Jigster Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 ....as I don't want to bore people. But am seeking the lowdown on mid 80's Rays - I guess the EBMM era, not so much pre-EBMM. I used to have a 2008 Stingray which was cool, shouldn't have sold it, but are the 80's Rays very different in sound to the modern Ray, are they noticably more 'vintage' in their sound, in the way a 60's Fender P has a diff sound to a 2010 P and so on...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Have you tried here?? [url="http://www.musicmanbass.org/default.htm"]http://www.musicmanbass.org/default.htm[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Mid 80's is the most difficult era to define Jigster. Unto 84 is pre EB as I guess you know which sounds pretty much like any 2eq Ray but without body contours and a glossy neck being the main differences along with either a 3 or 4 bolt neck. Then there are 84> transition models where they are kind of bitsa versions still with pre EB bridges leaving room for fakery too. No pre EBs have contour body's afaik so that's the thing to look for. Then about 86> to the early 90's most have foam bridge mutes but with smaller thumb turn screws than my 82', nice birdseye maple necks, and at some point the 6 bolt neck bought in for the 5 string in 87 appears on the 4 string making the best of all worlds IMO ( although it's the version I strangely don't own an example of) Sound wise though all the 2 bands are very similar although much fuss about the epoxy coated 76>79 preamp is talked about. My pre certainly has a slightly warmer sound which could be aged pups or the slightly different pup, who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 +1 EB started rationalising and updating the design very subtley once they took over, as the musicman.org site will clearly show. The specification sort of stabilised around the mid 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 An SR4 in the new Blue Pearl finish I have on my SR5 but with one of the heavily figured 80's necks maybe with a rosewood board for a change would be one nice Ray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi 2 kenobi Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Got an 1987 owned since new. One of the first 3eq. Check basses on a settee thread for photos. Great bass. Very light. Nice colour. Doesn't have birds eye neck though. Good period from EB. But best would be late 80s early 90s with truss wheel IMO. Best innovation from EB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Just get a 2EQ non-Classic. You can get a Black, Red or Blue without a hardcase for under £1k new, (padded gig bag). My 2EQ was a bit more as it's a more expensive colour plus a hardcase....very nice huge fat tone. A HH will give you the option for a big fat neck H tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1124446' date='Feb 11 2011, 10:17 PM']Just get a 2EQ non-Classic. You can get a Black, Red or Blue without a hardcase for under £1k new, (padded gig bag). My 2EQ was a bit more as it's a more expensive colour plus a hardcase....very nice huge fat tone. A HH will give you the option for a big fat neck H tone [/quote] i used to know the link for those black and red ones, what is it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1124446' date='Feb 11 2011, 10:17 PM']A HH will give you the option for a big fat neck H tone [/quote] I played one and was hoping to find this, but was bitterly disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1124597' date='Feb 12 2011, 04:30 AM']I played one and was hoping to find this, but was bitterly disappointed. [/quote] One of the things I like best is all the room you have from just one pup too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [quote name='Jigster' post='1124233' date='Feb 11 2011, 07:26 PM']....as I don't want to bore people....[/quote] There are no boring 'ray threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 [url="http://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/guitar-department-45/bass-guitars-453/ernie-ball-music-man-stingray-133-series-bass-guitar-blue-pearl-m-n-23164"]http://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/guita...pearl-m-n-23164[/url] I've seen a store selling them for £950 so just make an offer if you go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Your help over here for Jigster if you will guys? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=122774"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=122774[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 Thanks for all the comments guys - Would be of help to hear views on how much Rays rock out - some might say they lack bottom end?? I play in a three piece alongside a Gibson LP and a full on drummer. My impression is the Rays sit in the mix with a nice mid punch?? Will they underpin the sound and hold it down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I have never heard anyone say they lack bottom end? Even John Deacon realised he would have mime with his Ray rather than a P bass for the Another Bites The Dust video surely the epitome of bottom end in a pop/rock song? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 thanks Pete, t'was chat i saw on TB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I find the best idea with the Ray EQ is to cut highs, leave mids flat, boost lows a little, and if you want it with more thump, string it with flats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Your best bet is to try one out then but I dont think you will be wanting for any bottom Ooo Err! If your looking for that sort of sound I think you will prefer a 2 EQ, I know there is a lot of crap about them all sounding the same but they just dont, The 3EQ has a certain something you cant dial out not that its bad 2 of my 3 Rays are 3 EQ remember and it helps to cut through in some circumstances. The warmth of the 2EQ though is where it is for me right now. I would be most happy with the neck finish and feel of my pre EB , a 2EQ preamp but with the 5 strings of the Ray5 so it looks like a Classic Ray5 might have to be test driven one day...... Get out there and try some mate sounds like your next step you never know you might not like them? Im not a Ray pusher just a man who likes them alot and welcomes more users to the fold Some people Im told happen to like playing Rickys so its a strange old world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Do you know what MM20 I [u]always[/u] on all 3 Rays have the bass boost on full ! I try and reduce it but somehow I like it that way oddly it was Derek Holt from the Climax blues band who started me off doing it that way, He said here you go this is the classic ray sound Full bass, tiny touch of mid just off the indent and a tiny bit of treble boost maybe a few mm to the plus side. I dont even know why I listened to him but its stuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 On the 2EQ its full bass and then use the treble pot like you would a P bass tone pot. Fantastic punch through to the most twangy sound ever on one control its FTW as they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 One of the three basses I ever owned was a mid 80's Stingray. I was told that this was an 83, but it was a 2EQ EBMM (white with black scratchplate) - when was the transition from pre to post EB? Anyway, it was my first 'real' bass - beautifully built and a lovely player - nice bit of birdseye in the neck, too. I never got on with the tone, however. Found my soul mate in a P ... (run for cover) In hindsight, I was young and inexperienced - it's possible I wasn't twiddling the knobs the right way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 End of 84> Is EBMM Roland Nice neck probably points towards the later part of the 80's Got any pics? Its sounds nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) I got rid about 10 years ago, so I'll need to try and dig out and scan some old photos Edited February 13, 2011 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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