Getting the punch back in my stingray

[dyuaru]

Alright so I just recently watched the Sterling Ball videos again and I came to a realization when watching the Active EQ video. Even when the bass was set flat at the beginning of the video, it still had that growly punchy stingray sound. I went back to my bass to mess with the variety of tones with the two pickups and of course set it flat to start out. What I realized after doing that was that my bass had no punch in it when it was set flat, no growl. Just a dull deep sound that sounded alright but nothing like the sound that the Stingray 5 in the video had.

My question is, did Sterling have his amp set to flat as well in that video or did he have his mids up and some of the other settings changed? I vaguely remember the tone I got the day I first got the stingray but kinda get the feeling that it was waay punchier than the way it is now. I've had the bass for awhile now and the strings are getting a bit old and the fretboard has a bit of gunk in it but other than that the bass is in perfect condition. What do you think is causing the dullness of my stingray when set flat? I mean, if I mess with the EQ I can definitely get some great tones with it but after watching that video, I feel that it should be way punchier than it is now. Any idea what could be causing this and what I could do to fix it? New strings? Setup?

Note: I play a stingray 4, not a 5, but shouldn't make a difference in my problem.

Thanks alot,
Philip Cho

 

[ekb16b]

have u checked the batteries? they may be flat

 

[Big Poppa]

I usually start with everything flat..the amp and the bass and rarely do I change the amp
settings. Your 2 pickup bass should have gobs of punch...I also play with a pretty hard attack...Im a man and it is a bass!!!!!! Hear me roar......heheheheheh

 

[Aussie Mark]

What rig are you using?

 

[bovinehost]

Sterling uses those crazy roundwound strings and has a crew of midgets who change them every ten minutes.

If your strings are old/dead/gummy, that's the first place to look, especially if you're using those newfangled roundwounds.

One other thing. I noticed one of my Bongos wasn't sounding quite right. Directly afterward, the battery went dead. Check that battery, too, I'd say.

I'll also have to add that ye olde BP can really play, and some (if not most) of what you hear on those vids may have something to do with the player.

Jack

 

[dyuaru]

Checked it just now, batteries are fine. Also I'm playing the stingray through a Markbass amp and have everything set flat as well.
The strings are D'Addarios but I'm not sure how long they've actually been on there since they were from a previous owner.

 

[Big Poppa]

Start with the strings and if you cant make a mark bass and two pickup bass sound good.....If you want balls play with balls....

 

[dyuaru]

Haha thanks for the advice BP
I just tried playing a little bit harder than I usually do with all my settings flat and got a little closer to the way you sounded in that video. Still think it could be punchier so yeah I'll check up on the strings.

Are there punchier strings out there than SuperSlinkys?
Though I bet the answers gonna be pretty biased since this is an ernie ball forum

 

[Colin]

If you want balls play with balls....

that would be a great ad campaign...

Are there punchier strings out there than SuperSlinkys?
Though I bet the answers gonna be pretty biased since this is an ernie ball forum

ACME strings?

 

[kaaikop]

The super slinkys are great, but if you dont mind a little stiffer, try the regulars...
they got tons more tone (more growl)... and as BP says, you can really dig in!

 

[WillPlay4Food]

ACME strings?

I wouldn't buy ACME anything. Their products always malfunction at critical times. Just ask this guy:

 

[jamesattard]

hey pal

i found my sound by experimenting with the position of the picking hand - play closer to bridge and you get a punchier sound. hit harder, and you'll get it even punchier. play closer to fretboard and you'll get a deep classic sound.

As someone already pointed out, it is the player which makes the difference. trust me...i've heard good players playing through cheap rigs having a better sound than mediocre players with expensive equipment..it's the player which makes a good bass guitar, not the other way round.

 

[Big Poppa]

I would go slightly heavier that supers.

I didnt say you had to stay flat now play with the controls ....a little goes a long was start by just boosting the mids just a hair and maybe a little bass boost.

 

[Jim_F]

Hi Philip

Very happy with the Supers I have started using recently for feel and tone,

certainly recommend a string change (and also swap the battery out again, you might have out a dud new one in maybe? - have you tested the battery?)

Are you plugging straight into the Markbass or are you running thru any effects (compresser, eq pedal etc.) between your bass and amp - if so, try plugging straight into the amp ...

 

[dyuaru]

Im playing straight into the amp.
And yeah I like to play close to the bridge too. Also I know that playing around with the controls is the best way to find the right tone but I just wanted to get the same growly tone that you had, BP, even when flat. I can get some real punchy tones when I boost the mids but it just feels like when set flat my bass has no punch.

Anyways, I'm going to go get some slinkys this weekend.
Thanks for the help guys, hopefully the new strings will give me the punch I need!

 

[5Stringer]

Fresh strings make way more difference than a lot of players realize .. I can't tell you how many players I have talked to in my many years at EBMM Customer Service who have said their bass lost that "tone" after a few months of playing it .... almost all of the time I advise them to change the strings, and that is the ticket! My opinion is that fresh strings matter more on our basses than others because our basses rely on that good clean vibration for optimal tone. Of course, so many other basses will never have that "tone" no matter what strings they use ... And yes, it is no accident that we recommend and use Ernie Ball strings. They are IMHO the best at any price, especially for Music Man basses.

And that's all I want to say about that ......

Dan

 

[bass addict]

Fresh strings make way more difference than a lot of players realize .. I can't tell you how many players I have talked to in my many years at EBMM Customer Service who have said their bass lost that "tone" after a few months of playing it .... almost all of the time I advise them to change the strings, and that is the ticket! My opinion is that fresh strings matter more on our basses than others because our basses rely on that good clean vibration for optimal tone. Of course, so many other basses will never have that "tone" no matter what strings they use ... And yes, it is no accident that we recommend and use Ernie Ball strings. They are IMHO the best at any price, especially for Music Man basses.

And that's all I want to say about that ......

Dan

as far as EBMM strings on an EBMM bass, I use Super Slinkys on my Stingrays and I use warwick EMPs on my Warwick Corvette 6. Just makes sens that strings from the same company as the bass may have some crossover research to give the optimal tone for that particular bass

 

[Fraxture]

as far as EBMM strings on an EBMM bass, I use Super Slinkys on my Stingrays and I use warwick EMPs on my Warwick Corvette 6. Just makes sens that strings from the same company as the bass may have some crossover research to give the optimal tone for that particular bass

Amen to that..

 

[Big Poppa]

whatever makes you happy. but Ill take my strings over warwick on any bass

 

[Chuck M]

My favorite strings for my Stingray 5 are D'Addario Chromes. Slinkeys also sound great but have a bit more sizzle than I like on a Stingray.

Chuck