to all of you who slap and play a Stingray...

Chili · #1 10-25-2007, 08:19 AM

i wasnt sure where to put this, but, i wonna kow if there is something i need to work on in my technique or if its the bass, but try turning down the bass all the way down and the mids, and putting the treble half way on the bass, when i slap like this i get a horrible snapy sound when i hit the string, when i hit it alot softer it doesnt happen, but hitting it to soft just doesnt feel right, and i dont wonna just change the settings, which does get rid of the problem, like if i turn the treble down and turn the bass up, but i feel like i'm cheating myself doing that, or is slap not meant to be played with treble turned up?

also, just a random thing, sometimes the volume goes lauder and then quieter, like as if the pick up all of a sudden gets a boost, then it goes weaker again, or the amp just gets some extra volume or something, does anyone know why this could be happening?
if i go from fingerstyle, and i do some slap pop, the volume gets a huge boost, i dont mean becouse i'm hitting the strings harder, but its like someone just turned the volume up, then it will go quiter again

infect · #2 10-25-2007, 08:27 AM

Put a new battery in, put the eq flat, and work on your technique. You really don't need to cut or boost the eq on a 'Ray.

phat daddy · #3 10-25-2007, 08:35 AM

+1000. Don't boost or cut anything. The Rays are great flat, and the preamps don't sound nearly as good as the bass's natural flat response.

Chili · #4 10-25-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phat daddy

+1000. Don't boost or cut anything. The Rays are great flat, and the preamps don't sound nearly as good as the bass's natural flat response.

what do yous mean by flat? how do i change the EQ?

sorry for sounding like an idiot, i dont know much of the electronic side of instruments, i'm deffinitly open to finding out

basswave · #5 10-25-2007, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili

what do yous mean by flat? how do i change the EQ?

sorry for sounding like an idiot, i dont know much of the electronic side of instruments, i'm deffinitly open to finding out

Center dent the pots.

and yes +1000 to that

You should not have to do anything to the EQ

JonathanD · #6 10-25-2007, 12:15 PM

Every knob in the center = Flat.

I personally think my Ray is a bit Tinny(trebly, metal sounding) so I leave the bass and mids of the EQ in the center dent(the place in the middle of the pots rotations where it catches) and I turn the treb down just a little bit. I don't sla and pop so I dont know for sure.

It probably the battery. If its not the battery then try it on another bass. If your slap sounds good on that bass then its the ray and it has a problem. Because damn my sounds good even when I play like crap.

Jonathan

Chili · #7 10-25-2007, 02:59 PM

oh right, thats what flat means, thx, ill give it ago, so what do yous usually set your amp settings at? i only have a small 20 watt peavy practice amp which is pretty old which i got with my old bass about 4 year ago, could the amp have anything todo with the volume going up and down? mabe the speaker is on its way out.

PocketGroove82 · #8 10-25-2007, 05:46 PM

Chili,
I don't understand why you would cut out all the bass and mids, and then boost the highs.
Are you trying so sound like Fieldy or something?
That is probably the worst EQ curve that has ever been conceived for a bass.
Really man, start with your EQ set flat, and give it a try.
Give it a little boost in the bass, give it a try.
Dial back the mids or push them and give it a try.

Please explain to us what you were trying to achieve by dialing out all your bass and most of your mids? If you wondered why it sounded clanky, it's because you had no bass or mids!

I am flabbergasted bro.

JimmyM · #9 10-26-2007, 12:52 AM

Easy, dude. He hears clangy recordings so he assumes that they set their basses with extra clang. That's all. He doesn't owe anyone an explanation.

Slap always sounds too bassy to the person doing the slapping, meanwhile people in the audience's ears are bleeding from all the treble. Just set everything on your bass and amp flat and get used to it. And if you absolutely need to boost the treble, just do it slightly.

phat daddy · #10 10-26-2007, 01:17 AM

+1. Treble boost on a Stingray is something to be very careful with because Stingrays by nature are very "zingy" in the high end. While that is one of the things that makes them fun to slap, the MM EQ has always sounded very "tinny" to my ear when the highs are pushed. If you need more highs, use reverse psychology, adjust the bass knob. Bring the bass (and even the mids if needed) back a little at a time until your highs are satisfactory to you.

CapnSev · #11 10-26-2007, 01:29 AM

I've found that the Stingray is really the only bass where I can transition from slap to fingerstyle without messing with the EQ. I think that is by far the greatest trait a Stingray has.

I am almost certain that your problem lies with the amplifier. A little 20 watt Peavey practice amp absolutely does not do the 'Ray any justice. Set your amp and bass EQ settings flat, and go from there.

CapnSev · #12 10-26-2007, 01:31 AM

Volume burps are most likely:

A - Instrument cable

B - Battery

C - Amp problems

Chili · #13 10-26-2007, 08:38 AM

thx for everyones advice!

to the person woundering why i had the settings like that, i was trying out differant settings when slapping just experimenting, when i came accross this clacky sound, i wasnt sure if it was due to not very good technique or what, and so i've been practicing on those settings to see if i could play without getting the clacky sound, but now it seems it was just becouse of all the treble that was on.

MikeBass · #14 10-26-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili

i wasnt sure where to put this, but, i wonna kow if there is something i need to work on in my technique or if its the bass, but try turning down the bass all the way down and the mids, and putting the treble half way on the bass, when i slap like this i get a horrible snapy sound when i hit the string, when i hit it alot softer it doesnt happen, but hitting it to soft just doesnt feel right, and i dont wonna just change the settings, which does get rid of the problem, like if i turn the treble down and turn the bass up, but i feel like i'm cheating myself doing that, or is slap not meant to be played with treble turned up?

also, just a random thing, sometimes the volume goes lauder and then quieter, like as if the pick up all of a sudden gets a boost, then it goes weaker again, or the amp just gets some extra volume or something, does anyone know why this could be happening?
if i go from fingerstyle, and i do some slap pop, the volume gets a huge boost, i dont mean becouse i'm hitting the strings harder, but its like someone just turned the volume up, then it will go quiter again

EEK!!!

Turning down the bass and mids on a S'Ray...........WOW!!!
I need to try that!!
Just to see what it sounds like!

PocketGroove82 · #15 10-26-2007, 09:01 AM

Chili,
Sorry if my previous post came off rude.
There is a video of Sterling Ball explaining how to manipulate the EQ on one of this dual humbucker basses, and he goes little by little, searching for the nuances between small adjustments.

The whole turning the bass and mids off, while boosting the treble just sorta blew my mind.

Jonyak · #16 10-26-2007, 09:08 AM

I don't really like the way my stingray sounds flat. I end up turning the bass all the way up and leave the treble flat.

I only have the 2 band eq so maybe its different for the bigger eq. I dunno.

Fender32 · #17 11-05-2007, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili

...
if i go from fingerstyle, and i do some slap pop, the volume gets a huge boost, i dont mean becouse i'm hitting the strings harder, but its like someone just turned the volume up, then it will go quiter again

What are you plugging it into, Chili? Is it just your practise amp, or do you use any effects, or preamp

?

I'm asking because I practise at home using a Bass POD and cordless headphones and one of those components (not sure which), has a built-in volume limiter. When I slap my StingRay (or other active basses), the signal is just too "hot" for the limiter and it cuts in and reduces the volume in the way that you described. It stays low for 3 or 4 seconds and then gradually creeps back up again - very annoying

!

Still, less annoying than going deaf, I suppose!

Anyway, it was just a thought

....