Can't Get the Mwah on My Stingray

[billinbrasil]

Last week I purchased a mint condition 1995 fretless Stingray and I'm just lovin' the Music Man growl. But I can't seem to find the mwah and it's got me kinda bummed....

I've set the neck as straight and the action as low as possible, to the point of getting a little undesireable buzz on the D string at the third fret and on the G string from the 10th to 12th. Since it's only in these spots, this leads me to think that something on the neck might be out of whack, but I've checked it with a precision straight edge and there is no visible gap.

I´ve got the mids cranked on the bass and at 2 o'clock on the amp.

It's likely not technique, as I get massive loads of mwah from my other fretless (Jazz style pickups).

It's not that the Stingray is "mwahless", but it's not nearly what I want or expect. Could it be the strings?? I'm running 0.45 Ernie Ball roundwounds.

Thanks for any insight....

 

[Tollywood]

Welcome to the forum. We always enjoy seeing pics of a new acquisition.

 

[Golem]

Could it be the strings??
I'm running 0.45 Ernie Ball roundwounds.

Thanks for any insight....

Do your other mwah-happy FLs have flats ?

Maybe your PU is raised to much ?

-------------------------------------------

If you read my sig, you might mistakenly
expect that I'm the Mwah Master. Reality
is different. My FL basses may mwah to
various degrees but I don't actually care
if they do or they don't. I just don't much
care for fret klank Plus, I play by ear,
and FL lets me "schmere-over" my clams.

Not sure when MM switched to pau ferro
FBs, but IIRC my 93 had a rosewood FB.
If your 95 is rosewood, it will mwah less
than pau ferro.

PS

You "talk like" a geetariste. ".045" tells us
bassers almost nothing. You're very likely
playing 100s or 105s ... which is it ? Bass
sets are generally "named" by the lowest
string [opposite of "geetar-speak"].

Have tried playing with a hint of relief in
the FB ? With a flat FB your action has to
climb higher as you move away from the
nut, higher than it would have to climb if
you had a bit of relief. There's not a lot of
mwah at the very low end. Your mid-neck
action may possibly be higher now than if
you'd allow a bit of relief.

I can tell you this much: I have dozens of
FLs [insane, I admit] and I never use any
sort of formula or specifications to guide
my set-ups. I set relief and action height
by ear ... within the limits of reasonable
playability acoarst ! And I'm not trying to
accent mwah, just listening to the overall
voice til I like it for whatever it may be.

 

[Golem]

`

What's the set-up on your SR30th ?

IIRC thaz an ebony FB, so it could
be natively more mwah-happy than
your 95, but do you have a bit of
relief in it, or is the FB flat ? Maybe
you put flats on it cuz it's a sorta
rare "collectible" edition ?

 

[Bert]

Here are pics:
StingRay 3EQ 1996 Ash Sunburst Pau Ferro board
http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-b...ingray-ramp-quick-cheap-easy.html#post1025467

(I never owned a fretless Ray).

 

[pertyman]

Try to use rounds instead of flats. It works for me.

 

[73jbass]

If you are trying to get a Jaco type vibe,its not going to happen.

 

[Golem]

Try to use rounds instead of flats. It works for me.

Did you read the opening post ?

 

[Golem]

`


Altho I've aready stated that I don't pay much
mind to issues of mwah, just cuzza this thread
I did pay a bit of attention to my Sterling, with
flats, thru a 3-way cabinet.

Verdict: Not especially mwah-happy. I love its
voices, but as to noticeable mwah ? In paying
specific attention to mwah, I found it's minimal.

I tried both the MM PU and the piezos and even
tried cranking the mids to 10 plus backing off
the lows. FWIW this ax has a slight bit of relief
in the FB with moderate overall action height.
The PU is kinda lowered below normal spec but
otherwise, very typical FL bass guitar set-up.

If a Sterling ain't mwah-happy, expect a bit less
from a StingRay. That leaves the mystery of the
satisfactory mwah from your SR 30th. Could an
ebony FB alone do that ? Good question, but an
SR 30th also has a mahogany body. It's not too
far fetched to think that combination is the deal,
but thaz just an edumacated guess.

 

[Golem]

Here are pics:
StingRay 3EQ 1996 Ash Sunburst Pau Ferro board
http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-b...ingray-ramp-quick-cheap-easy.html#post1025467

(I never owned a fretless Ray).

Wondering if somebody fretted an FL bass ?!?

Pau ferro is NOT normal with speed bumps !

You can send your s/n to EBMM CS and they
will send you it's as-shipped specs and DOB.

 

[Bert]

Wondering if somebody fretted an FL bass ?!?

Pau ferro is NOT normal with speed bumps !

You can send your s/n to EBMM CS and they
will send you it's as-shipped specs and DOB.

That was their answer: lined fretless Pau Ferro board
http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-b...54-music-serial-database-869.html#post1025215

 

[drTStingray]

If you are trying to get a Jaco type vibe,its not going to happen.

I tend to disagree with you - my Fretless Stingray Produces a Pino sound which can be like a Jaco recorded sound. I have cobalt flats on mine - saves the fretboard from scuffing - if you cut mid range too much you will lose mwah (on amp or bass). Mine has plenty of mwah especially strong between about frets 5 and 14.

 

[Bert]

(Pic from the "Bass Book")

This one should be rosewood with an ash or poplar body.
But first I would try some flats like the cobalts.

 

[b-unit]

I owned a fretless Ray and still own a fretless Sterling. I agree there is a bit more "mwah" in the Sterling but neither is going to sound like Jaco as the pickup is not in the same spot as a JB bridge pickup and of course, it's a completely different type of e pickup. But that's not at all a negative. The single H pup is just glorious for capturing a balanced, punchy, growling fretless tone that cuts through in a mix and sounds much more full then a single coils j pickup on its own. Setup needs to be just right for your playing style and technique is critical. I run flats on my Sterling and it produces some great "mwah" just by plucking closer to the neck and letting the notes bloom.