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Question STERLING PLAYERS: Phantom Coil/Single Pickup, a fad or a staple?

M

martyonbass

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
5
Ok, have read many comments about the Sterling side of things. I've been with wide spacing (P or MM) for some time now, for nuance playing as well as slap. But as I "age", a Sterling might be something to move into ,,,,,IF,,,,,,,, the fantom coil could produce a convincing jazz-bridge-jaco tone. So my question is: Is the fantom/single coil position really important to your sound? Or is it a seldom used novelty? The discontinued SB14 has a 3 position switch.

I already have a Stingray HH with a 5 position switch but, as you know, no single coil option.
 
Depends on your version of Jaco. Do you mean FL ? Then it may be
a staple. I play mainly FL and use the bridge SC a lot. But I'm not
really after Jaco's tone. I just happen to dislike frets, thaz all :-)

I'm also luvvin a Thumb bass with both PUs set hard against the
bridge, and the tone is equally as extreme as the Sterling bridge
SC ... but differently extreme. If you meant FL bass, I can't say it's
gonna be Jaco's tone but I expect you'll find it very useful. I've got
no real frame of reference for Jaco tone, but I know he epoxied his
FB and I know first hand the effect of that, so I expect you'll dig a
Sterling HSC FL, but Jaco ? If you just want that generic jazzy mid
heavy tone, I've heard that from P-bass, Carvin JJ, Corvettes, and
various basses. It clearly derives from the player, no specific bass.
 
So Valid then?

Golem said:
Depends on your version of Jaco. Do you mean FL ? Then it may be
a staple. I play mainly FL and use the bridge SC a lot. But I'm not
really after Jaco's tone. I just happen to dislike frets, thaz all :-)

I'm also luvvin a Thumb bass with both PUs set hard against the
bridge, and the tone is equally as extreme as the Sterling bridge
SC ... but differently extreme. If you meant FL bass, I can't say it's
gonna be Jaco's tone but I expect you'll find it very useful. I've got
no real frame of reference for Jaco tone, but I know he epoxied his
FB and I know first hand the effect of that, so I expect you'll dig a
Sterling HSC FL, but Jaco ? If you just want that generic jazzy mid
heavy tone, I've heard that from P-bass, Carvin JJ, Corvettes, and
various basses. It clearly derives from the player, no specific bass.
Click to expand...

Thanks Golem,
I'm not talking specifically fretless, although that was a major part in Jaco's sound, more just the general way that a bridge jazz pickup can "bark" and maybe be a bit more dynamically expressive. But, in general, I think you are saying that the extra SC is worth it.
 
You need to know that the HSC PU config never
plays the wide-space "J-J" pair of SC's. You can
play the front or rear SC, the front rear PAIR of
coils, or all three coils, but never the outermost
two coils minus the center coil.

Plus these are single large-slug poles, not pairs
of small pole slugs. They're ceramic, not alnico
like J-bass magnets. But as I said, it's all about
the players.

Here's what's weird. Always someone wants to
know about some bass "will it do J-bass tone ?"
or "will it do P-bass tone ?". Now, clearly, those
doing the asking do not have a 'J' or a 'P', else
they'd be playing the tone they're after, rather
than asking what bass to buy. That means that
these players have heard the sound of 'P' or 'J'
basses being played, but they have no idea if
the basses they heard will produce that sound
in their own two hands, when the players that
they heard are not playing those basses.

I can only answer your original question. The
solo bridge coil on a Sterling is not a novelty.
It sound extreme played for home practice or
in a shop, but in some ensembles it's perfect.
I play with Latin percussionists and it's just
what it takes ... and I never thumb hammer,
and I'm playing FL.

You can solo the bridge coil on an HSC or 1H,
but not on an HH. The reason I recommend
the HSC is the ability to play the middle plus
neck coil WITHOUT the bridge coil. It's very
different from playing either the bridge SC or
the whole bridge humbugger. It's kinda like
a P-bass. It's always a handy option. But if
you absolutely don't care about that you can
just go for the original 1H. You can still solo
the bridge SC.

On a StingRay the 1H cannot solo the bridge
SC but if you opt for the HSC that is the only
StingRay that can solo its bridge SC. Not the
1H and not the HH. So, a StingRay HSC is a
way to solo the bridge SC if you want alnico
PUs ... if ceramic is too hot for your needs on
a soloed bridge coil. I've never heard anyone
say the SR's alnico bridge SC is too hot. OK,
so the SR's neck is fatter. Just man up :-)
 
Last edited:
Thanks again Golem. To clarify, I am completely happy with the MM humbucker sound. I actually have a Stingray HH and, yes, there is no phantom/SC. I now think the additional SC sound would be worth it.
 
I have had all three of Sterling 5 models (HS, HH, and H) and now ended up with the H Model, because it gives me in the default mode exactly the one Stingray-Sound I am looking for (Ceramic, Parallel just like the "old" SR5s) but also offers the powerful serial sound of the bridge humbucker (like my recently sold Sterling 5 HH).

Coming to the Single Coil + Phantom Coil option of the H-Sterling: To me it is a great addition to the sound spectrum of the bass. It works perfectly at home while practising scales and it does a great job while playing more jazzier type of sounds at seesions or if there is a solo-spot for me.

Since the Sterling is lacking a passive tone pot, I would not compare it with the sound you'd typically expected when speaking about Jaco. However, you will find that it does a great job doing the more Jacoish stuff.

I have once seen a video from an Italian user of this forum who offered his Sterling 5 HS for sale. It showcased him playing the bass with the bridge-coil + phantom coil soloed for a whole song and I was very impressed how Jacoish it sounded (I actually wrote him a private message and he confirmed the PU setting).

So in summary I would encourage you to give it a try. I think it could be a great addition to your SR5 HH.
 
I have a Sterling 5H and a 5HS. Both are capable to switch to the "single coil" setting. To my ears it does not sound like a Jazz bass bridge pickup soloed nor would I want it to. While tone, pickups, switching and all that is personal taste, I myself am not looking for my Music Man to sound like a Fender. Why would I, as I prefer the MM sound?

I do use the SC setting on my 5H regularly, and to my ears it sounds closer to a P bass tone. My 5HS I run with the two outside coil setting almost exclusively.
 
Great info and personal stories. So my last issue will be switching back to a thinner neck. I have played the wider necks MM,P for some time now and liked the extra real estate while playing up near the nut. Wonder if any of you were ever in the same boat with that. ( I want to add SC, but I'll never sell my Stingray HH. The extra H is obviously nice, and the center position gives a slap that leaves a mark!) However, I will look for a Sterling or even their discontinued SB14.
 
1954bassman said:
I have a Sterling 5H and a 5HS................
..............My 5HS I run with the two outside coil
setting almost exclusively.
Click to expand...

OKaaaaaayy .... whazzup whiddat ? HS is my fave
dual-PU config, and, AFAIK, your "two outside coil
setting" is the singularly unavailable arrangement
on the 5-way switch.

Did you mod the wiring ? Also it seems to me that
should anyone rewire to play the "two outside coil
setting" the pair in play are NOT humbugging, and
so are vulnerable to RF and other airborn pollution.
 
Last edited:
1954bassman said:
............
I thought the second position was the two outside coils.
.........
Click to expand...

Nevertheless, that is my fave setting, assuming you
mean "2nd from the neck" .... which is quite likely, as
the "2nd from the bridge" is a very distinctive SC tone
that I really doubt anyone can ever mistake for a pair
of coils.

The coils in play as per above are the neck and middle
and it's my default choice, an all-purpose tone but not
muddy, yet if in the rare instance that one needs a bit
more cut, you just tip the switch one click over to the
middle, which brings in the bridge coil for extra punch.

The two unavailable "choices" on a HSC are central SC
and the two outer coils. If one should rewire to obtain
either of those, the PUs would NOT be humbucking.
 
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