drTStingray

Blimey - how's it sound? PS when EBMM bring out the 5 string version of the Cutlass and Caprice basses you'll be able to buy something very much like this.

Blimey when did you last go to one - it's all iPads these days!! I play bass in the house band at a couple of jam sessions and yes, some of these stock numbers occur but we get asked to back jazz singers on standards (keyboard player pulls them up on iReal and away we go). Examples of what we played last week - Girl from Ipanema (including being asked to play a bass solo..... 😧), Purple Rain, Albatross, Gravity, Dock of the Bay, Johnny B Goode, Flip Flop and Fly, Our Day Will Come, Hey Joe, Fire, Smooth Operator, Simply the Best. So quite varied. I understand the feeling that these events sometimes feel cliquey in fact I have felt that when going to some of these. I think it's down to the skill of the house band to include everyone who wants to play as much as possible - for the two I play in i'd say the success of that can be variable.

They both play bass and also guitar but I've never seen them both playing bass at the same time. There are tracks with two basses on (on Soul Searching IIRC). They both played Musicman Stingrays after about 1977.

The Bongo is quite a complex shape and although that bottom horn is closer as you say, it is only so in plan view - the real one has a complex curve to it. You should get a real one - reasonable price used and you can always sell it if you don't like it - really very unlike a Stingray - super powerful EQ and with pick up blend, there are lots of tones available although I tend to run mine with the EQ flat mostly. Its a revelation ergonomics-wise particularly standing up - the lower horn gets in the way a touch when sat down. Those cheapo tuners stick up miles beyond the headstock on the Aliexpress copy - prime candidate for getting bent!!

Here's the Mini if you fancy one!!! The rear aspect is even worse!! The problem is these fakes do take real business and do also trick people - there being a story recently of Guitar Centre inadvertently trying to sell a used fake Musicman bass.

Extraordinary!! Here's my actual Bongo for you to compare - somewhat different shape for starters....😀 That Aliexpress Bongo puts me in mind of the Chinese bootleg version of the BMW Mini - as featured on Top Gear - similar comical shape reproduction!!

Looks great - congratulations. Tony Levin has said he cuts the mid range on his 5 string Stingray quite a bit, also. I've tried that setting on my 3 band Stingrays and it works well.

Transit from late 1965 - Period correct for 1957 =

Nice colour - spookily similar to EBMM trans green (puke yellow) 👍

The Popular/Anglia gave way to the Escort and then Focus - but as with any other car/van/Lorry/bus, none have the very basic accoutrements, or virtually anything else they had in 1957 because apart from as a vintage novelty, driving up the m4 in a rainstorm with vacuum operated wipers for instance, is simply daft. Therein all vehicles and the Precision vary as the latter is still largely the same as in 1957 and you can still buy a new one with the equivalent of the crappy wipers (truss rod adjustment requiring neck removal) - unless you compare them with the original era item it's not valid..... 😏

Must surely = Rickenbacker

Nah - Fender Precision is the Ford Anglia/Popular of basses. Sold in huge numbers, 50s design no bells and whistles (or working wipers when travelling uphill; or heater etc). But does the job of getting from A to B perfectly well. Surely the Rickenbacker is slightly Art Deco in look - Art Deco styled cars anyone?

I have no recent experience of using valve amps, but by setting the input on amps I've used to just below clipping level, by playing (a Stingray) on selected notes or passages hard I have been able to get sufficient distortion to be audible, but to produce a clean sound the rest of the time - this has been quite a useful extension of creating dynamics (an additional feature of moving the position or changing the intensity of your plucking action). Regarding setting the amp output high and the input low, I have found backed off input level to affect the overall volume quite a bit (rather like turning the entire EQ to full cut on an active bass). I guess it will vary a lot amongst different amp designs as well? As you will guess I'm coming at this more from a practical experience rather than theoretical viewpoint - so it will include my perceptions/what I hear - which may differ from others!!

Limelite would be something like this then - classic late 50s/early 60s family saloon, heavy relic, no pick up covers 😀

I'm sorry to hear that. FYI I agree with SpondonBased - my 9 volt active (Stingray; Sabre) do not cause a problem plugged into the active input on my Ashdown - it goes into the red more if it's a 5 string or with 18 volt electronics - or with very hard playing. FYI and as a rule of thumb, with these basses, clipping is under control if the input is set between say 9 o clock and 11 o clock (either Ashdown (meter) or MarkBass (light)). The MarkBass is provided in jam sessions as well and everything from Rics to P and J are ok at say 11 o clock on the input - 18 volts or players with very strong plucking/picking need to be backed off a bit. Similarly back off if the output volume only needs to be 9 o clock. Thus all assumes a relatively flat EQ on the amp. As SpondonBased says, get someone to help you set the output volume and ensure you aren't permanently clippings or distorting - I think you would hear distortion anyway. I usually do this anyway to ensure my volume isn't overpowering further back in the venue (if not through PA or with sound people).

Beautiful 1957 all purpose, ubiquitous workaday classic.

Red Stingray; Red Stingray

I also like my ceramic SR5 - so punchy but can sound quite vintage. I have a new SR5 on order - not due till the Autumn but am looking forward to receiving it - it will be Cruz teal as attached in HH form (but they actually come with a white pg - not sure whether the pick up covers will be white). The 18 v electronics and neodimium pole pick ups will be interesting.

That's good to hear and sorry I didn't say, congratulations on your new bass 👍 It would be good if you post some pics.

Ah you mean this - this is my extremely worn original version - bought on the back of the chart hit single - I'm a Man. And yes agreed - great album - some excellent bass playing amongst other things (always loved Terry Kath's guitar playing and sound also)

Ive never played a bad or mediocre one. The G string volume thing is often to do with set up issues (mostly), EQ choices (either on the bass or amp or both) - if you scoop an already naturally scooped sound etc etc, or string type/string guage choice.

Loud sub frequencies seem to be very popular in modern music mixes - both the bass/kick drum and the synth bass or bass guitar. These must play absolute havoc in some venues. Some bass drum sounds remind me of the boom boom boom of a marching band bass drum!! Overly loud drums also seem to be very popular in mixes. If you listen to Vulfpeck their sound is far more retro 70s with lots of mids. I suspect that these mixes are more to do with the overall change in music and sound taste. Of course it completely wrecks quite a lot of music not written to have those frequencies and layers, and certainly not to have then over-boosted - I've lost count of the number of times I've heard radio mixes which completely delete important elements of established music, usually in mid range, such that things like bass hooks completely disappear. How many times have we heard on this forum things like 'Later with Jools - without bass'! A general issue in my opinion - may also have a bit of me getting old, losing patience, and possibly a bit of hearing!! However Im not so sure as I have no problem hearing every bit of Bernard Edwards' playing on Chic songs played on equipment at home!!

I haven't owned or used an amp in the last 15 yrs or so that doesn't have either an input clipping light or meter - they are quite useful to get a feel for whereabouts your signal is in terms of load. I always set mine so that it's just under the point of clipping - then I don't worry about it and control the output volume from the amp output and bass volume. I only use active basses and contrary to what has been said there are vast variations, just based on the intensity of playing - a low B string changes things as well. Having the input at a level where it will clip if you play really hard is quite useful (I certainly found it so using a Stingray and getting that really gritty sound where required). Also, using Ashdown ABM I always found that using the active/passive button can cut the input unnecessarily, based on what the meter said - probably only necessary for 18 volt electronics.

The Stingray HS is dropped - I recall there being some discussion about it on the MM forum and EBMM revealed hardly any were being ordered. They're certainly not available in the 2018 version of the Stingray (H and HH only). There's a thread on the MM bass forum that lists what you can order - I think only the Sterling had options like Fretless, lefty etc - H, HS, HH were listed as available options (circa late January)

Goes well with the black also. I'm betting the chrome will reflect light as well as the Phil Lynott or Noddy Holder's mirrored top hat 😀