martthebass

I did have a US Sterling that suffered from a mild form of 'weak G', but it wasn't a major issue and I tweaked most of it out with string height adjustment and tilting the pup. Neither of my current Rays suffer from it at all. I get what you're saying about losing the sound in the mix on stage though. I've played some venues where the upper register has just disappeared on stage but when I've gone out front with the wireless kit the sound has been spot on.

Must have been intense, the jeans on the girl in front seem to have spontaneously disintegrated....

Now why didn't I think of that?

6........honest.

Just managed to get back down to 5. 2 Mustangs for gigs (a main and a backup); a fretted Ray for Jamnights, a fretless Ray for noodling and a Ric 4003 for fun/wall hanging.

One....just like this one.

Wondered where Pod had ended up.

You still searching for the holy grail 7.5lb Ray Pete?.......

Got three basses equipped with them (if you include the pins coming as standard on Ric 4003). Always worked fine.

You tried a US Sterling or a Stingray SLO Special - they both have Jazz type necks?

Just wish I could play like him Roger! One thing I did find is that it had to be a 2EQ - for some reason I could never get the sound I was looking for in my head with the 3EQ on the fretless Ray.

I don't see why any bass would appeal to non players (maybe other than a Rick......) but they'd maybe recognise the brand. I can only speak for myself but I was originally attracted to the Stingray due to Pino and John Deacon.

I don't think looking for the right Stingray or Sterling is any different than looking for the right P or J bass. Each one I've had has been subtly or grossly different to the others, you eventually find one that is just right. Also, while flexible, the single H isn't the swiss army knife of the bass world and doesn't work well in all situations/musical genres.

The original USP is that the (originally US production only by Leo F) was that it was one of the first widely available active basses with a humbucker positioned towards the bridge as opposed to the normal 'sweetspot'. This gave the unique character to the sound which was widely employed in a number of Genres but certainly made famous in FunK (e.g. Bernard Edwards). 40+ years on the EB Stingray is an evolution of the original design that you think is up there with the original or not - opinions vary. I'm sure a number of experts on here will give a fuller description, I for one generally love them and have had a US one in the bass line up since 1990 although my current two are a 2016 Fretted single H 3EQ and 2001 Fretless single H 2EQ.

That is very true.....always switched off, totally unnecessary imho

Me too, didn't need to set up my Streamline in 7 years........why oh why did I let it go

I appreciate your comment Chris but in 30 odd years of playing, a BF cab (a compact gen1) is the only cab I managed to crack the shell on and bust the handle off. I'm sure construction has improved since the early days of production but it managed to put me off them as a brand.

Watching this with interest. As a long time MarkBass user but on a 2 x NY121 basis I'm looking if a swap out is on the cards. Perfectly happy with the current MB sound though so it could still be a like for like renewal. The only cabs I've experience with in your line up above is Barefaced - really couldn't get past the flimsy construction in comparison to the MB but couldn't argue that the sound wasn't good.

I tried really hard to get into it, but like some others have said, 30 years plus of playing bass made my hands (and brain) incapable of making the leap.

I have no idea I’m not his PA. However isn’t this argument moot, he can and needs to continue to protect his intellectual property so he does?

I guess JH wasn’t CEO then. Apparently he still has a leg to stand on so he continues and gets most fakers stopped (outside of China - nobody can control them!).

There is a counterpoint to this. In order to protect their intellectual property, RIC have to demonstrate that they are pursuing all instances where 'fakes' are being transacted, if not then they lose their intellectual property claim. JH (albeit an derrière in many respects) is taking this to the letter. We might not like his methods or personality or whatever but that is the route he is advised on to protect his business interests.

Looks like us 'older' people are destined to have to relive music from BBC 4 and Sky Arts then. I thought that music always had lots of genres and sub-genres and part of the fun was making magazine programmes that gave a cross section. The fun of watching Echo and the Bunnymen followed by Black Lace on TOTP in the 80s......so sad we'll never see its like again

I think part of the reason I've lost touch with 'today's music' is that I see so little live content (or miming to stuff a la TOTP) on TV.

I also like the taperless neck profile, not so keen on the thickness at the nut though on the 4003 but you get used to it