Mid-90's Stingray and uneven string tone

[Firewalz]

All,
I have a Stingray from about 95 that I bought new and have had it ever since. Over the years it has been my main bass and i have played well over 1000 shows so I know it well. It has always suffered from an uneven string tone and volume, the G string is especially thin and week. I have switched from roundwound to flatwound strings and even swapped out the pickup and preamp with Seymour Duncan Basslines and still the issue persists. Not sure what else to do, I like the tone but the G string simply drops out, I’m thinking of going back to basics with a P-bass. Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[DTG]

I have a 93 ray, I lowered the pick up on the E string side and it sorted it out for me.

 

[Firewalz]

Thanks, I tried that in the past but ill give it another go, oddly it sounds that way even unplugged. I wondering if its just a characteristic of the bass, with there being no neck pickup where the string vibrates the most.

 

[Hutton]

I had the same thing with a 96. I took advice and tried all sorts of things to no avail. I eventually moved the bass on. My SUB however is marvelous. No problems whatsoever. Fantastic bass that has been with me from new and will stay with me.

 

[oli@bass]

If the bass has the same characeteristic acoustically, then... it's the bass (and you can happily swap back the original electronics). A couple of questions, just out of curiosity: What's the weight of that bass? What's the colour? I'm asking because back then, EBMM used certain body woods for certain colours.

 

[DTG]

I diddnt know that Oli , please tell more

 

[liverbird]

A weak G-string doesn't seem to be uncommon for 90s Stingrays. All my Rays from that period have it to some extent. Interesting at what Oli hinted with regards to body wood. (On mine, it doesn't appear to be an acoustic problem though.)

1989 Blueburst - poplar
1990 Trans Red - alder
1992 Honeyburst - ash

They're all lovely basses, weak G-string or not.

 

[Golem]

All,
I have a Stingray from about 95 that I bought new and have had it ever since.
Over the years it has been my main bass and i have played well over 1000
shows so I know it well. It has always suffered from an uneven string tone and
volume, the G string is especially thin and week. I have switched from round
wound to flatwound strings and even swapped out the pickup and preamp with
Seymour Duncan Basslines and still the issue persists. Not sure what else to do,
I like the tone but the G string simply drops out, I’m thinking of going back to
basics with a P-bass. Has anyone else had this issue?

I have a 91 SR very much like yours, complete with the Basslines EQ-pre and PU.
It has no such problem. Therefore, I'm suspecting it's just a resonance thing with
your SR's neck. You can experiment with adding mass to the headstock, but thaz
about it. With some basses, that works, but not with every bass. I assume all the
bridge and neck screws are tight and the nut is intact.

P-basses are certainly not immune to similar troubles ... and what could be more
"back-to-basics" than an SR, anywho ?


`

 

[drTStingray]

My 93 fretless very definitely does not have this problem - in live performance or recording. The string sounds are well balanced.

It is possible to move towards this problem by scooping the mids a lot and over boosting the bass (and possibly by doing the same on the amp). I guess this will be the same with many types of bolt on neck bass.

Set up is key also, and I also use 100 to 45 strings (105 can make the E a tad heavy).

If any of you want to sell your 80s/90s Rays, then please PM me!! I love em.

 

[Golem]

`

Since the woods issue was mentioned ....
My 91 SR4 that does NOT have the problem
is definitely ash [it's a clear finish].

And since EQ was mentioned, I would never
scoop down the midss [cuz it's FL].

`

 

[nurnay]

My previous Ray had the weak G, but my current one is the opposite - the D & G strings are almost too loud. LOL. I may lower the pickup a bit on that side. You might try raising yours.

 

[supadave]

My previous Ray had the weak G, but my current one is the opposite - the D & G strings are almost too loud. LOL. I may lower the pickup a bit on that side. You might try raising yours.

I had a similar, but fairly minor, issue with my D string. Fiddled and fiddled and fiddled....then bought a diamond bass comp. Nyet problemo!!!!