risingson Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Just bought a Stingray 5 from our very own Gusto. Only had it a few hours but it's reminded me why I should have bought one of these things a while ago, it's an absolute beast. Looking forward to trying to dispel the idea that Stingrays are one trick ponies as well, something tells me that this 3-band EQ and three-way selector switch is going to give me everything I need from a good 5 string! Very happy, really looking forward to gigging it with my TC RH750 rig, it's going to be huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Yep. They are a classic bass. You cant help but love the MM SR sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Great basses! Can't make them sound good with my hands though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 I have an Alnico equipped 2010 and a last of the Ceramic pickup 2007, love em both in their own ways! They really can do everything or at least everything I have ever needed Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1352418623' post='1862955'] I have an Alnico equipped 2010 and a last of the Ceramic pickup 2007, love em both in their own ways! They really can do everything or at least everything I have ever needed Enjoy [/quote] Cool! Can you elaborate a little about the sonic differences? I have a 2003/2004 model so I guess it must be ceramic too? How do the two compare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I didn't really enjoy playing my SR5 very much, but I've heard others getting a great sound out of theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 [quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1352470380' post='1863493'] Cool! Can you elaborate a little about the sonic differences? I have a 2003/2004 model so I guess it must be ceramic too? How do the two compare? [/quote] The alnico magnets were the ones that go in the original Stingray 4's. They started off putting in alnico pickups in the Stingray 5's when production started on them in 1988, but swapped to ceramic a few years later. The ceramics apparently give the bass a grittier, harsher tone but with the Ray preamp in there the difference to my ears is negligible. Ceramic magnets are cheaper to manufacture too apparently. [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1352472138' post='1863530'] I didn't really enjoy playing my SR5 very much, but I've heard others getting a great sound out of theirs. [/quote] My concern with a Stingray was that I would struggle to find a place sonically for it with the kind of music I play but so far it's not proved to be an issue. Already done a bit of recording with it this morning, sounds great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 My Ray 5 HS was my gateway drug to the 5 string Musicman bass. I absolutely LOVE em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Yep what risingson said The Alnico has a darker moodier edge to my ears, if I am doing something upbeat and poppy I'd go for the ceramic, the ceramic is easier to settle into the mix too ime. I like both and could finish my gigging days with either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashwood1985 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1352474021' post='1863560'] My concern with a Stingray was that I would struggle to find a place sonically for it with the kind of music I play but so far it's not proved to be an issue. Already done a bit of recording with it this morning, sounds great. [/quote] What kind(s) of music is that dude? I ask as I'm now 5less after trading my streamer so will, at some point, be looking for a good 5 string to keep ready for when 'needed' and the SR5 is something that I loved when trying in a store but I'm not 100% sure about their use across different genres: I would want to be able to get a warm, round fat tone when desired from my 5 (no 'edge'). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 [quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1352489960' post='1863872'] What kind(s) of music is that dude? I ask as I'm now 5less after trading my streamer so will, at some point, be looking for a good 5 string to keep ready for when 'needed' and the SR5 is something that I loved when trying in a store but I'm not 100% sure about their use across different genres: I would want to be able to get a warm, round fat tone when desired from my 5 (no 'edge'). [/quote] The long answer is quite a lot. I play a lot of rock with my band, but i wanted a 5 string that could cover a lot of areas as I find myself playing with quite a few artists and I think the Stingray does a much better job than you'd expect it to do. There is an 'edge' to the sound of the bass (it's the pickup and pickup placement + preamp, the classic Stingray sound) but the sizzle in the top end can be combatted pretty effectively by just rolling back on the treble and boosting the lows and maybe even the mids a touch. The coil tap also provides a number of opportunities, parallel will get you the classic Stingray sound, series provides you with a nice thick chunky kind of sound and on the newer Stingrays (from 2008 on I think) there's a 'series filter' tap in the middle position which supposedly filters out a bit of the top end to give you less of a sharp edge to your tone. The older models had a single coil mode. There isn't really a lot that the bass can't cater for across the board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashwood1985 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Cool man Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1352474021' post='1863560'] The alnico magnets were the ones that go in the original Stingray 4's. They started off putting in alnico pickups in the Stingray 5's when production started on them in 1988, but swapped to ceramic a few years later. The ceramics apparently give the bass a grittier, harsher tone but with the Ray preamp in there the difference to my ears is negligible. Ceramic magnets are cheaper to manufacture too apparently. [/quote] [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1352484300' post='1863770'] Yep what risingson said The Alnico has a darker moodier edge to my ears, if I am doing something upbeat and poppy I'd go for the ceramic, the ceramic is easier to settle into the mix too ime. I like both and could finish my gigging days with either [/quote] OK, then I think my SR5 suits me best the way it is now. I play in a modern female-fronted metal band and prefer an agressive and tight tone with a slight midscoop and sharp attack, and my SR5 works great for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 [quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1352573053' post='1864813'] OK, then I think my SR5 suits me best the way it is now. I play in a modern female-fronted metal band and prefer an agressive and tight tone with a slight midscoop and sharp attack, and my SR5 works great for that [/quote] To be honest, any Stingray is good for that. Trying to get a Ray to sound scooped and attack-like is like shooting fish in a barrel. I try and keep my sound focused in the mids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 imo.. i still think an SR5 H has a very specific sound... not versatile imo. you may be able to change the eq but it will still sound like an SR5.. . but what it does it does so well.. super fat focused tone with that awsome subtle growl... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1352576573' post='1864870'] imo.. i still think an SR5 H has a very specific sound... not versatile imo. you may be able to change the eq but it will still sound like an SR5.. . but what it does it does so well.. super fat focused tone with that awsome subtle growl... [/quote] I'll reserve judgement on the lack of versatility until I've properly gigged it, but the signs certainly aren't pointing in that direction at all. One pickup certainly, but a three band EQ and a decent coil tap system which I think is brilliant and I'm convinced that I can get a lot of places with it. It'll certainly never sound like a P-Bass for example, but then that's why I've got a P-Bass as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 It's all in the fingers, pick, play nearer the bridge, pluck with a flat palm near the neck for a mock double bass kind of thing, plectrum right near the bridge, thumbed, slapped etc etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 (edited) Welcome to the SR5 fold! I've had mine for ten years and despite having a number of other basses, still use this as my go to 5 string. It's very versatile and with some tricks of muting and playing style can cover sounds/genres like classic R and B perfectly well, along with most others. My bass has ceramic poles, and is subtly different from an alnico Stingray - it does have an underlying growl which can be increased or decreased with playing style and EQ. SR5s have been used a lot in recording since the 90s, and also in musical theatre live, an example is a Stax based soul show I saw a few years back - the bass player used an SR5 and it sounded perfect. He got a little solo and the sound moved more towards Alembic Stanley Clarke vibe - there is no doubt that the SR5 is highly versatile but as with everything else, unlocking that versatility is in the hands of the player to an extent also. Some of my favourite playing on Stingrays is the Nick Fyffe era Jamiroquy recordings (he used Yamahas live later). Edited November 11, 2012 by drTStingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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