Question stingray, 3, 4, 5 knobs ahhhh...

[Tack Bradley]

HELLO EVERYONE! i am a drummer gone bass player...so go easy on me lol. ok soooo, my stingray (natural finish) has 4 knobs with input jack on edge. its kinda old and needs a little work so im gonna get it all fixed but its time to retire it to back up. so i been looking for a new stingray (or used, like new) and i see some with 3 knobs (with the input being where my 4th knob is) and 5 knobs. also, seen some with a switch by the knobs.
can someone please break this down for me? 3, 4, 5 knobs, the switch...im so confused.
im sorry if this has been covered before but i couldnt really find what i was looking for.
im looking at one with 5 knobs but i dont know if that will be too much?!?!
also, the 5 knob stingrays only have one pick-up (pick-ups....a whole other topic i have much more to learn about) which seems weird to me.

thanks guys! looking forward to crossing paths with you all.
=)

 

[Monahan]

As far as the new US-made Rays go, those with 4 control knobs are the standard Rays; the three knob models are the "classic" reissue models-- these don't have the contours, or quick change battery compartments.

There is also a reissue "classic" version of the Saber...

Those with switches are usually two pickup models, and in some cases the "Sterling" model.

Since I'm a newer (old- guy) bass player I don't know about all the different variations the model has seen, but hopefully this helps a bit with the newer versions

If I missed anything, I'm sure someone will probably pic up the slack~

 

[Tack Bradley]

thanks bud! that did help a bit. since im a drummer, electronics baffle me. i got a good deal on an ampeg svt 4 pro and a 610 ampeg cab but know almost nothing about what the head can do lol.
apparently stingrays have a circuit board in them and the just completely throws me off.
im confused of the 2 knob difference. does the 5 knob have more tone options over the 3 and 4 knobbers?

 

[ubnomnar]

...im looking at one with 5 knobs but i dont know if that will be too much?!?!
also, the 5 knob stingrays only have one pick-up (pick-ups....a whole other topic i have much more to learn about) which seems weird to me.

thanks guys! looking forward to crossing paths with you all.
=)

Can you ever have too many knobs?

A 5-knob Stingray will have a volume, 3-band eq, and the 5th knob is the volume for the Piezo pickups in the bridge saddles. The bridge saddles will have a square cross section. If you look closely you will see an oval shaped insert in the top of each bridge saddle against which the string seats against as it passes over the saddle. One of my Bongo basses has Piezos and they offer some really unique and useful tonal options.

 

[Golem]

`

Ironically enuf ..... it's usually the drums that
determine, for any given band, whether or not
the piezo option provides any AUDIBLE tonal
color to the overall mix.

IOW, the tonal contribution of the piezos is a
soulfull, but somewhat subtle, thing. Subtlety
in any string instrument is at the mercy of the
drummer :-/