Difference between a Stingray Special and Classic

[horrorshowbass]

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Apologies to people who dislike old threads being resurrected, but this thread came up when I was searching around for a couple of answers, trying to get my head around the Stingrays evolution

 

Firstly, was there a time when the trad 2-band EQ and alnico pickup was paired with a contoured body?

 

Secondly.... Watching an Ed F demo of a Classic* I realised that the Stringray sound which makes me 🥰 comes at Treble 7, Bass 10; is the Special, with its NeoThingy pickup and 3-band EQ, capable of impersonating that specific sound?

 

Thirdly, since I'm on a roll, did the Special nut start off at 1 5/8" and then change to 1 11/16"? (or have I been reading a mistaken listing?)

 

*3'12" to 3'38":

 

 

 

This demo sold me in a classic and I couldn't be happier. Ray tones a plenty and a bidseye maple neck you could get lost in

[horrorshowbass]

9 minutes ago, horrorshowbass said:

This demo sold me in a classic and I couldn't be happier. Ray tones a plenty and a bidseye maple neck you could get lost in

To elaborate, I still would like to try a SR5 special in tectonic blue but that will be in a while!! 

[Munurmunuh]

On 19/09/2021 at 11:08, Ricky Rioli said:

Secondly.... Watching an Ed F demo of a Classic* I realised that the Stringray sound which makes me 🥰 comes at Treble 7, Bass 10

 

From EBMM blurb for the Cliff Williams reproduction Stingray: The original bass has a treble knob marking on the control plate to indicate his preferred tonal location, which we recreated through exact resistance measurements of the potentiometer.

 

So, same for Cliff

[Musicman20]

Off topic, but crazy to think you could get a USA Stingray SR4 for around £1000-£1300 about 4-5 years ago.

[drTStingray]

1 hour ago, Musicman20 said:

Off topic, but crazy to think you could get a USA Stingray SR4 for around £1000-£1300 about 4-5 years ago.

I think this conversation was had in another thread. Certainly, on special bargain basement clearance deals but as indicators of new bass prices, my Stingray Classic was just short of £1700 in 2010 and my Old Smoothie 40th Anniversary Stingray over £2000 in 2016. I paid just short of £1300 for my natural SR5 in 2003. These are perhaps more indicative of retail prices. 
 

I think we have entered a period of higher inflation of prices combined with sporadic shortages of lots of products/ services. Multiple worldwide events to blame. 

[tegs07]

45 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

 

I think we have entered a period of higher inflation of prices combined with sporadic shortages of lots of products/ services. Multiple worldwide events to blame. 

I’m not sure how temporary this situation is. If the jitters in China start to become more serious there could be a sharp drop in lending worldwide. In theory this should be deflationary but the situation is so FUBAR anything could happen.

[Musicman20]

23 hours ago, drTStingray said:

I think this conversation was had in another thread. Certainly, on special bargain basement clearance deals but as indicators of new bass prices, my Stingray Classic was just short of £1700 in 2010 and my Old Smoothie 40th Anniversary Stingray over £2000 in 2016. I paid just short of £1300 for my natural SR5 in 2003. These are perhaps more indicative of retail prices. 
 

I think we have entered a period of higher inflation of prices combined with sporadic shortages of lots of products/ services. Multiple worldwide events to blame. 

 

I managed to get some amazing prices on brand new ordered in Musicman basses (and guitars)....for about 5-6 years.

 

My SR5 Classic Natural was around £1650 ordered in new.  A SR5 HH was £1400. These were brand new orders I had to wait for. Roughly 2014. 

 

Then my priorities changed and I realised I had more than enough.

 

I love what they are coming out with but I can't personally see myself outlaying £2500+ on a Musicman for a while now, unfortunately. Covid/shortages/supply/demand have all added to the issues we see now. 

 

Still a great brand. No idea if we will ever see the pre-Covid stock levels again. 

 

 

[Eldon Tyrell]

1 hour ago, Musicman20 said:

I love what they are coming out with but I can't personally see myself outlaying £2500+ on a Musicman for a while now, unfortunately. Covid/shortages/supply/demand have all added to the issues we see now. 

 

Still a great brand. No idea if we will ever see the pre-Covid stock levels again. 

 

 

Agree, the Covid pandemic has messed up things big time. I am still itching for a Special 4 HH with the cool raspberry burst finish and black hardware. There aren't any in the UK though. I guess I could order one via BD but £2,999 is a bit much, esp. if you consider what they cost in the US. Sweetwater has one (and it is actually the only 4 sting Special they have in stock at the moment) for $2,499 (£ 1,900) but they do not ship to the UK. Maybe some time next year, I will ask a relative in the US to buy it and then send it over to me. Even with shipping costs, VAT and customs, it should cost me significantly less than buying it here in the UK. My other hope is that EBMM makes the Specials available in their Vault. I recently bought a TC sig bass that way and it worked out very well.   

[horrorshowbass]

Nice SR special on here tho.....

[Munurmunuh]

I've just been reading up on Neodyminimyninium magnets, both in themselves and in relation to musical instruments.

 

Some random facts

 

1. Thanks to their strength, you're unlikely to see them on guitars. Bass strings can take it.

 

2. An 18v preamp is pretty much essential to control things

 

3. The sound is naturally a little more scooped relative to Alnico ... so I guess on a Stingray, having a mids control is essential if you want a NeoD to be able to impersonate the old models?

 

Speaking of EQs, I recall that the classic Stingray 2 band EQ has quite idiosyncratic ranges (in my hazy memory, the treble is from zero to lots-of-boost, while the bass goes from cut-it-a-bit to boost-it-a-lot ... have I got that much wrong?) Are the Treble and Bass controls on the Special more standard, simply offering plenty of both cut and boost? 

[drTStingray]

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I've just been reading up on Neodyminimyninium magnets, both in themselves and in relation to musical instruments.

 

Some random facts

 

1. Thanks to their strength, you're unlikely to see them on guitars. Bass strings can take it.

 

2. An 18v preamp is pretty much essential to control things

 

3. The sound is naturally a little more scooped relative to Alnico ... so I guess on a Stingray, having a mids control is essential if you want a NeoD to be able to impersonate the old models?

 

Speaking of EQs ……… Are the Treble and Bass controls on the Special more standard, simply offering plenty of both cut and boost? 

Item 3 - not necessarily - my Stingray Tim Commerford signature is passive (with a parallel/single coil/series switch and a boost (which is really a switch to remove the attenuation it normally runs with - great for solos!! But warn the sound person if you’re going to use it 😀)

 

On EQs, the only real differences I’ve noticed with the Special are:-

a) more headroom (18v power)

b) different mid range voicing - you can boost it fully and still have a musical tone.

c) the amount of bass boost available is substantial (similar to the Bongo EQ in that respect). 

Edited September 25, 2021 by drTStingray

[horrorshowbass]

Love my classic, sounds even better than it looks

[dub_junkie]

you can’t go wrong with black/maple. Best look on a Stingray imo 
 

I swapped my natural Classic StingRay for a 3TS Classic Sabre. As good as the Ray was I have no regrets. 

[horrorshowbass]

20 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

you can’t go wrong with black/maple. Best look on a Stingray imo 
 

I swapped my natural Classic StingRay for a 3TS Classic Sabre. As good as the Ray was I have no regrets. 

Nice.

I love the ray but that thumb rest so far back still screws me over, especially over the E string. Playing iron maiden or anything remotely quick us going to take getting used to. Practice time.

[dub_junkie]

Guess it’s what you’re used to. I actually find it easier to play at a faster tempo where the humbucker is as there’s less string give. 
 

but I like the extra options the Sabre gives  me

[Eldon Tyrell]

11 hours ago, horrorshowbass said:

Nice.

I love the ray but that thumb rest so far back still screws me over, especially over the E string. Playing iron maiden or anything remotely quick us going to take getting used to. Practice time.

You could get yourself the Timmy C sig model with the height adjustable finger ramp.

 

[Guest]

The challenge for me with MM basses is that I’m not overly keen on the current Stingray colours (harvest orange aside) and they’ve temporarily (or maybe permanently) dropped the US Sterling. Fortunately I was able to pick up one of the last Sterling 5s earlier this year in the lovely toolbox red. They do have some nice basses and I’m a big fan (I was also lucky enough to score a fantastic Big Al 5 SSS - a bass I really wished they’d bring back, and I’ve said as much to Ernie Ball!) and fair play to them coming up with some interesting new designs. Prices are reflected everywhere - the Dingwall I recently bought is in the same price range as an SR5 and although it has something quite special about it it’s reflective that a top-drawer non-small-volume instrument is around £3K these days. Even a Fender US Elite (non custom shop) is creeping towards £2.5K. I do think they’ve upped their game in the last few years with lighter instruments and some lovely finishes. It’s also quite cool that you can buy a bass directly from them including all taxes for significantly less than from a UK retailer!

[horrorshowbass]

7 hours ago, FDC484950 said:

The challenge for me with MM basses is that I’m not overly keen on the current Stingray colours (harvest orange aside) and they’ve temporarily (or maybe permanently) dropped the US Sterling. Fortunately I was able to pick up one of the last Sterling 5s earlier this year in the lovely toolbox red. They do have some nice basses and I’m a big fan (I was also lucky enough to score a fantastic Big Al 5 SSS - a bass I really wished they’d bring back, and I’ve said as much to Ernie Ball!) and fair play to them coming up with some interesting new designs. Prices are reflected everywhere - the Dingwall I recently bought is in the same price range as an SR5 and although it has something quite special about it it’s reflective that a top-drawer non-small-volume instrument is around £3K these days. Even a Fender US Elite (non custom shop) is creeping towards £2.5K. I do think they’ve upped their game in the last few years with lighter instruments and some lovely finishes. It’s also quite cool that you can buy a bass directly from them including all taxes for significantly less than from a UK retailer!

My advice is keep an eye on gumtree and bass direct. I was looking for iver a year before getting one on here through wanted ad. Reverb is great if you can negate 20% tax.

[horrorshowbass]

8 hours ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

You could get yourself the Timmy C sig model with the height adjustable finger ramp.

 

Might need to sell the car for that one

last Ray34 I had had perspex block around jazz neck pickup position. Couldn't get on with zero fret mod.

[horrorshowbass]

17 hours ago, dub_junkie said:

Guess it’s what you’re used to. I actually find it easier to play at a faster tempo where the humbucker is as there’s less string give. 
 

but I like the extra options the Sabre gives  me

Beautiful.

I'll get used to it i suppose, just play "Barracuda" over and over again