MM Stingray query

[gjones]

5 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

The neck width thing is exactly why I haven't got one.

 

Rays with SLO necks (very jazz like) are rare, and if specc'd on a new one are eye wateringly expensive.

I just played with the configurator for a very simple 'Nard Edwards type - natural, blac 'plate, maple board, SLO neck, and the Mono rigid bag they now come with - and it would be £3213.52 including shipping and VAT / import etc. That's the final landed price.

 

Painted options are actually cheaper - presumably because they save the nice looking wood for the natural / stains.

 

I might have to have a look at one of the SUB Rays after this thread! I see LowEndLobster did a review and stuck an upgraded pickup in it too and thought it was very good.

The SUB that Mr Lobster upgraded was one with the original pickup in it. They, originally had very powerful pickups in them that were too hot for some people. The Ray4 SUB I have is the later model which has a pickup with a lower output and sounds excellent to my ears. I compared both the SUB and my USA Stingray, when I first bought it and they sounded very similar but I prefer the SUB because its Jazz neck means it's nicer to play.

[pineweasel]

39 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Rays with SLO necks (very jazz like) are rare, and if specc'd on a new one are eye wateringly expensive.

I just played with the configurator for a very simple 'Nard Edwards type - natural, blac 'plate, maple board, SLO neck, and the Mono rigid bag they now come with - and it would be £3213.52 including shipping and VAT / import etc. That's the final landed price.

 

To be fair the standard prices are very high nowadays. You'd be looking at the best part of £3000 for an off the peg Stringray at UK retailers.

[fretmeister]

40 minutes ago, gjones said:

The SUB that Mr Lobster upgraded was one with the original pickup in it. They, originally had very powerful pickups in them that were too hot for some people. The Ray4 SUB I have is the later model which has a pickup with a lower output and sounds excellent to my ears. I compared both the SUB and my USA Stingray, when I first bought it and they sounded very similar but I prefer the SUB because its Jazz neck means it's nicer to play.

 

So have they changed the stock pickup to something more traditionally 'ray like now?

[dmccombe7]

This is where it gets confusing for me as i was under the impression the pick ups and preamps were the same as the US versions.

So confusing trying to sort it all out. It actually puts you off looking for one.

Dave

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

This is where it gets confusing for me as i was under the impression the pick ups and preamps were the same as the US versions.

So confusing trying to sort it all out. It actually puts you off looking for one.

Dave

 

 

I didn't think the pickups would be the same due to the much lauded neodymium pickups in the specials, but I was completely unaware that the lower priced ones often had jazz profile necks. I thought they would all be the chunky ones.

 

I've been collecting parts to make a sort of Joe Dart tribute (his has a sterling neck profile) but I might just see if I can find a lightweight Sub Ray4 and then strip the paint, swap to lightweight tuners, go passive etc.

[msb]

With a little time I came to love the big chunky classic Ray neck. At first I was put off with the girth , and then in time found it very comfortable. Today it still feels like home , although I’ve mostly moved to short scales.

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, msb said:

With a little time I came to love the big chunky classic Ray neck. At first I was put off with the girth , and then in time found it very comfortable. Today it still feels like home , although I’ve mostly moved to short scales.

I've gone from Jazz necks to 5 and 6 stringers and back to slim necked basses mainly because i feel more comfortable with them but i agree if its the only bass you have you do get used to it. My  problem is i have more slim necked basses and if i picked one of them up i'd be drawn back towards them again.

Dave

[gjones]

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

So have they changed the stock pickup to something more traditionally 'ray like now?

I believe so as there were lots of complaints about how hot it was. 

[msb]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

I've gone from Jazz necks to 5 and 6 stringers and back to slim necked basses mainly because i feel more comfortable with them but i agree if its the only bass you have you do get used to it. My  problem is i have more slim necked basses and if i picked one of them up i'd be drawn back towards them again.

Dave

For quite some time I was practicing at home on the Ray , and doing gigs with a Dano Longhorn. 

[casapete]

1 hour ago, msb said:

For quite some time I was practicing at home on the Ray , and doing gigs with a Dano Longhorn. 

Me too, although I mainly gigged the Stingray and used the Longhorn at home and on

occasional gigs in my country band. 😊

[miles'tone]

The too hot problem with the early SBMM SUB 'Rays lay with the preamp not the pickup btw. 

[jezzaboy]

I have gigged a SBMM Sub Ray for the last few years and they are great basses. I have stuck a EMG pickup in it and it sounds fine. Put it this way, I bought a 3 band Japanese Stingray that was almost 3 times the price of the Sub but I like the Sub more so the Jap one went.