Chris Horton Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Hi all, I play a Stingray 5 bass with the standard Humbucker Pickup with Piezo pickup. I have been toying with the idea of getting hold of a Stingray 5 with the HS pickup configuration, Could any stingray experts please share their thoughts on the H vs HS pickups with tone etc ?? Many thanks Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 There are two great videos here that I found for when I bought mine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rp45IKy48U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Ef2CQZxXo&feature=related Personally, I find the HS to be really really good! The 2008- Ray 5s are ALL alnico, like the Ray 4s. The Sterling's are all ceramic. If you bought a 2008 onwards HS, you get all the nice single coil/combined coil options, plus the normal fat Ray H tone which is essential. A 2008- H does not give you the Jaco single coil tone at the bridge....single coil mode isnt possible unless you get a HS now. Pre-2008, different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I just can't get used to the look of a Ray with more than one pup and I like the room behind the pick guard too. I only use the standard Ray setting too so I guess I'm not much help here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Horton Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1317228344' post='1388418']I just can't get used to the look of a Ray with more than one pup and I like the room behind the pick guard too. I only use the standard Ray setting too so I guess I'm not much help here? [/quote] I know what you mean I do prefer the cosmetic look of a SR5 in single humbucker setup over any other configuration. GAS is a bad thing Would like to try out a SR5 with HS pickups though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Horton Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1317217389' post='1388217'] Personally, I find the HS to be really really good! The 2008- Ray 5s are ALL alnico, like the Ray 4s. The Sterling's are all ceramic. If you bought a 2008 onwards HS, you get all the nice single coil/combined coil options, plus the normal fat Ray H tone which is essential. A 2008- H does not give you the Jaco single coil tone at the bridge....single coil mode isnt possible unless you get a HS now. Pre-2008, different story. [/quote] Thanks for the helpful coments guy's, My current SR5 is a 2002 model, if i bought a brand new SR5 with HS pickups , do you think that the tone would be vastly different ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 The alnico's are slightly, and I mean ever so slightly, smoother. There is less aggression in the mids compared to the ceramic. You will find the 2008- alnico's are basically the same tone as a normal 3EQ Ray 4 string now, apart tonal variations that normally exist because of wood used/winding of pickups, etc. They did it, I presume, because many asked for an alnico Ray 5, and if you dont want that, you can get the Sterling. With the HS though, there is a LOT of nice variations for tone. The neck S pickup, despite being a single coil, is still MASSIVE compared to say a Fender Jazz single coil. My Ray 5 HS and Sterling 5 HS just look phenomenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 You lot have me gassing for a HS now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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