martthebass

These things are always going to be be subjective. Unless you have plenty of room and cash you're probably going to fall into the MM or G&L camp. I'm on the MM side though I did dip my toe in the water a couple of years back with a US L2500 - which I subsequently px'd against a Ray5. Why - personal preference on the basis of: - Slimmer neck profile on the Ray - Weight, amazingly the Ray5 was a good pound lighter! - I found the controls on the L2500 too complicated in a gigging situation - The L2500 developed a crack in the neck pocket stored overnight in it's case (probably the paint) and I found G&L hopeless in terms of tech support (unlike EBMM and Strings and Things) Sorry I sound biassed, maybe I was unlucky in my experience and maybe my expectations were too high of the G&L. Also, while I'm sure there were some good sounds in the G&L it took an effort to extract them wheras on the Ray5 (for me) it was flat/flat/flat and flick the switch to suit.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1082259' date='Jan 8 2011, 04:19 PM']This is one of the reasons you need to know your models when comparing used prices or new old stock , there have been a lot of comments about used sr5 values (chris2112 was one the other day) but the new sr5 have what many including me class as the proper pup and pre amp making them less common used and more desirable to many and worth either buying new if the deal is good or paying a premium over an earlier (2008?) Sr5 IMO.[/quote] Too right Pete. I for one prefer the sound of the ceramic pup on the fretless SR5 (it seems to suit the fretless sound somehow) to the alnico buts thats just me. I guess there is such a thing as a Ray sound but there's lots of differences variations on the theme across the different models.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1081627' date='Jan 7 2011, 11:00 PM']I had a SR5.. but it didnt sound like this..i dont know why but a stingray is just appealing to me now.. sounds like a Jazz with more punch.. i played one once in a pub through an TE, and it sounded great, but the jazz at the time sounded better.. dont know why i havent noticed it before but the fatness of the SR4 is very cool... 1oopus posted this vid and the bass sounds so so good.... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StP0_zbDIMo&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StP0_zbDIMo...feature=related[/url] i could be sold to an SR4...[/quote] Agreed, do like the sound of the Ray in that vid. Sounds a bit like boosted treb on the 2 band and maybe a dose of compression? I couldn't get that sound on the SR5 - guess it was down to the different pre and ceramic pup, I tended to find it a bit smoother and less 'in your face' than the Ray4 2eq.

I thought about this last year with my Ray 5 fretless neck and based on Ray 4 neck prices I'd seen (when they rarely come up) my best estimate, without tuners was around the £200-225 Mark. In the end I decided to stay with it but I'd also go with Pete's advice above to keep it so if you ever did sell then you keep your options open - you'd probably get more back for the Status neck parted out.

[quote name='henry norton' post='1077022' date='Jan 4 2011, 07:05 AM']The pickup on the Epiphone EB-0 is very different sounding to the Gibson version, lower output and more trebly, presumably to make it a bit more user friendly. Also, on the issue of neck dive the Korean EB-0 was mahogany necked and balanced very well whereas the Chinese made version was (is) maple which adds nearly half a pound to the weight of the neck alone and therefore doesn't feel so well balanced.[/quote] Do you know where the Indonesian ones fit in here H? Mines recent (2010) with Mahogany body and neck - the pin position still allows neck dive though.

[quote name='Sean' post='1076514' date='Jan 3 2011, 05:27 PM']Thanks for the offer but you're right, Sheff's about the same distance give or take. Am I right in guessing that the electronics are much simpler? It certainly looks that way compared to the S2 which has a lot of switches. I'll probably order one anyway by the end of this month just going on reviews and reputation alone but I just wanted to check it out. I want to keep it simple anyway, just a single MM pup and two band EQ and a more trad sound would probably be preferable. Am I right in thinking that these can be "carry on" luggage in their gig bag? As "carry on" I mean flying Premium Economy or Business Class BA out of say T5 rather than my regular dreadful Ryan Air trips to Poitier overnight where I just wouldn't bother taking anything other than bare essential overnight kit.[/quote] Not tried to do it Sean but it looks to me that it would easily go in the overhead locker. Alternatively it would fit between your legs - even on Ryanair! Think I'd invest in a decent semi-rigid or flight case if I was doing this often though, the Ritter gig bag is good (check with Rob wether Ritter are still the supplier) but if someone slammed a heavy flight case on top of it....... It's my understanding that due to the size of the bass the 2 band Status pre is used because it's the only one that would fit. No loss though, plenty of bass and treble possibilities. Mines an early model (number 6 off the line) with Vol, Blend and stacked bass/treble eq - a little different from the current 4 knob model but works the same way. One thing I would suggest though - I'd have a think about the pup config, I find having 2 pups with the blend gives good tonal manipulation. Not sure how the single MM works in this respect, tho IIRC there was a guy from the U.S who commented on his on Statii.com a while back - might be worth checking up. I wouldn't worry too much about ordering blind, if you like the Status sound you pretty much know what you're getting (in standard 2 soapbar config)

Just got the Epi EB0 which I use for the odd jam night or 'rough pub' gig. Nicely made for the price but does suffer from neck dive (despite the short scale) I guess due to the strap pin position - also the neck stap pin is f*&%ing useless. Sounds quite trebly unplugged and like mud through an amp. The neck feels more jazz width/thickness to me - like a toy against a Precision/Ray Despite all this I quite like it!!!

You could have a go on mine Sean but I think I'm a bit too far for you (Sheffield). Regarding the balance - it's by far the best bass I've played in that respect, it just eats 2hour sets. The neck pretty much stays in the position you put it in - particularly so if you use both bottom strap pins. Soundwise - well it sounds like a Status, the reduced size doesn't seem to make any discerable difference to my ears anyway; however it doesn't have the clarity/glassiness of an S2 (Rich - OTPJ could wax lyrical here) due to the electronics which to me endears it because it's slightly less 'hi-fi'.

Cheers for the suggestions guys. I'll have to rule out buying a second MB115HR - I really don't have the house room plus that would be a squeeze in my current transport. The thought of 2 12" cabs might be the way to go, that would be doable though I might have to phase this over a few months, selling or trading the 15" for a single high quality 12" being the first step and getting the second one later. Could someone suggest something around the trade value of my current MB115 that I should pitch for? I'll also look at the eq suggestion, I've noticed that my Ray is sometimes more effective against the guitar twins than the Status because I can boost the mids more easily. I should have been more specific in my initial comments also in that the sound FOH is usually stated to be ok - the main problem for me is the sound on stage, the 'mush' drowns out my bass to the point that I can't pitch properly.

Any suggestions?

Whereabouts are you based, if your in the North I've started taking my prized babies to Jon Shuker for more in depth setups, that way I know I'll get a good job.

All my wooden necked basses need some adjustment from time to time. I usually get the opposite to your experience on my MMs - here come winter I find the neck loses a bit of relief and I start to get some fretboard clatter or fouling. A quarter turn left usually cures it nicely - it's then that I appreciate the easy adjustment on Stingrays. For yourself just give it a quarter turn right and give it a day to settle before you assess the result - if it isn't enough repeat as required, you can't hurt anything if you take it slow and steady.

As the number of gigs really started to dry up last year, to maintain a sensible level of activity I found myself depping and playing in another band. Trouble is my number one band is a trio with a decent PA (some backing is employed also) so I find that my LM250 with MB 150HR is spot on, if the gig is larger scale I DI and use the cab as a monitor. Unfortunately band number 2 is a 5 piece with a poor PA and I sometimes struggle to get over the madly loud guitarists. I don't want to go double cab with the 150HR to get a 4ohm solution with the LM 250 (not enough house room for any more toys) so should I: 1. Upgrade the LM250 to a LM2/3? 2. Sell the 150HR and get 2 small 12" cabs that take up about the same room? Money's a bit tight at the moment so any cost effective suggestions would be very helpful. Also I know that MB get poor press for their cabs but I've been more than happy with the sound from my present setup. Cheers, Mart

[quote name='greyparrot' post='1072274' date='Dec 29 2010, 11:18 PM']personally i would not have eighter as they have no real bass end, (the one i had never) but they are a real funky bit of kit, im would opt for the status outa the two, but for that money take a look at a bongo, blows them both away. Iv had all three. (have bongo now)[/quote] Surprised you found no bottom end in the Status - not a problem I've ever had with the 18V pre and use of the knobs. My experience with Status and the Bongo is that they are both driven/dominated by the powerful pre - much more so than in say a Ray. I liked the Bongo but I couldn't say it had any personality or definitive sound of its own like a Jazz/P bass/Ray. I'd have another tho if I could justify it.

Of my small crew the Streamline is probably closest to perfection, great sound, playability, rock solid construction and balance. If I were to change anything I guess I'd like it to be a Stealth just to avoid some of the comments I get at some gigs. The Ray 30th is also pretty close for me, to be perfection it would need to be an HS but that's being very picky. My SR5 fretless needs some work to be perfect for me, I'd like it to be a pound and a half lighter! Of my 4 basses it's the least likely to survive 2011 with me. Epiphone EB0......where do you start!

Nice one Pete............was it love at first sight or was there some non MM competition?