Stingray for punk?

[SteveXFR]

The standard basses for punk rock (not pop punk) have always been the P bass and Rickenbacker. There's been the occasional Jazz bass or Thunderbird but I can't think of any punk bassists who use a Stingray. 

Is there something about it that makes it a poor choice? It seems to have the punch and plenty of mids and treble. Is there something I'm not seeing?

[Downunderwonder]

Fashion.

[danweb22]

Pretty sure Flea used a stingray when he played for the punk rock band Fear before the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I guess the early RHCP stuff was pretty punk rock? 

[SteveXFR]

3 minutes ago, danweb22 said:

Pretty sure Flea used a stingray when he played for the punk rock band Fear before the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I guess the early RHCP stuff was pretty punk rock? 

 

I completely forgot Flea was in Fear. I just associate him with Alanis Morissette and RHCP. Without doubt he's one of the greatest bassists but I've come to associate him with music I find rather dull. I need to listen to some Fear and early RHCP again. 

[Lozz196]

H who played for Peter & The Test Tube Babies used a Stingray, as did Steve Severin of Siouxsie & The Banshees. Can’t think of many others though. 

[nilebodgers]

Mike Herrera From MxPx.

[neepheid]

Is bass X good for genre Y?

 

Yes.

[SteveXFR]

6 minutes ago, nilebodgers said:

Mike Herrera From MxPx.

I know there's a few pop punk bassists using stingray's but for some reason they seem rare in more traditional British & US punk, hardcore and thrash/punk crossovers.

[Bolo]

There's cost, Stingray are a pricey instrument and above many starting punks financial means.

 

Later when upgrading, the path from your starting squier to a mex/jap fender to a US one is keeping to what you know and love.

 

MusicMan and later Ernie Ball didn't get to market until after the first and around the middle of the second wave of punk. So younger punk players won't have seen their idols playing one.

 

I have seen quite a few being used by newer bands in the last 10-15 years, they're great punchy instruments fit for fast paced music.

 

I'll leave you with this distraction:

Edited August 29, 2021 by Bolo

[ambient]

51 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I completely forgot Flea was in Fear. I just associate him with Alanis Morissette and RHCP. Without doubt he's one of the greatest bassists but I've come to associate him with music I find rather dull. I need to listen to some Fear and early RHCP again. 

He did some lovely stuff with Tracey Chapman too.

[SteveXFR]

6 minutes ago, Bolo said:

There's cost, Stingray are a pricey instrument and above many starting punks financial means.

 

Later when upgrading, the path from your starting squier to a mex/jap fender to a US one is keeping to what you know and love.

 

MusicMan and later Ernie Ball didn't get to market until after the first and around the middle of the second wave of punk. So younger punk players won't have seen their idols playing one.

 

I have seen quite a few being used by newer bands in the last 10-15 years, they're great punchy instruments fit for fast paced music.

 

I'll leave you with this distraction:

 

Thanks.  That explains it all pretty well and makes sense. The photo also helps my understanding quite a lot. Will I have trouble playing it with a less impressive cleavage?

[Little Dragon]

Ali McMordie of Stiff Little  Fingers is a Musisman player. 

[Lozz196]

Of course, how did I manage to forget Ali, given SLF are one of my fave bands. 

[Waddo Soqable]

I don't myself recall ever seeing anyone playing one in the first incarnation of punk, and we saw loads of bands then.. They weren't really that available i guess, compared to P basses that were everywhere, and ratty ones obtainable pretty cheap.

I first got a stingray about 1980 in a swap of some sort i think, altough by then we were very much "post punk"

 

ps, I'd say a stingray is never a "poor choice"

Edited August 29, 2021 by Waddo Soqable

[pst62]

Steve Garvey of The Buzzcocks played one when I saw them in 1978. 

Also post punk legends Death Cult/The Cult bass player, Jamie Stewart. Dreamtime live at the Lyceum is Stingray heaven.

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

Is bass X good for genre Y?

 

Yes.

Pretty much, but some practicalities and bowing to sensitivities will always prevail.

 

I wouldn't turn up with anything 'pointy metal' on my jazz gigs.

 

You won't see too many EUB's on metal shows.

 

Some Country band leaders won't accept anything other than a P bass strung with flats and sporting a tort pickguard, and no shell pink!

 

But in general, 'rock what ya got' is a good maxim.

[neepheid]

7 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Pretty much, but some practicalities and bowing to sensitivities will always prevail.

 

I wouldn't turn up with anything 'pointy metal' on my jazz gigs.

 

You won't see too many EUB's on metal shows.

 

Some Country band leaders won't accept anything other than a P bass strung with flats and sporting a tort pickguard, and no shell pink!

 

But in general, 'rock what ya got' is a good maxim.

 

I get what you're saying, but none of these are /good/ reasons in my opinion to discount any particular bass for any particlar gig.

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

I get what you're saying, but none of these are /good/ reasons in my opinion to discount any particular bass for any particlar gig.

Try playing metal lines on a EUB and get back to me.

 

Then I'll ask you to audition for half a dozen metal bands and see how far you get.

[Bolo]

4 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

 

I wouldn't turn up with anything 'pointy metal' on my jazz gigs.

You're missing out on the absolute joy that are the B.C.Rich mockingbird and seagull.

[tegs07]

9 hours ago, Bolo said:

MusicMan and later Ernie Ball didn't get to market until after the first and around the middle of the second wave of punk. So younger punk players won't have seen their idols playing one.

This seems very likely. Some hardcore and Goth bands had ‘Rays: Severin and Gallup and the guy from Fugazi..

[SteveXFR]

5 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Try playing metal lines on a EUB and get back to me.

 

Then I'll ask you to audition for half a dozen metal bands and see how far you get.

 

I have seen an Industrial metal band with an electric upright. Bow plus heavy distortion plus some very low tuning sounded like the apocalypse. 

[Mykesbass]

They were very new to the market at the outset of Punk, so availability, price, and even desirability were probably factors.

[pst62]

10 hours ago, Bolo said:

This below is simply not true! The Stingray first rolled off the production lines in 1976. Non punk, John Deacon had one when I saw Queen in Edinburgh that very same year. also ike I said earlier I saw the Buzzcocks in 1978 and Steve Garvey had a Stingray.

 

[Quote Bolo] MusicMan and later Ernie Ball didn't get to market until after the first and around the middle of the second wave of punk. So younger punk players won't have seen their idols playing one.[Unquote]

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by pst62

[SpondonBassed]

10 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

Will I have trouble playing it with a less impressive cleavage?

 

Have you got a pick in your cleft?

[Downunderwonder]

20 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I have seen an Industrial metal band with an electric upright. Bow plus heavy distortion plus some very low tuning sounded like the apocalypse. 

Outlandish exceptions say very little.about the rule. How many bass guitars do you see in symphony orchestras? Did you ever see an upright metal bassist in your local? Nevemind.