Silent Fly Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I recently purchased a second-hand StingRay fretless 2EQ and I really like it. I think it has a more than a decent mwah but compared to a JB it is somehow different. It is more “liquid” and with less focus on the midrange. Initially, I though that a different set of strings (I use D’Addario EXL220 on this bass) would have helped but I wasn’t entirely convinced by idea that different strings could lead to such a dramatic change. I thought about the differences between JB and SR I found this simple solution that I think works great. It is nothing innovative but it really opens up a total different set of sounds. It requires the drilling of a hole in the control plate for an on-off-on switch so if you have a pre-EB bass it might be a good idea buying a spare control plate to use for the mod. Needless to say, the mod works equally well on fretted basses. I tried on my StingRay Classic and it makes it much more JB/Jaco sounding. Below the schematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm in the process of converting an OLP MM2 into fretless (waiting for my luthier to finish the neck). It will inherit the 2EQ preamp from my 2002 Stingray (which now has a John East preamp)... so I'm very interested. Could you post any clips to illustrate the effects of the mods (any or all variations welcome )? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='mcnach' post='1140135' date='Feb 24 2011, 04:40 PM'](...) Could you post any clips to illustrate the effects of the mods (any or all variations welcome )?[/quote] I tried the mod only with temporary wiring. I am waiting for a spare control plate to use for this mod. When I receive it and I implemented the mod, I'll try to record a couple of clips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='Silent Fly' post='1140141' date='Feb 24 2011, 04:46 PM']I tried the mod only with temporary wiring. I am waiting for a spare control plate to use for this mod. When I receive it and I implemented the mod, I'll try to record a couple of clips.[/quote] subscribed and awaiting impatiently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Interesting mod. You should post it over on the EB forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1140186' date='Feb 24 2011, 05:42 PM'](...) You should post it over on the EB forums. (...)[/quote] I probably should but I am not registered and I don't want to register for just one post. If you are registered please fell free to post the diagram. This is the location: [codebox]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll268/photomx/Mods/StingRay%20ultra%20mwah/StingRayultra-mwah10.gif[/codebox] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='Silent Fly' post='1140193' date='Feb 24 2011, 05:50 PM']I probably should but I am not registered and I don't want to register for just one post. If you are registered please fell free to post the diagram.....[/quote] Haha it was just a joke mate. They'd rip you to shreds for suggesting such heresy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1140205' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:01 PM']Haha it was just a joke mate. They'd rip you to shreds for suggesting such heresy. [/quote] Do you think so? Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm staying out of it....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote name='Silent Fly' post='1140217' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:11 PM']Do you think so? Why?[/quote] In that forum, anything with the MusicMan label is almost as 'though it were handcrafted by God herself, and should not be tampered with. I believe the Taliban use the forum in their training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) [quote name='mcnach' post='1140285' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:59 PM'](...) I believe the Taliban use the forum in their training. [/quote] Edited February 24, 2011 by Silent Fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Trust me, it ain't even funny. I think they issued a Fatwa(h!) on my person since I sold my 'Ray 5 and bought [i]another[/i] Warwick. In your case, they'll be issuing a Fat[i]mwah[/i]. Their banner shoulld read "The EBMM Forum. Making Facists look like Marxists since its inception" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 This looks interesting, looking forward to the sound clips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 [quote name='Silent Fly' post='1140217' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:11 PM']Do you think so? Why?[/quote] Typical issue of a web forum becoming a victim of its own success, as I see it... I was a regular poster on that forum when it was still relatively small... from 2004 to maybe 2007... In those days modifications were frequently discussed. People used to post about swapping out their Bongo's preamp with an Aguillar OBP, or their Stingrays' necks with Status necks, or their pickups with Nordstrands, etc. No complaints other than a little light-hearted banter. The problems really came when the forum increased in size and self-moderation became impossible. A blanket ban on discussion of non-EB products was brought in partly to curtail some of the nastiness that started to happen when something as controversial as a request for recommendations for after-market pickups was posted. Something like that seems daft to those of us used to a general bass forum, but on a specialist forum such as the EB forum, there is inevitably a larger proportion of fan-boys and bandwagon-jumpers. The EB forum is great if you want to find out about EB products. If you want to talk about modifications, you really need to ask elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 [quote name='mcnach' post='1140285' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:59 PM']In that forum, anything with the MusicMan label is almost as 'though it were handcrafted by God herself, and should not be tampered with. I believe the Taliban use the forum in their training. [/quote] Might go on and ask how I would fit a Badass to my Sterling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1141305' date='Feb 25 2011, 03:00 PM']Might go on and ask how I would fit a Badass to my Sterling.[/quote] At one time you could ask questions like that and get a reasonable response... [url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/4635-badass-ii.html"]http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-...-badass-ii.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I'm not sure I understand why someone would wish to make a stingray sound like a jazz...unless they didn't have a jazz bass I guess. What does the mod actually do to the signal? Change the response of the pickup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstrike Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 So, what's happening here, is it a cap across the hot and ground of the pickup, and what's it doing to the tone. And yes, agreed on the EBTaliban Forum, lord knows you should [u]never[/u] want an alnico pickup in your Sterling, are you mad?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 [quote name='Darkstrike' post='1141943' date='Feb 25 2011, 03:10 PM']So, what's happening here, is it a cap across the hot and ground of the pickup, and what's it doing to the tone.[/quote] Yes, it's a low pass filter on the pickup. With such a small capacitor it will only affect the highest frequencies. This is a cool mod and was much more popular before active preamps became so common. I think it's a great way to give more focus and less glassy highs to a bass but many are wary of the concept as you're losing some signal and that's always seen as bad even though it shouldn't be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstrike Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Thanks for clearing that up dude! I can see that being very handy, not only for Stingrays, but for many, many other basses, Rickenbackers strike me instantly as an example(rather than their suck mode cap). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duarte Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I try to single handedly bring the chilled vibes to the EB forum. Doesn't work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 [quote name='mcnach' post='1140285' date='Feb 24 2011, 06:59 PM']I believe the Taliban use the forum in their training. [/quote] Class! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 [quote name='Darkstrike' post='1142005' date='Feb 25 2011, 05:43 PM']Thanks for clearing that up dude! I can see that being very handy, not only for Stingrays, but for many, many other basses, Rickenbackers strike me instantly as an example(rather than their suck mode cap).[/quote] It's an old school mojo secret IIRC early Telecasters had this kind of thing in the 3 way switch. I have a few wires with alligator clips on each end and a handful of capacitors. You can clip it to either pickup or after the pickup switching and play with different tones until you find something you like and then solder it in. I've seen more use out of it in guitars than bass but it's cheap to play with and fully reversible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1141711' date='Feb 25 2011, 08:36 PM']I'm not sure I understand why someone would wish to make a stingray sound like a jazz...unless they didn't have a jazz bass I guess.[/quote] I never said that the mod make a StingRay sound [i]like[/i] a Jazz Bass. The mod make a SR sounds [i]more like[/i] a JB but the SR still has its sound. In practice, the mod adds a new set of tones to the bass. Considering that with the switch in the middle position the bass sounds exactly like a stock SR, nothing is taken away from the original SR tone. Personally, I find it interesting especially on a fretless (I don’t have a JB fretless) but if one is happy with his SR as it is, it is not a mod I would recommend. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1141711' date='Feb 25 2011, 08:36 PM']What does the mod actually do to the signal? Change the response of the pickup?[/quote] It interacts with the pickup impedance creating a filter. You can find more details [url="http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lemme/"]here[/url]. (Fig.3 and Fig.4). [quote name='Darkstrike' post='1141943' date='Feb 25 2011, 11:10 PM']is it a cap across the hot and ground of the pickup, (…)[/quote] Yes, in a nutshell, this is what it is. [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1141988' date='Feb 26 2011, 12:41 AM']Yes, it's a low pass filter on the pickup. With such a small capacitor it will only affect the highest frequencies. This is a cool mod and was much more popular before active preamps became so common. (…)[/quote] Strictly speaking, it is not a pure RC low-pass. The reason is that the inductance of the pickup interacts with the capacitor creating [url="http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lemme/secrets4.gif"]a different frequency response[/url]. This is why the same circuit attached to the output of the preamp would not work in the same way. [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1141988' date='Feb 26 2011, 12:41 AM'](…) I think it's a great way to give more focus and less glassy highs to a bass (…)[/quote] It does that but it also boosts the mids before the cut-off frequency. [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1141988' date='Feb 26 2011, 12:41 AM'](…) but many are wary of the concept as you're losing some signal and that's always seen as bad even though it shouldn't be.[/quote] If the capacitors are the right value you shouldn't perceive any signal loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 [quote name='Silent Fly' post='1142475' date='Feb 26 2011, 08:34 AM']It does that but it also boosts the mids before the cut-off frequency. If the capacitors are the right value you shouldn't perceive any signal loss.[/quote] I think that mid boost is perceived as it does not add energy to a frequency range. But it's a real perception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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