Stingray low end expansion

Johnius · #1 01-16-2009, 08:17 AM

I play a Stingray and my teacher uses a Lakland with the Chi-Sonic pickups. I don't want to changes basses, but the breadth of his low end far exceeds mine. My tone is deep enough, I would just like to, I guess, "broaden" it a bit. I was thinking it might be an onboard issue, that's why I posted here. But maybe it's at my amp. Or maybe his electronics are just different/better and it won't be done. I appreciate any suggestions.

dmusic148 · #2 01-16-2009, 08:19 AM

Which Lakland model does your teacher have? Basses with neck pickups always make more low end.

Johnius · #3 01-16-2009, 08:20 AM

I don't know which model, but it's a double humbucker with a super-versatile coil tap. I hadn't thought about the neck placement, though. That could be it.

dmusic148 · #4 01-16-2009, 08:29 AM

Yeah, two hums will give a lot of beef to the sound. Neck pickup adds a lot of lows. But don't sweat it, the Ray has a cool sound all it's own.

Johnius · #5 01-16-2009, 08:32 AM

Thanks d. While we're on the subject, I might be in the market for a new amp. What's your opinion on a good for the Ray?

dmusic148 · #6 01-16-2009, 08:35 AM

Oh boy. Ask a thousand players, get a thousand answers.
Depends on what you want it for. Big amp, or small? What sort of tone do you like? Best thing to do is go to a music store with your bass, spend a couple hours and try everything there.

Craig_S · #7 01-16-2009, 11:37 AM

I'd Play with the bass' EQ a bit. How is it set? If you're like most guys, you ran everything wide open and left it. Boost your low end either by cutting mids and highs or by turning up the lows. dmusic148 does have a point, though. You have a Stingray. It's going to sound like a Stingray, not like a Lakland.

DaLaklandGroove · #8 01-16-2009, 11:39 AM

Is it Seafoam Green ? Ed Friedland ?

louloomis · #9 01-25-2009, 01:16 AM

If your Stingray is the single-pickup model, then you should make careful note of the position of that pickup in relation to the bridge and the neck.

You will notice that it's sort of a "compromise" position. A bass with another pickup closer to the neck (even if it's the only pickup on the bass) will of course yield more bass. The Stingray is not made to be a super-bassy bass, if you receive my meaning. That's why so many slappers use it.

However, the 2 pickup MusicMan is another story of course because it has the other humbucker near the neck.....

LouLoomis

newbold · #10 01-25-2009, 01:43 AM

when you say lows, do you mean 'fundamentals' or the beef of the low mids?

I would suggest, that if you're looking for tha big open, float you around the room kind of low, that you cut the low mids/upper bass and boost the ultra lows...but that's just me. If you can make sure your sonic spectrum lets you use your headroom evenly then you should have no problems getting deep lows.

I've got some super lows with a 110 that have outdone the 1x18, 2x10 cab i used to have. It all depends on what you have and how you can use it.

Anything sounds great coming out of a GK. I love my yamaha and I play low end basses. As long as you have enough headroom, you should be able to make anything work.

And if you have a really good cheater pedal (sansamp/preamp) then you could even get away with just using a power amp.

I'd say that as long as you're playing with more than 200W you should be good, as far as playing in a jamspace with a drummer.