Question for Musicman players

[natselection]

Would a sterling be more suitable for both rock AND funk, where a stingray fits exclusively in rock?

 

[maddog]

SR4's are great for funk.

 

[syciprider]

SRs are great in any style. Plug into a tube amp, cut the treb and kick the mids a notch and you got a vintagey tone. Plug into an SWR or Eden rig and dial in a bright but scooped EQ and you got funk.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

I think it depends on what you like. I personally like the Stingray 4 over the Sterling, but there are many who prefer the Sterling. I think the Stingray has a more in-your-face sound than the sterling. Also the Stingray seems shaped a little better for my hands. But I think either of them would be suitable for both genres.

The Stingray is associated with funk more often, but that might be just because the Stingray came out in the 70's when funk was popular and the Sterling didn't come around till the 90's. The EQ's on both basses are really good, so you ought to be able to get a great sound out of both basses for really any genre of music.

Probably more important is to be comfortable with the string spacing and the neck, and the Stingray and Sterling are quite different. The Stingray is to a Fender P-bass as a Sterling is to a Fender Jazz in terms of string spacing, i.e. the string spacing at the nut is wider on the Stingray than it is on a Sterling. You'll have to pick each one up and spend some time playing them to figure out what feels best to you.

td

 

[Colin]

The Sterling is a very versatile bass

 

[RitchieDarling]

I find it odd that people seem to feel that a certain model of instrument is suitable for only one style. Take for example the statement that the Stingray fits exclusively in rock. Now, I have seen the Stingray used for funk, rock, blues, jazz, country, punk, and reggae. I have seen country, metal, and funk bass players using the Bongo. I encountered my first Sterling bass while watching a calypso band! Having said that, I personally used a Steinberger XL-2 for rock, country, blues, and pop. The instrument is a tool. It is not designed to only be used in one style. It is designed to produce tones. You decide what your style is. And adjust your instrument tone and your playing style to it. Just a thought.

All the best,

Ritchie

 

[Bill]

Hell, I've used the Stingray extensively for Cajun music!

 

[kerrsedbass]

There is always an easy solution to this kind of problem. If you have the chance to play all three (Stingray, Sterling, AND Bongo) through the same amp and cab on the same settings, DO IT! This has been a great tool for not only myself but, dare I say, a couple of six stringer guitar geeks as well. You might find yourself coming to the conclusion that one bass doesn't do it all, and you just need more EBMM!

Ok, maybe that last one was just me saying I need more EBMM, and I didn't even get my BD SR4 yet.

One last thing, if you can also try the dual pickup models out, that adds alot of tonal veratility to the whole thing.

 

[Colin]

This has been a great tool for not only myself but, dare I say, a couple of six stringer guitar geeks as well.

hey!!!!!!!!

 

[natselection]

which bass can pump out a more jaco tone?

 

[kerrsedbass]

I was getting a great Jaco sound from a Bongo HH, and after watching some of Alvabass's videos, I think that you can get a damn close Jaco sound with an HH Bongo fretless.

 

[Goofball Jones]

Why do people feel they have to pigeon-hole everything with comments like "Sterling is for funk, Stingray is for rock". I mean, they're basses....they can be used for any and all styles of music that require a bass, right?

I've literally seen Stingrays used in just about every genre of music there is! Blues, country, punk, funk, rock, heavy metal, pop, jazz....on and on and on.

 

[Psycho Ward]

But if you are playing rock you should use a StingRay... I mean, if you want the best bass and all...

 

[kerrsedbass]

People only pigeon hole things to what sounds best to them. Some basses do give off tones that are more easily accessible than from other basses. To give a (Bad) example, slap lines sound amazing on a Stingray with just a little turn of the knobs. I used to own an Epiphone EB-3 (Please don't hate me, I got rid of it when I hit the EBMM mark!) and that required not only EQing on my amp, but a DI to try and hone in on that slap sound. That mudbucker could not get a good slap tone, even though the bass acoustically sounded great on slap. I know that is a bit apples to oranges, but it is sort of the same way with EBMM basses. Each bass can do it's own unique tone and with that depending on what you play, you might want the one that gets YOUR tone the easiest, with the least amount of EQ changes.

 

[silverburst]

I have tried the Sterlings a few times and they just aren't comfortable for me. Stingrays do everything I want and need them to. Go for whichever one works better for you, and they will work for whatever kind of music you are trying to play, with some minor messing with the EQ knobs and you finger/picking style.

 

[n!k]

A favorite anecdote of mine about Jaco was a story where he was approached after a show by two bass players who wanted to know what was the secret to his sound? His amp? An effect pedal? Jaco told them it was just his fingers and pulled out his bass (that he, famously, often carried without a case) and played a few lines. It sounded the same.

Moral of the story :
Tone and gear is important, but the funk happens in your fingers.

Translation of the above moral in a more funky Bootsy Collinspeak:
If the funkmanship is sound, da sound of funk is shippin' out to sail, never fail.

 

[kerrsedbass]

Well if you want to be Jaco you could always:

1. Defret your bass yourself.
2. Cover it in ALOT of marine epoxy.
3. Eat some fried chicken right before your gig to get your hands really greasy.

INSTANT JACO TONE!




Forgot to mention that needs to be done to a beat up old Jazz bass tho.

 

[Colin]

mmm chicken

 

[freddy]

SR5 for everything!!!!