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Looking for that Stingray "growl"

modular

modular

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
16
Location
Portugal
Hello guys!

I've had a MusicMan Stingray 2EQ (maple neck) for quite some time, yet I was never able to get that signature StingRay growl. You know what I mean!

What might be the cause for this? Is it because it's a 2EQ bass and not the 3EQ version? Is it because my bass amp is too lame? Or maybe the strings I'm using are just not the best to get that sound? I've never used other strings in my life, so maybe this is the problem?


Here's my setup. It's pretty lame now, but right now I only play at home :(

- 2011' MusicMan Stingray, 2EQ with maple neck
- Gallien-Krueger 112 amp
- Zoom B3 effects unit
- Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (45-105) strings


Thank you for the help! :cool:


P.S. - the "growl" everyone knows I'm talking about can be heard right from the beginning of this song:

-
 
2 EQ bass should be no issue. My classic Ray has the growl. I use EB Slinky's, but I'd think Rotosounds would be fine. Probably more technique than anything.
 
I would also experiment with the volume settings on the bass, maybe you feed too much signal into the amp. Or then the amp colorizes the sound too much.
 
nurnay said:
2 EQ bass should be no issue. My classic Ray has the growl. I use
EB Slinky's, but I'd think Rotosounds would be fine. Probably more
technique than anything.
Click to expand...
Right. But, setup matters somewhat. And, most of all, get rid of
that effects unit, and anyothers you may be tempted to hook up.
 
New batery? Also maple necks sound verry different from rosrwood ones.... with rosewood you get lower growl in my experience.
 
HEY!!! Sorry! Mine has a rosewood neck! Silly me!!!!

2evaf0m.jpg
 
Weird, yesterday I wrote a post here but it's not appearing.

Anyway, I was sleeping! My MM fingerboard is made of rosewood...
 
Something isn't right here. I have even managed to coax a lot of growl from a Ray with flatwounds.

First, change the battery, second, make sure you have your gain set correctly on your amp (basically putting enough in).

Third, if the strings are a few months old, change them. If they sound dull, that means they are dead roundwounds.

Rotosounds die pretty quickly. EB strings tend to last longer and suit the Ray perfectly, (plus a great price).

I've had a lot of Musicman basses with rosewood boards and they all growl...the board is more aesthetic/feel than tone, (although it may make a small difference). My old 4 HH which I sold had one of the most aggressive bridge humbucker tones and it was a rosewood board bass.

The 2EQ should have stacks and stacks of treble to make it sound VERY sizzly. :)
 
Sounds like your amp, I played thru the same one at a pawn shop the other day. Did not care for it.
 
five7 said:
Sounds like your amp, I played thru the same one at a pawn shop the other day. Did not care for it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, probably. Never got that "growl", even though the Stingray sounds pretty nice here, yet a bit too "hi-fi". I also have a Fender 51 Precision and it almost sounds better than my Stingray with this amp. This is why I'm a bit pissed, since there is a huge price difference between both basses.
 
The recorded song you cited has plenty of overdrive on the bass. Since it's a studio recording, there's no way of knowing what equipment was used during the recording and mixing.

But for an overdriven sound in a live environment, typically one would set the amp's input-gain quite high to overdrive the preamp section.

You don't mention your EQ settings on the instrument. Have you tried with them all set flat? On the 3eq, flat is the center detent. Others here will advise as to the 2eq flat setting; I seem to recall it may be different.
 
Can you post a link to a youtube video with the sound you want?

Do you have the stainless steel 66s or the nickel plated ones?
 
Rick Auricchio said:
You don't mention your EQ settings on the instrument. Have you tried with them all set flat? On the 3eq, flat is the center detent. Others here will advise as to the 2eq flat setting; I seem to recall it may be different.
Click to expand...

Hello!

I've tried pretty much all I can remember, but maybe I'm doing something wrong. My combo is pretty straight forward, just a few controls here and there and the three main controls: treble, mid, bass. How would you dial the "growly" tone, amp-wise?




stu42 said:
Make sure you turn up/on the boost control on your amp. That will add growl.
Click to expand...

With "boost" ON or with the overdrive channel ON, I just get a lot of distortion and not that typical growl...




uOpt said:
Can you post a link to a youtube video with the sound you want?

Do you have the stainless steel 66s or the nickel plated ones?
Click to expand...

I use Rotosound Swing Bass 66, Stainless Steel Roundwound (45-105) strings.

Regarding videos, for instance a good example is the old Flea bass lessons, like this one:

-


Thanks!
 
I have to say that the Flea video has a tone that I don't like at all. I don't hear growl, just snappy twang.

(And is it really Flea? This guy has a shirt on!)
 
modular said:
-
Click to expand...

To me that sounds like a heavily scooped Trace Elliot. Not sure I classify it as growl.

I think you should give your a bit more meat than those stainless steel hex core strings, not to mention I think Rotosound sucks.

I'd try a set of DR hi-beams, which are still stainless steel winds but they have a round core so they add a bit of bottom.
 
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