Warmer sound on stingray replacement p/ups?

musicman swede · #1 02-26-2007, 07:12 AM

I am not realy satisfyed with the sound on my musicman stingray it sounds so clean and hard and bright. I like the sound some times but i think i want a replacement pick up for it that would give it a wamer and softer tone. What culd be good? havent found nuff info on the sound of ex emg, seymore duncan, nordstrand etc. I want more of a jazz sound is it possible without bying a new instrument?

Or maby it is time for me to buy a fender jazz?

saxnbass · #2 02-26-2007, 09:22 AM

Buy a Fender Jazz. The StingRay is supposed to sound clean and hard and bright. It's a StingRay.

Smallmouth_Bass · #3 02-26-2007, 09:25 AM

Try stringing it with flatwounds.

saxnbass · #4 02-26-2007, 09:32 AM

That too. But I think you should get a Jazz bass.

62bass · #5 02-26-2007, 12:46 PM

That's exactly why I sold my Musicman. It was fine in all other respects. I guess they're supposed to sound like that. Some guys want that sound. I don't. When I bought it I figured I could EQ it to give me a warmer sound. I never could.

Funny though, the first Musicman I played in 1976 didn't sound like that. I actually used it on a couple tracks of an album we were recording at the time. The rest of the tracks were on my Fender Jazz with both pickups wide open. These days when I listen, I honestly can't tell which is which. Obviously the engineer did a bit of tweaking but still, I'm very surprised.

ibnzneksrul · #6 02-26-2007, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

That's exactly why I sold my Musicman. It was fine in all other respects. I guess they're supposed to sound like that. Some guys want that sound. I don't. When I bought it I figured I could EQ it to give me a warmer sound. I never could.

+1, never was all that happy with the tone of my Stingray.

BenWC87 · #7 02-26-2007, 02:43 PM

maybe try a Bartolini MM pickup?

saxnbass · #8 02-26-2007, 02:44 PM

I'm looking forward to getting my Sterling next week. It'll give a nice variety to my collection's tone.

saxnbass · #9 02-26-2007, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenWC87

maybe try a Bartolini MM pickup?

and an Audere or Aggie preamp?

62bass · #10 02-26-2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxnbass

and an Audere or Aggie preamp?

Well, all the replacement pickups seem to be just the designers take on an improvement or a clone of the original so they seem to sound similar. I don't think the problem (for those of us who find it a problem) is going to be fixed much with a preamp or a warmer pickup. Sure you can force feed it EQ to make it radically different, but the positioning of the pickup is the main reason.

I have an Ibanez Artcore with a humbucker in the same position as the Musicman. It sounds surprisingly like a Musicman, despite the semi hollow body, different style humbucker, seperate tailpiece and bridge.

deaf pea · #11 02-26-2007, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman swede

I am not realy satisfyed with the sound on my musicman stingray it sounds so clean and hard and bright.

You might try wiring up the pup in SERIES, instead of the "standard" parallel mode. That would definitely make it "warmer" sounding. Or, better still, put in a DPDT switch to make it series OR parallel . . . BTW the change has to be made BEFORE the pre-amp.

musicman swede · #12 03-08-2007, 03:24 AM

Thanks guy´s for the great response, i think it is time for me to buy a new bass.

This is the best place ever! Now i don´t need to spend money on p/ups that doesn´t fit my needs.

Though i won´t sell my Stingray i realy like it a lot. I tried it in a different rig last weekend and it sounded way to fine to get rid of... But i realy want a bass with the fender tone too. This is gonna be expensive, I was planning to buy a double bass, and I might need to buy a new amplifier too...

73jbass · #13 03-08-2007, 03:49 AM

Try an alnico magnet pickup from either Norstrand or Basslines. Vintage tone for days! I have a Norstrand on the way for my Sterling.

12bass · #14 03-08-2007, 04:12 AM

I suspect that a Bartolini MM pickup would sound warmer, with a darker, low-mid oriented voice.

My main bass is a Pedulla Rapture 5, which is similar to the StingRay in terms of pickup placement (single pickup in sweet spot). When I compared it to a SR5, I found the Rapture had a similar mid voice, but was more refined, and less aggressive (comparison was done with the original Bartolini C HB pickup). I've since installed a Q-Tuner, and am very happy with the more open, natural, full-range sound.

Another thing to try is technique. You'll get warmer tone if you play close to the neck....

In any case, due to the pickup position, I don't think that you'll ever get away from the inherent StingRay mid-focused sound. It's never going to sound like a Jazz.

JLW · #15 03-08-2007, 04:46 AM

Instead of having to spend any money, you could always just play closer to the neck. I do this a lot on my Stingray when I need to get a warmer sound. I roll up the bass and lay off the treble a bit, and then I rest my right thumb on the very end of the neck and play there. It gives a very woody, warm sound.

Something to consider before buying a whole new bass.

sincity · #16 03-08-2007, 05:28 AM

A 2-band Stingray is your answer. I have one, and it can be as warm as any jazz or precision.

If you want, I can send you some recordings I have done recently that are incredibly warm.

I do not like the 3-band Rays, and have always had the problem you are experiencing now, whenI owned one.