MM Stingray 1998

[ProfJames]

Been offered one for £700 with just a couple of tiny dings, not been played for quite some time. How good are these basses? I play a Fender MiA Jazz. Is it worth buying?

All comments very welcome

[Norm]

Go play it. If you like it, buy it, £700 is not a bad price.

[ProfJames]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1479313386' post='3175557']
Go play it. If you like it, buy it, £700 is not a bad price.
[/quote]

Are they different to a standard Fender jazz in any way?

[Japhet]

Very different to a Jazz. Active preamp, single humbucker pickup, fatter neck and much more aggressive sounding. Great bass though. I love mine.

[bubinga5]

http://youtu.be/fAgcjECaX9I

Edited November 16, 2016 by bubinga5

[bubinga5]

http://youtu.be/XFvLH1CJp7Q

[bubinga5]

Both amazing sounding. But the Jazz is more versatile. Doesn't make it better though.

[Lozz196]

Always a good bass to have in the armoury, and a pretty decent price too, go for it.

[ProfJames]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1479326233' post='3175714']
Always a good bass to have in the armoury, and a pretty decent price too, go for it.
[/quote]

Will do. Thanks for the ongoing help and advice, much appreciated

[mcnach]

[quote name='ProfJames' timestamp='1479311812' post='3175542']
Been offered one for £700 with just a couple of tiny dings, not been played for quite some time. How good are these basses? I play a Fender MiA Jazz. Is it worth buying?

All comments very welcome
[/quote]

Try it.

It's VERY different from a Jazz. You may like it or you may not. But if it's in good condition, that's a nice price.

[mcnach]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1479323895' post='3175690']
[media]http://youtu.be/fAgcjECaX9I[/media]
[/quote]


not a great demo 'though... too much trebly clang, and that bass can sound so much better

[drTStingray]

When you try it, something to consider, the area of the string you pluck and how hard you pluck it make a vast difference to the sound - arguably more so than you would expect - near the neck joint and with palm mute you get a fabulous thumpy sound - between pick up and bridge, and a bit of force, and left hand muting a great Jaco finger style sound - and anything in between.

Full on Tim Commerford 1st Rage album sound can be had by bumping up the treble - Louis Johnson slap sound - Bernard Edwards fat finger style - all available if you can play it - far more versatile than one pick up has any business being!!

The price is great given the hike in new prices - I certainly wouldn't sell one for that price.

As McNach says you may like it - you may not. What they do have is bullet proof construction and when properly set up, a playability to match and possibly surpass anything else available.

Good luck and hope it sounds and feels good. A 1998 may well have figuring in the neck also.

Here's another link which further demonstrates versatility

http://youtu.be/rJN72FvjST0

Edited November 17, 2016 by drTStingray

[Japhet]

One of the best Stingray sounds I can think of is Paul Denman's playing on Sade songs like Cherry Pie or Smooth Operator.

[lowdown]

Stingray threads are always a good excuse to post some Louis Johnson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjqOsYRQI0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdYwglFL6iM

[matski]

I see you own a G&L already - the StingRay is going to be fairly similar to that.

[mcnach]

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1479380841' post='3176034']
I see you own a G&L already - the StingRay is going to be fairly similar to that.
[/quote]

only it won't

It really really won't.
The L2000 is awesome, I had one for years. But it sounds like... an L2000 flavour of awesomeness that is not close to a Stingray awesomeness.

[Norm]

[quote name='ProfJames' timestamp='1479321232' post='3175663']


Are they different to a standard Fender jazz in any way?
[/quote]

as others posters have very eloquently said, very different. That was kinda my point of go play it.
I get on with mine but other people have tried it & not felt the love.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1479397759' post='3176243']
I get on with mine but other people have tried it & not felt the love.
[/quote]

Heathens!

[mep]

Years ago i was offered one to try. I'm still playing it now and it's my main bass. Personally I love them and have never looked back. Give it a go and see .

[Norm]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1479412409' post='3176407']


Heathens!
[/quote]

Yeah burn them! :-)

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1479419001' post='3176485']
Yeah burn them! :-)
[/quote]

NO! Burning is too good for them. Give them a Warwick!


Edit to add that this is just a bit of fun. Absolutely no dig or malice intended. Also, I've loved Warwick since I got my hands on one in late '82 or early '83, and my first counting bass was a Corvette.

Edited November 18, 2016 by BassTractor

[Norm]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1479460419' post='3176656']


NO! Burning is too good for them. Give them a Warwick!
[/quote]
ha ha ha! :-)

[ProfJames]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1479344666' post='3175896']
When you try it, something to consider, the area of the string you pluck and how hard you pluck it make a vast difference to the sound - arguably more so than you would expect - near the neck joint and with palm mute you get a fabulous thumpy sound - between pick up and bridge, and a bit of force, and left hand muting a great Jaco finger style sound - and anything in between.

Full on Tim Commerford 1st Rage album sound can be had by bumping up the treble - Louis Johnson slap sound - Bernard Edwards fat finger style - all available if you can play it - far more versatile than one pick up has any business being!!

The price is great given the hike in new prices - I certainly wouldn't sell one for that price.

As McNach says you may like it - you may not. What they do have is bullet proof construction and when properly set up, a playability to match and possibly surpass anything else available.

Good luck and hope it sounds and feels good. A 1998 may well have figuring in the neck also.

Here's another link which further demonstrates versatility

[media]http://youtu.be/rJN72FvjST0[/media]
[/quote] Thanks for the info, superb knowledge. What is figuring?

[ProfJames]

I saw recently on a Facebook post that a Stingray sound with a maple neck was preferred over a rosewood. Is this true, particular to Stingrays or is it bovine?

[drTStingray]

Some people prefer the sound with a rosewood board over a maple - they both have different advantages - rosewood can be warmer sounding and slightly less in your face, maple can be slightly more bright - but remember Bernard Edwards's bass has a maple board - and recorded sounded warm, fat and mellow - albeit probably with flat wound strings.

Figuring in maple neck wood is basically interesting birds eye, flame (striping) or quilt in the neck wood. Current Classic Stingrays have this and quite often basses from the 90s.