Stingray or Jazz. Pros & Cons?

[Spanky(Andy)]

Thanks a lot for all that.

As I say, I've tried a couple of Bongos, and as great as they sound, can I live with the shape? I'm just not sure. I'll give that some thought for sure.

The Stirling is a possibility too. I tried one on Saturday with a Nordstrand pickup in it. That thing was awesome, really punchy and growly, with loads of bottom end and crisp clear top end, very nice.

However the problem I have is that it's Stingray I've always lusted after, and maybe I'm just wearing blinkers, but it's still the Stingray I want.

I will check out the Bongos and Sterlings too though, I promise .

Ahhh, someone with the same predicament I went through.... I'm a Jazz bass owner too.

Personally, I would go with the Stingray. The 'ray has obviously won your heart. As a bonus incentive, it's the only EBMM bass that currently has an official t-shirt!

Here's an epic tale for you.

I first played a Stingray in the early 80's at a party. It sowed a desire that I have never been able to get rid of.

At the time I could never afford one (they are VERY expensive here), but I promised myself that one day i would own a genuine, honest-to-god MusicMan Stingray bass. In the interim I got married, had a child, built a house, then ultimately ended up divorced.

Post-divorce, I promised myself I would buy a Stingray with the money from the sale of the house. That was five years ago.... other things took priority and I still didn't own a Stingray.

Late last year, I decided it was time and went on ebay to bid on a number of 2nd hand Stingrays. The majority of the US sellers did not want to sell outside the USA, so I ended up buying a Bongo 5 because I really wanted an EBMM bass and I had found a US seller willing to sell to me.

To be truthful, I didn't really want a Bongo, let alone a 5 string (I'm a 4-string guy at heart), but I couldn't find an affordable Stingray 4, I didn't like the beveled look and pickguard of the Stingray 5 and in my ignorance, I thought the Sterling's small body looked wimpy in comparrison to the man-sized Stingray.

Since buying the Bongo 5, I have become a true convert and love the look and feel of the instrument and am continually amazed by its palette of tones and feel of the neck.

I've also since fallen for the looks and tone of the Stingray 5 and have developed an unhealthy interest in Stirlings thanks to all the Stirling porn (Richie and Azzy) posted here.

Despite the destractions of lusting after the other EBMM basses, the Stingray 4 was and still is my number one pin-up girl. Everything looks right about a Stingray - the body proportions, the pickguard, the control plate, the headstock. I'd heard about problems with the G string issue too, but I haven't met a Stingray player who thought it was a big enough problem to ditch the bass.

Thanks to Todd4ta and this forum, I am now in the process of finally realising my dream. I am buying Todd's 30th Anniversary Stingray. It's a bloody great feeling

Buy a Stingray!!!!

Cheers

Andy

 

[Butterbass]

Hey,

easy! I say a dual pick up ray. I have a HH Stingray, and position 2 is really close to getting the Jazz Bass tone. Plus, you get 4 other great tone options with one of those basses (including the OG Stingray tone!) Check one out and see for yourself.

Amazing Basses!

 

[Bartmanpdx]

If you already have a Jazz, why buy another one?

Get the 'ray. You won't be sorry.

If you REALLY want to show you've got some stones, take a risk and get the Bongo. You'll get used to the looks pretty quickly, and the tone will make you forget all about your Jazz.

 

[phatduckk]

HH Stingray dude! i was just on the phone w/ another foprum member who's got an HH ray and a J and we were both marvelling at how position 2 on an HH ray does a good J sound.

The HH ray is rad dude... seriously. its got the original SR4 sound (pos 1), the J sound (pos 2), an awesome deinfed tone at pos 2, awesome tone (j-ish at pos4) and a great P kinda sound at pos 5. and that's without you touching teh EQ AT ALL.

HH ray dude. HH Ray!

 

[Rano Bass]

My choice would be an HS Ray.

 

[ekb16b]

This thing cuts through 3 guitars & a loud drummer...never had any problems!

point exactly, dont give all the glory to the the skinny stringers, u have to buy something aggressive,
get the ray, u seriously wont regret it

 

[russjm]

Thanks a lot for all your input folks, I appreciate it.

Andy in Aus, thanks mate, your story pretty much tipped the balance for me.

Watch this space.

 

[adouglas]

Yeah, that's a great story...imagine it reading like this....

"I first played this bass in the early 80s at a party. It sowed a desire that I have never been able to get rid of.

At the time I could never afford one, but I promised myself that one day i would own a genuine, honest-to-god one of these basses. In the interim I got married, had a child, built a house, then ultimately ended up divorced.

Post-divorce, I promised myself I would buy the bass with the money from the sale of the house. That was five years ago.... other things took priority and I still didn't own one.

I am now in the process of finally realising my dream. More than 20 years, later, I am buying a REAL J BASS!!!"


Somehow it just isn't the same, is it?

PS: Andy, I'm not a 4 string kind of guy but I did play around with a 30th last summer at a Guitar Center, and my friend, you've got THE Stingray on its way to you. Enjoy!

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

Thanks a lot for all your input folks, I appreciate it.

Andy in Aus, thanks mate, your story pretty much tipped the balance for me.

Watch this space.

G'day russjm,

Glad to be of service.

Now the hard part starts - you have to decide on the pickup configuration and body colour/fingerboard combination you want

I'll look forward to seeing what you end up with.

Cheers mate.

Andy

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

PS: Andy, I'm not a 4 string kind of guy but I did play around with a 30th last summer at a Guitar Center, and my friend, you've got THE Stingray on its way to you. Enjoy!

Adouglas, thanks - I can't believe my luck on this one, and Todd is a really nice guy to deal with. The bass is definitely going to a good home

Cheers

Andy

 

[strummer]

I think you should get a jazz
...










No way! I'm not a J fan, but even if i was I'd say you already have one, get a StingRay

Then get a Bongo

 

[KennethB]

Yeah, get the Stingray already! You need it!

 

[dlloyd]

I'm going to be in the market for a new bass at the end of the month.

Now I've always wanted a Stingray, but have never been able to afford one. However, at the end of the month I'll have about £800 ( $1200?) to spend on a used bass.

Don't jump on the first one you see... The used market for Stingrays has crashed a bit in the UK in the last couple of years and you should be able to get a good one for around £650 in the UK.

I think it's due to the recent trend of buying used basses from the US. It just doesn't make sense to pay £800 for a used Stingray any more.

 

[russjm]

Yeah it varies a lot doesn't it? I've seen dealers asking (and getting) £900+ for rays here in the UK, and it seems a lot for a used one to me.

I should have the cash ready in a week or two I hope, plenty of time to search for "the one". I don't like bright colours, so black and natural are favourite with me, but there's a great metallic blue one on the bay here in the UK, I just won't have the cash in time to buy it.

I haven't written off a Bongo either by the way, so if I see a good one of those it could get snapped up, we'll see.

 

[tkarter]

Hang onto that bongo thought.

tk

 

[saxnbass]

Why doesn't MusicMan make a bass with JJ pickups and passive VVT or VBT controls? A MusicMan Jazz bass would be AWESOME, IMO.

 

[mynan]

I'm glad EBMM isn't trying to make J basses.

 

[adouglas]

Why doesn't MusicMan make a bass with JJ pickups and passive VVT or VBT controls? A MusicMan Jazz bass would be AWESOME, IMO.

Probably, in part, for the same reason Ferrari doesn't make grocery-getters or SUVs. It's just not what they're about.

But also...what would the point be? Everybody and their grandmother makes J basses. You can't swing a dead cat without knocking over a dozen of them.

NOBODY else does what EBMM does.

And that is a really cool thing in my book.

 

[Bassplyr]

Go Sterling with HS. That way you can get a alot more tonal options than a standard Jazz.

 

[tkarter]

Why doesn't MusicMan make a bass with JJ pickups and passive VVT or VBT controls? A MusicMan Jazz bass would be AWESOME, IMO.

It wouldn't sound like a MM bass period. No need to cop the Jazz sound. MM has it's own sound.

The Bongo rules in the bass world. Bass players just need to learn. Why they don't maybe because they aren't guitar players.

Thump thump.

IMHO

tk