sterling vs sting ray

[bovinehost]

I've never bought into the 'one trick pony' label on the Stingray. Compare Red Hot Chili Peppers with, say, Sade. Both have lots of Stingray bass but are completely different.

It's like a Precision - and I've often said, "If you can't do it with a Precision, perhaps you shouldn't blame the bass." I feel exactly the same way about Stingrays. I've played every conceivable type of music with a Stingray and it simply WORKS if you know how to alter your technique and your EQ - and having one strung with flats helps, too, if you want to play Norah Jones type stuff.

The Sterling does offer a bit more in the way of sonic palette, but what I like about it is the neck profile.

And if you REALLY want MM sound with lots of options, try the Bongo.

 

[Augusto Lopez]

G'day Bovinehost,
I've used my only my SR while playing with a top 40 & retro coverband for a while and, yes, I had to play all sorts of dance music, and it worked very well. Yes I had to apply different techniques to get different sounds from it, but without changing my graphics live on the stage(because that has the potential to turn into a nightmare).
If you just consider the SR on it's own, and the tones you can get from it, it wouldn't compare with the G&L2000 or 2500 for instance; simply because the G&L has two pick ups, a series/paralle switch and active/passive options.
True the SR has a very nice tone that can be varied to a degree by the way you position your hands, or play with a plectrum or fingers etc. etc... but the tone variation is not going to be dramatic unless your're using some kind of emulator, or "u" change the EQ settings or change amps all together.
You mention the P bass, that's another example of not a very versatile instrument. I used to own a '62 and was great for a lot of things, but not for slaping for instance.
I haven't seen a Bongo yet.
Cheers
Gus

 

[Aussie Mark]

I echo the comments that a Stingray is more versatile than people believe. Like my fellow antipodean Augusto I play my Stingrays (fretted and fretless) in a retro coverband, and they handle anything from Beatles and Stones thru to Led Zeppelin, Devo, Blondie, Hot Chocolate and Pink. Other than employing some effects on a few songs, I don't tinker with EQ on stage at all.

 

[Psychicpet]

crazy thread...
Anywho, I dig the Sterling just because I'm more of a JBass fan and the slimmer neck on the Sterling is to my liking.And the 'one trick pony' moniker... absolutely guys, it's Bunk! Thats like saying a frying pan is a 'one trick pony' , hell, I can do eggs, ground beef, sautee veggies all sorts of stuff in a frying pan!

Happy New Years all U guys!!! hehehehehe


Pete

 

[hands 5]

I think why a few players label the SR as a "one trick pony is maybe do to the fact that it will always have that high "bite " to it no matter how much you may adjust your technique or the tone knobs on the instrument.
But,with that being said I've played every type of gig that I was called to do with the SR5 because at one time that was all that I had (until I finally my other basses were return to me)because I sure as hell wasn't about to turn down the gig just because I wasn't crazy about the way the SR5 sounded besides half of the people who I was playing for could've cared less on how many tones that the damn thing had to begin with they just wanted to hear good music.
True I have my own preference of the types of basses that I like to play do to construction,tone,and etc.But I don't care what it is SR5 ,Fender,Warwick if this is the only bass that you have,then this is all that you have to work with.So make it work "one trick pony or not.


p.s. Don't be a slave to the instrument;Be a "slave to the Rythm

 

[bovinehost]

I string my SR5s with Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats and there is no 'high bite' at all to it unless I really want it to have that.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I'm with Bovine. Well, not as such, that's Erika's domain.

I also run flatwound strings on both my SR's, although my flats of choice are D'Addario Chromes, since I find the TI tension a little low for my liking. I also have no "high bite" on either of my SR's, via a combination of string choice, EQ setting and playing with fingers rather than a pick.

 

[hands 5]

I string my SR5s with Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats and there is no 'high bite' at all to it unless I really want it to have that.

I've have had these same strings on the SR5,and in my case it still had the "high bite"but it was no biggie to me because in some instances it was sort of a plus but for the most part I would just switch to another bass.

 

[Psychicpet]

Bite?.....with Flats?..... maybe one man's "bite" is another man's "rasp" but to get bite with flats, well, that's a whole lotta clank then

 

[jubjub721]

i have to say stingray all the way even though i have to get a job to afford a eb bass
and
im lazy as hell

 

[easelkillya]

My vote is for Sterling. I've got short fingers, so I benefit from a thinner neck. The pickup selector is fun, too.

 

[stingrayplyr]

I love my Stingrays. I own a 4 string and a 5. When I'm playing something from god smack I get all the drive I need. When I'm playing something from Stanly Clark, Marcus Miller, Brothers Johnson etc.... I get the clean thumpen punch of slap. I'ts not the effects you play your insturment through, that makes it sound great. I'ts the musician behind the insturment.

 

[Moondog]

I have late '90s StingRay and Sterling and I'm pleased with the performance & sound of both. However, if I had to part with
one of them (never happen) it would be the little guy . . . the Sterling . . . & I would shed a tear. Both family heirlooms IMO.

 

[philthygeezer]

who cares what u is its just shorter than you little sh#t

Billy Bob
Banned
Newbie


Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: nc
Posts: 16

 

[jongitarz]

 

[Morrow]

Ernie Ball make gorgeous basses. It's nice to have some choice. Different basses speak to different people.

 

[bovinehost]

Ah, it's good to see the dead horse, kicked and kicked and kicked again, rise from the ashes and take a dump.

 

[Jean-Frédéric]

I have a Sterling . and I love it a lot , but I d'like a SR ... maybe it's my amp or I don't know , but the Sting Ray as a lil something I can never quite get right with my Sterling

 

[jongitarz]

I am still confused about Philthygeezers post.

 

[bovinehost]

Yes, I feel he's trying to tell us something, but what?