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elvisdog

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Mar 30, 2019
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63
Still working on this -- I've got my pickup heights adjusted so the StingRay sounds pretty good. But it still plays really stiff compared to the Cutlass, which just plays like butter. Truss rod adjusted the same, both with little relief. Same gauge strings, string height set low as I can get it without fret buzz. Only diff is that I've got the StingRay set up to use the trem -- still flat on the body when not in use but lighter springs so I can shimmy. Cutlass is set up with all springs tight, as close to hardtail as I can get it. Any thoughts? Should I set the StingRay trem up to float? I like this guitar but every time I pick it up, I wish I was playing the Cutlass.
 

tbonesullivan

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Aug 24, 2012
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2,250
Location
New Jersey
Have you tried setting up the stingray with the springs tighter? If the tremolo is moving when you bend, then it will feel stiffer.
 

elvisdog

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Mar 30, 2019
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63
both maple neck / maple fretboard but from before they started roasting them. very light poly finish.
 

Podicle

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Feb 27, 2017
Messages
8
If string gauge, scale length, action and relief are all the same, in my experience the most likely culprits are nut height and string length behind the bridge or nut (longer is slinkier). I disagree with the statement above: having a tremolo that gives slightly when you bend makes the guitar feel much looser.
 

elvisdog

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Mar 30, 2019
Messages
63
I did tighten up the bridge to pretty much hardtail specs, dropped the strings down an eighth of a turn & adjusted the relief an eighth turn flatter -- much better, though I don't know what did what. I might drop the relief down another smidgen. Maybe I just don't play well with neck relief!
 

elvisdog

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Mar 30, 2019
Messages
63
I agree, btw, that the trem shouldn't make a difference -- I have a Strat set up to float, & it plays and bends super-easy. But something made a difference here. And I don't use the trem much at all. I can dig out the Strat if I need it.
 

banjoplayer

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Jan 8, 2007
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2,683
Location
Ulm, Germany
Have you tried setting up the stingray with the springs tighter? If the tremolo is moving when you bend, then it will feel stiffer.

interesting thought. will try this with my reflex which I love but feels a little stiff compared to the Morse. Indeed I´ve set the tremolo that it just even sits on the body. If I bend, it moves.
 

Astrofreq

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Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Messages
4,122
Location
Santa Fe, NM
I sold the Stingray I had because it felt “slower” to my style of playing.

Remove a spring from the Stingray and tighten the claw. You may need to angle in the two outer springs. I do this on every guitar with a trem. A tight tremolo bar is torture to play with for my small hands. Lol
 
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