Musicman Stingray - Such a love/hate relationship

[horrorshowbass]

On 12/12/2022 at 10:46, acidbass said:

@horrorshowbass This thread is your life in a nutshell!

@acidbassya got me.

Currently looking at the 4th ray that I won't sell this time. I just need to accept i need a HH.

[horrorshowbass]

BTW best thread resurrection ever @woodster13 years!!!

Thats how long I'll be trying to buy a ray that suits me

[tegs07]

I have a horrible feeling that the best Ray is a ………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bongo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hideous but fabulous!

Edited December 13, 2022 by tegs07

[Beedster]

Some blasts from the past in this thread 👍 

[diskwave]

Cool zombie thread re-boot.

Played a 1st Gen Ray from 77 to 87 but was never really happy, kinda lacking something, tho it did the job, but then one day in a store in around 1998 I picked up a P bass and realised what I'd been mjssing...that dry low mid thump. 

[IanA]

Stingray 5 Special seems to have cured my love late relationship with Stingrays. The new pickup/preamp combination is a great upgrade. I feel like it is going to complement my Precision really nicely…

Edited December 16, 2022 by IanA

[Jaybeevee]

On 11/03/2009 at 11:12, obi 2 kenobi said:

On a 2EQ, boost bass to half or 3/4, keep treble low, play where a precision pick up would be placed and bob's your uncle.

This a spot on bit of advice..  my '77 2 eq is fantastic and sounds massive. I read a period hang tag or manual at some point that describes use of the early 2 EQ more or less just as @obi 2 kenobi describes. (They are boost/cut with no center indent) I generally play volume and bass on full and treble backed of to around 8  and the Stingray delivers like a boss.

Last night (this thread hanging in my mind) i set the Stingray as described above through my practice amp (Ampeg PT 20 and matching 112 cab) and i really enjoyed the difference, at least as practice level. The bass sounded smooth, even and controlled. A bit of an eye opener if i'm honest. Obviously a mids boost is being effected here with the boom and sizzle tempered, but a lovely at practice volume. Output volume was noticeably lower though.

Definitely goin to explore further at volume with the band.

And to also second @obi 2 kenobi comment on plucking hand position, just about every Stingray player i see plays over the pick up (naturally as it's a great thumb rest and is in my opinion a key factors to the Stingrays 'sound'). Play at the sweet-spot or closer to the neck and boy its thunderous.

 

[Lfalex v1.1]

I had a '90 Fretless Ray5. I regret selling it, but since have acquired 2 other (albeit fretted) alternatives;

 

Warwick Fortress Masterman 5

 

Ibanez EDC 715

 

Both have really good pickups- The Ibanez has the one from the ATK, plus it's got arguably better coil switching than even the SR5.

Both were SH, and collectively cost about half what a new SR5 would. 

 

 

 

[MikanHannille]

Love Rays. Love the tone and feel. I had 4 of them! The one thing I hate about them are their massively tall fret wires. That I can't get on with!

[msb]

I’ve only had one Stingray, still have it. I love the fat chunky neck. Mine is a 3 band, love it. It’s the bass I left beside the couch. The first thing I’d pick up.

Burst , rosewood. Classic.

[Giffro]

Owned my SR5 HH for 5 years now, purchased early 2017 on a special order to EB. I have no issues cutting through a live situation..although at 71 now I find the weight of the bass at 10.2 lbs a tad heavy after a few hours gigging time onstage. Great bass with a lovely sound..extremely well made. Solid bass all round.

 

[spongebob]

Love mine, black, 3EQ. 

 

New band with a full diary, I'm thinking of a backup as it's my sole bass. Trouble is, I can't think of anything else I want!

 

They seem to be a bit of a bargain on the 2nd hand market as well. Awesome tones, 1st rate build quality.....perhaps they've just fallen out of favour at the moment? In the 90s, loads of bands had them.

 

I'm a pick player, new band is punk, new wave, two tone....and the 'Ray cuts it just fine. Loud, aggressive, treble....it's all I need!

[IanA]

Just bought this from Will @ BassBros… It really is perfect in every way♥️

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by IanA

[horrorshowbass]

Those are stunning rays.

I love the look and the sound it's just the back pickup is far away for a jazz bass guy.

I'll try a HH next.

[Cairobill]

Here are my two from 1989 (the only electric basses I own). Very effective as a G.A.S remedy (although I still get the odd attack)

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Cairobill

[spongebob]

Here's mine - a 2006.

 

 

[horrorshowbass]

They are so beautiful to look at, just need to find one i can play Iron Maiden and other fast lines on

[mazdah]

Whoa I'm in deep shock.

 

I had EBMM SR 5, EBMM SUB5 and I currently have EBMM Sterling Classic 4.  And all of them gave me the same big problem - they do have THE PUNCH. They are LOUD. They are FAT. I had to fight them all the time - no matter how light I touch the strings I hear and feel EVERY note up in front, like a kick in the face.

 

Whey I play my P-bass I'm sitting great in the mix, giving the solid foundation to the band. With the Music Man bass... me and the drummer are the band, the guitars are lost. 

[Linus27]

11 hours ago, Cairobill said:

Here are my two from 1989 (the only electric basses I own). Very effective as a G.A.S remedy (although I still get the odd attack)

 

 

The red fretless is absolutely gorgeous 😍

[Vanheusen77]

Love my Stingray Special, and I agree that can Stingrays have a somewhat divisive sound. I compared it to a Sandberg TT jazz bass in this thread: 

 

[Delberthot]

I think I've said this at some point in the past - I love the sound of Stingrays but the only way that I can get the Stingray sound live is with a Sterling. I just can't get as much growl and punch with a regular Stingray unless it's a ceramic pickup SR5.

 

I bought this a few weeks ago - Sterling HH with matching headstock

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Delberthot

[Cairobill]

11 hours ago, Linus27 said:

 

The red fretless is absolutely gorgeous 😍

It was born as a fretted rosewood 'Ray but I had the Bass Gallery replace the board with fretless ebony with side lines.

I spent years looking for a fretless Ray but they are a) rare and crazy expensive and b) rosewood is not up to much as a wood for fretless to my taste. 

This one is absolutely killer...Sings and has 'that tone'

 

[Linus27]

12 hours ago, Cairobill said:

It was born as a fretted rosewood 'Ray but I had the Bass Gallery replace the board with fretless ebony with side lines.

I spent years looking for a fretless Ray but they are a) rare and crazy expensive and b) rosewood is not up to much as a wood for fretless to my taste. 

This one is absolutely killer...Sings and has 'that tone'

 

 

Ebony is absolutely gorgeous for fretless, my fretless Jazz has an ebony board and that sings beautifully.

 

This is my fretless Ray though which has a Pau Ferro board. Its lovely and does sing but also having an ebony Jazz, I wish it had an ebony board as well. I also have a fretless Precision which is a high gloss maple board and that also really sings.

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Linus27

[Cairobill]

11 hours ago, Linus27 said:

 

Ebony is absolutely gorgeous for fretless, my fretless Jazz has an ebony board and that sings beautifully.

 

This is my fretless Ray though which has a Pau Ferro board. Its lovely and does sing but also having an ebony Jazz, I wish it had an ebony board as well. I also have a fretless Precision which is a high gloss maple board and that also really sings.

 

Ah yes of course, I forgot they went to Pau Ferro. That is much harder. If your fretless is a really nice bass, not a bad idea to get the fretboard swapped out for ebony. It was less expensive than I expected it to be. The results were fab as well and def scratched that itch.

[Linus27]

1 hour ago, Cairobill said:

Ah yes of course, I forgot they went to Pau Ferro. That is much harder. If your fretless is a really nice bass, not a bad idea to get the fretboard swapped out for ebony. It was less expensive than I expected it to be. The results were fab as well and def scratched that itch.

 

Excellent, thank you, I may just do that if I keep it. I can easily get into London for the Bass Gallery so I'll look into it. Thank you for the suggestion.