Musicman Stingray

[pietruszka]

[quote name='Bassmekanik' timestamp='1334673437' post='1619498']
My main playing bass is a Ric 4003SPC. I recently acquired a MM Stingray 2EQ (through this here forum in fact) and I love it.

Ive never been a fan of Fenders, just never got on with them. They felt unwieldy on me so I wasnt sure what to expect from the MM. Happily I can say that my MM is great and i am glad I bought one.

Originally it was just to be a back up but it will probably be used a lot more now that ive decided to semi-retire my Ric to the house because i like the MM so much (the Ric is rare and I dont like heaving it all about for rehearsals/gigs so much).
[/quote]


I know exactly what you mean about Fenders, I've only ever played one good one, and I've tried a lot! I just can't get on with them. When I learnt that Music Man is essentially Fender by founder, I pretty much ate my own hat!




Dan

[Prime_BASS]

Having owned a SUB, a Stingray, a Sterling and a Big Al.
They are all very different beasts, but all have that inherent musicman big low, bright mids and zingytop(all at the same time) sort of sound.
The only one I regret letting go is the Stingray (my first real taste of quality) but since my Sterling has been modded and sounds just like the Ray' except for minor differneces due to a buggared neck.

I've had and played a few emulators too, and non really come close to tyhe sound but one I did really like was a Modulus Funk Unlimited.

I still want to try and find a early Warwick FNA as it has the signature position right, I tried a $$ but the pickup position was slightly off and the tone was just to polite.

[mingsta]

Musicman's build quality is top notch. I've been disappointed by the Fender's that I've tried in comparison, which is a shame as I really wanted to like them given the vast number of classic recordings and bass luminaries associated with the P and J.

I'd still like to own a Jazz or Precision one day, but I think I'd try and scout around for a nice used example of a mex/japanese model.

[Musicman20]

The Ray and EBMM basses are still my favourite basses, closely followed by the P and then J.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Musicman20

[stingrayPete1977]

Won't catch me with one..... Three maybe! The pre EB is even more Ray than you could ever imagine and light too.

[RhysP]

[quote name='The Walloper' timestamp='1334570535' post='1617618']
Don't know what it is about these basses. They just don't seem that popular, which is strange.
[/quote]

Really?
They've got to be the third or fourth most popular electric bass in the world (don't know whether they'd be in front or behind Rickenbacker after the Fender Precision & Jazz).

I've had a couple over the years (a four & a five string) but was pretty underwhelmed with both of them to be honest.

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1334686448' post='1619810']
Won't catch me with one..... Three maybe! The pre EB is even more Ray than you could ever imagine and light too.
[/quote]

oh, he is back! we've missed you

(me neither, Stingrays? ugh...)

[stingrayPete1977]

Just dipping a toe Jose Hope your well?

Long live the Stingray!

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1334687601' post='1619847']
Really?
They've got to be the third or fourth most popular electric bass in the world (don't know whether they'd be in front or behind Rickenbacker after the Fender Precision & Jazz).

I've had a couple over the years (a four & a five string) but was pretty underwhelmed with both of them to be honest.
[/quote]

I wouldn't put Ricks in the top 5, I have only seen a handful in my years of gigging.

[Jambo10]

I got my Stingray, played it at a couple of gigs, just couldn't really settle with it.
Playing it at home and it sounds and feels great, live on stage it just doesn't sit quite right....must be me!!
So I still end up picking up my Jazz/precision/spector....whichever I fancy that day!!

[risingson]

I love Stingrays, I think they're brilliant! I gigged a borrowed 5 string Ray last year and I took to it so well considering I'm not a 5 string player usually. I also absolutely love Stingray neck profiles, they feel so substantial.

[gazhowe]

I love my Stingray but it took a while to get used to after playing a Warwick and Spector for 15 years. Every time I pick it up I keep thinking I should be gigging with this as it feels, sounds and looks 'right'. Unfortunately I can't get past my Status at the moment which is my 'go to' bass.

[4 Strings]

I regret to say that my PreEB ray is the best bass I've played. Regret because its massed produced and american and I'd hope to have preferred something less mainstream. I used a Jaydee for 25 odd years, now a P regularly for Motown, a Jazz Deluxe for most other stuff and save the Stingray, for some reason, for best...or something.

Tone and neck. Both have been unbeaten in my experience. The neck is slim and fast, the action the lowest on any bass (I've noticed more modern versions have a thicker, more chunky neck).

The tone for me is about the treble control on the early ones (may be the later too, I don't know). Bass control stays full up, treble off an you have Motown, treble half way up is in Precision land and fully up is dangerous Marcus Miller territory, use sparingly with round wounds.

The sound is the fullest and best in the mix of any bass I have played in a band context. I hate to say it.

I couldn't afford another, I would be sooooooo sad if anything happened to it.

[drTStingray]

I have several Stingrays and they're great - 4 string 2 band, 4 string HH; 5 string with ceramic; 4 string 3 band fretless........oh and a Bongo as well - it doesn't come out that often but it's great fun - and has a piezo so adds another dimension to those huge sounding neo loaded pick ups. They all have a great recorded and live sound. The Stingray is an instrument that can go from warm and lush to gritty and aggressive at the tweak of the tone controls and by minor changes in playing style - try bending and plucking a note on a low fret - it really is the fattest sound you could ever imagine.

I love P basses and J basses but have never owned one - I've spent hours in shops A/B ing MIM, MIA, MIA anniversary, MIJ, borrowing 59 P bass, 79 P bass, trying early 80s active ones (in the early 80s - didn't like that v much at all) but each time have never felt the marginal differences in sound I could perceive warranted the vast array of prices - I bought a Ray back in 1980 when I originally had my heart set on a natural P bass - and I've really been hooked ever since. (By the way can you believe few people wanted a Fender back in 1980 - totally out of fashion at the time!)

[ThomBassmonkey]

Another ray fan here. I've had various basses and although I loved my Sandbergs, I still had GAS. Now I'm totally happy with my gear. The Ray is actually pretty versatile (whilst still sounding like a Ray) which is surprising for the one fat bridge pickup. It just feels and sounds right whatever I do with it though. It helps that mine's a bit battered too so I'm not scared of thrashing it about a bit.

[The Walloper]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1334687601' post='1619847']
Really?
They've got to be the third or fourth most popular electric bass in the world (don't know whether they'd be in front or behind Rickenbacker after the Fender Precision & Jazz).

I've had a couple over the years (a four & a five string) but was pretty underwhelmed with both of them to be honest.
[/quote]

I'm not saying there are none out there. I'm wondering why they are not as popular as fenders. I'd say 2 out of 3 basses you see bass players play are fenders. In my opinion MM stingrays are superior in many ways, having just played them all at the weekend there.

I see a few posters above are using rics and stringrays. I can see myself going down that route. Maybe it's just all about what sounds right for you.

Edited April 17, 2012 by The Walloper

[mcnach]

[quote name='Jambo10' timestamp='1334697477' post='1620044']
I got my Stingray, played it at a couple of gigs, just couldn't really settle with it.
Playing it at home and it sounds and feels great, live on stage it just doesn't sit quite right....must be me!!
So I still end up picking up my Jazz/precision/spector....whichever I fancy that day!!
[/quote]

Funny, my love for the Stingray started the opposite way. At home it was ok... but where it really came alive was live with the band.

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1334694559' post='1619990']
Just dipping a toe Jose Hope your well?

Long live the Stingray!
[/quote]

it's good to see you here even if it's only from time to time.

doing well, and letting my OLPs go one by one... who would have thought it, eh?

[Fat Rich]

Must admit my Stingray is the bass I play least at the moment, I enjoy it when I do play it though.

Mine had the fairly typical pickup string balance problem that made it unplayable in my opinion, but thanks to Basschat I found a free fix for it and now it's all good. I do find mine is very sensitive to moisture / seasonal changes and needs it's trussrod adjusting a few times a year which is a little annoying although not difficult.

My go to basses at the moment are a couple of battered 70s Jazz basses, plus a Japanese '62 reissue which is the best by miles.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1334706439' post='1620204']


it's good to see you here even if it's only from time to time.

doing well, and letting my OLPs go one by one... who would have thought it, eh?
[/quote]

I have added an OLP albeit an MM4 guitar as I have sold my USA strat, it's good.

[Prime_BASS]

I'd love to own another Stingray.
Just can't take a punt on the weight really. I've only come a across a few that are around 8 and a half pounds, my old one was 9.6 lbs or something and could just mange it on longer sets.
Although now I'm a lot fitter I could probably handle a heavier bass.

And both the Pre-EB ones I have tried I was very underwhelmed. I very much prefer the mid '90's season stingray, best of all old and new.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Prime_BASS

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1334756333' post='1620733']
Must admit my Stingray is the bass I play least at the moment, I enjoy it when I do play it though.

Mine had the fairly typical pickup string balance problem that made it unplayable in my opinion, but thanks to Basschat I found a free fix for it and now it's all good. I do find mine is very sensitive to moisture / seasonal changes and needs it's trussrod adjusting a few times a year which is a little annoying although not difficult.

My go to basses at the moment are a couple of battered 70s Jazz basses, plus a Japanese '62 reissue which is the best by miles.
[/quote]

Wow Rich your Stingray sounds very high maintenance - you must be very unlucky - I'm surprised your old Fenders don't have the same neck problems as they're a similar design. Perhaps you don't have the Fender actions so low. I've never had to tweak a truss rod - I've chosen to and to lower action once or twice, especially on my fretless, and then with very low action you can get buzz if the weather changes from v warm to v cold - as you say, dead easy to fix by a quick turn of the truss rod wheel - but it's hardly a fault of an instrument if I set my action as low as it'll go - more a strength that you can do this, and maintain it so easily because the manufacturer's enhanced the design over the years.

I've never come across a pick up/string balance problem on a Ray - I think it is possibly one of those internet myths - plug one in and record it directly and see if you get a problem - I've never had one. As long as it's set to manufacturer tolerance (which is dead easy to do) it should be OK - however the Ray, especially in 2 band form, gets a natural mid scoop - if you apply the smiley face principle and EQ a lot of the mid out on a amp (or on the EQ on the bass if it's a 3 band, or over boost the bass pot - or over boost the bass on the the amp) you may well start to perceive the G string is quieter when stood in front of the amp. This is not the fault of the instrument...........

I think the Ray is a plug in and go instrument - rock solid and gives a good range of sound for any player of any ability - what more can you want?

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1334781225' post='1621304']
Wow Rich your Stingray sounds very high maintenance - you must be very unlucky - I'm surprised your old Fenders don't have the same neck problems as they're a similar design. Perhaps you don't have the Fender actions so low. I've never had to tweak a truss rod - I've chosen to and to lower action once or twice, especially on my fretless, and then with very low action you can get buzz if the weather changes from v warm to v cold - as you say, dead easy to fix by a quick turn of the truss rod wheel - but it's hardly a fault of an instrument if I set my action as low as it'll go - more a strength that you can do this, and maintain it so easily because the manufacturer's enhanced the design over the years.

I've never come across a pick up/string balance problem on a Ray - I think it is possibly one of those internet myths - plug one in and record it directly and see if you get a problem - I've never had one. As long as it's set to manufacturer tolerance (which is dead easy to do) it should be OK - however the Ray, especially in 2 band form, gets a natural mid scoop - if you apply the smiley face principle and EQ a lot of the mid out on a amp (or on the EQ on the bass if it's a 3 band, or over boost the bass pot - or over boost the bass on the the amp) you may well start to perceive the G string is quieter when stood in front of the amp. This is not the fault of the instrument...........

I think the Ray is a plug in and go instrument - rock solid and gives a good range of sound for any player of any ability - what more can you want?
[/quote]

My Fenders do move but not so much or so often, I think because the neck is fully sealed with thick lacquer rather than the oil finish on the Ray. As you say, it's easy to adjust and I'm ready to go in 10 minutes, unlike my 60s style Fenders where I have to undo the neck bolts and tilt it out of the pocket to get to the truss rod. And I actually have my action a little higher than average too so I can dig in if I feel like it.

I can tell you 100% for definite that the pickup problem isn't a myth, I couldn't get much out of the G string through any amp on any EQ settings no matter what I or the shop I returned it to did in terms of pickup height and angles. Any notes on the G string quiet, same notes 5 frets up on the D string ballsy. And it wasn't the amps or the rooms or the mixing desks as my 6 Fenders and 7 Status basses all worked fine. 14 basses and 4 amps and only the Ray had a problem.

However once I pushed the pole pieces for the A and D strings down to the same level as the E and G strings I got great string to string response and the Ray now works well through every amp I try. I've noticed a similar problem on a few other Rays I've used but mine was the worst... but now it's the best!

Edited April 18, 2012 by Fat Rich

[Linus27]

I personally find a Precision, a Jazz and a Stingray all three very different basses. Not sure which one I prefer but I love them all but must admit and has already been mentioned, I do tend to struggle getting a great sound out of a Stingray live. However, I have owned three and used to be my dream bass and will always have one. Might even get a second one some day.

[mistermark]

Have had my Stingray since the early 90's and although I loved the feel, playability and over all construction of the bass I always found myself disliking the metallic high end rattle this bass seemed to inherently have. I always like the sound of a Fender Precision bass so I took out the active electronics and had the body and a custom pick guard routed for P-bass pickups (quarter pounders).



I call it the P-Ray and it gives me the best of both worlds... I still get the amazing playability of the Stingray while having a warmer woodier tone from the passive P-bass pickups (which are moved forward a bit from the orignal block pickup).

-Mark