Wiring of pickup selector in Stingray 5H (built in 2009)

[stingrayguy]

Hi all,
I bought a used Stingray 5H from 2009, which is a grat bass. However, I´m confused, because my favorite selector position with the scooped sound / classic Stingray tone is the middle one, while for my SR 5H from 1997 it is the bridge position (as apparent from various sources, the bridge position should give the classic "Stingray" sound). These two positions on the two basses sound rather similar and the bridge position on the 2009 sounds somewhat mid-boosted. So I have the impression that with the 2009 bass the wiring of the pickup selector might be wrong. Could anybody post a picture of the wiring in his / her bass, such that I can compare if everything is connected as it should be? Some re-soldering would not be a problem for me...
Kind regards,
Markus

 

[tbonesullivan]

A Stingray 5H from 1997 would have a pickup with a large ceramic magnet on the bottom, and would be wired in parallel when the selector is in the position towards the bridge. The middle position should be the bridge coil with a phantom coil, and the "neck" position is both coils in series.

A Stingray 5H from 2009 would have a pickup with Alnico magnet pole pieces, and would be wired in parallel when the selector is in the position towards the bridge. The middle position is both coils in series with a filter, to sound somewhat like a single coil (I don't think it does), and the neck position is both coils in series.

They will sound fairly different.

Also, the "classic" stingray tone is usually considered both coils in parallel, with Alnico magnets. If your favorite sound is the middle position on the 2009 SR5H, the middle position on a 1997 is definitely quite a bit different.

 

[stingrayguy]

Hi and thanks for the reply. What you describe is my understanding, too. I was confused because the middle position in the 2009 bass appears to me as being more "open" and as having more high end, a characteristic which I associate with the 2-EQ Stingrays. If I understand correctly, you think that the tonal difference is due to the different magnets and preamp, not due to faulty wiring, correct?

 

[tbonesullivan]

Hi and thanks for the reply. What you describe is my understanding, too. I was confused because the middle position in the 2009 bass appears to me as being more "open" and as having more high end, a characteristic which I associate with the 2-EQ Stingrays. If I understand correctly, you think that the tonal difference is due to the different magnets and preamp, not due to faulty wiring, correct?

Correct. the 2009 middle position is both coils in series with a filter, compared to the 1997 single coil in series with the phantom coil. It sounds like there is nothing wrong with the 1997 stingray.

What happened in 2007 or so is that the Sterling 5 bass was released. For years the Stingray 4 and Stingray 5 had had a fairly different sound, as the 4 had the Alnico magnet pickups, and the 5 had the Ceramic pickups. The Sterling 4 bass was then introduced with Ceramic magnets as almost a 4 string version of the Stingray 5. Then they brought out the Sterling 5, and at the same time, switched the Stingray 5 to be more like the Stingray 4, with Alnico magnets.

My Stingray 5HS has the Ceramic magnets, while my 5H has the Alnico magnets, and they do sound different.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

My favorite sound on my ceramic Stingray 5 from 2000 is series position (switch toward the neck) with Ernie Ball Cobalt roundwounds. The upper mids and highs of the Cobalts work perfectly with the characteristics of the series mode.