It's official...

[screaminhugger]

...I am a stingray player... Had my first gig on Saturday night with my Stingray. All the practice paid off, It felt as comfortable as my J. No issues, no troubles, and beautiful, clear, punch through the mix tone...I had a friend take pictures, and it even makes me look cooler! (quite a feat!) check out a pic at www.myspace.com/screaminhugger.

james

 

[IkaruShizzlemah]

...I am a stingray player...

Now you're talkin'.

I keep telling everyone, if they would all just use Stingrays, beautiful things will happen.

The tone of a Stingray is like an angel singing. I would not be surprised if the sound of a billion Ray's or so, played at the same time would bring about world peace. Super funky world peace!!!

Ikaru

 

[GassieBall]

Cool! But going from a J to a Ray... how's the neck for you? Do I hear "Welcome to Sterling time"?

 

[screaminhugger]

At first the neck difference was a huge issue. I practiced more in the last two weeks than I had in the entire year! It was worth it. I picked my j up the other night and it actually felt weird to me. the only reason I am keeping it is for the occasional Big Band, or jazz combo gig. The funny thing is, some things are actuall easier for me to play on the Stingray. I have small hands and the fret spacing is closer, which in some ways makes up for the wider string spacing, which was just a matter of getting used to it. The tone is the thing for me. I even tried and active p/j fender to see if I could get the same tone out of the Fender and not have to learn to play a new neck, but I just couldn't believe the difference with the Ray. I am content.

james

 

[adouglas]

I have small hands and the fret spacing is closer, which in some ways makes up for the wider string spacing,

Huh? What does that mean?

The distance between the frets is by definition identical for the same scale length.

Please explain.

 

[Figjam]

Never thoguht of getting a sterling?

 

[fidooda]

For this jazz bass player, the sterling felt perfect and even better than the jazz bass.

I still can't get to feel confortable with a SR.

 

[screaminhugger]

I know this statement will probably start a huge thing...but I didn't like the tone of the Sterling as much as the Ray, it didn't sound as "fat" to me. I don't know, plus how this all happened was that I happened upon a Stingray that was "on-sale" and picked it up to try it out on a "whim" in the store just killing time...you know, and "WHAM!" MAJOR GAS! You've been there right? so anyway, I went on a quest to get one, I had to have it. So maybe it was all in my head, but I liked the tone of the Ray better, it was worth re-learning, which is basically what I had to do.

james

 

[screaminhugger]

Huh? What does that mean?

The distance between the frets is by definition identical for the same scale length.

Please explain.

nope, check it out. the Ray has one more fret at the same scale so the frets are, (or at least appear to be) closer together. all I know is I can achieve the stretch to play a blues scale without moving my hand with the ray, and can't with my jazz. The riff I played in the store that sold me was the line from "jet airliner". I hated playing that riff with my jazz because I ended up all over the place.

 

[MingusBASS]

You won't hear anything from me. I agree with you. The Sterling sounds different and I prefer the sound of the Ray.

 

[slucas]

Yup. More meat on the bone

 

[smallequestrian]

nope, check it out. the Ray has one more fret at the same scale so the frets are, (or at least appear to be) closer together. all I know is I can achieve the stretch to play a blues scale without moving my hand with the ray, and can't with my jazz. The riff I played in the store that sold me was the line from "jet airliner". I hated playing that riff with my jazz because I ended up all over the place.

Its just your imagination. If a bass is 34" scale than the spacing between frets is the same no matter what bass you play. A bass having an extra fret just means that the fretboard has been extended a little bit, not condensed.

 

[strummer]

nope, check it out. the Ray has one more fret at the same scale so the frets are, (or at least appear to be) closer together. all I know is I can achieve the stretch to play a blues scale without moving my hand with the ray, and can't with my jazz. The riff I played in the store that sold me was the line from "jet airliner". I hated playing that riff with my jazz because I ended up all over the place.

Lol, you measure at the wrong end, man! The SR has one more fret, but if you measure from the nut you'll se it's identical.

 

[Chris C]

I know this statement will probably start a huge thing...but I didn't like the tone of the Sterling as much as the Ray, it didn't sound as "fat" to me. I don't know, plus how this all happened was that I happened upon a Stingray that was "on-sale" and picked it up to try it out on a "whim" in the store just killing time...you know, and "WHAM!" MAJOR GAS! You've been there right? so anyway, I went on a quest to get one, I had to have it. So maybe it was all in my head, but I liked the tone of the Ray better, it was worth re-learning, which is basically what I had to do.

james

I understand... I played J-basses exclusively for years and years. Then I switched to Sterlings (for several years). The neck felt like home, and they certainly sound good... but to me, not as good as a Stingray. So I recently switched to 'Rays exclusively. It took about five minutes for me to get used to the neck on the Stingray. Now that I am used to it, j-bass (or Sterling) necks feel funny to me, too--sort of uncomfortable. And I have super small hands as well.

In my book, Stingrays rule.

On the fret thing... the frets have to be the same spacing. You just have an extra fret at the end, but above that one, all the frets are spaced the same as every other 34 inch scale bass. Otherwise you'd not be in our 12 tone western music tuning system anymore!!!

 

[MingusBASS]

Didn't EBMM make a Stingray with a sterling neck for Paul McCartney?

 

[screaminhugger]

In my book, Stingrays rule.

On the fret thing... the frets have to be the same spacing. You just have an extra fret at the end, but above that one, all the frets are spaced the same as every other 34 inch scale bass. Otherwise you'd not be in our 12 tone western music tuning system anymore!!! [/QUOTE]

That is true, Hadn't thought of that...duh??? Well, perception is rule, and I perceive it to be more comfortable in that way. I am soo glad I'm not the only one who heard a difference between the ray and the sterling, I was told in the store that the body of the Ray is larger. Maybe that is what makes it sound so much fatter? I know it's heavier! My shoulder was killing me after a 4 hour gig!

james