Fender Precision or a Musicman Stingray

[M@23]

Precision. Having recently traded my 'Ray in for one. The Stingray was really nice to play and well built. But so is the P - and I much prefer the sound of it.

[skej21]

Precision for me. Never even had a tiny bit of interest in a stingray. Tried a bunch and they always disappoint my personal expectations of how a bass should sound.

[cocco]

Precision for me. Had 2 rays and there's just something missing for me, my Lakland Bob Glaub is the best P I've ever had.

[drTStingray]

I'm afraid that for me there is little point in comparing basses of this standard and ability to create a professional recorded or live sound.

To use a festive analogy it's rather like comparing sherry trifle and normal fruit trifle. Probably a matter of personal taste.

I would say the Stingray is far more likely to expose poor technique than the precision - simply by the detail of playing being more audible with the Ray than the precision.

I wouldn't want to try and play, say, Teen Town on a Precision .............. but then neither was Jaco a fan, highlighting certain limitations when asked. Many famous performances on them have been enhanced with outboard pre amps - Sir Duke being a good example.

Both basses are extremely competent but I would personally never choose a Precision over a Ray - indeed I've played many over the last 30 years - both good and bad - and have never been persuaded to part with any money for them.

Other people love them for one reason or another and good luck to them. Too limiting for my liking but nice for Motown etc / but then so is the Stingray.

Edited December 26, 2013 by drTStingray

[Bassman Steve]

Always been a Precision man but I have had a Stingray - a very nive pre-EB one. I didn't get on with it as I am a finger style player and the tension of the string passing over the pick-up (where I hook my thumb) was greater and so the string didn't 'feel' right. A bit like playing a Jazz with your thumb on the bridge pick up all the time - just wasn't comfortable.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1388090671' post='2318499']
I'm afraid that for me there is little point in comparing basses of this standard and ability to create a professional recorded or live sound.

To use a festive analogy it's rather like comparing sherry trifle and normal fruit trifle. Probably a matter of personal taste.
[/quote]

Aye, I started with that - but then the OP says he doesn't want our reasons, just our preference. Am not sure what that does beyond revealing that there are horses for courses, mind!

To add to the subjectivity, make mine a Stingray

[thebassist]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1388092914' post='2318524']


Aye, I started with that - but then the OP says he doesn't want our reasons, just our preference. Am not sure what that does beyond revealing that there are horses for courses, mind!

To add to the subjectivity, make mine a Stingray
[/quote]

Yes I was just interested in general preferences. I'm going to buy one or the other in January and being a Jazz Bass player for the past sixteen years I haven't yet made up my mind. As ever, excellent responses here from the basschat community.

[Gust0o]

Having played the both, they are quite different - both from each other, and from the Jazz you're used to. Definitely worth trying for yourself

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

My view probably doesnt count as I have never played either. However I own a Squier P and an OLP MM3 5 String. Between those I much prefer the MM3 for looks, build quality & general feel. However the P is a simple enough workhorse which sounds great now I got quarter pounder pups in it. If I only had to choose one, it would be the OLP for a good all rounder that stands out from the crowd and is more unusual than your average P.

[Muzz]

P.

I've had several Rays, I like everything about them except the sound live. I've also had a few Precisions, but I stopped swapping as soon as I got the right one (a PJ, but that's a whole other thread). I don't have a Ray at the moment.

Both my main keeper basses have split-coil pickups and are essentially P-sounding basses.

[grenadilla]

The Precision gets such a different vibe when you switch from playing between the pickup and the neck (nice and mellow) to using a pick near the bridge ( pianolike ). A Stingray seems alien or mutant by comparison.

[mcnach]

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1388060779' post='2318156']
What do you prefer? I don't want to get onto the differences between the two basses, etc. I'm just after your preferences.
[/quote]

You're only interested about our preference? Nothing else?

Stingray then. Without hesitation.

[JazzRay]

Well let's ask the man himself, Leo Fender, who designed both basses. The story of the Precision is well known, but when Leo sold the company to CBS in 1965, he had to sign a deal to not design any new guitars for ten years unless it was for Fender CBS, (Mustang Bass). In this time he worked on the replacement for the Precision, making improvements but also going back to his original design. In 1976 he was free from his contract with CBS and the Stingray Bass was launched under ex Fender employee, Tom Walkers MusicMan brand. So the last word goes to Leo, Stingray all day long

[rogerstodge]

I had a Stingray for a year, i loved the feel of it in the bedroom, ?? I gigged it for the first time and only played the first song with it, its now sold so P basses for me

[Gust0o]

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1388139273' post='2318763']
I had a Stingray for a year, i loved the feel of it in the bedroom, ??
[/quote]

Easy, Margaret

[thebassist]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1388119722' post='2318682']

You're only interested about our preference? Nothing else?

Stingray then. Without hesitation.
[/quote]

I figured that a lot of people would put down their reasons anyway
Considering I've not played a Stingray before, I was initially leaning more in that direction simply because the pickup is situated closer to where I'm used to positioning my right-hand thumb on top of the Jazz bridge pickup. I'll definitely play as many variants of both basses as I can between now and the end of January before making a final decision.

[Musicman20]

Check out the (sometimes hard to find) Stingray HH or HS.

You can get very woody P bass tones from those neck pups.

[RandomBass]

I've owned one, and played both. Out of the two, I'd go for a Yamaha BB.


Coat got.....

[artisan]

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1388089650' post='2318484']
Precision for me. Had 2 rays and there's just something missing for me
[/quote]
That would be the G String then
I have owned 3 Rays,a 3eq & a 2eq,both had almost silent g strings especially in a live mix,i tried everything to cure the problem but to no avail.
Don't get me wrong i love the look & feel of a Ray but they just don't work for me.
With a Precision bass though you just can't go wrong,perfect in any musical genre & the build quality on the 2008 onwards U.S. models is just as good as an EBMM bass.
Imho of course.

Edited December 27, 2013 by artisan

[Steff]

Never had a problem with the G string on my Ray5.

Just try to play as many Rays and Ps in gig or at least rehearsal situations before taking the final decision. Also consider what are your favourite bassists playing - I bought my Ray back in '99 just because I was and still am a big Tony Levin fan (mostly of his work with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson and his session work). Ordered it without ever seen one in flesh and never regretted.

[mcnach]

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1388141966' post='2318791']
I figured that a lot of people would put down their reasons anyway
Considering I've not played a Stingray before, I was initially leaning more in that direction simply because the pickup is situated closer to where I'm used to positioning my right-hand thumb on top of the Jazz bridge pickup. I'll definitely play as many variants of both basses as I can between now and the end of January before making a final decision.
[/quote]




yeah, I supposed I could have elaborated, but I wasn't sure whether you were after a simple poll or something more

Stingray for me, although I do like the sound of a Precision.
I find the Stingray allows me to dial in the "right" tone more easily than any other bass. When I say the right tone, I mean the right tone *for my liking*, of course, within the band.
I tried Stingrays in the shop and was never really in love with them, until I found myself in a RHCP tribute band. The guitarist said "ah, it would be cool if you had a Stingray" when I was trying my various basses figuring out which one worked best (Ibanez SR300 P/J, a Jazz, a Warwick Corvette $$, and some others). I bought an OLP Stingray copy... and I felt "aha!!!" once I played it in the band. That led to me upgrading it in various ways, and finally buying a Stingray.
I play in different bands, and the Stingray always manages to sit right where I want it in the mix. It has a huge bottom end, but a pronounced midrange too that allows me to hear it well onstage, and for it to not indistinct mush in the mix, easily.

Precisions are lovely too, but the Stingray is the one I feel most comfortable with. I generally favour bridge pickups, and the Stingray one is at the right place I feel: closer to the bridge becomes thin, closer to the neck becomes... well, it still works great. I guess the Stingray pickup is the closest to the bridge I feel sounds fat enough still. In addition, I like to generally pluck strings around the position of the Stingray pickup, so the pickup became a natural thumbrest for me. This is something I never liked about Precisions but did not think about it until I played Stingrays. Now I instal a thumbrest on my P basses roughly where a Stingray pickup would be.

Both basses can be great. I just prefer the Stingray.

[Steff]

Might also be worth mentioning, what era are you aiming for? There's a big difference between 60s/70's/modern days Ps, also MIJ, MIA, CIJ or whatever else there is. Also I've never played a proper vintage Ray, neither one of those new ones, but from what I know they all sound a bit different too. One thing I know for sure is and I've mentioned it before, 1990's rays (and maybe + - a few years) as mine is will expose your playing much more than a P. If your timing is great, definitely a Ray. If it isn't that well refined, the P will be more "friendly". The Ray will deliver the note you're playing at the exact time you play it, as the P is a bit more rounded and the time of the exact tone attack isnt that clear (don't throw stones at me now, I'm only talking about the time of tone's attack). With the P's I've played that is.

Also worth mentioning. When I got my 77 Jazz, it had Fender CS 60s pickups in. I've recently bought a pair of original 70s pickups and the difference is night and day. So much that now I wanna play my jazz more and more. Before with the CS 60s it was more about owning a 70s jazz rather than playing a 70s jazz.


Also a few people mention Rays sound terrible on their own. Are you sure you've actually tried genuine Rays? I'd say that's very subjective. In my opinion my ray never sounded bad on its own apart from when it has very old strings. Which is the case with any other bass really.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Steff

[thodrik]

I have owned a 1978 Precision for 15 years so no surprise where my preference lies!

I generally prefer the neck profile of Precisions to Stingrays. Aesthetically I prefer the look of Precisions too as I have never been a fan of the toilet bowl look of Stingrays. I never felt that a Stingray offered anything that I couldn't achieve with my Precision. Had I bought a Stingray originally I probably wouldn't have bought a Precision for the same reason though.

Other reasons for not getting a Stingray include being fed of seeing them constantly being slapped to death by Flea fanboys in music shops and at sound checks, as well as not being impressed by the actions of certain company figures on certain online forums. These points are not really related to the quality of the instruments themselves though, which are generally exceptional.

[Lozz196]

Already answered with Precision (no surprise there I`m sure many will say) but that`s not cos I don`t like Stingrays. I had a couple last year and they are great basses, but just don`t sound right when I`m playing them. Whenever I hear a `Ray being played I love the sound, except in my hands

[thebassist]

[quote name='Steff' timestamp='1388147864' post='2318846']
Might also be worth mentioning, what era are you aiming for? There's a big difference between 60s/70's/modern days Ps, also MIJ, MIA, CIJ or whatever else there is. Also I've never played a proper vintage Ray, neither one of those new ones, but from what I know they all sound a bit different too. One thing I know for sure is and I've mentioned it before, 1990's rays (and maybe + - a few years) as mine is will expose your playing much more than a P. If your timing is great, definitely a Ray. If it isn't that well refined, the P will be more "friendly". The Ray will deliver the note you're playing at the exact time you play it, as the P is a bit more rounded and the time of the exact tone attack isnt that clear (don't throw stones at me now, I'm only talking about the time of tone's attack). With the P's I've played that is.

Also worth mentioning. When I got my 77 Jazz, it had Fender CS 60s pickups in. I've recently bought a pair of original 70s pickups and the difference is night and day. So much that now I wanna play my jazz more and more. Before with the CS 60s it was more about owning a 70s jazz rather than playing a 70s jazz.


Also a few people mention Rays sound terrible on their own. Are you sure you've actually tried genuine Rays? I'd say that's very subjective. In my opinion my ray never sounded bad on its own apart from when it has very old strings. Which is the case with any other bass really.
[/quote]

My usual sound with the Jazz Bass is neck pick-up off, bridge pick-up wide open with the tone rolled all the way up. I just fancy something different. Great responses here. Long may they continue.

Edited December 27, 2013 by thebassist