Question Can a 2EQ dual humbucking stingray do the same as an L2000?

[TheBassGuy]

Finally I've sold my Axis Super Sport and now I can focus on getting a proper bass again. Yesterday I was in a local store and discovered G&L basses. I plugged one in and started jamming. I was/am amazed at the possibilities of the dual humbucking setup. Without sounding too modern, these basses can give a wide range of tones. The big thing for me, is that these basses are both passive and active.

Now, I was wondering. An EBMM bass that can go passive and active, has 2 humbuckers, but preserves the classic tones. Does it exist? The Sterling that I had was/is a great instrument, with options approaching the G&L, but lacks the passive mode. The 25th and the Big-AL have these possibilities, but do they go both series and parallel? The bummer about these 2 instruments is that there not very good available here, and if one can be found, they charge the price of at least 2 stingrays..

So, that left me with 1 option. A 2eq stingray with dual humbuckings. The 2eq gives the passive mode (right?), and the 2 humbuckers give about the same pallet as the G&L. Does a 2 humbucker Ray also give the series/parallel option?

I'm a little confused right now. I have found something that comes really close to Musicman perfection, but I don't want to leave my favorite brand..

 

[silverburst]

The 2 EQ does not have a passive mode. And it is only available with a single humbucker.

 

[Manfloozy]

Your best bet is waiting just a very little bit longer and picking up a Reflex HH when it comes out (probably next month).

The Reflex is the production model (which means less expensive) version of the 25th. It can do active/passive and series/parralel. Plus it has a 4 band eq and a lot more option then those too. Search YouTube for Ed Friedlands review of the 25th or go to theperfectbass.com and check out Brandts review of the HH, or both. That should give you a taste of the range it has.

 

[oli@bass]

StingRay: No passive mode at all
Dual pickup StingRay: No 2EQ available

That said, I really don't see that much use for a passive mode and a plethora of different sounds especially in a live band situation. Too many options are just distracting.

And to learn how to get different tones from your bass without twising any controls is much more important (and useful), than to have all those options. Frankly, I'd not consider a 25th as a beginners bass.

@Manfloozy: Yes, probably, BUT... we don't know what controls it will really have, and it will most certainly still cost twice as much as a StingRay (just FYI, the Big Al costs almost 4000 USD in Switzerland), and it will have a wait time for about 8 months.

 

[Duarte]

I would say it's not about the options available, but the actual usable tones you can get out of an instrument.

For example, I found that the L2000 had very few actual usable sounds in there - despite all the options. Get a HH StingRay - forget about passive mode or series and parallel, and just get great sounds. And I wouldn't say an HH StingRay is quite as 'versatile' (using that word in the context of options you COULD use if you wanted) but I would say it sounds a lot better.

 

[Manfloozy]

Duarte and Oli are spot on too...just because you have options that doesn't make them usable. People SWEAR by single pickup 2eqs... Why because they do what they do so well. Options aren't always a good thing. Any EBMM will have a great voice or two.

 

[five7]

I would say it's not about the options available, but the actual usable tones you can get out of an instrument.

For example, I found that the L2000 had very few actual usable sounds in there - despite all the options. Get a HH StingRay - forget about passive mode or series and parallel, and just get great sounds. And I wouldn't say an HH StingRay is quite as 'versatile' (using that word in the context of options you COULD use if you wanted) but I would say it sounds a lot better.

Useable is the key. I have owned several g and l basses and did not like the tone. They are gone and my single pickup stingrays stay. A MM bass feels like quality. The g and l feels like tinker toys.

 

[the unrepentant]

i had an L2k tribby - i know, not the same as a USA, but same pickups and same preamp circuit i think, anyways, i had that at the same time as my single pickup 2 band SUB, i sold the L2k because quite simply, the musicman sounded better.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've owned two L2000s, and found some of the settings unusable in a live situation. They are very well made instruments and the necks are almost as nice as EBMMs, but I could never tame the treble and brightness of the pickups - to me, some of the L2000 tones grate like chalk on a blackboard.

 

[bovinehost]

Beautiful G&L there, and I had a few G&L's WAAAY back when....only complaint I had at the time was the shielding.....pretty noisy. Maybe they have that taken care of.

But let's try to keep this pointed in the right direction, if we could? And remember this is the EBMM forum.

Thanks for making my moderator job easy.

Jack

 

[Grand Wazoo]

My obvious question here is... if the headstock layout 3+1 and 4+1 are a registered intellectual trademark of Ernie Ball MusicMan instruments, so how can G&L get away with it?

 

[maddog]

My obvious question here is... if the headstock layout 3+1 and 4+1 are a registered intellectual trademark of Ernie Ball MusicMan instruments, so how can G&L get away with it?

4+1 is trademarked by EBMM?

G&L uses a 3+1?

when did this happen?

 

[Grand Wazoo]

4+1 is trademarked by EBMM?

when did this happen?

last year we all had to help signing a form and returning it to a man here (can't remember his name) when EBMM was filing for the copyright on the 3+1 and 4+1 I also believe the guitars 4+2.

 

[maddog]

now you have me confused further.

trademark or copyright?

 

[Grand Wazoo]

now you have me confused further.

trademark or copyright?

Either one, not sure but whatever it is, it should stop ANY company from copying the headstock tuner placement.

 

[maddog]

well, to answer your original question, they can get away with it because:

a.) there designs don't involve a 3+1

and

b.) 4+1 is not trademarked by EBMM.

 

[Kirby]

I briefly owned a trans red L2000 and liked it for the time I had it. To me it was redundant of my Stingrays which I liked better so it moved on. The main reason I purchased it to begin with was just to help out a friend. Before I owned my first Stingray 5, I tried the original 5 string version of the L2000, I found the B to be way too floppy despite being strung throught the body so I have never owned one of those to be able to comment.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I have active basses, and I have passive basses. But there is never anytime I want my active basses to be passive.

But having owned same models of the basses in question...
The pickup placements will keep them from sounding like each other. The L2000 and SR4HH pickups are located in vastly different spots.
If you want a 2 band HH, then the Sabre was the only one that did it. But still, even though Leo seemed to have used the Sabre as a huge influence for the L2000, the pickup locations and the magnet material, just are two completely different sounding basses.

Grand Wazoo, you're getting confused by looking at that first year 5 string with the 4+1. That headstock design didn't last very long and quickly got changed to the 3+2.

 

[TheBassGuy]

interesting answers. I have to agree that despite having all the options, not all the sounds I could get were amazing. I have a really hard time deciding what to do since I don't have a MM bas to reference from running trough the same amp.

To my ears, I could get a Sterling tone from the L2000, and something that came near a Ray, but not quite. Also a lot of different, non MM tones that are quite usable.

I'm gravitating towards 3 basses at the moment. Either a G&L L1500/L2000/ASAT, a Stingray or a Bongo. If it's gonna be a Ray, I'd rather prefer single humbucker on second thought since I actually believe that dual pickup Ray's is like ruining a classic iconic bass (yes its silly, but I love classics and nostalgics). A Bongo still speaks to my imagination, but I just can't get over the looks. Argh, I hate choices! (But I also hate my plywood bass, so I want to make a move quick )

 

[oli@bass]

Well... there are two European single H 'Rays in the for sales thread....