Jawshco
Member
Hey everyone! I'm new to the board, and just wanting to chime in on something that's been bugging me for a while. I have a MM Stingray 3 frequency that I bought about 4 years ago, and I'm struggling with the amount of clanking noise that I'm getting when I slap and finger pick. I've actually resorted to using the dreaded plectrum to get a smoother tone. I absolutely love the tone of this bass guitar, it's far better than any I've owned before, but this one thing seems to really drive my band crazy. My drummer says all he can hear from my bass out of his monitor is clanking metal. I am not a newbie player who is really rough on the strings, but I'll admit that when the fast climax of the song hits I probably start thumping a little more than usual, but nothing that extreme. I've seen some pretty extreme thumpers play very agressively and not have the clanking noise I'm getting. I saw the dude from Dio actually punch his bass, and it sounded great.
I've never had this problem with any of my other basses before (Ibenez SG, and X series, Gibson SG and a Peavey). I don't know if it's more me than the bass, but it only seems to happen with my Stingray. I was actaully watching the Flea instructional video with a friend of mine and he was playing a Stingray and was getting that same noise I'm talking about. My friend (who is professional bassist who plays for Sammy Hagar) was commenting on how bad the bass sounded on the video, and was asking me if I sounded like that too. I, of course am totally in love with the Stingray sound (other than the noise) so I lied and said- No way, my Stingray rocks! But I really don't think my playing is 100% of the problem.
Does anyone else struggle with this? Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?
I have tried different strings (eek, stay away from the steel!), and have even tried some adjustments to the truss rod and saddle. Could something be wrong with the bass? Open string slapping sounds great, but slapping say on the 2 fret of the E string (usually F# in standard tuning) just sounds like noise to me. Oddly enough this is the only problem that I have with the SR. Some say that they get a weak sound out of the D & G strings as compared to the E & A strings. For me the opposite is true. I find the Stingray to be much more well balanced than any of the other basses I've played. I get great volume and tone all the way across the fretboard. This bass would be perfect if it weren't for the "clanking noise."
On a side note, I tried out a Bongo recently at the local Guitar Center, and I'm sooooo in love! That thing can sound just like the Stingray, but I find it to be a little more comfortable on the low frets, and the "noise" I'm referring to with Stingray isn't there at all when I'm playing the Bongo. I love the SR, but I'd drop it in a second if I could afford the Bongo. Every time I pass the music store I stare at it and say, "You will be mine, oh yess... you will be mine."
I've never had this problem with any of my other basses before (Ibenez SG, and X series, Gibson SG and a Peavey). I don't know if it's more me than the bass, but it only seems to happen with my Stingray. I was actaully watching the Flea instructional video with a friend of mine and he was playing a Stingray and was getting that same noise I'm talking about. My friend (who is professional bassist who plays for Sammy Hagar) was commenting on how bad the bass sounded on the video, and was asking me if I sounded like that too. I, of course am totally in love with the Stingray sound (other than the noise) so I lied and said- No way, my Stingray rocks! But I really don't think my playing is 100% of the problem.
Does anyone else struggle with this? Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?
I have tried different strings (eek, stay away from the steel!), and have even tried some adjustments to the truss rod and saddle. Could something be wrong with the bass? Open string slapping sounds great, but slapping say on the 2 fret of the E string (usually F# in standard tuning) just sounds like noise to me. Oddly enough this is the only problem that I have with the SR. Some say that they get a weak sound out of the D & G strings as compared to the E & A strings. For me the opposite is true. I find the Stingray to be much more well balanced than any of the other basses I've played. I get great volume and tone all the way across the fretboard. This bass would be perfect if it weren't for the "clanking noise."
On a side note, I tried out a Bongo recently at the local Guitar Center, and I'm sooooo in love! That thing can sound just like the Stingray, but I find it to be a little more comfortable on the low frets, and the "noise" I'm referring to with Stingray isn't there at all when I'm playing the Bongo. I love the SR, but I'd drop it in a second if I could afford the Bongo. Every time I pass the music store I stare at it and say, "You will be mine, oh yess... you will be mine."
...i say if you trust yourself to set up your bass, go to the FAQ on the ernie ball website and get the measurments you need otherwise go to a pro to get the bass set up...also the active electronics are way sensitive on a stingray, use in moderation