Stinray fretless setup advice please?

[Nickq]

Hi all, I bought a Stingray fretless 4 string the other day and I have to say it sounds a treat through my amp and I'm looking forward to giving it its first gig (for me) tomorrow night.

I previously owned a Warwick Corvette and found that bass really easy to set up with a very low action as everything was adjustable. I'm having a little trouble getting the Stingray as low at the 12th fret as I like without having problems with the open strings rattling.

The rotary wheel setup doesn't seem to give the same control over the neck - although I can't see why!

There's no doubt the Stingray beats the Warwick hands down in an A-B test with the same set of thomastiks so I'm sure I made a good decision - just this niggling me a bit.

Can any fretless players help - sorry if I'm repeating a previous post - I did do a search and couldn't find the answer.

Regards to all.

Nick

 

[andynpeters]

Hello Nick

Here's some self-help advice from the EBMM website

Q: Could you tell me Music Man's StingRay factory settings for relief, string height, and pickup height?

A: Virtually all the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the finger board, counter clockwise to lower. The ideal string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. This affects the bow of the neck.

The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.

On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.

or try the FAQs here http://www.ernieball.com/faq_content.php?subjectcode=mm_basses

I'm no great set up expert, so wait around for wiser heads

 

[maddog]

Does anyone know how these measurements translate for a toothless neck?

Is it measured from string to fingerboard?

the newby to fretless so curious on setup as well,

 

[andynpeters]

Setup Instruction Manual

Here's a page of info to read until someone gives you an answer

It's not an EBMM page so it's not the official word, but might help

 

[maddog]

ah. so it sounds like a very similar procedure just without the frets. thanks.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Just as an aside, to get that lovely fretless mwah tone, it helps to have a slightly higher action than you would normally use on a fretted bass.

 

[armybass]

Just as an aside, to get that lovely fretless mwah tone, it helps to have a slightly higher action than you would normally use on a fretted bass.

Not to nit pick but I have found the exact opposite to be true. Maybe it doesn't matter? I dunno?

 

[Aussie Mark]

Not to nit pick but I have found the exact opposite to be true. Maybe it doesn't matter? I dunno?

I dunno either Scott, but maybe it depends on which strings are being used? I use low tension flats on my fretless basses, but with rounds, or higher tension flats the dynamics may be different?

 

[armybass]

Could be Mark. I use DR Sunbeams and have them all but laying on the board. I just think that EBMM basses are the best friggin fretless basses in production. They just seem perfect for a fretless bass. Aint blowin any smoke here either.... I really feel they are superior to any other bass in the same price range and higher.

 

[Fraxture]

I always used Black Taped Nylons with my fretless. I mean it's there for a different sound all together, so I go all the way baby for that deep muddy sound.

WOO HOO CALL ME MUDDY WATERS!!!!

 

[Nickq]

Thanks people!

Thanks for your responses - very helpful and I will try a few tweaks here and there.

I must say that, having just got back from my first gig with the stingray I was blown away by it...great sound, solid and full of character - through a decent rig it sounded fantastic and I'm beginning to be very pleased that I shelled out on it!

Cheers all.

Nick

 

[kakobass]

On my SR5, I set the neck almost straight with the truss rod, or pretty much as far as it goes, which always still has some relief, and lower the saddles almost to the bottom, following the radius of the fretboard. I get super low action with the great mwah but still some room for good string travel and vibration.

I use Sadowsky flatwounds strings, light gauge, and I get phenomenal sound. TI flats are a bit too dark and mellow on StingRays for my taste, but the Sadowskys have a round core, making for a brighter string the mellows out a bit overtime, yet still have enough bite to bring out the StingRay character.

 

[Nickq]

will give it a go

thanks kakobass, I'll try to get hold of some Sadowskys then...as I say I had a bit of a problem with rattle when I took your approach and so had to slacken the rod a bit and raise the saddles a touch which solved the problem but gives slightly too high an action for my taste.

Gonna use the bass again tonight so I'm getting used to it and I think we're gonna get on!

Nick