Musicman Stingray - Such a love/hate relationship

[josh3184]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='435745' date='Mar 16 2009, 07:15 AM']Bongo is the way to go, and having owned just about all the variations of the 4 string, HS is the sweetest sounding of them all (IMHO, of course) [/quote]

Bongos do seem to be superb instruments, if they managed to get the tone in a slightly more conventional body then I'm sure it'd have more adopters!

[budget bassist]

[quote name='josh3184' post='436335' date='Mar 16 2009, 05:25 PM']Bongos do seem to be superb instruments, if they managed to get the tone in a slightly more conventional body then I'm sure it'd have more adopters![/quote]
I tried a bongo and a $$, i picked the $$ for the price tag, but i'm glad i did it because it's SO much better. If it had a mids knob it would totally kill the bongo (IMHO 4 band is a bit overkill). For me it plays/feels better, sounds more aggressive and is loads more versatile, corvette $$ all the way!

[rocknrollcol]

I have just bought a 4 string stingray, and not knowing much about them apart from them being great basses could someone tell me what each of the four control knobs are for ? I know that the one nearest the neck is the volume! can anyone help ?

[Machines]

Volume/Treble/Mid/Bass, in that order IIRC.

[ahpook]

[quote name='josh3184' post='435534' date='Mar 15 2009, 09:11 PM']best girlfriend ever[/quote]



well, she did buy it for me...

[Skybone]

I've owned a couple of StingRay's in the past, an '89 blonde/maple board 2EQ & a later 90's black & rosewood 2EQ, with a truly gorgeous birdseye maple neck. Both basses were amazing to play, and felt good sat down or on a strap, but they were both somewhat lacklustre in the tone dept. I could not find that sweet spot no matter how hard I tried. I'd been a big fan of actives since I had a Westone Thunder 1a in the early 90's, that I really do regret selling, and I've been through quite a few other actives, but it wasn't until I picked up a Mex Jazz and compared it to the StingRay, that I realised that the Mex Jazz was a tone monster compared to the StingRay. There was more "zing" and life in the tone of the passive bass, compared to the one with the active circuit. There never seems to be much variation in the tone of active basses too, whereas you know when you hear a passive bass.

I feel the same about active EMG pickups in guitars too, their tone is pretty much dull & lifeless compared to a good PAF style humbucker.

All IMO o'course...

[john_the_bass]

I played a gig about a fortnight after I got my 3EQ 'ray and it was commented on by the soundman who had previously only heard my P Bass that it was a lot more balanced sounding and easier to mix. I never had a problem with the way the bass sounded once the band kicked in - that is after all what it's all about?

[Duarte]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='436515' date='Mar 16 2009, 07:23 PM']I tried a bongo and a $$, i picked the $$ for the price tag, but i'm glad i did it because it's SO much better. If it had a mids knob it would totally kill the bongo (IMHO 4 band is a bit overkill). For me it plays/feels better, sounds more aggressive and is loads more versatile, corvette $$ all the way![/quote]

The bongo is the best sounding bass I've ever played...I really don't believe that your warwick could compare, but that is just my opinion.

However you are wrong.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Duarte

[The Funk]

[quote name='Duarte' post='442266' date='Mar 23 2009, 10:37 AM']that is just my opinion.

However you are wrong.[/quote]

love it!

[spacebeer]

I think a good stingray is one of the best sounding basses out there. I only prefer my Gibson Thunderbird to mine.

[Jack]

I think a lot of the tone-hate comes from the fact that they can be a little OTT when played by themselves.

In a dense mix I haven found anything better, but I know many many people who disagree. Bloody good job there are lots of different basses out there.

[Noisyjon]

My observations are this:
I once played my Stingray through a Behringer amp & cabs at the local reheasal room and it sounded awful.
No mids, VERY trebley and just clanky sounding. Like I say, Awful. Was not impressed and a little depressed from that!
In contrast my P bass sounds fine through that exact setup.

Anyway on Sunday just gone I took my amp (Mesa Boogie 400+) and powered her up with the Behringer cabs & the Stingray.
Wow what a difference - it was sounding how it should and absolutly sitting in the mix perfectly.
I guess this is a good example of Stingray's being amp sensitive.

JTB

[flatwound]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='431279' date='Mar 11 2009, 08:49 PM']That forum is ridiculous. They’d sing the praises of a polished piece of sh*t with an Ernie Ball logo on it.[/quote]

Excellent,....you would hardly expect Fender or Rickenbacker for example, to poop on their own products would ya??

[woodster]

[quote name='KERMITNT' post='431345' date='Mar 11 2009, 10:55 AM']with my markbass my stingray is a dream i am not using mids at all cause i dont like them either but my bass is punchy and strong all the way in the mix[/quote]


+1

[Mark_ii]

I have a 2 EQ StingRay classic,  I play it though a GenzBenz amp and on into Barefaced cabs.

I has a huge fat warm sound and every string is right there in the mix (no drop offs in volume).  It actually cuts through better than my Sadowsky jazz or Fender Ultra P bass which are very good in themselves.

 

I don't doubt the experiences stated here in this thread but I'm tending to agree with the post that says that the amp can make the difference.

[Lozz196]

I’ve a 3 EQ, and whilst to play it’s a dream, I just can’t get a sound from it that I’m happy with. This no doubt due to the fact that whenever I play I’m expecting to hear a Precision so anything else just doesn’t work with my feeble brain. But size wise, neck dimensions, everything on a Stingray is the perfect bass for me. 

[Cairobill]

I too had a love hate relationship with 'Rays. But I discovered through extensive trial and error that I hate 3 bands and love 2 bands.

I used a three band extensively in the studio and live in the nineties and it was clicky/boomy struggle. Roll forward to about a decade ago and I found the Stingray motherlode with a 2 band Classic. I discovered that a great sound out of the 2 band is all about nickel strings -> letting them bed in -> rolling the treble knob off just enough to tame the zing and keeping the bass knob about halfway or a tad above that. Amazing punch, lo-mids and definition (maple fretboard for me of course)

That was my big moment of clarity. YMMV of course!

Edited December 12, 2022 by Cairobill

[acidbass]

@horrorshowbass This thread is your life in a nutshell!

[gjones]

1 hour ago, Mark_ii said:

I have a 2 EQ StingRay classic,  I play it though a GenzBenz amp and on into Barefaced cabs.

I has a huge fat warm sound and every string is right there in the mix (no drop offs in volume).  It actually cuts through better than my Sadowsky jazz or Fender Ultra P bass which are very good in themselves.

 

I don't doubt the experiences stated here in this thread but I'm tending to agree with the post that says that the amp can make the difference.

 

My 2 EQ USA Stingray SUB was the same. It sounded very FAT and punchy. like a Precision with a kickdrum behind it.

 

My 3 EQ Stingray doesn't have the same sound but has it's own 'aggressive' character.

[grenadillabama]

My 3 band Ray has an sound that seems to have lows that resemble the sound near the amp. A Precision like my Highway One seems to get the boom you hear in the back of the room. For a thick gtr mix a Ray can be dialed in to be heard. They do have a certain alien quality sometimes.

[Noisyjon]

Got to say, what a great thread resurrection - 13 years!!!

 

I'm off the Rays and use a Spector NS-2 for my active bass requirements now...

I'll get my coat...

[bubinga5]

They have one tone if its a single H. That is all. Like P basses, they have one tone. Thats why J basses work so well. They are a a J and P. Knowone in the audience is going to know your playing a J bass if you roll the front pickup on. It sounds like a P Its more the player. From my experience the P Bass makes you slow down your playing because of the neck . Sr4/5 s have THAT tone. Its fat.... its got its own thing going on. I personally loved my old SR5 single H. It had its tone, but what a tone it had. Stunning bass. Would i take it over the Lakland 5502, not even close  the Lakland is probably the best designed bass guitar on the planet. 

[gjones]

The thing that does irritate me about Stingrays is the sharp corner, on the compensated nut, on the G string side. I might have to file that end of the nut down to take away the edge on mine.

Edited December 12, 2022 by gjones

[Japhet]

Just been reading a different thread where 2 blokes are going at it about Trace Elliot SMX amps, and it reminded me that my 2 band EQ Stingray through my old 300SMX was an awesome combination. Sometimes you just need the right 2 elements. I'd have the old SMX back in a heartbeat, only it would likely mean dragging the old Stingray back out of retirement (where it went for preservation purposes).

[Nivagues]

Interesting thread!

 

The 2EQ has been the same since the Pre-EB days. The 3EQ sounds different because it has a high pass filter which favors the higher frequencies over the lows. Both are 9 volt They ceased being offered as from 2018 except for both the "Classic Series" 2EQ and the "Old Smoothie" black epoxied 2EQ Sting Rays which, in turn, ceased being offered as from 2020. Both are great Basses

 

All Sting Rays ("Special" Series) now have a new revoiced 18 volt 3EQ. The pickups are Neodymium as opposed to the previous Alnico.

I don't know what the future holds for the 2EQ as its IC chip has ceased being manufactured but there are equivalent ICs.