Assumer
Well-known member
Just wondering. Any luck getting a decent jazz sound ouy of an SR5?
- Thread starter Assumer
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bovinehost
Administrator
A Jazz bass?
Or a decent jazzy tone?
Because it's no and yes.
A Jazz bass sounds like a passive, two single coil affair. A Stingray 5, in its original form, sounds like an active, single humbucker sort of thing.
Of course, they're both basses, so there will be some similarity.
Even in my capacity as shameless company promoter, I think that if you want a Jazz bass, go get one. (I have a 62 RI that's been in the hall closet for about three years now.)
The SR5 is different. As it should be.
Jack
Or a decent jazzy tone?
Because it's no and yes.
A Jazz bass sounds like a passive, two single coil affair. A Stingray 5, in its original form, sounds like an active, single humbucker sort of thing.
Of course, they're both basses, so there will be some similarity.
Even in my capacity as shameless company promoter, I think that if you want a Jazz bass, go get one. (I have a 62 RI that's been in the hall closet for about three years now.)
The SR5 is different. As it should be.
Jack
Assumer
Well-known member
I figured so. I really love the sound of my G&L jazz. I have tried the G&L 2500 but do not like the neck. The SR5 neck is wonderful. It is the best feeling 5 string neck I have come across not to mention the general build quality of the bass which is wonderful also.
How about warmth with the SR5?
How about warmth with the SR5?
philthygeezer
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bovinehost
Administrator
I'm a fan of the SR5 neck myself (although I have this Bongo problem, frankly).
The SR5 is plenty warm. I don't think you'd see it in some many country bands these days if it weren't warm, but it also has enough growl to satisfy me (I was a Jazz bass guy for a while there, still admire them) and to make itself known in any live mix.
Some of us even put flats on our SR5s....crazy, I know.
Assumer
Well-known member
Thanks for the replys. Problem is, the only place to audition one is the local guitar center. Several problems, 1st, no leftys (minimal problem) 2nd always tons of folks making lots of noise and often not a good noise, 3rd not a great assortment of amps and the ones they have have been abused or do not even work. With all the above it is very difficult to get a good idea of the sounds available.
Figjam
Well-known member
I agree. Jazzy tone, yes. Jazz bass tone, not so much. It can get something that will serve the same purpose, just as well, though.
silverburst
Well-known member
You can always get one from Musician's Friend and send it back if you don't like it. They have a 45 day return policy. I sent back 3 LP's before I found one I liked.
Of course I haven't gptten a new EBMM that I didn't like out of the box. Their quality control must be a bit tighter.
Of course I haven't gptten a new EBMM that I didn't like out of the box. Their quality control must be a bit tighter.
Dr Stankface
Well-known member
Or, you could always get a HS SR5 and solo the neck coil. 
Figjam
Well-known member
Solo'ing a neck coil wont get you exactly the same tone as a jazz. I think an HH model in position 2 does it better. IMO
philthygeezer
Well-known member
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Tough crowd.
Figjam
Well-known member
How bout single H in single coil mode.
But touche with the HS. I'd have to hear it to judge.
But touche with the HS. I'd have to hear it to judge.
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Slim
Well-known member
I play SR5 1991 model which comes with alnico pickup and I get wonderful jazz tone. This pickup does not have phantom coil so it does pick up some hum in seriese and single coil position and probably sounds different from newer SR5 with ceramic pickup withphantom coil. I never had a chance to compare to newer SR5 side by side so I can not be sure but from what I hear that alnico pickup sounds warmer than ceramic. So if you like to have warmer sound bass try new 20th anniversary SR5 which comes with alnico pickup or find pre 1992 SR5. I learned these informations from this wonderful forum in short time
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Assumer
Well-known member
OK, one of you guys send me your bass and let me see how it sounds. Pref. a lefty
newtley
Well-known member
<burp>
..if it's the classic "burpy" or "barky" ( I love adjectives!)j-bass sound you're after it can definitely be "approximatated" in the middle, or single-coil position.
Crank the mids, subdue the treble and dial in a good amount of lows as well. I've come to prefer this over the j in fact for this purpose. Using 15's brings it home...ouch..look out..
Then..you can state your case most convincingly if you play heavy-handedly as close to the bridge as you can. As has been well-articulated by others many times/places..ultimately the sound is in your hands.. The SR5 (or Sterling in this case for me) is indeed a great vehicle for propagating the validity of this premise.
arf arf..
..if it's the classic "burpy" or "barky" ( I love adjectives!)j-bass sound you're after it can definitely be "approximatated" in the middle, or single-coil position.
Crank the mids, subdue the treble and dial in a good amount of lows as well. I've come to prefer this over the j in fact for this purpose. Using 15's brings it home...ouch..look out..
Then..you can state your case most convincingly if you play heavy-handedly as close to the bridge as you can. As has been well-articulated by others many times/places..ultimately the sound is in your hands.. The SR5 (or Sterling in this case for me) is indeed a great vehicle for propagating the validity of this premise.
arf arf..
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Assumer: I'm lefty and I have owned about four SR5s over the years. They are indeed wonderful and one of the best available lefty 5-stringers for your money.
The key to both basses is pickup location, which are very different. An SR5 won't give you a Jazz sound, but in the mix with a band (either live or recording) it does have a strong mids presence that remind you of a Jazz bass with the bridge pickup favored and extra bass in the EQ. A Jazz-bass bridge pickup soloed sounds weak in comparison to an MM pickup, but the MM pickup has less definition and does not give you the "Jaco" tone.
They are two different animals.
My main basses are a Sterling and Jazz. They both deliver, but the more I play them, the more different they sound.
Even though my Sterling is single H, the series/parallel switch plus the EQ gives you lots of different sounds, from sparkly to dubby. What I like about MMs is that even that they are active and "modern" they still have an old school character to them, so they don't sound super modern like say, an MTD, or a (dare to say) Warwick. The MM pickup has that 30-year old growl that sounds modern and warm at the same time.
On the other hand, I wish there were lefty HH or HS Sterlings, so I could have more of "the best of both worlds." Bongos are already available in HH, btw.
Look at it this way, the MM single pickup location is sort of right in the middle of the typical P-Bass position and the typical Jazz bass bridge pickup, so the MM sound has a hint of P and a hint of J, with a character all of its own.
Wanna sample the MM sound? Get a hold of David Bowie's Reality Tour DVD. . . excellent display of the MM sound in modern days. Or Peter Gabriel's UP Tour DVD.
There.
The key to both basses is pickup location, which are very different. An SR5 won't give you a Jazz sound, but in the mix with a band (either live or recording) it does have a strong mids presence that remind you of a Jazz bass with the bridge pickup favored and extra bass in the EQ. A Jazz-bass bridge pickup soloed sounds weak in comparison to an MM pickup, but the MM pickup has less definition and does not give you the "Jaco" tone.
They are two different animals.
My main basses are a Sterling and Jazz. They both deliver, but the more I play them, the more different they sound.
Even though my Sterling is single H, the series/parallel switch plus the EQ gives you lots of different sounds, from sparkly to dubby. What I like about MMs is that even that they are active and "modern" they still have an old school character to them, so they don't sound super modern like say, an MTD, or a (dare to say) Warwick. The MM pickup has that 30-year old growl that sounds modern and warm at the same time.
On the other hand, I wish there were lefty HH or HS Sterlings, so I could have more of "the best of both worlds." Bongos are already available in HH, btw.
Look at it this way, the MM single pickup location is sort of right in the middle of the typical P-Bass position and the typical Jazz bass bridge pickup, so the MM sound has a hint of P and a hint of J, with a character all of its own.
Wanna sample the MM sound? Get a hold of David Bowie's Reality Tour DVD. . . excellent display of the MM sound in modern days. Or Peter Gabriel's UP Tour DVD.
There.
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Yeah, that was going to be my suggestion. Just listen to some CD's by bands that you like whose bassists use SR5's. it doesn't matter which genre... the SR5 is used in pretty much all styles of music. Then just decide if that's a tone that you like. True, the studio can really tweak the sound, but the character of the Stingray is pretty hard to mask.
Assumer
Well-known member
Hey guys
Thanks for all the replys. Very helpful. Since the bongo was mentioned, besides body shape, are the electronics different then the SR5? (guess I could go to there site instead of being lazy sorry)
Thanks for all the replys. Very helpful. Since the bongo was mentioned, besides body shape, are the electronics different then the SR5? (guess I could go to there site instead of being lazy sorry)
Rano Bass
Well-known member
To my ears a Stingray HS can sound pretty close, but a jazz is a jazz and a Ray is a Ray.
