Been playing my StingRay lately, bone stock except for a pick guard swap. 2018 model or so -- maple neck, not roasted. Just wondering what makes this thing sound so great. I mean, it plays great, too, and stays in tune, and feels great in the hand but why is it so clear & bright & full? I've never had a dual-humbucker guitar with this kind of clarity. I pick up the Les Paul (490 pickups) and it just sounds lifeless. Would swapping EBMM pickups (or others) into the LP bring it back among the living? Or should I just put the LP back in the closet & be grateful for what I have in the StingRay. First world problems!
- Thread starter elvisdog
- Start date
racerx
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 367
I love my StingRays too -- they're great, versatile guitars. To my ears the pickups are voiced appropriately where they're not overly high output or aggressive. You can still hear the articulation on each note whether playing clean or crunchy. They tend to do sustain well and handle that creamy saturation space with the best of them. Anytime I see a used StingRay listing with a pickup swap, it usually seems to be a metal-oriented player (guessing they want more sizzle or something).
For what its worth, I think Gibson makes fine pickups and I enjoyed the 490/498 set when I had an old Studio. I think you should try giving it a nice setup, maybe tweak the pickup placement and/or string gauge, maybe a tuning change, and enjoy two really cool guitars!
For what its worth, I think Gibson makes fine pickups and I enjoyed the 490/498 set when I had an old Studio. I think you should try giving it a nice setup, maybe tweak the pickup placement and/or string gauge, maybe a tuning change, and enjoy two really cool guitars!
skelt101
Active member
@elvisdog
You can try adjusting your 490 pickups for more clarity, e.g. lowering the entire pickup while raising the adjustable polepieces. Alternatively, a magnet swap to something like Alnico 3 and/or Alnico 5 would help. Ultimately, I've found the "equivalent" pickups from Seymour Duncan have superior clarity.
You can try adjusting your 490 pickups for more clarity, e.g. lowering the entire pickup while raising the adjustable polepieces. Alternatively, a magnet swap to something like Alnico 3 and/or Alnico 5 would help. Ultimately, I've found the "equivalent" pickups from Seymour Duncan have superior clarity.
Sweat
Well-known member
Liked my Stingray , may get another one day!
