Can a Stingray 5 spacing be adjusted to 19mm. If I change the bridge?

[aasti3000]

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

There was a little more to it than that, but I don't want to dredge that up again.

I've heard about that thread. And they all say what you said about the thread. "Don't bring that up again!". It was like Talkbass was begging not to bring that discussion up again. Must have been bad. Heard no one really bought 19mm SR5. I'd kill for one...well....maybe injure.

[Mikio]

Wasn't there an official petition at the MM site for them to make a 19mm Stingray??


Anyway, answering the original question of this topic: No. It is impossible.

[king_biscuit]

To clear this up, some folks asked for a 19mm SR5, and EB agree to make them if an order for 100 was placed within a short order window. Only a few people committed to buy during the window, so the production never happened. Note that a down payment of half had to be made during the order window, the basses could only be purchased in black, they could only be purchased directly from EB by US residents, and they could only be purchased at full manufacturer's suggest retail price, which is about 1/3 more than what typical SR5s street for. The "offer" was not made available to dealers or through the EB dealer network. Clearly EB was not really serious about the "offer," and it started a #$% storm here and on the EB forum. Now please let this thread die peacefully...

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

Honestly, you won't notice a HUGE difference between a 17-19mm.

It's a pretty huge difference to me.

[jim nolte]

Originally Posted by hdracer

No,
The neck is not wide enough. Your B and G strings would be off the fretboard.

This! My G string is almost off the edge with the standard bridge.

[Stingray5]

Yeah, the answer here is 'No'. If you feel you need wider string spacing, then a different bass is in order. I got big hands too and play a Stingray 5, so I know what you mean about the tighter spacing, but why not keep the Ray, and save up for another fiver with wider spacing for when you wanna slap?

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by zortation

2mm difference is incredibly minute? You add five strings that's 8mm difference between 17mm and 19mm spacing. Incredibly minute? Who are you kidding?

I play a 5 string, and can tell you that my 4 string P & my 5 string P feel the same for comfort in my hands. Any 4 string riffs & hops I do feel the same on my 5. You can't really judge a string spacing by the number of strings. It's still the intervals between each string that determines whether your right hand's comfortable. At least, to me.

[aasti3000]

Originally Posted by Stingray5

Yeah, the answer here is 'No'. If you feel you need wider string spacing, then a different bass is in order. I got big hands too and play a Stingray 5, so I know what you mean about the tighter spacing, but why not keep the Ray, and save up for another fiver with wider spacing for when you wanna slap?

Can't really save up. Just got an amp and a cab so $0.11 is all that's in my pocket. But honestly, I just love this bass. I tested so many bass and this one just feels perfect. But it looks like I have to find a way to save up.

[Tunaman]

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

To clear this up, some folks asked for a 19mm SR5, and EB agree to make them if an order for 100 was placed within a short order window. Only a few people committed to buy during the window, so the production never happened. Note that a down payment of half had to be made during the order window, the basses could only be purchased in black, they could only be purchased directly from EB by US residents, and they could only be purchased at full manufacturer's suggest retail price, which is about 1/3 more than what typical SR5s street for. The "offer" was not made available to dealers or through the EB dealer network. Clearly EB was not really serious about the "offer," and it started a #$% storm here and on the EB forum. Now please let this thread die peacefully...

Great recap ! Now if only Lakland would make 55-02s in 17.5mm

[zortation]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

I play a 5 string, and can tell you that my 4 string P & my 5 string P feel the same for comfort in my hands. Any 4 string riffs & hops I do feel the same on my 5. You can't really judge a string spacing by the number of strings. It's still the intervals between each string that determines whether your right hand's comfortable. At least, to me.

I just find it puzzling that someone would describe the difference between 17mm and 19mm to be "minute"...'cuz it ain't.

[millsbass5]

Originally Posted by DiabolusInMusic

If that is sarcastic it is hilarious, if it is serious... no they would sell 3 in the first month or so, it has been proven.

I agree. As a matter of fact, if someone were to bring that up to Sterling again, he'd probably hire a hit man to snuff 'em out.

[king rew]

Just for the sake of the discussion, I've always thought I NEEDED a 19mm 5 string bass, and scoffed at the idea of 17mm. I play a stingray 4 string, so I am used to the 19mm. recently I was at my In-law's house where I keep my old aria bass, and was marveling over how easy it was to play. It occurred to me to check the string spacing, I assumed it was 19mm, but it was 17! I had no trouble slapping (My hands measure to the same size as yours).
Sounds like you need to just practice some more and keep loving your stingray5 IMO

[rmars]

Originally Posted by jim nolte

This! My G string is almost off the edge with the standard bridge.

I had a SR5 like that and seen many that were pushing it. The way they dressed the fret ends on mine made it even worse and a few notes you had to be really careful not to pull the string off the edge of the fretboard. I was down with them doing a 19mm version of the SR5 but no way I was putting a down payment on one without knowing if they'd resolve that.

[Bobster]

In case any else has this idea...

I recently suggested the SBMM folks look into a 19mm special run, because of the thread King Biscuit referenced.

SBMM expressed some interest in a pickguard-less special run, so I ran this by them as well. The Official Sterling by Music Man Owners Club

They were pretty quiet about it. Personally, I don't have any issues with 17.5mm spacing.

Bob

[R Upsomegrub]

I'm not trying to argue with those who say "you'll adapt, give it time" or "there's not much difference between 17mm and 19mm", but: I played a SR5 almost exclusively for 20 years and never got comfortable slapping on it - and believe me, I worked at it (fingerstyle was never an issue). I've recently become a Lakland convert and it's made a world of difference in what I can do in terms of slapping.

But to answer the OP question: no.

[rojo412]

Originally Posted by Tunaman

Great recap ! Now if only Lakland would make 55-02s in 17.5mm

I'd like to see Lakland make a 5 string in a 34" scale, actually!
But that, as well as a ton of other posts, are not the question asked.

"Can you make a SR5 19mm spaced?"
No. The neck isn't wide enough, the bridge is proprietary, and it wouldn't be cost effective to get a new neck, widen the pocket, and add a different bridge.

On a personal level, I have huge hands and love my SR5 and slap it silly. That said, I definitely found it easier to do so on a 19mm or 18mm bass.

[LaBassGuy]

I have a Pedulla Buzz in 17.5mm which felt real tight at the time. But I've gotten used to it since, and now a 19mm seems too wide.

If they do introduce a 19mm 'Ray, I would imagine they'd have to reshape the neck. Otherwise, if they retain the same chunky neck but make it now wider, that would be pretty tough play I would think.

[aasti3000]

Originally Posted by king rew

Just for the sake of the discussion, I've always thought I NEEDED a 19mm 5 string bass, and scoffed at the idea of 17mm. I play a stingray 4 string, so I am used to the 19mm. recently I was at my In-law's house where I keep my old aria bass, and was marveling over how easy it was to play. It occurred to me to check the string spacing, I assumed it was 19mm, but it was 17! I had no trouble slapping (My hands measure to the same size as yours).
Sounds like you need to just practice some more and keep loving your stingray5 IMO

Will do!!

[khutch]

Originally Posted by R Upsomegrub

I'm not trying to argue with those who say "you'll adapt, give it time" or "there's not much difference between 17mm and 19mm", but: I played a SR5 almost exclusively for 20 years and never got comfortable slapping on it - and believe me, I worked at it

I found the same to be true when I bought an SR505 that seemed comfortable in brief store trials. I simply could not adapt to it long term though and this was playing fingerstyle. Oddly enough even slightly wider basses, 16.8 or 17mm instead of 16.5mm seem noticeably more comfortable to my right hand and my left seems to have fewer issues adapting to a wide spacing than my right did to the narrow. So yeah, the difference between 17 and 19mm is huge. I'm thinking I need to have at least 17.5mm if I want to try a fiver again.

Manufacturers who are serious about offering fivers should offer at least two string spacings. It is a big issue for some of us and you won't get our money if you don't offer what we need.

Ken

[rmars]

Originally Posted by rojo412

I'd like to see Lakland make a 5 string in a 34" scale, actually!

I think they offer that now, at least on US basses.