Questions for EBMM Stingray 5 owners

[GrammeFriday]

I am currently experiencing a major upswelling of GAS for a Stingray 5 - an unapologetically modern Ernie Ball 3EQ one, not a pre-EB or one of those 'classic' reissues. (I guess I am probably the only member of this forum to prefer modern EBMMs to the older ones, but there it is, and please don't try to convince me that I am wrong!)

This GAS attack is getting so bad that I am now seriously contemplating a purchase. The only problem (apart from the ghastly pickguard shape, which I have now managed to convince myself that I can live with) is that there are hardly ever any SR5s in stock at any of the music shops I have access to. As a result, I'm currently wondering about two things:

1. For shallow and largely cosmetic reasons I'm thinking I might go for a SR5 with rosewood fretboard, to complement my maple boarded ray 4 (which I cannot imagine ever selling). But what does the rosewood SR5 sound and feel like? Will it be as snarly and growly and bright and ringing as my maple 4-stringer? I don't want to get into that whole 'maple does/does not sound brighter than rosewood' argument, but I would be pleased if anyone can reassure me that in a blindfold test it would be difficult to tell the difference between a rosewood SR5 and a maple one. By the same token, please do tell me if you think I really should stick to maple if I want the 5 to sound anything like my 4. (I should say at this point that I'm aware of other possible sources of tonal differences between models, notably the alnico and ceramic humbuckers used on different models at various points in time. For the record, my SR4 has the former, and I think EB switched from ceramics to alnicos for the SR5 in 2007 or thereabouts - which suits me fine as I prefer the alnicos anyway.)

2. What's the low B like? I should say that I'm a bit spoiled in this regard as I have two MTD Kingstons, both of which have truly stunning low Bs - really big sounding but also nicely tensioned and thus fully functioning pretty much all the way up the neck. I'm not expecting the SR5's 34" low B to be quite so sublime (the MTDs are both 35" scale), but it definitely needs to feel and sound good and be genuinely usable well beyond the 5th fret.

I'd be very grateful if any of you SR5 owners out there could give me your views/experiences on either of these points.

Thanks!

[Musicman20]

Id opt for a Ray 5 HH or HS. The H now doesn't allow single coil at the bridge.

I've got a mixture of maple and rosewood Musicmans. I like the feel or rosewood but I'll also opt for maple from time to time. Each bass will be different so I wouldn't let the fretboard material influence you too much. Go for the aesthetic/feel rather than tone.

The low B is killer. Industry standard/most popular 5 string bass. Clear, punchy, not muddy or overly bassy.

34" vs 35" - I prefer 34. I prefer the tension on a 34 and the tighter tone.

[risingson]

I've owned a Stingray 5 with a maple fretboard that I'm still slightly furious I sold, it was an excellent instrument but the lack of necessity for a 5 string coupled with my desire to purchase my current '78 Precision meant that I sold it last year. I now want it back!

I'm not convinced you'll hear a massive difference in fretboard wood. The overwhelming sound of Stingrays as you'll well know owning one already is the preamp and pickup placing. I'd go with cosmetic preference personally. Single H is also my personal preference. The Stingray 5 isn't the prettiest bass in the world (although I like it myself), I think the extra pickups look pretty nasty and plus you loose the beauty and simplicity of the Stingray's single pickup design. I could always get enough variation in tone from the preamp. Others will disagree and say you can get more variation in tone with more pickups - I'm just not sure how much variation you need with a bass a lot of the time.

The B strings are good on Ray 5's, the thing you'll most likely spend a bit of time getting used to is the G string slipping off the edge of the fretboard a lot due to how close the G string is to the edge of the fretboard plus the rolled edge itself. It's a design fault of the Ray 5, one I could probably live with again but something that should have been sorted out absolutely ages ago.

The latest SR5 models have alnico pickups whereas older models had ceramic magnets (even older ones had alnico magnets again to begin with). Basically no one but you will be able to hear a notable difference, but my preference again is towards alnico purely because that's what they use in the Ray 4's. Ceramic magnets go in the Sterlings which I'm not as big a fan of although I've played plenty of both alnico and ceramic Ray 5's that have been great sounding instruments.

It's a good instrument if you can get with its slight foibles. It's probably the only 5 string I'd consider owning again anytime soon.

[GrammeFriday]

Many thanks Musicman20 and risingson for your helpful and detailed replies. Great to hear that the B works, and that I won't be disappointed tone-wise if I follow my aesthetic preference for a rosewood board. Also interesting to learn about the slippery G. It sounds as though this is a quirk worth learning to live with, though, all things considered.

WRT pickup configurations, I think I'm probably ok with the single HB. I have a Sandberg that has a coil-tappable humbucker, but once I'd got over the novelty of it I've found that I much prefer the full fat sound, and never switch it to single coil at all. But then again, a humbucker in the neck position must give you a really trouser-flapping dub bass sound ... ah, decisions, decisions! Thanks again, gents, for making it a good deal easier for me.

[BassTractor]

Nowt wrong with the SR5 pickguard!
I find it hardly has any impact on the design of the bass:

[URL=http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/MMStingRay5wopickguard_zps38faab99.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r525/basstractor1/MMStingRay5wopickguard_zps38faab99.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[GrammeFriday]

But what a gorgeous top! Lovely colour, too.

[drTStingray]

I have had a 2003 natural single H SR5 since new. It's a phenomenal bass - fantastic B string and has a great signature Stingray sound as well as the serial setting and single coil sound. I still use it regularly and absolutely love it. I started off disliking the look of the pickguard but now prefer the standard SR5 compared with the classic version with the oval pickguard.

If you really don't like the pickguard then a black bass with black guard will camouflage it well!

I hear what the guys with multi pick up versions of the SR5 say but I've never found the single pick up limiting and with the EQ and coil selector switch along with strategic movement of the plucking hand most sounds are available.

A used SR5 would be a good value for money purchase in my view. The ceramic version does give good switching especially the quiet single coil setting.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1393331509' post='2378751']
If you really don't like the pickguard then a black bass with black guard will camouflage it well!
[/quote]

Aye, but then maybe beware of the black with white pickguard that I think is the regular one. I think it does outline the ugliness of the pickguard shape quite well. This is my own SR5, and it's from 1995. I don't know if totally black pickguards can be had now.

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/mmstingray5-hfretlessblack-bb-p8-30012-df-1352_zps0bb2138e.jpg.html"][/url]



However, if I'm not mistaken, there's an alternative in the Classic:

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/MMStingRay5-HClassic2-band_zpsc4dabbaf.jpg.html"][/url]


IMS the Classic only comes in the 2EQ version.
Me, I like the Bongo's 4EQ, and it may be the only thing that keeps the SR5 from becoming my fave bass.
That and that the Bongo is a bog seat of course. Nothing can compete with that!


Edit:
I now see you don't not want no Classic. Sorry.

Edited February 25, 2014 by BassTractor

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

I don't get why people don't like the SR5 scratchplate. I think it looks great (even - dare I say it? - better than the normal one) !

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1393335919' post='2378859']
I don't get why people don't like the SR5 scratchplate. I think it looks great (even - dare I say it? - better than the normal one) !
[/quote]

I love it. I grew up looking at a Ray 5 in a local shop back in the 90s.

It will always be THE 5 string for me...I always said if/when I go for a 5 string, I want it to be one of those.

Re: Alnico - All Ray 5's are alnico from 2008 onwards, so don't worry about that so much. The difference is, the ceramic has single coil/series/parallel, but the alnico has parallel/series and something called series plus.

I like the single coil on the Musicman basses, so I opted for a Ray 5 HS at first. I then bought a HH as well about 3 years down the line.

The HH however won't give you single coil, but does give 4 other cool tones.

For an extra £75-100, and to still get the true Musicman H tone, its worth looking at multi pup basses.

It might be that you end up waiting for an order (its 3-4 months) but it is worth it. You can spec exactly what you want.

I also think the cermamic pickups sound great, but the alnico is the traditional classic Ray tone.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1393335919' post='2378859']
I don't get why people don't like the SR5 scratchplate. I think it looks great (even - dare I say it? - better than the normal one) !
[/quote]

Me, I dislike both.
Have never liked the MM pickguards, but have just gotten used to them. I've always thought the idea was great, as pickguards tended to be fugly, but not how they really looked.


I forgot the Stealth. Now that is really black, and it hides the pickguard quite well, I think:

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/MMStingRay5-HHStealth_zps6201f7ed.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited February 25, 2014 by BassTractor

[chris_b]

My first 5 string bass was an SR5. It was a good start into the world of B strings, but I found the sound less flexible than I wanted and the one peice maple neck didn't feel as good to me as a rolled edge fretboard.

I replaced it with a Lakland, which is a much better playing and sounding instrument in my opinion.

[Dingus]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1393278767' post='2378279']
Nowt wrong with the SR5 pickguard!
I find it hardly has any impact on the design of the bass:

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/MMStingRay5wopickguard_zps38faab99.jpg.html"][/url]


[/quote]

I always thought that was the best- looking and best -sounding Stingray V ever made.

I can remember well when the Stingray V first came out and what a stir it caused . Five strings were still relatively new at that time, and most of the ones on the market were crap, or seriously flawed at best. The Stingray 5 had far more right with it than wrong with it , and was a relatively affordable bass with a familiar and popular sound in a robust package. They have refined the design a little bit since then , but it's still fundamentally the same proposition. I like these basses , and I think in so many ways they are one of the most cohesive five strings I have ever played , but they have certain fundamental shortcomings, for my own particular tastes anyway. Many others obviously don't agree , because they have sold in large numbers for over a quarter of a century and are a perennially popular choice.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Dingus

[Dingus]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1393269078' post='2378082']
I've owned a Stingray 5 with a maple fretboard that I'm still slightly furious I sold, it was an excellent instrument but the lack of necessity for a 5 string coupled with my desire to purchase my current '78 Precision meant that I sold it last year. I now want it back!


The B strings are good on Ray 5's, the thing you'll most likely spend a bit of time getting used to is the G string slipping off the edge of the fretboard a lot due to how close the G string is to the edge of the fretboard plus the rolled edge itself. It's a design fault of the Ray 5, one I could probably live with again but something that should have been sorted out absolutely ages ago.

It's a good instrument if you can get with its slight foibles. It's probably the only 5 string I'd consider owning again anytime soon.
[/quote]

Rising Son has highlighted my own primary bugbear with this bass here. This is old ground we have covered before, but in making a neck that is narrow enough not to feel ungainly , EBMM have compromised both the string spacing and the available space at the edges of the fingerboard. Both these aspects of design may sound superficially trivial , but in the long term they are in fact critical on a five string bass if it is going to be comfortable to play and not drive you crazy . Some people say it's a question of adjusting you technique , but that is complete bollocks. It's a case of designing the bass properly for how bass players actually play in the real world. You are very likely to to need to trill, pop , and do various kinds of articulations on your G string, and that mean it needs to have some space before the edge of the fret. For my tastes, EBMM should had designed a new shape neck to accommodate at least an extra millimeter wide string spacing and more generous space at the edge of the B and G strings.

Also, a significant proportion of SR 5's are so heavy that they are in effect useless to most people. The need to find a way to make them lighter. Yes, I know there are some light ones out there, but the chances are that any Stingray 5 you find will be at least ten pounds in weight.

For all these perceived faults, though, I still think that overall the EBMM SR 5 is one of the best designed five strings on the market, especially in that price bracket, and the overall sound is world class.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Dingus

[Dingus]

If EBMM revamped the design a little and sorted out the glitches then they would sell shed loads of these basses all over again. The problem with strings at the edge of the fingerboard is a tolerance of about a millimeter or so either way . That is not insurmountable And the low B is indeed very good.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Dingus

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1393355758' post='2379286']
If EBMM revamped the design a little and sorted out the glitches then they would sell shed loads of these basses all over again. The problem with strings at the edge of the fingerboard is a tolerance of about a millimeter or so either way . That is not insurmountable And the low B is indeed very good.
[/quote]

Bongo 5

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1393361577' post='2379413']
Bongo 5
[/quote]

I love the Bongo, as you well know Gareth, and it would be my own choice of EBMM 5 string, except I have never actually had my hands on one, or indeed even seen one in the flesh, so I don't know if they suffer the same idiosyncrasies as the Stingray 5, I seem to remember that the string spacing is the same. That EBMM spacing is not a bad thing [i]per se[/i], I hasten to add, it's just that I have got fat fingers and grew up playing Fender spacing , so I am an old dog that doesn't want to learn any new tricks in that respect. There are plenty of players who don't mind or even prefer a slightly narrower spacing . I know that the Bongo tends to be lighter, and the sound of those basses is addictive.

[bubinga5]

I had a superb SR5, single H. yes it was heavy, but man was it a joy to play. and a monster tone. the spacing was great. Never really was into the slap tone, but thats just preference of course. can't really see why a G string closer to the edge would be a problem, and certainly don't see it as a design fault. the only thing i can think of is if someone is bending a note/pulling downwards, and technically there is no reason to do this.maybe I'm missing something.

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]im trying to think of a reason, playing wise why/ how you could pull the G string of the neck,? an SR5 is not that close. I'm really not convinced its a design flaw to this instrument. the only thing i can think of is a heavier[/color][/font][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]touch.?[/color][/font]

Edited February 25, 2014 by bubinga5

[WinterMute]

Bongo 5 suffers the same edge of fretboard issue as the SR5, maybe slightly less so, Ive had mine 2 weeks now and I hardly notice it TBH, lovely, brute of a thing.

I'd kill bunnies for a 20th Anni SR5 though...

[Bolo]

The low B (A on mine really) is great now that I have found good strings. .125 was too thin to work with the scale length imo, 130 does good but my preference is 135.

The G being close to the edge took me a wek to get used to, SR5 allows a very low action and a light touch and any bends and trems can be trained upwards.
If this is a problem for some players, replacing the nut fixes 90% of that 'issue'.

The smaller spacing at the bridge was a real eye opener, so much so I'm replacing the bridge on my MTD kingston (single H) with a 17.5mm bridge.

Mine is all maple, couldn't tell the difference with rosewood with my eyes closed. Flipping the series/parallel switch makes more of a difference.

[Beer of the Bass]

Playing on an OLP neck with the same width and spacing as the Stingray 5, the only time I've had an issue with pulling the g-string off the edge was with tapewound strings which are both flexible and slippery. Though between an Ibanez Ric copy and an Aria TSB, I learned on narrow necks and string spacing so it may depend on what instrument you're coming from.

[Dingus]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1393370207' post='2379572']
I had a superb SR5, single H. yes it was heavy, but man was it a joy to play. and a monster tone. the spacing was great. Never really was into the slap tone, but thats just preference of course. can't really see why a G string closer to the edge would be a problem, and certainly don't see it as a design fault. the only thing i can think of is if someone is bending a note/pulling downwards, and technically there is no reason to do this.maybe I'm missing something.

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]im trying to think of a reason, playing wise why/ how you could pull the G string of the neck,? an SR5 is not that close. I'm really not convinced its a design flaw to this instrument. the only thing i can think of is a heavier[/color][/font][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]touch.?[/color][/font]
[/quote]

The weight and the spacing will bother some folks more than others- there are plenty of people who like a heavier bass and narrow string spacing, and good luck to them .

Regarding the G string and its' proximity to the edge of the fingerboard, again , that will other some people more than others, but that particular foible is a recognised niggle for many players, and not just on these particular basses, I hasten to add. The fact is that most players[u][i] do[/i][/u] bend and manipulate that top string, either intentionally or otherwise , and most players benefit from having some extra space between the top string and the edge of the fret to give them the reassurance the the G string isn't going to slip off unexpectedly. Six string guitars can often suffer from the same problem , much to the irritation of the guitarist. Fender Stratocasters are particularly prone, apparently, and indeed Eric Clapton complained that this "fault" seriously compromised the playing comfort of his "number 1" guitar , the "Blackie" Strat, He didn't get it remedied, however, because he was afraid of changing anything on his favourite instrument and ruining the overall "vibe" of the guitar in the process.

I have played ( and rejected) plenty of four string basses as well as five strings that suffered from the same problem . However , on a four string bass the problem is usually fairly easy to remedy by getting a new nut installed with slightly different distribution. On a bass like the Stingray 5 where the spacing is already on the narrow side, and further constriction caused by a new nut which allows more space for the G string at the edge of the fretboard is likely to be detrimental to the overall playability of the bass in other ways. And so , like I said before, the Stingray 5 strikes a slightly uneasy ( for some players, at least) compromise between conflicting design priorities. They are still great basses though, and the choice of many top players for good reason.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Dingus