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What's your favourite Stingray tone?


Funky Dunky
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[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1410642688' post='2551632']
im not a Stingray man but i do love them. Ive always owned Jazz basses. when i played a SR4 it blew me away. i ve owned an SR5 that was amazing. still have not owned an SR4 which are different, in lots of ways. anyways this guy is great on a Music Man. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvWiT6Q6Awk[/media]
[/quote]
Still have that on VHS...bought it when it was originally released. Excellent!

I have some old demo's that I recorded with one of my old bands back in the 80's...I recorded them with my old Stingray...probably the best recorded bass sounds that I made. Considering my other bass was a Wal custom at the time it says all there is to know about that....now. I cant even remember what happened to that old stingray. And I knew a guy who knew a player who had a brother who owned a stingray just like it...in fact it not only looked like mine but sounded just like mine...and he wondered why I never kept mine.

Great basses.

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[quote name='MikanHannille' timestamp='1410636645' post='2551545']
http://youtu.be/Kxkoxb5rDF4

The Musicman tone I'm after.
[/quote]

Oooo that is some tone!! I'd like it a tiny bit less 'rattley" but apart from that it's near perfect.

It seems my thread has stirred some passion, I thought it might but everyone play nice, ok? :-p

by sheer coincidence, I watched that Louis Johnson video about two hours ago. That man is a monster bassist. The bit where he's slapping with his index finger is particularly nuts!

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410635210' post='2551534']
Well here is Cass Lewis playing a Cutlass live in 1995 only months after forming the band so you better ask him again ;)
[media]http://youtu.be/LY9G2bNd8eo[/media]
Obviously that does not prove the album was not recorded with a wooden necked Ray but as we are [i]clearing things up[/i], lol.

I know Flea went to a trans Ray, his main bass before getting well known here, thats why I said [u]Debut[/u] stuff, and the Wal thing has been known for a long while, fwiw his best sound was his early Modulus days IMO.

As for Tim C how do we know he used a trans era Ray on the album but not live? Just curious as he appears very connected to his pre EB bass, gaining the Badass bridge and the smooth pickup over the early ratm years. Ta
[/quote]

Definitely made myself look a bit of a plum with the RATM comment...Definitely a modified pre-EB (no body contour), I just kind of assumed it was a transition one because of the era. Whoops! :blush:

Bit pedantic but I'd still say Flea didn't debut with a Cutlass. He did use a pre-EB Stingray, but switched over to the Cutlass live to get away from the neck stability issues he was having, so I'd say he [u]debuted[/u] with a Pre-EB Stingray! ;) Agree about his Modulus sound, though my personal favourite is still the Higher Ground intro with a Spector NS-2! Word is that he did record Aeroplane with a Stingray however, possibly using the B/B/R EB Stingray that he was using live at the time. Excellent tone on that song, and great exposure on that solo!

Cass was playing in a mate's band when I met him, at the Half Moon in Putney (band was called Asylum, unfortunately didn't last too long!...). He was playing a Cutlass at that gig, and when I asked him about it he said he started collecting them around the time of Stoosh as he had a bit more dosh. I think it's probably the case that he had only that one before, but started [u]collecting[/u] more later, so sorry for confusing things on that one. The reason I mentioned the Stingray on P&S is because I asked him what he used to record Little Baby Swastika specifically, and he said "an old Stingray". Either he was calling his Cutlass a Stingray, or it's possible he actually used his transition Stingray (seen on the Weak video) to record just that song, or the whole album!...Don't know, but that's why I mentioned it!

Anyway, apologies for storming in again with false information! Let's get on with celebrating the wonderful tone of the Stingray :) I would also cite Paul Denman and his lovely 'Ray tone with Sade!

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I also love Paul Denmans sound!!! I really like the sound of Louis Johnsons bass on MJ's 'Off the wall' album, it's so nice!!!

I had quite a few emails about how I customised my stingray after I was featured in Notreble magazine playing it. (You can see/hear the artical here) http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/08/19/jimmi-clarke-teen-town/

So I made a video to talk through what I have changed on the bass. Stingray purists will hate me!!! But I really love the MM stingray.

http://youtu.be/tS-tpgPFUpI

Edited by Jimmi Clarke
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[quote name='Jimmi Clarke' timestamp='1410708445' post='2552157']
I also love Paul Denmans sound!!! I really like the sound of Louis Johnsons bass on MJ's 'Off the wall' album, it's so nice!!!

I had quite a few emails about how I customised my stingray after I was featured in Notreble magazine playing it. (You can see/hear the artical here) [url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/08/19/jimmi-clarke-teen-town/"]http://www.notreble....arke-teen-town/[/url]

So I made a video to talk through what I have changed on the bass. Stingray purists will hate me!!! But I really love the MM stingray.

[media]http://youtu.be/tS-tpgPFUpI[/media]
[/quote]
Sounding very sweet Jimmi, a Ray that does everything and some nice chops to boot.
I'll set myself a goal of trying to work out your jazz turnaround, I keep giving up on the theory but still determined to get it one day!

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[quote name='bakerster135' timestamp='1410706761' post='2552141']


Definitely made myself look a bit of a plum with the RATM comment...Definitely a modified pre-EB (no body contour), I just kind of assumed it was a transition one because of the era. Whoops! :blush:

Bit pedantic but I'd still say Flea didn't debut with a Cutlass. He did use a pre-EB Stingray, but switched over to the Cutlass live to get away from the neck stability issues he was having, so I'd say he [u]debuted[/u] with a Pre-EB Stingray! ;) Agree about his Modulus sound, though my personal favourite is still the Higher Ground intro with a Spector NS-2! Word is that he did record Aeroplane with a Stingray however, possibly using the B/B/R EB Stingray that he was using live at the time. Excellent tone on that song, and great exposure on that solo!

Cass was playing in a mate's band when I met him, at the Half Moon in Putney (band was called Asylum, unfortunately didn't last too long!...). He was playing a Cutlass at that gig, and when I asked him about it he said he started collecting them around the time of Stoosh as he had a bit more dosh. I think it's probably the case that he had only that one before, but started [u]collecting[/u] more later, so sorry for confusing things on that one. The reason I mentioned the Stingray on P&S is because I asked him what he used to record Little Baby Swastika specifically, and he said "an old Stingray". Either he was calling his Cutlass a Stingray, or it's possible he actually used his transition Stingray (seen on the Weak video) to record just that song, or the whole album!...Don't know, but that's why I mentioned it!

Anyway, apologies for storming in again with false information! Let's get on with celebrating the wonderful tone of the Stingray :) I would also cite Paul Denman and his lovely 'Ray tone with Sade!
[/quote]

Haha that makes sense then, thing is we can only take what someone else says they used on a record with a pinch of salt cant we, I forget what day it is never mind which bass I recorded certain things with, I have read many times that to get the killer Stuart Zender typical can only be a Warwick sound you use the pink 5 string Stingray he used for recording, lol


As for flea, the Cutlass is in the 1984 album sleeve with live pictures from the very first gigs using it, its actually in cartoon form on the front cover, I know im sad :D

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[quote name='Jimmi Clarke' timestamp='1410708445' post='2552157']
I also love Paul Denmans sound!!! I really like the sound of Louis Johnsons bass on MJ's 'Off the wall' album, it's so nice!!!

I had quite a few emails about how I customised my stingray after I was featured in Notreble magazine playing it. (You can see/hear the artical here) http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/08/19/jimmi-clarke-teen-town/

So I made a video to talk through what I have changed on the bass. Stingray purists will hate me!!! But I really love the MM stingray.

http://youtu.be/tS-tpgPFUpI
[/quote]

I like it, even though I always say the stingray tone is more about the pup and preamp rather than the neck, bridge and body somehow it does retain some stingray fizziness even on the front pickup with no active preamp. I like to see a bass being enjoyed :)

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Tony Levin on Secret World Live in 1993

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inwX_c0PcjY#t=165"]http://www.youtube.c...wX_c0PcjY#t=165[/url]

Keep your eye on TLev at about 3m40s. You can see something fall off his Trace Elliot amp. Happens to the best of us I suppose.

Edited by toneknob
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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410622236' post='2551368']

As the Stingray did not come out until 1976 anything pre 1976 is Fender, from the 1976 album 'Day at the Races' onwards there is Ray usage scattered here and there between P basses fretted and fretless if you listen/watch.
1976 'Day At The Races Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy and Tie Your Mother Down,
1977 'News of the world' We Are The Champions,
1978 'Jazz' Fat Bottomed Girls,
1980's 'The Game' Another Bites the Dust,

[/quote]

I'd be surprised if that's the Stingray on Lover Boy and Tie Your Mother Down. Sounds a lot more like the P to me.
I think Deacy's defining Stingray moment is Mustapha. Aleikum Salaam!

http://youtu.be/Oq6OoPB5FIM

I'm afraid I've only ever really enjoyed the 'ray sound when played with a pick and preferably drop-tuned - it's always sounded a bit too spanky for me when played fingerstyle (I can't stand that RATM tone). I like these:

http://youtu.be/dl60yuTJXZg

http://youtu.be/zf_oLG-GnpU

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410636947' post='2551549']
That is what my black SR5 sounds like, the bass in the clip being a Sterling it has a pickup selector and the ceramic pickup like some SR5s (1993-2007ish?), she is an untameable beast but what a beast she is :lol:
[/quote]

I should've gone for a Sterling on my first Musicman purchase. I never really got on with my Stingray sadly.

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[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1410642019' post='2551621']


"Back to the OP, I always think it sounds like a Stingray on 'Ashes to ashes' by Bowie, though I've only ever seen George Murray use a P bass or a Travis Bean. Definitely one on 'State of independence' by Donna Summer"
Martin
[/quote]

State of Independence = Louis Johnson yet again

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