, and a thick steel casting for a bridge - the bolts not only transfer resonance to the busy they also help to keep the saddles precisely in place - the post 2018 Stingray Specials have the same type of bridge but in aluminium (thus lightweight - as are the tuners and other hardware) and without the two large bolts. Those basses still have good sustain but of course neodymium pick up poles instead of alnico and 18 volt instead of 9 volt pre amps. I suspect these partially compensate for the change in materials. The sound of a bass results from its overall construction as well as electronics, as a system. The bridge clearly has an important role in securing the strings and acting as part of the body/strings two way resonance process. If you're playing thump along stuff that might matter less than if you want brightness like Stanley Clark, Louis Johnson, Mark King and Marcus Miller - I'm always reminded Marcis Miller's original 77 Jazz has a Badass bridge - presumably for reasons of performance!

@chris_b you're absolutely right. I've done the same thing in terms of learning his songs, but from a greatest hits double album. I haven't written them out though!! I used to play along to the CD a lot but now use some of the songs as part of my home practice routine. SW is also the reason I bought a 5 strings - all those lower than E bass notes and parts!! So I wanted to do them properly and it got me into 5 string basses. The only downside is I've rarely had to use them in a band setting except Superstition (always in the wrong key - the sax player has a moan occasionally to wind guitarists up 😂 ) and Signed, Sealed, Delivered - done with a full brass section so that is in the correct key!!! I've played I Wish a couple of times - for these types of songs it seems to be necessary to have a keyboard and brass player (s) - but if you get this right the songs are stunning and get a great reaction!! 😀

I also think the P on Sir Duke has flat wound strings and the J on I Wish has roundwounds - sounds accentuated by the preamp and hard playing. These are some of my favourite bass lines and songs of all time - there are probably a dozen Stevie Wonder songs in the same category for me 😏

Hi @pobrien_ie as I stated before, I Wish is on a Jazz, Sir Duke is on a Precision - both through the studio Alembic preamp. In the same interview (published years ago I think in Bass Player) Nate stated he was called in the early hours of the morning by an excited Stevie Wonder who had created what he thought was a stunning bass pattern and asked Nate to come in immediately to record - the result being I Wish and the extra aggression, especially in the slides resulting from him feeling possibly a little peeved (I can't remember the exact words he used but it basically was along those lines)!! That said Nate certainly used to and probably still does pluck the strings very hard. That F in Sir Duke is actually part of an F minor - the fill notes each time all being additional notes from that scale - eg F, G#, C, D#, C, G# and variants on that theme throughout the song. It enables that part of the song to have a decending bass line in semi tones (with fills and extensions) - B to F, E, D# then F# C# B into the unison section all in B maj. These are great songs and brilliant to play on the bass 👍 there are others on Songs in the Key of Life

Very interesting isolated bass track - from an interview published with Nate Watts years ago, this was recorded on a Precision via an external Alembic pre amp (I Wish on a Jazz through the same Alembic studio pre amp). Ive always had problems playing that unison riff cleanly - interesting Nate doesnt either according to that isolated track!! Mind you Ive been trying to for years - he probably only had a few days to nail it!!

I think the diamond blue may have a light metal flake in it - not certain though. There is also sky blue - which has more blue

The MM version of Sonic Blue was called Powder Blue and used on Stingray Classics in 2010, and was an option on regular Stingrays for a while a few years back. Not sure if the diamond blue is the same buy I would doubt it. The prototype Stingray Classics were issued with the same colour name as the original Fender custom colours - including sonic blue. They were renamed for the production basses - although the pastel colours were only available for a year or less.

Wot no Agnetha Faltshog 😧

Another simple idea - lower the pick ups a little (the bridge one is usually too low on a Musicman to be a problem but the bridge can be an issue) - I think that's how I've normally got around the clicking issue - this is another option if you can't (owing to being glued on) or don't want to change the covers. My experience has been you only have to lower the pick up marginally to make a difference. Have you decided what colour yet? Sunburst perhaps?

Some people do have this problem and I've seen insulating tape over pole pieces on Stingrays as a result. I once got recorded via a DI on a live gig and was mortified to hear the clicking - however it never happened again as I started using the floating thumb technique of muting rather than planting it on a pick up cover - and also not plucking hard directly over the pick up - seemingly it works 👍

Interesting he's clearly displaying floating thumb technique of muting the E and A in that still on the link. Something which many accustomed to resting their thumb on a pick up cover have to learn when using 5 string to stop the open B from ringing.