HS SR5 Output

[Andy V.]

I hit the search button and found nothing, so...

I use an Avalon U5 as a pre for live gigs.
It has a signal led that (according to the manual) shows when you reach the sweet spot.

I've been using it with my passive Fender PJ (string gauge 0.40) and, most recently, a '06 Blue Pearl HS SR5 (0.45).

Last week I noticed that, in order to reach the U5 sweet spot with the SR, I have to boost the signal way up more than I do with the passive PJ.

Also, when using an envelope - when not using position 2 on the coil selector switch - I have to pluck really hard to engage the filter.

Position 2 has hotter output, followed by position 1, then 5, 4 and 3, in this order.

My passive PJ triggers the effect easily.

Is this normal?

 

[WillPlay4Food]

I'm sure you tried these but...

Have you tried this with a fresh battery? Also, are your pickups the recommended distance from the strings?

 

[diptixon]

That is odd, because I would think it would be the other way around, as the signal from the SR5 should be much hotter than the passive Fender...

 

[DJBenzBass]

I hit the search button and found nothing, so...

I use an Avalon U5 as a pre for live gigs.
It has a signal led that (according to the manual) shows when you reach the sweet spot.

I've been using it with my passive Fender PJ (string gauge 0.40) and, most recently, a '06 Blue Pearl HS SR5 (0.45).

Last week I noticed that, in order to reach the U5 sweet spot with the SR, I have to boost the signal way up more than I do with the passive PJ.

Also, when using an envelope - when not using position 2 on the coil selector switch - I have to pluck really hard to engage the filter.

Position 2 has hotter output, followed by position 1, then 5, 4 and 3, in this order.

My passive PJ triggers the effect easily.

Is this normal?

This may help for comparison:
I have a F*nder Steve Harris P bass that has stock passive Basslines pickups in it, and it is MUCH louder then both my Stingrays without the EQ's boosted. That P bass spends most of it's days hidden in a closet, but when it sneaks out, the difference is easy to hear. I'm certainly not saying it sounds better, just louder.
SR5 HH is my tone!

 

[Andy V.]

Have you tried this with a fresh battery? Also, are your pickups the recommended distance from the strings?

The battery is new.
There's a recommended distance?
I thought I should adjust it according to my playing.

That is odd, because I would think it would be the other way around, as the signal from the SR5 should be much hotter than the passive Fender...

Me too.

This may help for comparison:
I have a F*nder Steve Harris P bass that has stock passive Basslines pickups in it, and it is MUCH louder then both my Stingrays without the EQ's boosted. That P bass spends most of it's days hidden in a closet, but when it sneaks out, the difference is easy to hear. I'm certainly not saying it sounds better, just louder.
SR5 HH is my tone!

Mine is a PJ with silver Lace Sensors.
I've heard that they don't have that much output...

I just read the FAQ again and the distance is fine.
I just don't understand the output issue...

 

[midopa]

Mayhaps it's time to give CS a call?

 

[WillPlay4Food]

The battery is new.
There's a recommended distance?
I thought I should adjust it according to my playing.

There's a recommended distance between the strings and your pickup. Pickup height can be adjusted by the screws on each side of the pickup. This won't affect your setup as it relates to neck bow and string height as it relates to the fretboard.

 

[Dean217]

I've noticed a similar phenomenon, with my new '07 SR 4 HS having lower output than my '97 SR 4. I haven't checked the height of the strings over the pickups yet on the new HS. I'll do that when I get home again. The new HS seems to be a great bass (I'm intending it to be my new workhorse), and I've just about got the setup tweaked just right; I hadn't thought about the pickup-to-string height yet....

Does the single-coil pickup on the Stingray 4 HS adjust height with screw turns, like the humbucker?

 

[Andy V.]

I've noticed a similar phenomenon, with my new '07 SR 4 HS having lower output than my '97 SR 4. I haven't checked the height of the strings over the pickups yet on the new HS. I'll do that when I get home again. The new HS seems to be a great bass (I'm intending it to be my new workhorse), and I've just about got the setup tweaked just right; I hadn't thought about the pickup-to-string height yet....

Does the single-coil pickup on the Stingray 4 HS adjust height with screw turns, like the humbucker?

I want it to be my main ax too.

The tone I have right now is nice.
But this output thing is strange for me.

I'll give the pup height a try again tomorrow.

I think the single is adjustable, Dean.
I don't have my bass here right now.

 

[Dean217]

The pickup height is definitely the key. I spent a few hours of quality time with my new Stingray HS 4 this weekend. I ended up taking measurements of my old '97 Stingray and comparing them to the new HS. The pickups were much farther back on the HS. I raised both the neck and bridge pickups (just an easy turn of the screws), and the bass's sound picked up quite a bit in volume, punch, and liveliness. It is now as hot as the '97 (which I love).

I didn't realize it, but over the 10 years I've owned the '97 Stingray, I've gradually adjusted it to where it is "perfect" for my playing style, and that setup is not what comes with factory specs. YMMV, but for my playing style (fingerstyle rock, and I play really hard/physically), I prefer polymer-coated strings, a neck that is perfectly straight (as checked by a straightedge), and then string height raised slightly at the bridge to where little or almost no buzzing is happening. And then... (and this is what I was missing until this weekend on the HS) raise the pickups to a little closer than factory spec for improved umph.

This setup is not for everybody, but I have found that it is perfect for me - sounds great, feels natural, and I can get through a 4-hour set with minimal arm/hand fatigue, compared to my other basses.

As a player who logs a ton of hours on my main bass, I love the neck profile, hardware, and overall build quality of the Stingray. The sound is a nice bonus....

 

[Rick]

From the Ernie Ball F.A.Q. section

Q: Could you tell me Music Man's StingRay factory settings for relief, string height, and pickup height?

A: Virtually all the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the finger board, counter clockwise to lower. The ideal string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. This affects the bow of the neck.

The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.

On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.

 

[Dean217]

From the Ernie Ball F.A.Q. section

I really like the straightforward way that EBMM lays out its factory specs in the FAQ section of their website. It's a very useful benchmark point when setting up my Stingrays.

After 10 years of playing a Stingray, I have developed personal preferences that vary from the factory specs (as most players probably would). Still, having the specs posted in such a clear manner is great.

 

[Andy V.]

Thanks, guys!

I'm tweaking the pupu a bit every rehearsal.
Right now, the problem is that I got a good volume on every coil and a extremelly hot volume on the 2.

I'm gettig used to lower the volume a bit when playing in this position.