Looking at getting my first Stingray!

[James Lugo]

Hey guys newbie here. I'm a record producer with a studio and my primary instruments are guitar and vocals, I second of bass and piano. I'm putting together a bass rig for my studio and looking getting a Stingray. I've been reading and playing a ton of them the past week or so. So far I seem to like the single pickup 4 string the best. I've been reading that the 2 pickup version is wired differently and even with the rear pickup on solo it sounds different, which I have found to be true. What are you guy's thoughts on the ultimate Stingray for the studio? We do mostly modern rock, anything from Avril to Alterbridge style music.

???

 

[ekb16b]

30th

 

[James Lugo]

30th

Are those still sold new? Link?

Also what makes the 30th so great?

Thanks

 

[Aussie Mark]

Are those still sold new? Link?

Also what makes the 30th so great?

Thanks

They were only sold new in 2006, but are available used fairly readily (at bargain prices!).

The 30th is the best Stingray ever made (quoting Sterling Ball) because of the mahogany body and the great necks.

 

[James Lugo]

They were only sold new in 2006, but are available used fairly readily (at bargain prices!).

The 30th is the best Stingray ever made (quoting Sterling Ball) because of the mahogany body and the great necks.

Awesome thanks.

 

[danny-79]

Any SR4 gets my vote, an if you manage to get hold of a 30th then more the better.

 

[James Lugo]

Any SR4 gets my vote, an if you manage to get hold of a 30th then more the better.

I'm looking around. How do the 70's ones compare to the new ones? I see a few '78's for sale. Also I notice the old ones have only 2 tone knobs. No mid? What's up?

 

[oli@bass]

Take your pick:

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/42214-stingray-sound-examples.html

I've been reading that the 2 pickup version is wired differently and even with the rear pickup on solo it sounds different,

IMO this is not true. The differences in wood and string age are way more prominent than in the electroncis.

 

[James Lugo]

Take your pick:

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/42214-stingray-sound-examples.html



IMO this is not true. The differences in wood and string age are way more prominent than in the electroncis.

Really because yesterday I played them back and forth for an hour and they sounded like 2 completely different basses. It seemed like electronics played a part because the sound of just plugging in the cable was different between the 2.

When I plugged in the 2 pup version it made an electronic sound with a very high frequency squeal and the 1 pup version made a much lower fuller tone. To me that seemed like a major electronic difference. And that was the sound difference I heard. The 2 pup version seemed brighter with scooped mids, almost more hi fi and the 1 pup version seemed fatter and more natural sounding, less active electronic sounding.

 

[oli@bass]

When I plugged in the 2 pup version it made an electronic sound with a very high frequency squeal and the 1 pup version made a much lower fuller tone. To me that seemed like a major electronic difference. And that was the sound difference I heard. The 2 pup version seemed brighter with scooped mids, almost more hi fi and the 1 pup version seemed fatter and more natural sounding, less active electronic sounding.

Listen to my sound examples. Aside from a couple of rare and special StingRays (there's also a 30th) you have also two HH StingRays (one standard, one special edition). To me, there's really no difference between them and the single H sound examples that I could attribute to electronics.

Two things that come to mind with your perceived difference:

1.) If the HH really had a high pitched "squeal" then there was something wrong with that particular bass, possibly drained batteries.

2.) If you want to compare the HH to the single H, then the PU selector must be in position 1, which is nearest to the bridge.

BTW, although I do have a couple of single H StingRays, I always play a HH on stage with the band. I just love all the tonal options...

 

[Bloodfist]

I'm going to say the HH. I have it and love it, and all the studios around here that have in house stingrays have the HH model. Here's a video of me playing mine in the studio. I didn't use an amp or a preamp, I just ran through my chorus pedal and then straight into the board. The video was pieced together after we recorded it. I used the bridge humbucker (position 1) for the bulk of the song with the EQ at 100%. I played those parts with a pick, and didn't feel like I needed to mess with the EQ's. The breakdown in the middle was played finger style on both humbuckers ( position 3), and I rolled off the highs just a hair. I figure this video might give you somewhat of a decent studio example since we play modern rock.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdiYDOOHq_k]YouTube - Overdrive - In Vain[/ame]

 

[T Alan]

Personally, I'd go for a very traditional 4 string, single humbucker Stingray. The other stuff is cool, but when you want "that 'Ray sound", the plain vanilla Stingray is the most efficient way to get it.
Most commercial studios are anchored with a F3nd3r P. They don't want a G&L SB2, for example. They want that straight up signature sound.

 

[James Lugo]

Just grabbed this one. Man we have been having fun playing it all day. Awesome bass and great compliment to the P.

 

[T Alan]

Congrats. Perfect compliment to a P.

 

[James Lugo]

Congrats. Perfect compliment to a P.

Yeah I really like this bass. We actually had this exact bass for years in the studio and my buddy sold it so it left.

 

[RobertB]

2.) If you want to compare the HH to the single H, then the PU selector must be in position 1, which is nearest to the bridge.

Yeah, I was gonna point this out, too ... obviously a critical point. Sounds like you might've tried the HH in position 3 ... all 4 coils. That's a very "slap-happy", mid-scoopy (reference my avatar) sound. In my own H vs. HH-in-position-1 (bridge humbucker only) comparisons - talking Rays specifically, here - I've found the tonal character to be dead on. Also, as Oli pointed out, the versatility of the HH is great, too. Position 2 is a jazz-killer.

Kinda surprised you didn't go with an SR5, though (if we limit the discussion just to Rays) ... they're notorious as studio workhorses.

Anyway, great looking bass. Congrats.

 

[James Lugo]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqu0bZOizDQ]YouTube - New Studio Stingray Bass 6 5 10[/ame]