dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 After spending a small fortune on my DJ5 recently im just not liking it. I think its down to the wood but its got a very deep tone that i really cant get in to. I expect ill sell it and take a huge loss but i think its for the best. The Musicman type of bass is the one area ive never looked at and it seems very confusing. I know i do like the tone and i played a 5 string recently that felt really nice but i have no idea what it was. So im really just looking for some ideas on whats what in this type of bass. what's a good one to go for, anything to be avoided etc. I guess price wise im looking at what ever i can get for the Lakland or failing that around £500 if i decide to keep it. Not bothered if its 4 or 5 string at the moment. How do the necks compare to, say a Fender P or Jazz? Cheers for any info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hi Dave, I've owned a few Musicmen (?) - a couple of Rays, a Sterling and two Bongos and my preference for a good all round bass would be for a 2EQ Ray. I liked the Sterling I had, it was very bright, punchy and aggressive - the neck was sublime and had a Jazz profile. It hung well in the mix and smelt of toffee (no kidding). I find 3EQ Rays a bit too bright for me but the 2EQ I had was perfect and very versatile. Watch out for the G string going missing in the mix - I had to mess around with the pup angle and different string gauges to get an even response across all four strings. I rate MM stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Forgot to mention Dave - the necks on Stingrays are unfinished but have a nice profile - not too far from a P IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I told you not to sell the P5!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) I recently got a used Ibanez ATK off here for £245 - if you like that whole punchy Musicman tone, these basses do a very close version of it and a lot more. Very comfy to play, and well built too, definately worth considering - I've always wanted a Stingray, but not any more. For me, the extra money I would have to outlay to get a Stingray or Sterling just wouldn't be worth it. Edited November 17, 2009 by Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Cheers guys, good advice form both of you ;-). Alan. Thanks. It does sound like the 2EQ will fit the bill. This Sterling thing is confusing. It seems there are two different ranges. Chris. I think i had to as i was just not getting on with the neck after playing the JO5. It was something i just had to do. Now i have a PJ i can see that i dont want just a plain old P any more. Although i wish i still had my old Duck Dunn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='Wil' post='656833' date='Nov 17 2009, 11:47 AM']I recently got a used Ibanez ATK off here for £245 - if you like that whole punchy Musicman tone, these basses do a very close version of it and a lot more. Very comfy to play, and well built too, definately worth considering - I've always wanted a Stingray, but not any more. For me, the extra money I would have to outlay to get a Stingray or Sterling just wouldn't be worth it.[/quote] Cheers Wil. If i dont sell the Lakland i will certainly look in to a Ibanez. Im not really sure if i am in to the MM tone yet, its just an idea but one that appeals to me.....today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='656806' date='Nov 17 2009, 11:24 AM']After spending a small fortune on my DJ5 recently im just not liking it. I think its down to the wood but its got a very deep tone that i really cant get in to. I expect ill sell it and take a huge loss but i think its for the best.[/quote] Maybe you need to look at swapping out the pickups and/or active eq before ditching it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) the sterling has different pickup magnets to the ray, a coil selector switch and a phantom coil to eliminate hum or something? not that i've ever found that to be a problem on a ray.... They're supposedly a little more subdued sounding but still that classic musicman sound. The body is smaller and it has a jazz profile neck and is arguably more versatile. Personally, due to the ergonomics, i'd have either an HH or an HS sterling over any other EBMM. There's the ray 5, different body shape but fat neck like a ray but has the coil selector like the sterling you can now get a sterling 5, basically a sterling with 5 strings and a thinner neck than a ray 5 there's also the bongo, 4 band EQ, neodymium pickup magnets, very big and versatile sound and really lovely necks, somewhere between the ray and the sterling i think. Very comfy, but the looks are a bit marmite as i'm sure you know. Also available in 5 and 6 string Hope that helped Edited November 17, 2009 by budget bassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='Wil' post='656833' date='Nov 17 2009, 11:47 AM']I recently got a used Ibanez ATK off here for £245 -[/quote] Funnily enough I use a 79 ray at the mo but I'm thinking about getting an Ibanez, the SR500, to use as my gigging bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='656847' date='Nov 17 2009, 11:56 AM']Maybe you need to look at swapping out the pickups and/or active eq before ditching it?[/quote] I think ive spent enough on it already. when i first got it i felt the tone was a bit deeper than i was used to. Now i have two completely different pups in it and its still too deep for me. Its not a bad tone and in fact ive had more compliments from the bands since i put the new pups in but its just lacking something. Probably low mid punch. changing the pups yet again could be yet another expensive mistake. The is just an idea at the moment. BB. Thanks, that does make things a bit clearer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='Les' post='656889' date='Nov 17 2009, 12:36 PM']Funnily enough I use a 79 ray at the mo but I'm thinking about getting an Ibanez, the SR500, to use as my gigging bass.[/quote] I see the SR500 uses Bartolini MK1 pups. I think these are the same as i had on my 55-01 and i hated them. I think that if i do go for the Ray tone then i want a proper ray tone. I never felt my 55-01 came anywhere close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I swapped out my DJ5 for a SR5. There were a few things I didn't like about the DJ5 - I also didn't like the overall 'darkness' of the sound, though I understand many do as it's supposed to be representative of that '60's/70's vibe. Regarding Rays, I didn't find much difference in the sound between my old 2EQ Ray4 (1990) and my current 3EQ Ray4 (2005) - the newer one is a little brighter when flat but it doesn't take any effort to get the sound of the 2EQ and I like having the mid as it is very useful in a live situation. I couldn't get on with the Sterling (had a 2004 single H) - it was a helluva lot brighter than any of the Rays I've owned and I couldn't tame it. All of the Ray4's I've had have had weak G to a greater or lesser extent. I've found it fairly curable with heavier gauge strings (45's) and ajusting the pup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I've just got into MusicMan basses as well, Dave. The neck (as per your question) is like a modern American Precision neck, but not quite as deep from fingers to thumb. Sound wise, I think it all depends on the bass. Mine is the piezo model, so I have everything from serious slap tones, massive hissy highs, huge rich lows & on the piezo if I play up at the end of the fingerboard, a very passable upright sound. The humbucker itself has a huge snarl to it, not unlike a Status, but without the added graphite growl. The interesting thing about mine is that it has the most huge sustain I've ever heard on a bass. It seems to ring on forever before the volume decreases. I don't know if that's because it's ten years old and the wood has become more seasoned, but it sounds really huge. If you're expecting a single (back towards the bridge) pickup bass to sound thin, a really good Ray may blow all of your preconceptions out of the water! I'm certainly impressed, anyway. Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I think for me, the Stingray tone is [i]the[/i] ultimate bass sound. Modern, yet classic. Growly, yet smooth. Punchy, but with warm lows and articulate highs. Bloody wonderful, basically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='656916' date='Nov 17 2009, 01:00 PM']If you're expecting a single (back towards the bridge) pickup bass to sound thin, a really good Ray may blow all of your preconceptions out of the water! I'm certainly impressed, anyway. Rich.[/quote] Agreed. Mine sounds anything but thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Probably a preconception that comes from soloing the bridge pup in most 2 pickup basses, which does generally result in a thin sound - I dont know if its the pickup placement or the EQ, but something in the Stingray setup makes it anything but thin! Lean and mean, maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='Wil' post='656923' date='Nov 17 2009, 01:03 PM']I think for me, the Stingray tone is [i]the[/i] ultimate bass sound. Modern, yet classic. Growly, yet smooth. Punchy, but with warm lows and articulate highs. Bloody wonderful, basically.[/quote] same, since i went musicman i haven't gone back (well, musicman style pickups that is, my corvette $$ sounds very stingrayish) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Thanks guys. Now the GAS really has started :-( Rich. It was your recent posts that got me interested in a MM. Im not really one for overly bright tones but i do like a bit of bite and growl. Wil summed up what im looking for and so i think im on the right path. Mart, yeah, darkness is a good description. I also believe the Nordy has a slightly scooped, hollow tone so the two combined is probably what im not liking. Im still happy to use it and at gigs its working very well as its evening out my 1212L mid bump but still something isnt quite right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='budget bassist' post='656937' date='Nov 17 2009, 01:09 PM']same, since i went musicman i haven't gone back (well, musicman style pickups that is, my corvette $$ sounds very stingrayish)[/quote] I had thought about putting a MM pup in my DJ5 at the bridge position but i still think ill have that dark tone and its not something i can afford to take a gamble on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='656942' date='Nov 17 2009, 01:12 PM']Thanks guys. Now the GAS really has started :-( Rich. It was your recent posts that got me interested in a MM. Im not really one for overly bright tones but i do like a bit of bite and growl. Wil summed up what im looking for and so i think im on the right path.[/quote] They have quite a versatile sound, i find they actually sound really nice with the EQ flat a lot of the time, they don't have to be super bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='656946' date='Nov 17 2009, 01:14 PM']I had thought about putting a MM pup in my DJ5 at the bridge position but i still think ill have that dark tone and its not something i can afford to take a gamble on.[/quote] yeah, not really worth it on such an expensive bass really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 My favourite band here, and a prime example of a Stingray at its best in a rock context: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEOBp-X2_wA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEOBp-X2_wA[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 I just had a look on Thomanns at the MM basses. Blimey, i didnt know they were that expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duarte Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 The Sterling is actually more aggressive due to the Ceramic vs Alnico magnets of the Stingray - much more mid range emphasis. The Phantom coil is to eliminate hum in the single coil setting. Personally, I think StingRays are the coolest basses and no alternative (including ibanez ATK) sounds like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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