drTStingray

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1398773148' post='2437414'] it is particularly good for reliving my youth in the 1980's and slapping, popping and totally over-the-top fingerstyle playing are handled with aplomb by the Bongo. [/quote] I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who does this, Dingus! I've also only ever seen about half a dozen Bongos in real life and certainly not a black or white one. They're a great bass and really have the potential to become quite iconic IMO owing to rarity, how good they are - and they must be one of the most memorable bass creations of the last two or three decades.

The mute pads on pre EB basses were never much good. One simply fell off my 79 when it was a couple of weeks old. Not sure why you guys are cutting up mouse mats and the like. EBMM do the mute kits as a part (you can probably order them from Strings and Things). Apart from slightly larger diameter thumb screws they are the same I think. If you didn't want to fit the whole kit you could cut off the pads and then superglue them on your pre EB chrome plate.

The mute pads on pre EB basses were never much good. One simply fell off my 79 when it was a couple of weeks old. Not sure why you guys are cutting up mouse mats and the like. EBMM do the mute kits as a part (you can probably order them from Strings and Things). Apart from slightly larger diameter thumb screws they are the same. If you didn't want to fit the whole kit you could cut off the pads and then superglue them on your pre EB chrome plate.

Back on track - I have a lovely lava pearlescent Bongo 5 HH with piezo. It's a fabulous bass - just doesn't get enough use unfortunately as I am a diehard Stingray fan really.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1398732214' post='2437113'] I had a white Stingray for a while until I realised how much it looked like a toilet seat. [/quote] I wondered how long it'd be before someone said that......... But a white Stingray is of course a thing of great beauty in reality - the white ages (quite quickly) to a nice cream colour. Simple answer if have the lavatory mind disposition - take off the pickguard or have a transparent one!! And whatever you do don't have a P!! ;-)

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1398725052' post='2437080'] I wouldn't be desperate to sell at the BC crazy low prices. In the same way I wouldn't pay £800 for a JV Squier. [/quote] +1 and I guess those selling for such low prices are desperate for the cash. Btw isn't Squire an entry level line? £800 is balmy (IMHO)

I put flats on my Stingray to sound like Bernard Edwards. I've had TI flats on my Classic Ray strung through the body for about 12 months and they sound great - you sure the La Bella salesman isn't trying to sell us special strings with these scare stories? Stingrays shipped with flats for the first two years or so of manufacture. Fender, Lakland, Musicman are hardly low end manufacturers particularly in the models they offer the option of stings through the body.

The Classic Stingray has a 7 in radius neck, the standard Stingray an 11 in radius neck. The Classic is noticeably shallower if played back to back with a standard one - however I have no problem changing from one to the other within the same set - and to be honest have noticed no significant difference from my old pre EB. I played a pre EB recently and they all feel similar to me - they are generally great necks - as good as I've played on any bass and better than most basses at that price.

My Classic Stingray (strings through) appears to have noticeably more sustain than my other Stingrays with new or newish rounds. To the extent that one or two other players have noticed they have to tighten up their muting technique when playing it!! It could be some other factor (eg hollow bridge saddles) but I doubt it. Its only really noticeable with new rounds and as it now has TI flats fitted, certainly not noticeable.

Back in the olden days, they were available outside all shopping centres, in all good and bad public houses, on all trains, in all cars and in most houses to allow the smoking population, which was more of a majority than now, to put out their ciggies out. Sorry now the more likely answer re bass guitar ashtrays. Back in the olden days, when the Precision and Jazz basses were first being invented, bass players other than orchestral ones played double basses with a rather aggressive finger pulling the strings action. Transferring this to the electric bass hitting the pick up or even crashing the string against it, if set high, is entirely possible - watch some of the 60s ex double bass playing electric players (Jamerson, Leo Lyons, not sure if he played a double bass but Duck Dunn played very aggressively also) - I suspect the covers over pick ups were to protect the pick ups - and the bridge moving parts from dust and also bass players hands from being damaged on the saddles/screws. By the 70s it was obvious they just got in the way of most bass players and most people had removed them anyway. I did indeed use the bridge one off my Antoria Jazz copy as a real ashtray in the 70s - and a very good job it did in that role. I suspect a lot of other people did this - great when sitting around in a studio. The neck pick up one didn't work well as an ashtray as it had no sides - ok as a cigarette stubber though!! The original tug bar position might have been to facilitate guitarists moving to bass to easily transfer a thumb and finger picking style playing to bass - I guess country players especially. Apparently Leo involved contemporary musicians in development of instruments and took a lot of notice of country players.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1398407945' post='2433731'] They did used to do a silver finish - it's one of the rarest pre-ebmm finishes as far as I'm aware. Ben Orr with The Cars used to play a silver Stingray around this time. [/quote] Called Inca Silver - tends to go greenish over time. The Bass Centre had an immaculate 77 one previously owned by Colin Greenwood - I've kicked myself ever since I didn't buy it. The pic in the OPs post looks like a refin to me. I can't imagine why the factory would overspray a non standard colour. Fenders tended to overspray standard sunburst bodies with custom colour orders it is said - I've seen pics of custom colours over sprayed also but it's mostly standard ones. Having read a Hank Marvin interview recently it seems artist's attitude to guitar colours was often dictated by stage show and he mentioned several of his being refinished in different colours - so maybe owners attitudes in the 60s and 70s to having guitars re painted was different from now.

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1398418627' post='2433851'] I was teaching at LCCM yesterday, one of the students brought in a Rickenbacker.... It both looked and sounded Gorgeous!!!! [/quote] I had an almost identical experience in Wunjos. I was trying a 64 Jazz American Vintage and someone was trying a leftie Ric - the Jazz was Ok but the Ric sounded almost hifi in comparison - the guy played Dune Tune by Level 42 and I was astonished how good it sounded. But then I remembered Larry Graham used one on Thankyouforlettingme etc etc etc. Sound wise fabulous - not so sure on the look of them.

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1397935707' post='2428866'] You'll be stumped when you see the new picture pickguard for my white Bongo! [/quote] Pics please!!

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1397935496' post='2428859'] Ironic really, when you consider they are the two most common colours for a toilet seat..... [/quote] Not sure I pick up on this irony?!? Too much lavatory humour methinks - I'll have a P, Bob please (the ultimate in lavatory reference basses??)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1397935881' post='2428868'] Wow, very interesting. Especially in this colour combo: But I have a horrible feeling an HH would be a touch over my budget... [/quote] A used one might be ok?

Stingray HH (or Bongo HH/reflex HH if you want 18 volt electronics). Totally unbeatable. Totally versatile. Superbly built - you should try one.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1397926826' post='2428751'] On the way out of posh marquee gigs (yet another former band), I used to have fun by shouting 'gangway!' before ploughing through the Hooray Henries with my 2x12 on casters. They were too hammered to realise what had just taken out their shins, and they'd had fair warning anyway! [/quote] It works in pubs as well!!! Drummers carrying a bass drum are particularly adept at this.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1397932507' post='2428813'] In comparison to a decent Jazz, IMO the Musicman sounds 'bigger', faster and more responsive. I like a nice Jazz tone but even the active Jazz tone doesn't have the Ray quickness of attack. [/quote] I agree - spent a morning with a Marcus Miller Jazz and prefer the Musicman. I have four Stingrays (including one 5 and a fretless) and one Bongo - I generally only use two of the Stingrays most of the time (an HH and a Classic 2 band). The Bongo is great but I tend to fiddle too much live - it has a piezo also which adds to the complexity. It is a great instrument though.

[quote name='JazzBassfreak' timestamp='1397914197' post='2428572'] It's an Epic 1994 (original year of release) with Zebrawood top+Matching headstock [/quote] I saw someone use one of those once and it was nice. The reason I asked was I've become slightly Stanley Clark/Mark King sig bass curious recently. Along with Wal also - expensive GAS!!!

[quote name='JazzBassfreak' timestamp='1397913596' post='2428559'] Well it's like, for Versatility I've got 3 go to basses. ATM I think I'm fed up of Having to EQ as much as I do, just looking for simplistic, easy playing but badass sounding [/quote] Sounds like a 2 band Classic Stingray would fit then. I just turn the tone controls up full and then back them off a bit - and if I want more mids for a specific song (say heavy guitar riffs and chords) I turn them down more. Very straightforward. You have onboard mutes on the classic Ray which will tone down the highs even more if you need them. I find plucking position and style makes a massive difference on a Stingray but this is probably as true on many other basses.

You should find Stingrays stocked in some large shops so you could make a trek to try some - this is what many people have to do even to try US or any Fenders - but Bongos are really few and far between - they are totally different from a Stingray as well. I think Strings and Things (UK Musicman distributor) may be willing to ship one to your nearest MM dealer so you can try out on sale or return - they certainly used to anyway and it's likely they'll have a couple of them! What model of Alembic do you have, out of curiosity?

I have to say I find these sort of adverts a turn off (drummage one excluded). They seem to be becoming more frequent but the issues always been around in my experience. Does anyone think James Taylor or his management team went looking for a 'root note' bass player when they got Lee Sklar (also famous for playing on the Spectrum album by Billy Cobham? Or Leonard Cohens when they got Roscoe Beck? Elvis's bass player, noted for playing Jamerson type grooves, got asked to play with the Doors and did so on one famous album. The fact is bass players are, first off, musicians and as such are expected to adapt their style to fit the music they play - if they are a very accomplished player, this could add significantly to the music. The sort of adverts referred to overlook all of this and stereotype players as chop junkies with no musical ability. Now this may be the case with inexperienced musicians, but there again, in my experience, people specifying requirements in such terms have either had problems with previous players without musical empathy or experience are of that nature themselves. And it's unlikely if you join such a band you'll ever be able to use your musical ability let alone chops, if the band has such strong preconceptions and lack of knowledge/understanding of working in collective musical situations. The 'must play a P bass' with an Ampeg stack is a similar pile of nonsense. This presumes the bass will play like Pino or whoever on its own without human (or musical) input. I'm afraid I've put up with such idiocy myself in the past and would steer well clear these days. You sometimes find the self appointed band leader is the least accomplished musician in the band and often in that position for psychiatric (perhaps a bit extreme - maybe psychological!!) reasons. I once got told by one such character he didn't like my blue bass and he would rather I didn't use it. Next gig his wife turned up and told me how fabulous my blue bass looked. Yes you guessed it, next gig He told me he had realised he was wrong and he now really likes the blue bass :-D as I say, I avoid these situations like the plague these days!!

Motown and funk are definitely a style of playing - learning the style of playing probably being more important than the type of instrument. Indeed most Motown was played on Precisions (Jamerson's with old flatwounds - not sure about Bob Babbitt's though - he played on Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours and Inner City Blues amongst other great tracks). However in the early 70s this sound went very much out of fashion and funk bass became a more roundwound active bass type of thing (early Rose Royce tracks demonstrate this well). A Precision with flatwounds will not give the sound for this type of thing. I would suggest you try a Jazz bass (Squire or Fender) or a Sterljng by Musicman Ray 34 (perhaps a used one) - either of these should allow you to get a fuller range of sound and give you more flexibility to play a range of styles, including Motown and a range of funk.

The KC and Paloma Faith double bass sound were both great but it makes you wonder whether the bands had some say in the mixes!! However all were surpassed by the Stingray 5 sound on the Kylie/Jamie version of The Eurythmics' There Must be an Angel. One of the only times the bass parts were properly audible all night - why is it that so many sound mixes perceive everything but 80s and 90s music to have bass parts mixed somewhere down with the kick drum - ridiculous because that's not how music sounded back in the 60s and 70s or more recently for that matter. I can imagine people mixing the sound of say, Muze tracks like Hysteria with the bass far too low as if it's an orchestral setting!! Why oh why do they do it???

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1393447893' post='2380536'] The popular myth about Bernard's tone is the MM bass. He recorded a lot with a P bass too. Later on towards the end of his life he also used G&L and Spector basses. So, the choice of bass is not really the key to his tone. [/quote] I can't think of any track after about 1978 that doesn't sound like it's recorded on a Musicman. Unmistakable low note sound. In a similar way it's quite easy to pick out the songs Abba did where their bassist uses a Stingray rather than a Precision - once again those low E, F and G notes have a certain ring to them. Those who have owned and played a 2 band Ray will know exactly what I mean. I don't disagree that elements of Bernard's playing style are crucial to the sound but a 2 band Ray will get you the fundamental tone played in appropriate style. He was back with the Ray by 1996 - a very sad film as this was his last concert before passing away. Nevertheless the playing and sound is great! http://youtu.be/M1APFyc_QtQ