StingRay5 - Should I go piezo or not.

[jadesmar]

I will hopefully be purchasing a Fretted Stingray 5 with or without piezo bridge on Wednesday. And, a similar fretless in a few months.

The only question I have right now is what does the piezo do for the sound and is it good enough to hold out for (and pay the extra bucks?). Or does the piezo bridge make more sense on a fretless?

Any thoughts?

 

[Shaun Lopez]

The Piezo ?

Well, that depends what you want to get out of your bass. The Piezo option will brighten up the tone, making your bass sound more like an acoustic bass. It works really well with the frettless bass, giving that warm, acoustic upright bass sound.
To me, anything that gives a new color to my tone is worth paying the extra bucks for.

-Shaun

 

[jadesmar]

Thanks for the response. On the Aug. 21st I purchased a new Stingray5 without the piezo after calling around all morning attempting to find a store in my area that either had the piezo or could order it in (they didn't, I couldn't).

I am very pleased with the tone as it is. I still have very little idea what to do with the parallel/series switch so I will keep it on series for now.

I will hold off on the piezo option until I can afford my next bass (probably another SR5 without frets). Depending on how it goes with the fretless I may get yet another SR5 fretted with the piezo, but apparently, these need to be ordered 3-9 months in advance.

 

[jadesmar]

Ok, update number 2... on Sept 3. Long and McQuade in Ottawa were able to obtain a Stingray 5/w piezo. Since this is where I purchased my black on black Stingray5 /wo I asked what their return policy was.

The long and the short of it is: I now own a white, matching headstock, black perloid (pickguard) Stingray5 /w piezo. And would recommend this to anyone. I was a little spoiled in the fact that the bass was rented out to a recording studio the week before and thus had a professional setup job but.. Wow.. the difference is astronomical.

I imagine a style of music that the acoustic tones of the piezo pickup would not add warmth and depth to.

As of yesterday.. the Stingray5 /wo was the best thing I ever owned.. today.. the Stringray5 /w will probably be the best thing I ever own. That may just be the excitement of the new tone speaking.. but wow.

Bah.. now I need a better rig

 

[Shaun Lopez]

AHHHH YEEEAAHHH!

Aren't guitars great. The smallest adition could make a world of difference! Glade you like it Jadesmar.

 

[jadesmar]

Ok, here's a question (or a story ending in a question)

I registered the first Stringray5/wo piezo, online here. (I have not yet received any confirmation but thats another story). Less than a month later, I returned it and got a Stingray5 /w piezo.

Questions:
How does registration work?
Do I need to register my new one?
Do I get a 2nd pack of strings?
What happens with the original bass, does the buyer lose out on the strings?

I am perfectly willing on just changing my bass serial number in the EB database to match the one I own... but.. let me know.

 

[Mike Pierce]

Product Registration

Jadesmar,

Registration works through ernieball.com. Click the Music Man link, followed by product registration and fill in the material. Yes, you should register your new bass, and you will receive a new set of bass strings. Any new Music Man piece manufactured after 1999 is eligible for the free strings. Unfortunately for the buyer of the bass you returned, since it is technically used, it won't be eligible for the free strings. Please register your new bass on ernieball.com as if it were not a replacement for the bass you originally purchased.

Mike

 

[faggums]

Is their a knob to turn the piezo on and off like the other pickup. I will have to decide whether i like the piezo tone otherwise.

tim

 

[jadesmar]

There is a pot which allows you to blend how much of the piezo sound you want mixed in.

 

[ebb soul]

I find myself using either the piezo only OR a50/50 blend on my fretless all the time......

 

[jon]

Is it possible and/or expensive to add the piezo to my stingray 5??

 

[ebb soul]

Nearly immpossible, it'd prolly cost about $500.

 

[Greg]

The piezo option cannot be retro-fitted at this time.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[jon]

thanks for the reply...my next question is, what should I do to get the more "hifi" sound out of it then. What I mean is, I love the punch of series (on the switch), but there isn't a whole lot of highend treble, and I love the high end treble of parallel, but I feel it lacks the punch. I was thinking the piezo would solve it. Are there any other suggestions anyone has.

 

[jadesmar]

I will hopefully be purchasing a Fretted Stingray 5 with or without piezo bridge on Wednesday. And, a similar fretless in a few months.

Ok well.., 269 months later for the fretless, but it's ordered. Can't get the piezo anymore. LOL

 

[Golem]

I will hopefully be purchasing a Fretted Stingray 5 with or without piezo bridge on Wednesday. And, a similar fretless in a few months.

The only question I have right now is what does the piezo do for the sound and is it good enough to hold out for (and pay the extra bucks?). Or does the piezo bridge make more sense on a fretless?

Any thoughts?

FL only. I have several examples.

Piezo enhances the FL sound of the string on the wood. By the same principle, it magnifies fret klank :-(

 

[Golem]

Ok well.., 269 months later for the fretless, but it's ordered. Can't get the piezo anymore. LOL

Also cant get the FL anymore either, exept for special limited editions. See if you can find a really clean used SR5 FL with piezo. Its really worth it.

Sorry I couldnt tell this thread was ancient. Something went bonkers and every post showed "later today at x" for their time stamps.

 

[Cory778]

I have a transparent orange maple neck SR5 w piezo I would potentially part with, dm me if interested