Help: Stingray Fretless 4, HH, Sunburst?

[cassius987]

Looking to acquire a new-ish Stingray 4 that is fretless, in the Sunburst finish displayed on the MF and GC websites. As for pickups and electronics, HH is a must and it would have to be 3-band EQ at a bare minimum (I'd really prefer 4-band EQ, is there such a thing on these?). Can anyone help me find this beast?? My Ric 4003FL sure would like a friend to hang out with.

[Aussie Mark]

No such thing as 4 band EQ on Stingrays. A fretless sunburst SR4 HH would be able to be ordered through any authorised dealer.

[cassius987]

No such thing as 4 band EQ on
Stingrays.

I figured as much. Tough luck.

A fretless sunburst SR4 HH would be able to be ordered through any authorised dealer.

But they aren't stocked/ordered on their own? What's the wait time for an order placed as such?

[the unrepentant]

But they aren't stocked/ordered on their own? What's the wait time for an order placed as such?

yes but with all the possible combinations of colours pickups, fretboard etc it's unlikely that you will find one. Just keep looking in shops, ebay, online etc. If you order one brand new, you can expect about a 3 month or so wait.

[cassius987]

Thank you for your help.

Say, the ones pictured with 3-knobs and referred to as 3-band--do they not have a volume knob? Or are they two-band being called three-band?

[drTStingray]

Thank you for your help.

Say, the ones pictured with 3-knobs and referred to as 3-band--do they not have a volume knob? Or are they two-band being called three-band?

Two band Rays have a bass and treble and volume control i.e three pots (only available with single H pick up)

Three band Rays have a bass, a treble, a mid range and a volume - i.e 4 pots (available with either H, HS, or HH pick up configs) - plus the multi pick up ones have a coil selector switch for even more variety

The Bongos with 4 band EQs have four pots, but some are stacked to give the extra controls.

[cassius987]

That's what I thought. However many times I look at fretless 'Rays on websites (GC and MF for example) and they are pictured with only three knobs and are listed 3-band.

I wouldn't be finicky about this but, not to ruffle any feathers, if I were going to have a Stingray again it would have to have the 3-band preamp. I've also thought about going Bongo for the 4-band, I assume fretless HH is doable within that model?

[the unrepentant]

yeah, if it has a jack on the front, it's 2 band, the rest are 3 band.

Ask the bongoloids, they'll rave about the 4 band EQ for hours, personally i think 3 band is enough, that's not to say i wouldn't have one though, it's still a totally different beast to the ray. However, yes, a fretless HH bongo is most definitely do-able!

[five7]

The 2 band passive on my sub bass sounds damn good!

[cassius987]

What about HHP? Does that ever happen?

Thanks again for the EBMM knowledge--I've been 'Rayless for several years now so I'm well out of the loop.

I'd probably be in the Bongoloid camp regarding the 4-band pre. I used to have a 4-band Audere pre in one of my Rics, although eventually I figured it made more sense to turn it into a stomp box and restore the original wiring. Regardless, that thing sounded incredible and made a bass that I already considered versatile that much more trans-genre capable. I've heard Bongos in action on YT so I know they cop similar tones that that Audere pre got me with my Ric. Right up my alley.

[cassius987]

The 2 band passive on my sub bass sounds damn good!

I'm sure it does, it's just "not for me", one of those YMMV things. I just re-confirmed this when I went and tried out one of those vintage reissue-looking Stingrays with 2-band EQ. I really *require* those mids to be there in some form, or there can be no EQ at all--it's just how I operate. I'm not knocking 2-band users.

[the unrepentant]

What about HHP? Does that ever happen?

yep pretty sure it does, that piezo apparently gives the bass a very upright-like tone.

[cassius987]

yep pretty sure it does, that piezo apparently gives the bass a very upright-like tone.

If you've seen examples of it, how would you describe the controls? Are there two volume controls? Seems the control plate would get crowded really quick.

Looks like I'm singling myself out for a custom order. Has anyone ever seen a custom MM bass done with just passive controls? Let's say you had an HH--a 4-knob control plate could be wired VTVT. I wonder if this has ever been done..

[the unrepentant]

yeah you have the regular controls then the piezo volume, it does look pretty crowded but i kind of like it.

And you can't buy a passive EBMM, but if you want that, you could have a look at the big al or the 25th? they have active/passive switches. If you want a totally passive bass, you're going to have torip the controls out and do it yourself.

[cassius987]

yeah you have the regular controls then the piezo volume, it does look pretty crowded but i kind of like it.

And you can't buy a passive EBMM, but if you want that, you could have a look at the big al or the 25th? they have active/passive switches. If you want a totally passive bass, you're going to have torip the controls out and do it yourself.

Figured as much. It would be really easy to wire up VTVT on an HH Ray though... I guess if I wanted to lose the preamp, I could do it easily, but then I'd have a useless 9-volt battery compartment.

I'll look for pics of a 3-band + Piezo 'Ray so I can see what the controls are like.