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  • Sterling by MusicMan

Double Agent

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Dec 27, 2006
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99
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Lakeland, FL
Congrats on a beautiful bass....all the DD2s look amazing in pics, so I can only imagine how good they look in person. Enjoy it in good health and welcome to the EBMM community.
 

TGL

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Jul 28, 2010
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OHIO
Keeler Mang

Nice Axe Eugene--I just got my first MM a few weeks ago and about a week after that I got another one. I think there's a virus going around. Get ready for another bass! How does it sound?
 

Soverntear

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Joined
Aug 15, 2010
Messages
9
the sound is like a normal ray with a bit less zing and more bottom. not too noticeable of a difference but enough to show its a breed apart
 

TGL

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Jul 28, 2010
Messages
61
Location
OHIO
I've only just begun...... to live..................(sappy ain't it?)

Well I've only just started playing a Ray and a Sterling so I don't know what normal would be. I'm liking what I'm hearing though. I run both guitars (5 way switch) one back from full neckward position---bass about 1/8 inch boost---mid about 1/8 inch cut---treble 1/4 turn cut---I don't like the hi treble fret clicking----I can play so it doesn't click but with the music we do and the moving around alot it's a whole different thing than just standing and playing real clean. How do you run yours?

I will switch the five way for slower songs or some others-- my amp is pretty close to flat on everything-- volumes at 12 oclock GK RB 800 ( Rock Machine that one):D
 

Soverntear

Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2010
Messages
9
Well I've only just started playing a Ray and a Sterling so I don't know what normal would be. I'm liking what I'm hearing though. I run both guitars (5 way switch) one back from full neckward position---bass about 1/8 inch boost---mid about 1/8 inch cut---treble 1/4 turn cut---I don't like the hi treble fret clicking----I can play so it doesn't click but with the music we do and the moving around alot it's a whole different thing than just standing and playing real clean. How do you run yours?

I will switch the five way for slower songs or some others-- my amp is pretty close to flat on everything-- volumes at 12 oclock GK RB 800 ( Rock Machine that one):D

Best way to find the classic Ray sound is ether go to your local store and try 5-6 of them and set them flat (middle indent of pots) another great example is "another one bites the dust" amazing ray sound in that song.

As for settings, that really depends. Normally I run flat well at least 90% of the time. other then that I just mess around and see if I can find great tones, which this bass has countless amazing tones. on to the treble fret clicking, thats one of two things. first it could need a setup by the sounds of things the neck needs a bit of adjustment. or it could be the EB strings (no offense EB) I had them on my ray when I bought it. clank city. It was a combo of the neck needing some adjustment and the strings. for the record yes I did adjust the neck and try out the EB strings still very clank.


Right now I'm running a RH450 head in to a UL410 also set on flat. what can I say if my gear doesnt sound good flat to me its not the gear for me.
 

Double Agent

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Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
99
Location
Lakeland, FL
I don't like the hi treble fret clicking----I can play so it doesn't click but with the music we do and the moving around alot it's a whole different thing than just standing and playing real clean.

Have you tried flats? I have EB Group II flats on a P-bass and they're awesome. Very alive for flats, but not overly so, and I think they would sound awesome on a Stingray if you like that Bernard Edwards/Paul Denman type of Stingray tone. They definitely will smooth out the clank, but the 'Ray tone will still shine through. Best of all, the EB flats are very inexpensive compared to other flats, and other rounds as well, so it isn't a huge loss of money if the experiment fails. Just something you might want to think about....could be they give you exactly the tone you're looking for without having to play around with the EQ as much.
 

TGL

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Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
61
Location
OHIO
I love Jazz and Fusion and recorded a CD of it. My own stuff.

I play Rock in a band now so it's a whole different World. It's fun to play Heavy Rock but it's not my favorite bass playing. The art in Rock for me is to make the bass sound kick and ring and be full ---I want to feel it in my feet on the stage--( unless I'm on concrete)


I play with my fingers 99.9% of the time. I also have always ---no matter what neck adjustment etc--- have dealt with the "click" and that is probubly from using Rotosounds.That's the best reason I can think of. I've always used them. I don't play a real low action. I can control the clicking but some times when playing loud rock and doing all the moves etc. I tend to move my right hand closer to the neck and that's where the click happens the worst.

Sometimes I use the click to my advantage . I run the treble on about 1/2 (guitar). That way I can lay into it (playing) with my right hand and get a real honking gritty sound. So for the most part the click is bad but it still can be good when I adjust the treble.

I just don't think I could ever put flats on a bass. That's my psychological thing. Maybe I need rehab for that. The flats just don't do anything for me. To me they sound like worn out strings. That's probubly from many years of ring gut style bass playing. I think if I need a flat sound I can just cut the hi's way back . I hope I'm not sounding snobbish. I'm not trying to.

I'm gigging outside tonight in the heat and I'll be playing---what else? The EBMM Sterling HS and the StingRay HH ! SWEET!:D
 

Double Agent

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Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
99
Location
Lakeland, FL
I just don't think I could ever put flats on a bass. That's my psychological thing. Maybe I need rehab for that. The flats just don't do anything for me. To me they sound like worn out strings. That's probubly from many years of ring gut style bass playing. I think if I need a flat sound I can just cut the hi's way back . I hope I'm not sounding snobbish. I'm not trying to.

If you've tried flats and they aren't for you, that is fine. However, I will say, very strongly, and IMO of course, that cutting the highs on rounds doesn't sound anything like flats, and neither do dead rounds for that matter. That is a widely held assumption that is so far off base that I can't begin to disagree with it strongly enough. In fact, using flats can allow you to actually BOOST your highs (a novel concept) without clank or brittle piercing highs. You can get a lot of clarity and presence this way where doing the same thing with rounds could be quite painful.

And, flats on a 'Ray sound nothing like flats on a P-bass, you can't completely kill the highs on a 'Ray....not even with flats. However, flats will tame your string noise and clank to a large degree and are a lot more versatile than you might think. I have even played some slap on a P-bass with flats and it sounded pretty good (much to my own surprise). Here is a video with a nice example of what a 'Ray with flats can do...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho42fxFsE6M]Musicman Stingray with flatwounds[/ame]

I am primarily a roundwound user myself and I always will be, so I understand your reservations. But, flats in a full band mix are awesome, especially on an EBMM bass. Unless you are a big slapper or play in an aggressive rock band, you don't lose that much by playing flats. If you are trying to calm down an aggressive bass, they could just what the doctor ordered.
 
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