drTStingray

As an avid Stingray owner I've got a number of these instruments. They tend to be a bit more dynamic than your average passive P or J bass which may be the reason I say the following. The ash bodied maple boarded Stingray can be a particularly bright sounding beast - almost shrill if pushed. That's not to say it can't produce warm and fat bass sound a la Bernard Edwards/Louis Johnson. However move to a rosewood boarded one and you will hear and feel a subtle difference. Change the body wood (I have a mahogany bodied Sabre and an alder (I think) Stingray) and again they sound different. The mahogany bass has a particularly warm Low mid range sound. So yes in my opinion the woods used can make an appreciable difference which you'll only really become aware of if you use the different ones over a period of time. In blindfolded listener tests I don't think anyone can tell what bass is what and that has been proven on occasion, including in a game show on TV where the expert got every one wrong....but that is something quite different. I'm sure as a player I can tell the difference be it resonance, sustain and to an extent tone. I think weight makes a difference as well. The reason I say you need time to appreciate the nuances - when I bought my SR5 I couldn't really feel much difference between the series and parallel switch settings - I've had it well over ten years now and the difference is like chalk and cheese to me!!

I've found 100 to 45 are great for a Stingray - especially helps sound balance across the strings when selecting s bassy EQ. I once used a set of 90 to 30 on an SR4HH which also sounded excellent - certainly moved the bass from 70s to Level 42 style 80s/90s sound. I once bought a five string set of Roto 77s but they had phenomenal tension on my SR5 to the extent I stopped playing it - I never did adjust the set up but this may have helped a bit - I'm afraid I'm not up for using strings which require arm wrestling strength to play!!!

[quote name='ianrendall' timestamp='1429118572' post='2748253'] Great video. Should be noted that there is a great chunk of foam under the strings too. May be tempted to convert to flats when I next change my strings in about 3 years! How do flats affect neck tension vs same gauge rounds? Am I right in remembering that TI flats are fairly gentle on the neck and fairly loose? [/quote] Roll on the mutes if you have a pre mid 90s Ray or a Classic but a chunk of foam helps otherwise. According to a discussion in Talkbass the original Rays came with GHS flats and changed to rounds around 78 so Bernard Edwards' Ray would have had flats and he famously referred to not changing the strings. He also seems to have plucked the strings on his Ray between the pick up and the bridge at least some of the time which makes an interesting sound. I've got TI flats on my Classic Ray and Ernie Ball Grp 3s on my fretless - both have tension not unlike roundwounds so don't stress the neck and are great to play. The Classic Ray particularly gets the BE thump but the EQ can be made to get the BE pop and slap sound - eg We Are Family.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1428994189' post='2746686'] I too get massive and entirely unaccountable urges in this direction. Is there a cure or will I have to find something I can afford at some point [/quote] Nope - no chance!! I've had it numerous times and now have five Rays - the other couple of times it transformed into a Sabre and a Bongo!! I was having GAS recently for a late 80s/early 90s trans red Ray but seem to have resolved it by bringing out my 2007LE 4HH Ray after a few months sat in its case - it can sound very much like an active Jazz a la Marcus Miller sound in some settings - but a full fat Ray or Sabre in others - we all know wood makes no difference whatsoever but a rosewood board and ultra light weight seem to help this bass have a different sound - but still unmistakably Ray with the bridge humbucker soloed.

They didn't make a factory Sub fretless but that looks great. Stingray fretlesses are great - in 3 band or 2 band form.

[quote name='cana.dan' timestamp='1428052828' post='2737428'] HI all, Maybe I've been out of the loop for a while but I was perusing Thomann the other day and came across a Stingray Classic in a trans blue finish. Is this a brand new option or has it always been there? http://imgur.com/rtYKyMj Looks sort of like my old favourite and sadly discontinued Trans Teal finish, and I've been wanting a classic Stingray as I never really gelled with my HH, so on the phone I got to GAK and I now have one on order. Waiting sucks! [/quote] Trans Blue became an option about a year ago - seems to have replaced Diego blue (which I tried to order a Sabre in but too late!). They rotate the colours on the Classics. Nice colour.

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1428083238' post='2737943'] Yep. Still though, it means I get to try out a Stingray 5HS I've had my eye on...silver lining and all that... [/quote] Sorry to hear that - as you say the 5HS has great sounds available. The SR5 is a lot more resonant IMO than the SR4 (well at least mine is - top horn vibrates exceptionally).

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1427984583' post='2736702'] Leo used Ash for sunburst finishes (as the grain shows through) and alder for solid finishes (as it doesn't). I don't think he had any strong views about any perceived tonal differences - it had a lot to do with what was locally available. So in short - I don't know! [/quote] They used alder because the grain of the wood has less natural dents and it was thus easier, quicker and thus cheaper to finish to a high quality gloss - even sunburst. You will also find early 80s sunburst Stingrays in alder. Now you know there are different schools of thought on the affect of body wood on tone - my take is alder produces a slightly more refined, mellow and less strident at the extremes tone - it sure does in a Stingray and I think this is true with Fender guitars and basses also. Nice that you get an alder body with such a keenly priced bass with these.

Ibanez - but I would also look at others such as 4 string Lakland mainly because the other two will not sound anything like your existing Lakland IMHO

As you probably saw further up this thread I have an MM Sabre in this spec - the frets look great against the darkness of the figured maple neck but in my view make no difference to the sound and it is anything but clanky!! However I'd say the sound is somewhat different from a regular ash bodied MM - possibly warmer sounding - mahogany one piece body and roasted maple neck may contribute. These basses have a fabulous colour effect particularly under bright light. The weight is no more and probably less than a regular ash bodied bass. So you will have a rare, great looking, great sounding bass. In my case, there are few if any other Sabres in this spec. It is one of my go to basses so has been gigged regularly since delivery last August.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1427746062' post='2733862'] I would probably be reluctant to string flats through-body too, but then I'm reluctant to do that on any bass - flats don't seem to like it much. [/quote] Discreet, I know it's a different bass but I've got Thomastik Jazz flats on my string through bridge Stingray Classic and it's absolutely fine - in fact they're my favourite of all strings I've had on the bass and probably bring the best out of me with the bass. Thanks for the thorough review of the V7 and the sound sample is excellent. As you say these basses are good for a Jazzophobe if you want one in your arsenal - Nice colours as well ......... I'm quite tempted - and just imagine if they made a Precision as well!

I think Musicman dealers will get them in on SoR also - the list of dealers is on both the main Musicman site and the Musicman UK site. One other point, you can get a Stingray with the Sterling type neck - called an SLO special - it has one less fret (the Sterling has 22 frets as per the SR5 whereas the Stingray 4 string has 21).

Flip Flop and Fly - at breakneck speed with walking bass part, strident brass and harmonica parts and Ott solos - strangely I can sing harmonies on this without screwing up the bass part. Also close to the response - Tainted Love - hybrid rockabilly cum Soft Cell version - goes down a storm possibly because everyone in the audience knows the words and can bawl them out after a few (especially women)!!

[quote name='Duarte' timestamp='1426881403' post='2723172'] Just sayin' https://youtu.be/blkk3rrRXiE Can't find the one with vox tho! [/quote] Fabulous - this came on the radio when I was parked in the supermarket car park - at last, a song with a good bass mix compared with all these whining background passive sounds of today - really rattled my speakers and the bass actually helps drive the track - strangely I heard a Winehouse track this morning which uses the backing of a Motown song and a classic bass part - and the bass drum was more prominent than the bass guitar in the mix...... Jamerson would be horrified. The chic track really made me smile because it's production is just great and it's very catchy - doesn't sound a 'second' to me and it actually stands out in the current crop of singles, rather like the Daft Punk and Pherell ones did over the last couple of years. Makes me want to grab one of my Stingrays (or Bongo or Sabre) and play some BE lines (many of which he played on hIs Stingray). How nice to see you back here and other places Mr Duarte 😊

For me the most important thing a bass player has to do is create a groove with the drummer. Being able to play guitar doesn't help with this and indeed many guitarists are not good at playing grooves. A good rhythm section with a rhythmn guitarist who can groove and understand usage of space sounds awesome However having some understanding of music theory helps you to create bass parts and harmonies and understanding of what the other musicians (and singers) are doing. Do you need to be able to play guitar. Well it's nice if you can but as the bass guitar is an amplified bass instrument, so for those who think it's essential for a bass player to be able to play some guitar (and I've come across such people), would they also think that an orchestral double bass player should be able to play violin or cello? I think not!! This sounds like an argument conjured up by guitarists who think they're the centre of the universe........... or band!!

You'd do well to try a Sterling by Musicman Ray 35. Based on the daddy of 5 strings, the SR5, if you like them then pick up a used Ray 35. I played my SR5 at a gig last week end and had forgotten what a thunderous beast it could be - fabulous and focussed deep bass sound, killer B string (34 in scale).

Methinks there's far too much moaning on this forum. Remember the olden days when your choice was guitar and (in minute letters under the main word) bass magazine. That's right folks a guitarist magazine with a little subsection for those lesser subset guitarists who play bass. As if to reinforce that stereotype I have come across often (a belief amongst some that bassists are failed guitarists whose place can be substituted by the guitarist playing the bass whenever they want). Unfortunately such people usually have no clue what the role of the bassist is let alone how to play it. I rejoice in the fact my local newsagent can get me Bass Player and Bass Guitar magazines monthly and oh yes, as well as leafing through and reading the odd things that take my eye, if I really want to get into it I can learn a song from a transcription - I rarely do it but bask in the glory of having learned kid Charlemaine, Sir Duke and others over the years. Or even look into some wierd scales or the Coltrane system in Giant Steps. So these magazines have had a cumulative effect on my bass playing and general joie de vivre as it were ...... As I say far too much moaning guys. The one thing that does piss me off is the number of bass players shown playing Fenders. I just watched U2 playing one of their v early singles and Adam Clayton was playing a proper bass - an Ibanez Musician :-)

I have a Markbass LM3 and use it with a 2 x 10 HF and 2 x 10 T cab. It sounds great, is portable and the filters (which I rarely if ever use) can get a nice vintage sound. It tends to be louder at the back than the front of the room although has s great stage presence. I've played through a couple of the smaller Fender rumble combos and found them rather limited - ok for meat and potatoes bass sound. My back up rig is an Ashdown ABM stack. I can't imagine using a Fender bass amp - they were largely blown out of the water back in the 70s by Acoustic and have never really been on the radar since IMO - the Fender Bassman in the band I'm in is used by a harmonica player!!! Definitely try them both. You will be sure to get a great sound with a mark bass rig.

You clearly haven't played a five string as it's almost essential to lean your thumb against the B string to avoid it resonating when you don't want it to and causing a low drone (bagpipe style) to accompany your playing. If you can't get used to playing the bass then the best idea is to sell it and play something you like. Fwiw I transferred my playing style back from 5 string to 4 string which has given me a lot more flexibility in plucking finger position which has created a lot more flexibility in sound. All that said, resting your thumb on the pick up of a musicman and plucking over the pick up creates one of the best bass sounds known to man so I dong see the problem, particularly as you're used to plucking at a bridge pick up position. I certainly don't notice this as an issue at all.

I really couldn't imagine doing this - indeed if I didn't play in bands I would supplement playing at home by going to jam sessions - and I would keep all my basses (they are all Musicman) and my rigs and effects. I would not be happy not to play with other musicians.

[quote name='JAUQO III-X' timestamp='1425392341' post='2706821'] Here's a review of the Sire Marcus Miller V7. [url="http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2015/03/marcus-miller-v7-bass-from-sire-guitars/"]http://bassmusicianm...m-sire-guitars/[/url] [/quote] Interesting - pleasing to see Marcus wants to be involved with entry level instruments to get kids started on basses. Will be interested to see the video he plans to make - meantime all the backing music is from MM albums I have (played on his regular instruments). Are there any sound samples available??

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1425304674' post='2705986'] It was this line that threw me as I didn't think one needed a manual to play a Bass........: "d) one which seems to have a manual with such poor English as to put it on a par with late 70s far eastern electronic goods." [/quote] I think I'm prob guilty of mistaking a quote from a website which was written in such a manner. I well remember being told in the early 80s with some gravity in a manual that a battery in my recently bought gizmo may 'blow off' if I misused the charger!!!

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1425255306' post='2705676'] I kinda think that Dr T Stingrays post was being ironic unless I am sadly mistaken....? [/quote] Not really - i am curious by the clamour for these - I must confess to having been sucked in somewhat when I saw a picture of a baby blue 5 string - Im put off a little by how close the row of 5 stacked control knobs get to the potential plucking position of the G string. I wasn't aware Outtoplayjazz had used one of these - I suspect that although interested in them he won't be dropping his Status or Sabre basses. I'm one if those guys who had a great Jazz copy in the seventies and whilst manufacture if everything has improved since, the difference I felt when I left mine behind when I bought an expensive instrument back then (it was a pre EB Stingray brand new) was so great I simply sold the Jazz copy. Solidity, sound and feel were in a different league. The biggest surprise here to me is the apparent break up of the MM/Fender alliance - no doubt he will still use his famous Fender but they do seem to be dropping all the good signature instruments (the MM 5 must be one of the best in their history). Sign of the times I guess.

I really like Marcus Millers work but am rather dubious of this venture (other than getting a line for kids to take up bass on)

I've just read the whole thread ................ then had to check the date wasn't April 1st - appears to be March 1st so it's obviously not a joke. I'm astonished that so many of you could be hooked by:- a) an entry level copy of a 1960 designed instrument. Such could be considered even worth talking about when good copies of these instruments have been around since the early 1970s c) one which doesn't even come with gig bag normally (so requires considerable expenditure in relation to the cost of the instrument to render it usable to a non bedroom only musician) d) one which seems to have a manual with such poor English as to put it on a par with late 70s far eastern electronic goods. Have you all gone mad or is there such a lowering of the lowest common denominator of desired level of musicianship on this forum that buying one of this starter instruments sight unseen should generate such fervent interest?? The name is even a misspelling of Fender's entry level line - although even that has been the subject of discussion seemingly wishing to elevate it almost to custom shop level. Has anyone dropped one of these Sires to see if it splinters under the slightest gig accident - btw the Squier does - I've seen it happen. If you were lusting after a Ritter or Alembic etc I could understand it, I simply don't understand why people would want to buy a cheap Fender copy in this manner unless they were kids starting out!! Oh well I'm sure someone will give me the low down 😃😄😄😄😄