add a neck pick up to a musicman

[brando28]

I have a music man stingray that is one of the best playing basses I own, however the sound is not perfect and like many MM basses (from what I have heard) is quite heavy on the treble. I was thinking about having a second pickup installed closer to the neck, I had a t/bird pick up in mind, for more bottom end and warmth at the neck. Does anyone know if this is a good or bad idea and whether or not any problems will be encountered doing so, and/or recommend a suitable neck pickup to install that would give the warmth and fullness I am after.
Keeping in mind I want to keep this bass as it plays like a dream.
Thanks

[Caca de Kick]

Bad idea. You'll be spending money while trashing the value of the Musicman. Not to mention down time.
Who not sell the bass and just go buy a dual pickup StingRay?

[cassius987]

Stingrays seem like one of those basses that no one ever mods for some reason... so if you do the value is probably a lot lower than it would be, even if you restore it to stock. I don't know why there is such an anti-mod culture associated with this brand, but it might be because EBMM has been fairly accommodating of customer requests (from what I can tell, as an outsider... I owned a Stingray once and haven't really been drawn back since).

I have noticed that neck pickups have a certain timbre no EQ can really recreate, but at the same time, part of what makes a Stingray what it is is the way guys will just run that bridge pickup and then blast the bass EQ and you get this faux-deep end sound that actually works really nicely in a lot of situations.

[pudgychef]

I would say your best bet for a neck pickup equipped stingray would be to purchase one....the Stingray HH has been around for a while now from EBMM and they show up in the classifieds and what not. HS models are available as well.





routing to add a pick-up to your bass would be (imho) a mistake when factory alternatives are available.....


or grab a cheap SUB and experiment on one of those...

[funkyebk]

[SwagAttack]

I wouldn't do that too a SR4, definitely a bad idea. If you are really interested in finding out the sound, either try the HH or HS models, or you can do what I did, and buy a cheap copy, and put you own pickup in it.

RBD (reborn bass day)

[dmusic148]

Ya, bad call. You'll trash the value, and it probably won't sound the way you want it to anyway. Then you'll spend countless hours and dollars swapping pickups before you give up and try to sell it. That's when you'll find out what your mods did to the value. Just say no.

[bassgod76]

Bad idea. Just save yourself the heartache, and buy a factory EB SR HH

[Bobster]

If you are looking to keep the cost down, I'd suggest an SBMM, or SUB bass. I've actually been toying with the thought of making my Ray35 into an HH.

It looks a lot more attractive at that price, than at EBMM prices.

Best of luck with your decision!

Bob

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Bobster

If you are looking to keep the cost down, I'd suggest an SBMM, or SUB bass. I've actually been toying with the thought of making my Ray35 into an HH.

It looks a lot more attractive at that price, than at EBMM prices.

Best of luck with your decision!

Bob

Agreed. If you want to chop up a bass, do it with one of those import versions of the EBMM or SUB.

[king_biscuit]

Really stupid idea -- you may not like the end result, and you will seriously hurt the resale value. As others have said, just sell your Ray and buy a two pickup model.

[brando28]

Thanks guys, I pretty much decided soon after posting this that its a bad idea. Not gonna buy another sr though, it plays too nice. Just have to sort the eq.

[brando28]

Got a Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and the sound is awesome, stingray sounds fat! Problem solved.

[darkstorm]

For excellent warm toned neck and bridge equipted MM style humbucker bass Id have to suggest the BC Rich paulo warlock instead. Or if wanting more trad mm style tone the new mockingbird or NT virgin with rockfield mm style humbuckers for neck and bridge.