la bam Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 I've had a bass since 1992. The usual lads decide to form a band thing. It was a precision (copy). That was soon upgraded for a westone precision type bass. Then when I started properly playing I got a USA precision. Played it for 10 years without playing anything else. Then when that folded I started a function band and it was precisions again. I tried jazzes along the way, but really couldn't gel with them. Then I got into tribute acts. Precisions again. Loads of them. Forever swapping. Tried jazzes again, and (apart from the flea jazz) just couldnt gel. I was also never ever ever really happy with my precision sound. Nothing wrong with it. But never truly impressed. Punchy on the E string, yes, but not rich anywhere else. Then after 30 years of p basses..... I bought a Harley benton double humbucker musicman copy. Absolutely love it. I think it's a fantastic bass. Every sound under the sun. Big, but somehow easy to play and clear sounding everywhere. Then over the last few weeks I got the even cheaper Harley benton single humber stingray copy. And once I'd whacked some better strings on and shielded it, it's gorgeous. Seriously fat and gnarly but controllable and warm. Where my precisions would be too fat and dull to really rip into some songs, this does it with ease. I've tried these with function band, tribute band and party band and it fits lovely and warm and clear across the scale. The precisions and jazzes in my hands where flat and subdued and sounded a bit lazy. I'm sure it's just my style (finger style) and nothing to do with the actual basses, but I can just not get a lively sound out of a precision or jazz. I sound instantly dull, despite fitting in the mix. But now with stingrays (all be it budget ones) everything come to life. So, it turns out after 30 years of playing and telling everyone I'm a died in the wool precision player - I'm not. It should have been stingrays all the way! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 The HB MB4 is a fantastic bit of kit. Wilko tuners and Warman pickup only add to the range and deliver a lovely tone at one end and a ballsy rock snarl at the other. Me and our rhythm guitarist have a bit of an HB fan club going between us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 3 minutes ago, Bassfinger said: The HB MB4 is a fantastic bit of kit. Wilko tuners and Warman pickup only add to the range and deliver a lovely tone at one end and a ballsy rock snarl at the other. Me and our rhythm guitarist have a bit of an HB fan club going between us. They are great. I've said before I rate my mm84a benton in my top 2 basses ever. And I've had every type of bass going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 4 minutes ago, Bassfinger said: The HB MB4 is a fantastic bit of kit. Wilko tuners and Warman pickup only add to the range and deliver a lovely tone at one end and a ballsy rock snarl at the other. Me and our rhythm guitarist have a bit of an HB fan club going between us. Do the wilkinson tuners fit as a direct replacement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilorius Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 2 hours ago, la bam said: I've had a bass since 1992. The usual lads decide to form a band thing. It was a precision (copy). That was soon upgraded for a westone precision type bass. Then when I started properly playing I got a USA precision. Played it for 10 years without playing anything else. Then when that folded I started a function band and it was precisions again. I tried jazzes along the way, but really couldn't gel with them. Then I got into tribute acts. Precisions again. Loads of them. Forever swapping. Tried jazzes again, and (apart from the flea jazz) just couldnt gel. I was also never ever ever really happy with my precision sound. Nothing wrong with it. But never truly impressed. Punchy on the E string, yes, but not rich anywhere else. Then after 30 years of p basses..... I bought a Harley benton double humbucker musicman copy. Absolutely love it. I think it's a fantastic bass. Every sound under the sun. Big, but somehow easy to play and clear sounding everywhere. Then over the last few weeks I got the even cheaper Harley benton single humber stingray copy. And once I'd whacked some better strings on and shielded it, it's gorgeous. Seriously fat and gnarly but controllable and warm. Where my precisions would be too fat and dull to really rip into some songs, this does it with ease. I've tried these with function band, tribute band and party band and it fits lovely and warm and clear across the scale. The precisions and jazzes in my hands where flat and subdued and sounded a bit lazy. I'm sure it's just my style (finger style) and nothing to do with the actual basses, but I can just not get a lively sound out of a precision or jazz. I sound instantly dull, despite fitting in the mix. But now with stingrays (all be it budget ones) everything come to life. So, it turns out after 30 years of playing and telling everyone I'm a died in the wool precision player - I'm not. It should have been stingrays all the way! Really nice story - contact Stingray personal, maybe they could wright a book about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diskwave Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Complete opposite here. Played an original Ray from 79 thru 91 and was never really happy. Heavy, kinda thin sounding. Been playing P's since I got back into it in 2000 and couldnt be happier. Funny ole world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 Just now, diskwave said: Complete opposite here. Played an original Ray from 79 thru 91 and was never really happy. Heavy, kinda thin sounding. Been playing P's since I got back into it in 2000 and couldnt be happier. Funny ole world. Yes, its weird how some basses suit some players and others don't. I just had precisions because all of my bass heroes did and thought I'd sound like them if I had one (but without the talent) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 2 hours ago, la bam said: I'm sure it's just my style (finger style) and nothing to do with the actual basses, but I can just not get a lively sound out of a precision or jazz. I sound instantly dull, despite fitting in the mix. But now with stingrays (all be it budget ones) everything come to life. It's funny how some basses just seem to 'suit' the way you play...and some really don't! Jazzes are the awkward one for me: I've heard lots of people, from big names like Geddy Lee down to some-other-bloke-at-a-jam-night, get great tones out of them, but I've never been happy when I try playing one myself. And yet, pass me a Precision or a T-bird, and I'm laughing. Glad to hear you've found "your" bass type! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 17 minutes ago, diskwave said: Complete opposite here. Played an original Ray from 79 thru 91 and was never really happy. Heavy, kinda thin sounding. Been playing P's since I got back into it in 2000 and couldnt be happier. Funny ole world. Same here. I have flirted with Rays over a number of years - starting with a 78. They just don't work for me. The sound just seems to disappear as you play the upper strings. Probably down to me, but I'll stick with a P-bass or two. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 (edited) 2 hours ago, la bam said: Do the wilkinson tuners fit as a direct replacement? They need a tiny fraction, like the width of a sheet of paper, filing off one side if the plate in two of them. Two or three seconds on the bench grinder and another moment polishing the edge with 600 grit and it was done. They are very positive in use, very stable. It sounds fantastic, is light and comfortable, feels good in the hand, looks good. Very difficult,t to find any legitimate criticism. It's my backup bass for gigging, and the bass I reach for when it's time to get gnarly and rocky. Edited March 22 by Bassfinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 I’ve played Precisions for years but due to back issues had to go short scale last year. I decided on the JMJ Mustang due to it being Fender and having a Precision width neck (I had briefly tried one before and liked it). To my surprise I think they suit me better overall than the Precisions. Of course the lighter weight and shorter scale help physically but I find it easier to get the sound I want from them too, plus the looser string tension means easier to play. And easier to cart about as they fit in a guitar gig-bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 (edited) 1 hour ago, Lozz196 said: I’ve played Precisions for years but due to back issues had to go short scale last year. I decided on the JMJ Mustang due to it being Fender and having a Precision width neck (I had briefly tried one before and liked it). To my surprise I think they suit me better overall than the Precisions. Of course the lighter weight and shorter scale help physically but I find it easier to get the sound I want from them too, plus the looser string tension means easier to play. And easier to cart about as they fit in a guitar gig-bag. Yeh, it's weird how we think we have the one we want then try to make it fit, when unbeknown to us there's a better alternative out there. When I look back with the precisions I've used every amp and cab combination, pedals, fx, strings and it turns out it was the bass all along. To put into context I've never ever ever been able to make a precision sound like they do in any demo video, but spend a fortune trying to! I don't know why, but I just can't make any precision sound like a precision Edited March 22 by la bam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 21 hours ago, la bam said: I've had a bass since 1992. The usual lads decide to form a band thing. It was a precision (copy). That was soon upgraded for a westone precision type bass. Then when I started properly playing I got a USA precision. Played it for 10 years without playing anything else. Then when that folded I started a function band and it was precisions again. I tried jazzes along the way, but really couldn't gel with them. Then I got into tribute acts. Precisions again. Loads of them. Forever swapping. Tried jazzes again, and (apart from the flea jazz) just couldnt gel. I was also never ever ever really happy with my precision sound. Nothing wrong with it. But never truly impressed. Punchy on the E string, yes, but not rich anywhere else. Then after 30 years of p basses..... I bought a Harley benton double humbucker musicman copy. Absolutely love it. I think it's a fantastic bass. Every sound under the sun. Big, but somehow easy to play and clear sounding everywhere. Then over the last few weeks I got the even cheaper Harley benton single humber stingray copy. And once I'd whacked some better strings on and shielded it, it's gorgeous. Seriously fat and gnarly but controllable and warm. Where my precisions would be too fat and dull to really rip into some songs, this does it with ease. I've tried these with function band, tribute band and party band and it fits lovely and warm and clear across the scale. The precisions and jazzes in my hands where flat and subdued and sounded a bit lazy. I'm sure it's just my style (finger style) and nothing to do with the actual basses, but I can just not get a lively sound out of a precision or jazz. I sound instantly dull, despite fitting in the mix. But now with stingrays (all be it budget ones) everything come to life. So, it turns out after 30 years of playing and telling everyone I'm a died in the wool precision player - I'm not. It should have been stingrays all the way! Welcome. Welcome to the wonderful world of Harley happiness. It's not Stingray or Precision or Jazz - it's the Harley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilorius Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) 3 minutes ago, stewblack said: Welcome. Welcome to the wonderful world of Harley happiness. It's not Stingray or Precision or Jazz - it's the Harley! It's Alices wonderland, that's what it is! Edited March 23 by nilorius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 3 hours ago, stewblack said: Welcome. Welcome to the wonderful world of Harley happiness. It's not Stingray or Precision or Jazz - it's the Harley! Quite true! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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