SR5. what P/U switch position sounds best.

[b-unit]

This may be a typical newbie question, but after two whole days of owning my trans orange SR5 I have found that the series positions sounds the best. The single coil position sounds good although a little thinner, but the parallel position sounds kinda messed up. When the switch is set closest to the bridge, the tone becomes intensly shrill and brittle sounding with way too much high end. I can't see this setting ever being useable the way it is.

I am wondering if anyone else has found this or is it possible that something is actually wrong with my bass. Any opinions would be appreciated.

B-unit

 

[Randracula]

I prefer parallel(bridge)......but they are all good

 

[Dr Stankface]

I stay in parallel. Gives it that real StingRay growl.

Like Randy said though, all positions are killer.

 

[b-unit]

so is the bridge position normally much brighter than the neck position? Maybe I just have my eq settings set to bright.

 

[Randracula]

so is the bridge position normally much brighter than the neck position? Maybe I just have my eq settings set to bright.

I'd say the bridge position has more lows/highs and less mids while the neck(series)position seems to have more pronounced mids but less lows and less crisp on the high end.

 

[tkarter]

I always play mine in the bridge postion. I forget you can change it. I play flats . I do remember thinking oh my when I had the rounds on it.

tk

 

[Randracula]

Could it possibly need a battery and/or strings? I bought a new SR4 that had been sitting for abou a year and it needed both.

 

[xring]

I'm a SR5 newb, and I thought the bridge position sounded best in my LR. I also thought it had the best slap tone - meaning cut mids, boosted top & bottom. This slap tone is usually described as getting lost in the mix, when playing live. Has anyone found that the bridge position does not cut as well as the others??
Thanks.

 

[ExLurker]

I always found the bridge position to sound best when rehearsing on my own and tended to use the neck position live.
I love the sound of the bridge position but found I had to eq in some low mids on my amp to get it to cut through in a live setting. Excellent for slap - but who does that live anyway?

 

[Dr Stankface]

I've always dug the slap and finger tone of the bridge position. On the bass, I keep my mids near maxed, treble almost completely cut, and bass with a slight boost from the middle detent. Of course you could always cut the mids and get that Louis Johnson style slap tone.

 

[Figjam]

The bridge position is definitely an aquired taste, and IMO varies extremely depending on your EQ settings and type of amp. With my settings it is very brittle and harsh because i have a bass/treble boost going on, so the bridge position gives me no mids. I use Series for this reason because it gives me a wonderful, full tone, with tons of lo middy growl/burp.

 

[TSanders]

Once I put flats on my SR5, I had a real use for each setting. Usually Series 25% of the time along with Single 25% of the time and Parallel about 50% of the time. With flats on in Parallel the tone is so fat you can cut it with a knife, and it still has some good growl.

 

[Randracula]

Once I put flats on my SR5, I had a real use for each setting. Usually Series 25% of the time along with Single 25% of the time and Parallel about 50% of the time. With flats on in Parallel the tone is so fat you can cut it with a knife, and it still has some good growl.

How do you think flats would sound on my SR5 w/ maple board?

 

[tkarter]

How do you think flats would sound on my SR5 w/ maple board?

I know you were asking Travis. I will say I think it would sound great.

IMHO

tk

 

[TSanders]

I know you were asking Travis. I will say I think it would sound great.

IMHO

tk

Tom, indeed, you know me well.

Randy, Id give flats a shot. I always remind folks, I hate the way they sound on their own. However, once your in that band setting, whew, PHAT city.

 

[pan_of_qld]

well 5c worth as usual . . .
SR5 fretless with Ken Smith halfgrounds.
I use middle setting as neck is too 'active' for me and bridge 'flatter' than middle.
I have all tone controls in middle possie except 'mid' which I sometimes whack up when playing off the bridge.
Ampeg controls are pretty much middle settings too with occasional 'mid' boost.

So I seem to be playing well within the instruments range with a zillion options either side of my comfortable settings - suits me fine . . .

 

[Randracula]

Tom, indeed, you know me well.

Randy, Id give flats a shot. I always remind folks, I hate the way they sound on their own. However, once your in that band setting, whew, PHAT city.

Cool, for some reason I always associated flats with a rosewood board.I guess I better start saving..........

 

[PaulMack]

Parallel setting is completely useless to me so I've opted to just have my SR4 wired in series and just forgot about installing the switch on it like the Sterling I had talked about in previous posts.
When we speak of Louis Johnson's slap tone... is that his live tone or the recorded one that who knows what kind of eq or effect was added to achieve it. I can't see myself ever getting a useable slap tone in parallel.
Also none of my other instruments seem to be so finicky as to what kind of amp or cabs that I'm playing. All my stuff is high end Ampeg.
I stated before that the highs in this setting (parallel) are extremely brittle and harsh and apparently it's not an opinion that is mine alone.
I like a setting that I can transition smoothly from fingerstyle into slap and I can't dial one in to save my *self*. I've even hooked up my 5 band parametric to see if I could find something useable.....that did help my situation........some
My opinion may change when I get my "rewired to series" SR4 back in a coupla days.
I'm sure I ain't gonna make any friends here with these opinions but I ain't had it long enuff to lose out on reselling the bass yet. I've learned a great deal about impulse buying though.But then I may have a bass that I'm pleased with when I get it back. I've got my fingers crossed.
I will say that Ernie Ball makes a quality instrument and customer service was very helpful, but a Musicman bass aint for everyone.......quite an aquired taste.

 

[b-unit]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Figjam described it perfectly as my rig is kinda bright, I think the parallel setting is just too bright unless I was to re eq. I have a Bmax preamp going into my RB800. It makes everything very clean and bright. That must be why the series setting just sounds like a freight train! I have a few more 12 hour shifts to get thu before I can spend some time playing with amp settings. Its nice to have the tonal options.

Damm I cant believe I waited so long to own a Ray!

 

[Dr Stankface]

It's all about the EQ and right hand position. (Or left hand. Thought of you Psycho )

Well, at least that's what I think.