Bird5

(Edited as I've just seen what this thread is actually about!) I have three (active versions!) One was converted to fretless (Rotosound Swing Bass), one had the neck stripped, slimmed and oiled (GHS Brite Flats)and the third is all original (Ernie Ball Slinky). All purchased in 2023 (£350, £380 and £400). I really love these basses - more than my EBMM 3-band, Ric 4001, USA Fender P and various 'lesser' basses. The only other bass that gets a look in is my Hofner Club. I'm thinking of adding an active/passive switch to no.3. If you can pick one up at a good price, don't hesitate. Ignore the funky finish (which I like), and don't sweat about stripping the neck if you don't like the sprayed finish. For the price of a budget bass you'll have one of the best basses around (and you won't have to worry about dinging it!

This chat has facinated me. I've been playing in bands and doing sessions for over 50 years now and much I've what I have to say comes from experience. Trust me - I made these mistakes myself in the early days! I have a couple of Stingrays - a 3-band EB c. 2010 and a USA Music Man SUB. I have no issues with the 3-band. Everything is set flat and I sometimes boost the mid and cut the treble by a tad to suit the room (guided by my FOH engineer). I often get get good feedback from engineers and punters about my tone. The 2-band SUB is a fretless and if you boost both treble and bass fully, the G not only is quieter but also has far less top end 'ping' than all of the other strings. That, as has been correctly identified by others here, is an EQ issue brought about in my opinion, by inexperience or, in the best sense of the word, ignorance. I don't wish to be rude to people here, but is is very common for bass players to go for a sound that by itself is wonderful, but just doesn't work in the mix. Typically, this is a very fat bassy sound or (as in the case of Stingrays) maxed out bass and treble. Sounds great by itself but otherwise almost unuseable. Go listen to any pub band and you'll probably experience what I'm talking about (not forgetting the guitarist with the maxed out 4x12 Marshall setup.!) It is when you set the 2-band like this that the G weakens. As has heen highlighted here in the original Stingray instructions, the 2-band controls should be set at 50% and tweaked to suit - not maxed out. Remember that Leo developed the original pre-amp to have a specific sound - not to have a massively wide sonic spectrum. In addition to the Rays, I have many basses (P round and flat, PJ, 4001, Hofner Club, verious shorties) and each has it's place depending on the session / gig, but for the vast majority of situations, tne engineers are universal in asking for the Rays 'SET FLAT PLEASE!' or maybe with some bass boost. The bottom line is if you don't like the sound of a Stingray set flat or thereabouts and want something that sounds like John Entwistle's Status Buzzard, sell the Ray and get yourself a Buzzard.