StingRay with Flats

[spidey112669]

So for a about 2 years I have been on/off with the tone of my Stingray...I play a P for most things and switch to a J when I need to get smooth and subtle...Loved the quality and the vibe of the ray but kept finding that either the P or J was a better fit anytime I tried to incorporate it into a set....earlier this week, before taking pics for listing the ray on ebay, on a whim, I put a set of d'addario flats on it....OMG, I will never sell it...Game Over!! I absolutely could not believe how they gave soul and life to the normally "cold" sounding ray!! I could not put it down...totally blew off mowing the yard....sometimes the simple things make all the difference!

[chuck3]

ha ha - I can relate.

I've got a J with rounds and P with flats. Both sound great for what they are. But I am seriously wrestling with the idea of getting a Ray ... and then, rounds or flats. But I know what it's like to fall in love with a sound like that.

[DaveF]

Amen! Put flats on my Jaguar. With the preamp engaged, the come to life with this FAT tone. Love it!

[air_leech]

I've probably said it before but of all the basses I own or owned I've found the Stingray to be the most sensitive to string selection.

if you want to warm up the sound but dont want to take the flats route go with nickel plated rounds, I was almost through with trying to cope the 70s sound out of a 2 band ray with a maple neck when I decided to put a nickel set on and since then it's my go to bass.

[spidey112669]

I agree, after many hours and much $$$ spent on strings, I have settled for awhile now on this combo: P with fender nickel rounds-feels and sounds right, grind and punch that steps out over snare drums and trashy rides....J with elixer rounds, the larger size....feels good and super clean and clear, sustain for weeks...not much growl or grind but I can very dynamic with it. Stingray maple neck 3 band with D'Addario chromes flatwounds...finally, I can use the 3 band!! Flat with treble rolled off and mid bumped I can be flea, roll off the treble and mids flat and bump the bass, I can be an upright...bump the treble, roll off the mids, bump the bass and pick it, I can be drop tuned metal, Linkin park or slipknot...everything flat and bump the mids, I can be like my fav P bass, take the same settings and flat the mids and bump the bass a tic and I can be like my fav J...good grief, you would think I live for stuff like this....wait, I DO!!!!!!

[Latanza Heist]

Just had mine sent for set up with fender flats medium

[Koog]

Flats just get it done....for me. Have used them for many years on everything I've owned. They were particularly good on 'Rays. Try RotoSound RS77LD on fours and RS775LD on fivers. These have become my favorites.

I'm focusing on a blues, R&B and soul project now, but have used the flats on these genres, plus '50s, '60s & '70s rock, country, rockabilly, honky tonk and swing and I've been exceptionally pleased.

Welcome to the flat family!

Koog

[mowburger]

Not a "real" Stingray, but man did it tame the quick temper and bring out the thump when I put some Fender flats on this baby!

[IMG][/IMG]

[GBassNorth]

Originally Posted by air_leech

I've probably said it before but of all the basses I own or owned I've found the Stingray to be the most sensitive to string selection.

if you want to warm up the sound but dont want to take the flats route go with nickel plated rounds, I was almost through with trying to cope the 70s sound out of a 2 band ray with a maple neck when I decided to put a nickel set on and since then it's my go to bass.

+1
I've said this before on TB as well. My 2 or 3 band, 4 or 5 string, Maple or Rosewood fb, preEB or EB, single or $$ Rays all are more responsive to string changes than any other bass I own. I've more or less settled in on DR Black Beauties and La Bella tapewounds on my modern Rays and am now looking for the perfect flat wound on my preEB ray. Tried Chromes, they were ok but too bright for me.
Any suggestions for a 4 string preEB Ray with maple fb and 2 band preamp? Looking for that old school thump, deep, percussive, P bass type sound. No slap, no pic, no frills - just fingers and a solid bass line.

[mowburger]

Originally Posted by GBassNorth

Any suggestions for a 4 string preEB Ray with maple fb and 2 band preamp? Looking for that old school thump, deep, percussive, P bass type sound. .

>See above /\









Fender 9050 flats.

[Orpheus55]

I have used and enjoyed flats on my three band Ray, but currently have it strung with Black Beauties; they're a little too supple for my taste, but sound fine. Thinking of trying chromes next,as I love them on my Surveyor 414. Oh, and good to hear from Spidey again.

[smperry]

Not technically a Stingray, but I just got back from a gig where I used flats on a bass with a Nordstrand MM pickup. Loved it...still cut through just fine. Since the bass also has a P pickup, flats were sweet whenever I wanted a mellower tone. I had DR flats on mine.

[Latanza Heist]

Had Fender Flats 55/70/90/105 put on. Hope they don't sound cheap and nasty.

Also will changing the string gauge mean altering the nut where they pass through?

[Darko74]

i put d'addario flats on my ray a good while ago. i love it but still prefer gigging with my highway one jazz or my 70's P bass which both have rounds. I'm curious to how people set there tones? i have 2 band. Like how much bass they use? as its boost only right?

[jallenbass]

Originally Posted by GBassNorth

Any suggestions for a 4 string preEB Ray with maple fb and 2 band preamp? Looking for that old school thump, deep, percussive, P bass type sound. No slap, no pic, no frills - just fingers and a solid bass line.

I just put GHS Precision flats on mt SR Classic and I'm very pleased with the sound. Old school and very focused.

[Bluedevilxx]

Not to thread jack lol, but I just ruined the G string in a set of Chromes trying to put it on my Ray. I left plenty of extra for windings, but the edge of the tuner stripped the string down to the core and it slipped Do you have any tips for getting flats to "grab" in the slot of the tuning peg better?

[Darylw425]

I have gone back and forth with flats on my Stingray. Depends on the music/band i'm playing with more than anything. I have rounds back on now (DR lo rider nickels) and have found it to be plenty versatile.

[air_leech]

Originally Posted by Darylw425

I have gone back and forth with flats on my Stingray. Depends on the music/band i'm playing with more than anything. I have rounds back on now (DR lo rider nickels) and have found it to be plenty versatile.

+1
the nickel Lo-Riders are the definitive Stingray strings for me, they work wonders with the maple board 2 banders and they are pretty good on passive Fenders too.

[Latanza Heist]

Had fender flats put on. Now it has a nice dark thuddy tone.

[lonote]

I put a set of Precision Flats on my Ray 34 when I bought it and I love the sound. Of course, I use flats on all my basses.