Question Big Al SSS vs. H - to get a Stingray HS sound? Is that possible?

[firefl7]

Hello out there,

I'm a new member in these forums, so hello at first. Please notice that I am from Germany, so my English is far away from beeing perfect. I'm trying my best but I'm afraid now and then you may find some strange mistakes. Now you know why.

To get to the point, I fell in love with the Big Al. Yesterday I played a Stingray and a Sterling at the music store. Unfortunately no music store in Germany has got the Big Al in stock for testing.
Anyways, now I know that I want the Big Al body, the Sterling neck and the Stingray sound. Help!

Well, I can only get the Big Al body by buying a Big Al. Sterling neck included, nice so far! Now my question is, whether I should purchase the SSS or the H variation to get the Stingray sound. But I am afraid no bass sounds like a Stingray, except a Stringray!?

Does anyone own both, I mean the Big Al H and SSS and maybe additionally even a Stringray, and can tell me, if a Big Al and which Big Al can make the Stingray sound??

Thank you so much for your help!

All the best,
Jess

 

[jlepre]

Welcome!
That's a GREAT question. I will be waiting for responses as well

 

[firefl7]

Hi.

Well, seems like nobody knows an answer to my question.
I see myself ending up in buying a Stingray HS. Damn'it.

Really? Nobody? I am so unpatient, sorry!

 

[Movielife]

Ok, I have ALL SORTS of different EBMM basses.

Thing is you can get the Ray HS, itll be amazing. Then you will want the Big Al SSS. Then you will want...a BONGO.

It is like an addiction.

I have the SSS Big Al and my word, it is brilliant. It has a bit of a Sterling H tone in there, but its mainly its own beast. Unique and brilliant.

If you want the classic H tone, with the Stingray pickups, get a Stingray (H, HS or HH) then save for a Big Al SSS. Done!

 

[firefl7]

So if I got you right, it is not possible to get the Stingray HS sound out of the Big Al?

 

[T28]

My Ray is a single H and while I do not think you could exactly duplicate the Ray sound, if it is in the mix with a full band I do not think it would really be a noticeable difference....just my opinion.

Personally, I much prefer the Big Al and am currently working up an ad to sell my PDN Guilded White Ray 5 cause I no longer use it.

 

[adouglas]

Caveat: I don't own a Stingray and I've only fiddled with them briefly, in music stores. I've also never even seen a Big Al H, but I do own a Big Al SSS.

The Big Al 4 has a narrow neck like the Sterling. (All EBMM 5 string necks are the same, as far as I know... I have a Big Al SSS 5 and three Bongo 5s and the necks feel the same to me.)

As far as sound, I think you'll probably get closer to the SR sound with the H than you would with the SSS. The SSS has neodymium magnets, the Big Al H has ceramic, and the SR is alnico... so the character of the three will differ somewhat. Also, the Big Al has a mahogany body vs. the ash of the SR. That makes a difference too.

I believe that the biggest factor, however, is pickup placement. The Big Al H has its pickup in the same "sweet spot" position as the SR. The SSS Big Al's bridge and middle pickups straddle that position but it won't be the same.

I can say this about pickup placement from first-hand experience: I have an HH Bongo and an H Bongo and the sound is noticeably different, even with the preamp set flat (the H Bongo has a different preamp than the HH).

Something to know about the Big Al: The body is very compact. This suits me fine, because I'm only 170 cm tall. When I strap on a Stingray I look like a midget.

 

[five7]

The necks on the 5s I have owned feel different. The sterling feels thinner than a ray and the bongo feels different than the sterling. Haven't owned a BA so can't compare that. If you want the ray sound get a ray.

 

[firefl7]

Okay, thank you for your answers so far.
I also do think, the pick up position seems to be the point that makes the biggest difference in sound. So it seems to become a Big Al 4H. I found some videos on youtube for die Big Al H, SSS and Stingray H and HS, which I scrutinized over and over again and the more often I watch them, the more I like the Big Al H. Last stage following - comparing it to the Sandberg TM4 HS. This one seems to growl even more, which is pretty confusing to me. Hm.

 

[Movielife]

The Sandberg will not sound like a Ray...trust me.

 

[firefl7]

Okay. I do.

 

[Golem]

`

Not owning the exact MM version in question, I can tell you this much:

PU placement, altho a major influence, isn't the whole deal, since PU
placement is the same on my Rays and Sterlings, yet these branches
of the MM family tree sound very different from each other. Much of
this effect is the difference between alnico PU and ceramic PU models,
as can be demonstrated by playing otherwise identical versions, both
the ceramic and the alnico, of the Ray 5-string where the electronics
would be the ONLY difference. You can REALLY hear it.

Except for earliest versions, Big Al have mahogany bodies. While this
does audibly effect tone, it's not the sort of thing that creates a whole
new genre of MM. I have both swamp ash and mahogany Rays, and
the mahogany Ray definitely has the Ray voice, even with the "color"
difference provided by mahogany. I'd say the "mahogany difference"
is about the same degree of difference one gets between one type of
string and another. There are Thousands of Rays in play out there, all
with dozens of varieties of strings, and they all still sound like Rays.

Likewise there are older Rays with alder bodies, there are swamp ash
Rays [the vast majority], and there are a few mahogany Rays, but all
share the Ray voice ... none of these "colorations" converts them into
a Sterling or a Sabre. Also, the choice of rosewood or maple fretboard
is approximately as influencial as differences in body woods.

Finally, you indicate preference for the HS version of the Ray, but Big
Al offers only SSS or H. An H is NOT an HS. They are different, at least
they're different as far as I can hear between my own Ray H and HS.

BTW, everyone here will tell you that altho there are differences, you
will get a great and useful variety of tones from EVERY bass MM offers.
Many forumites can attest to the differences, but many have shown by
their huge and varied collections that settling on just one as a favorite
is just impossible. IOW, you can't lose when they are all winners

`

 

[firefl7]

Wow, thank you for your posting!
Well, the point is that I am a pretty "fresh" bass player, you know. Until now I do only own a sweet little Ibanez bass which was about 300,00 EUR, so nothing special, but an easy-player with a very slim highspeed neck, great for practice.

So now I want to get my REAL bass and, as before, I am still in love with die Stingray 4HS sound. So much. The Stingray H sound is a bit too dark to my ears, too much precision-bass-sound, not enough jazz-bass-sound, even though with the unique EBMM Stingray character.

I know it is always risky to decide for an instrument by listening to soundfiles or youtube videos, but that's the only thing I have to check it all out. And if I can kinda trust in those videos, the Big Al H sounds like a Stingray H with some more brilliance and treble, so I hope from the bottom of my heart that this bass (Big Al H) can make the sound I am looking for. Sure the pickup position, the wood and the neck have their influence on the sound. And I know that the Big Al H doesn't exactly sound like a Stingray HS. But I think...or let me say, I HOPE it is pretty close to it.

Please, let me know if this is a falsity. Thanks!

 

[Golem]

`

Seems kinda like you fancy a Big Al. Whatever, you can't lose.

Don't forget that a Ray HS allows you to play the whole H PU
[bridge humbucker] alone, without the neck single coil. OTOH,
a BA is mahogany .... and looks waaaaaay cool ! ! !