mcnach Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) I may be reaching certain age where going off to buy a red convertible sports car might not surprise some people... except those who know me and know that sports cars are not really my thing. But basses are. After years of hating red instruments, I find myself loving red guitars and basses. I want a red Stingray. Or maybe orange. I recently resprayed my Squier Jazz fretless, which was shoreline gold (previous owner hated the original sunburst)... and it's now Capri orange. Lovely I actually liked the slightly rough finish after spraying... so I did not polish it. It's not too dissimilar to the finish on the SUBs. So I thought... aha! I should get another SUB and paint it! So I bought one, which will see me selling my last OLP in the very near future, after I do a couple more experiments with it. The one I bought is purpleish. This colour has been described by some at Talkbass as "wine vomit purple". And the thing is... I am actually starting to like it! Here it is... the first thing I did was remove the hideous original scratchplate: I have even ordered a clear pickguard, as I can easily use it at times on my natural Stingray (on my avatar)... But it looks good with a black one too: It's probably a 2006 SUB. A previous owner removed the label with the serial number, so I could not tell exactly, but the logo says "SUB bass", and no periods in "SUB", while the earlier ones just said "S.U.B,", and it seems some intermediate ones said "SUB" (dropping the periods, but without saying "bass"). In addition, this one has the compensated nut of later models, which will mean it's a 2005 or 2006 model. I opened it up, and found the pickup is wired in parallel. My 2003 SUB is wired in series, and so are others (also early models)... so it appears that perhaps they started out with pickups wired in series, and then switched to parallel (as on Stingrays)... or maybe they just used whatever they had handy. The preamp has a sticker with "31 06" on it, and the printed board actually says "SR2EQ 030106", which I suspect makes reference to the date that batch of preamps was manufactured... which would mean this is a 2006 bass. Not quite sure what to do about the paint job. I will leave it like this for now, I have too many things to do at the moment.... but I will probably end up spraying it with that nitro paint from Manchester Guitar Tech, as I used for my fretless Jazz. The question is... what colour? Some kind of red seems to be what I'll go for. Dakota red? Fiesta red perhaps. But... Capri Orange has it's allure. Or even Shell Pink!!! Shell pink and white scratchplate (I have one already)... yummy. I still think red is the one. Feel free to post your suggestions to the usual address I love these EBMM SUB basses. They are truly awesome and I cannot believe they haven't gone up in price. Their looks seem to put people off... but hey, all the better for me! It's my third SUB (I had a SUB5 but sold it as 5 strings are not really my thing)... every single one was just fantastic. Edited June 22, 2013 by mcnach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 nice bass - these subs are something I would like to try out sometime- totally refinish one! my suggestion- get along to underground solution on cockburn st, ask for their spray paints.... £3.50 a can, a kind of nitro, and will do you more than fine unless you're going for the 60's vintage nitro thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Oh, you just can't help yourself, can you? These guys can help you - Bassaholics anonymous - 0800 455 BASS! I like it though! It looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Sonic Blue is nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 No help at all, but I like it! What colour was the original pickguard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Don't worry, just realised it's a SUB - fire escape step scratchplate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Leave it how it is, it looks good as it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 The pots will have dates on Jose, something like 1377 on all of them then the year ie 137706 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 If you don't want the existing paint then can I have it? Its exactly what my next one is going to be painted. Just pop it in a jiffy . A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Fabulous - bet it sounds killer. I wouldn't repaint it - for one it looks great as it is and secondly I think I remember reading that colour is quite rare as they only introduced it towards the end of the run of subs. But it's your bass, your call! Subs are all supposed to be wired parallel according to EBMM but I always wondered if the 5 string version would use a basic version of the SR5 pick up - which would be wired series - it certainly doesn't seem to make sense to wire special pick ups for the sub when they were a budget instrument made at low cost. All that said Subs are notorious for having had after market mods done to them. Fiesta red looks good if you're going for a refin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 There was a thread a while ago and most of the SUBs checked were series, Jose has at some point owned most of them since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Keep it that way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1371937536' post='2119948'] No help at all, but I like it! What colour was the original pickguard? [/quote] It was one of those aluminium ones, like the floor of a bus... let me google a picture for you... that bass maybe a bit more reddish than mine (there are two shades of darkish red for the original SUB basses) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1371937596' post='2119949'] Don't worry, just realised it's a SUB - fire escape step scratchplate! [/quote] ha ha that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1371942212' post='2120006'] The pots will have dates on Jose, something like 1377 on all of them then the year ie 137706 [/quote] aha! I'll look again then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 They are brilliant for the money, I had one in the same colour combo with the black scratch plate and it was great. It did sound slightly different, not in a bad way, to my 88 Ray suggesting serial wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='apa' timestamp='1371974279' post='2120121'] If you don't want the existing paint then can I have it? Its exactly what my next one is going to be painted. Just pop it in a jiffy . A [/quote] I'd paint on top of it, but if I strip it, you *will* get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 I like that colour! Maybe with a white pickguard? Although a capri orange Stingray would be very cool too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1371977492' post='2120159'] Fabulous - bet it sounds killer. I wouldn't repaint it - for one it looks great as it is and secondly I think I remember reading that colour is quite rare as they only introduced it towards the end of the run of subs. But it's your bass, your call! Subs are all supposed to be wired parallel according to EBMM but I always wondered if the 5 string version would use a basic version of the SR5 pick up - which would be wired series - it certainly doesn't seem to make sense to wire special pick ups for the sub when they were a budget instrument made at low cost. All that said Subs are notorious for having had after market mods done to them. Fiesta red looks good if you're going for a refin. [/quote] Not very interested in the "rare colour"... it's unlikely these basses will become very valuable (note to self: check this thread in 30 years and kick yourself ), but it's growing on me. You see the problem I would have? I still want a red Stingray. I'd end up buying another one to spray it red! (probably a white one and ignore the primer coat ) Just talking. I really don't want so many basses. Chances are I will keep it like this for a bit, and one day paint it. The wiring on the SUBs is confusing! I have only checked one SUB5, one that I owned. It was parallel. It was a 2004 and like you say, it does not make sense since the SR5 at the time was wired in series! The pickup was original and not modified in anyway. Now, the 4 string SUBs, they are a bit more common, so I have a bit more information about those. The first time I heard about the pickup being wired in series, stock, was when Ou7shined mentioned it and then posted pictures. He had seen other SUBs, also wired in series and assumed they all were. That's when I appeared with the SUB5 and said "but look at this, this one is parallel". At that time I assumed the SUB5 was wired in parallel and the 4 string version in series. Interestingly, that would make the SUB5 -at the time- a truer Stingray than the SR5 which had a ceramic pickup at the time, I believe, while the SUBs were all alnico. I have a 2003 SUB, and that one was wired in series, stock. I have had the opportunity of seeing others. Also series, also early ones (2003-2004). My new one is a late one (probably 2006), and is parallel. Did they start out wiring them in series and then switched to parallel at some point? Did they just use whatever they happened to have nearby at the time of assembly? I have not yet heard an "official" account that fits with all the observations, but someone *must* know. I really like the pickup wired in series in a 2EQ bass, it adds extra midrange punch and makes the 2EQ more useful, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Also, it's way past May! Are you going to wait 11 months to respray it!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 I think it looks cool i would leave it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1371985267' post='2120278'] I like that colour! Maybe with a white pickguard? Although a capri orange Stingray would be very cool too. [/quote] I have a white pickguard too... it does look nice with it too, I have to say I was toying with the idea of bringing it tonight to Sneaky Pete's... but being the first gig and not 100% at ease with all the songs I might just take my trusty Stingray for comfort. Purely psychological, maybe it's the maple fingerboard on the Stingray that makes me feel more at home... there really isn't much between the two basses, only that the Stingray has now an extra mid-sweep module (John East 3-band preamp). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 (edited) I'd leave it as it is, it's identical to the one I had about 6 years ago, the 1st Stingray I ever owned. I've owned 3 normal Stingrays since and none of them has bettered it despite looking fancier. I didn't check to see if the pickup on mine was wired in series. Is it worth trying this mod on a stock Stingray? After years of butchering and tinkering with basses I err on the side of leaving them alone now other than setups or repair, I had always wondered why the Sub sounded less scooped though. Maybe I like the look because I wish I still had my old one! Edited June 23, 2013 by The fasting showman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 [quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1372002235' post='2120507'] I'd leave it as it is, it's identical to the one I had about 6 years ago, the 1st Stingray I ever owned. I've owned 3 since and none of them has bettered it despite looking fancier. I didn't check to see if the pickup on mine was wired in series. Is it worth trying this mod on a stock Stingray? After years of butchering and tinkering with basses I err on the side of leaving them alone now other than setups or repair, I had always wondered why the Sub sounded less scooped though. [/quote] It's only beneficial if you want the sound wiring in series will give you. Series wiring increases the output and gives a more middy fattened up tone. If you were playing a lot of slap, you would obviously want a mid scoop, so parallel would be a good idea (although not necessary). If you want a real middy burp, with increased output (effectively louder, or drives a valve amp more easily) you want series. Simples I prefer series wiring. Any bass I've ever bought though has been in parallel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 A push pull pot for series parallel would be nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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