Advice on what Flats to try on a StingRay

**jmattbassplaya** · #1 05-23-2009, 02:52 AM

*Sorry if a thread similiar to this has been done, but I couldn`t find it after a search*

So I recently brought my StingRay out of retirement and as soon as I played the first note I remembered why I had loved this bass in the past. However, once I plugged the bass in and played that first note, I quickly remembered why it went into retirement in the first place.

To me, this bass has too much of that modern Hi-Fi sound that seems to be too trebly no matter how you EQ the bass. My amp is basically set flat and is left that way for all my basses(as I prefer to just adjust my basses EQ), and as such I had to literally roll all the treble off my bass and the low almost all the way up just to get a decent, medium-full tone.

I in no way want to sell the bass or purchase a new pre for it, so I`m thinking that perhaps a nice set of flats(or perhaps halfs) would be the way to go. In the past I had tried the Rotosound Steve Harris sigs, but they seemed too thick and mellow to my ear(Some people have said I`m insane for thinking this way about them

)

So what I`m asking you guys is this: What are some decent strings that have medium tension, light gauge, and a full-yet not dull/mellow sound that will still have some 'pop' to it and that will perhaps better allow me to get 'the StingRay tone'.. cuz those rounds aren`t doing it!

Thanks in advance!

5StringBlues · #2 05-23-2009, 02:59 AM

I like GHS Preciscion Flats,but it sounds like you still want a bit more bite,so maybe D'addairio Chromes?

Maybe somebody could chime in with opinions on Thomastics.I only got to play on their flats for a couple of songs but they seemed pretty cool.

FWIW,YMMV,IMHO,ETC.

Deacon_Blues · #3 05-23-2009, 04:57 AM

The d'addario chromes seem to be a perfect fit for my stingray copy (pup changed to a Delano)...

Got one of the best bass sounds I've ever gotten with this bass and these strings on a gig recently. Very well-defined tone, sitting perfectly in the mix. It's hardly ever been so easy to play as then, depite that I hate the neck on that particular bass...

**pringlw** · #4 05-23-2009, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

The d'addario chromes seem to be a perfect fit for my stingray copy...

+1 on the d'addario chromes. I've been very happy with them.

jasper383 · #5 05-23-2009, 06:10 AM

My guess is Chromes are the favorite Talk Bass flat for a Stingray, followed closely by TI Jazz Flats.

**jmattbassplaya** · #6 05-23-2009, 04:38 PM

Sounds great guys! Thanks for all the help!

lmfreeman9 · #7 05-23-2009, 04:48 PM

I will also put in a plug for DR Hi-Beam Flats. Stainless good highs great lows.

jk3 · #8 05-23-2009, 04:56 PM

I'm pretty sure Cliff Williams of AC/DC uses Chromes on his Ray on every album since Ballbreaker.

as a listener, I love that combination...

bassboysam · #9 05-23-2009, 05:37 PM

I bought a Stingray a few years ago and I was never happy with the sound, too "nice", and it never really sounded good in a loud rock band.

I decided to try Chromes on the Stingray and now the Stingray is exactly how I thought it would sound when I originally bought it.

check these out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho42fxFsE6M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYKl-...eature=related

**jmattbassplaya** · #10 05-23-2009, 10:55 PM

Sam,

I`m really diggin that tone you`re getting with the flats!

That`s definantly much closer to the sound that I have in my head for my Ray. It`s still amazing how much treble the bass still has though; although keeping the treble at 0 and adding the bass and mids +3 definantly fixes that.

Keep the suggestions coming

bassboysam · #11 05-23-2009, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Sam,

I`m really diggin that tone you`re getting with the flats!

That`s definantly much closer to the sound that I have in my head for my Ray. It`s still amazing how much treble the bass still has though; although keeping the treble at 0 and adding the bass and mids +3 definantly fixes that.

Keep the suggestions coming

I wish that was me playing, but those are not my clips, i should have made that clear in my first post. However these were all recorded with my stingray and chromes, with just 2mics in the room into a TASCAM 4 track tape recorder.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=954486

Bochafish · #12 09-11-2009, 04:05 PM

I've got a Stingray on the way, and I'm gonna try out the Chromes. Can anyone tell me if they are a higher or lower tension flat? I like a good medium-high tension string.

bassist4dalord · #13 09-11-2009, 05:05 PM

Definitley Chromes.

waynobass · #14 09-11-2009, 05:13 PM

GHS Precision Flats if you want a slightly lower tension.

madbassplaya · #15 09-11-2009, 05:14 PM

Chromes are too high tension for me...also, I hated the way they sounded on a Stingray I had once.

I would try half rounds on it.

Lichtaffen · #16 09-12-2009, 02:44 PM

Chromes here too.

JTE · #17 09-13-2009, 09:04 PM

I'd suggest GHS Precision Flats because that's my favorite flat and because that's what Leo Fender and Forest White put on them when they first made them a few decades ago. By the time I bought my first StingRay around 1979, they'd switched to GHS Brite Flats which are a very very good moddified round wound that sounds like they may be right up your alley.

John

T-Mac · #18 09-13-2009, 09:37 PM

My '95 Stingray has been wearing D'Addario 1/2 rounds (.045 to .100) for a few months. I love the tone and dynamics so much that I now reach for the 'Ray and keep my Precision as a backup.

thudfromafar · #19 09-13-2009, 10:34 PM

I'm using chromes as well.

With the stingray I also roll the treble nearly off, and sometimes boost the bass slightly. So yeah, you got it.