Have a StingRay 4 that I purchased used some years back.
Well grained Trans Teal with a lighter weight SR4 body.
It came with a Seymour Duncan replacement pickup installed.
Never got into playing this bass much, the sound didn't match the looks.
It just sounded strange and seemed to overload the preamp.
Not long ago, I replaced the SD with a used EBMM stock pup.
The results were terrific!
The tones are more natural.
The output is well balanced aginst the factory preamp.
This is how the bass should be setup.
No comparison.
The SD is too hot for the EBMM preamp.
That being said, it likely does better with a matching SD preamp.
After finding the true sound of the bass, there are a couple of concerns.
I think that SD should revisit their advertising on those pups.
They should qualify it as 'performs best with matching preamp'.
Not that they will listen to me.
But as many times as I have used SD in many Basses and Guitars,
it is the first time I have felt an SD didn't equal, let alone surpass the original.
The other concern, which I doubt will change anything either.
I wish EBMM would make the stock pup available to those who own a EBMM, but may not have an original to trade-in.
I can understand their concerns, but a limited replacement policy would have been helpful.
I could have provided the serial number+pictures.
The Ernie Ball one works well, but the leads were short.
I soldered some extra length and it's not a big problem.
However, it would have been nice to be able to purchase a new one direct.
To me, that would have been outstanding Customer service.
This would have made it easier to buy one and quicker to install.
No, I don't feel like sending this one + 75.00 to get a new one.
The bass almost went on the sale block, before the pup change.
Been playing the StingRay most of the time lately.
Had a pup been unavailable....I'd still be playing the other guys bass.
Well grained Trans Teal with a lighter weight SR4 body.
It came with a Seymour Duncan replacement pickup installed.
Never got into playing this bass much, the sound didn't match the looks.
It just sounded strange and seemed to overload the preamp.
Not long ago, I replaced the SD with a used EBMM stock pup.
The results were terrific!
The tones are more natural.
The output is well balanced aginst the factory preamp.
This is how the bass should be setup.
No comparison.
The SD is too hot for the EBMM preamp.
That being said, it likely does better with a matching SD preamp.
After finding the true sound of the bass, there are a couple of concerns.
I think that SD should revisit their advertising on those pups.
They should qualify it as 'performs best with matching preamp'.
Not that they will listen to me.
But as many times as I have used SD in many Basses and Guitars,
it is the first time I have felt an SD didn't equal, let alone surpass the original.
The other concern, which I doubt will change anything either.
I wish EBMM would make the stock pup available to those who own a EBMM, but may not have an original to trade-in.
I can understand their concerns, but a limited replacement policy would have been helpful.
I could have provided the serial number+pictures.
The Ernie Ball one works well, but the leads were short.
I soldered some extra length and it's not a big problem.
However, it would have been nice to be able to purchase a new one direct.
To me, that would have been outstanding Customer service.
This would have made it easier to buy one and quicker to install.
No, I don't feel like sending this one + 75.00 to get a new one.
The bass almost went on the sale block, before the pup change.
Been playing the StingRay most of the time lately.
Had a pup been unavailable....I'd still be playing the other guys bass.
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