stingray 5s (no Sterlings please)

j0nnyb0yg00d3 · #1 07-07-2011, 09:01 PM

So, I was lookinging at getting a stingray 5, but I want to know what tonal characteristics the h version has against the hh version. I'm a Guy who loves a lot of low-end and mid. I guess my question is...
H vs hh, which one will offer more low-end?

madbassplaya · #2 07-07-2011, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j0nnyb0yg00d3

So, I was lookinging at getting a stingray 5, but I want to know what tonal characteristics the h version has against the hh version. I'm a Guy how loves a lot of low-end and mid. I guess my question is...
H vs hh, which one will offer more low-end?

I feel like you're going to get some negative comments about the sterlings suck comment. You may want to edit that.

An HH has the bridge pickup in the same location as an H so you can get the same tones by switching to that pickup. However, just like any dual pickup bass having the other H at the neck will give you a more "bassy" response than just an H pickup at the bridge.

Justin Tuskey · #3 07-07-2011, 09:18 PM

man, sucks that Ive been making it happen with my $300 bass, I would hate to hear what you said about it if you think Sterlings suck. want more bass, play nearer the neck, boost the bass eq on the preamp if applicable or boost the bass on your amp. this is disregarding any pickups or basses or placement. on any bass Ive played, doing these things has helped me greatly. know how the sound works, then worry about what basses and what pickups and what pickup configs for best for you. I wouldn't however, base something solely on the number of pickups.

Metaldood19 · #4 07-07-2011, 09:20 PM

"Sterlings Suck"
I lol'd...

As the poster above me put, play near the neck and boost your low end..

Rumblefisher · #5 07-07-2011, 09:47 PM

"Every now and again I'll be a little quirky...I'll-be-quirky...ALBEQUERQUE!!"

Stilettoprefer · #6 07-07-2011, 11:06 PM

I don't particularly care for anything MM, but I'm not gonna go to the extent of saying that they suck. Edit that out before someone starts really bashing you for it.

And technique will do a lot more than pickups. If you're gonna spend a ton of money on a nice bass I sure hope that you know how to play well enough to need it! My $350 bass sounds great because I know how to achieve the sound I want by playing differently instead of having a gazillion different basses to make the changes for me. It has an active 2-band EQ, but I just leave both knobs at full and both pups on and use my hand technique for tone control.

Gearhead17 · #7 07-07-2011, 11:27 PM

What kind of midrange are you going for? The Stingray itself does not have a lot of sound between the 300-600hz spectrum. This frequency range can be a little nasally while still being really thick - especially helpful for finger style players wanting a thick finger tone. The Stingray has a nice growl with roundwound strings and seems to have a push of sound around 800hz and up. For many people, the bass sounds great, but I am not a big fan of them. I like thick and defined finger style tones which I get effortlessly out of my Spector Euro's. With the Stingray, I tend to fight the bass the entire time.

As far as Sterlings go, it sounds like you tried one recently. They do not have a lot of low end when compared to the Stingray.

On the topic of pickups - I am not 100% sure what the difference is.

Have you tried a Stingray recently? Just the one pickup model?

**jmattbassplaya** · #8 07-07-2011, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

I feel like you're going to get some negative comments about the sterlings suck comment. You may want to edit that.

An HH has the bridge pickup in the same location as an H so you can get the same tones by switching to that pickup. However, just like any dual pickup bass having the other H at the neck will give you a more "bassy" response than just an H pickup at the bridge.

I have to disagree. The reason I got rid of my HH Ray was because the bridge pup didn't sound at all like a single H Ray. It sounded much duller and 'flatter' for some reason.

plankspanker13 · #9 07-08-2011, 01:06 AM

The original Stingray 5 was, in fact, a Sterling 5. You may want to edit your thread title.

madbassplaya · #10 07-08-2011, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I have to disagree. The reason I got rid of my HH Ray was because the bridge pup didn't sound at all like a single H Ray. It sounded much duller and 'flatter' for some reason.

Interesting. I have only owned Single H Rays so I'm repeating what others have reported owning Single H and HH Rays.

danomite64 · #11 07-08-2011, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

The original Stingray 5 was, in fact, a Sterling 5. You may want to edit your thread title.

No it wasn't. The Stingray 5 was introduced in 1987, the Sterling basses weren't introduced until 1993.

chunkstyle · #12 07-08-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danomite64

No it wasn't. The Stingray 5 was introduced in 1987, the Sterling basses weren't introduced until 1993.

I realize this is a chicken or egg thing, but the Sterling was basically a 4 string Stingray 5. I just blew everyone's mind, didn't I?

bob atherton · #13 07-08-2011, 07:00 AM

After owning and selling two Stingray 4's I am now very happy with my Sterling 4. All my MM had/have single H pup. The reason I went for the Sterling was the slimmer, more Fender Jazz type neck, and the tone, especially the mids that were, IMHO, much punchier than on the Stingray. Any MM will give you as much bass as you might want.

FWIW, I think if anyone is offended by someone saying that something 'sucks', then as they say here in the UK, they need to get out more.

Quickie · #14 07-08-2011, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob atherton

After owning and selling two Stingray 4's I am now very happy with my Sterling 4. All my MM had/have single H pup. The reason I went for the Sterling was the slimmer, more Fender Jazz type neck, and the tone, especially the mids that were, IMHO, much punchier than on the Stingray. Any MM will give you as much bass as you might want.

FWIW, I think if anyone is offended by someone saying that something 'sucks', then as they say here in the UK, they need to get out more.

Yup.

danomite64 · #15 07-08-2011, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunkstyle

I realize this is a chicken or egg thing, but the Sterling was basically a 4 string Stingray 5. I just blew everyone's mind, didn't I?

No, not really. There are no firm dates concerning the origins of the chicken or the egg, but there is proof that the Stingray 5 was introduced five-six years prior to the first Sterlings. Anyway, I'm willing to bet the OP thinks the off-shore Sterlings are the ones that suck, not the US made ones.

dougjwray · #16 07-08-2011, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunkstyle

I realize this is a chicken or egg thing, but the Sterling was basically a 4 string Stingray 5. I just blew everyone's mind, didn't I?

I think you're right.

Catbuster · #17 07-08-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougjwray

I think you're right.

As do I. The first SR5s, up until about '08, had ceramic magnets in it's pickups, as the Sterling does now. In 2008, when the Sterling 5 was introduced, Music Man switched over to Alnico magnets in the Stingray 5, because the Sterling had ceramics.

And, I think the preamps were very similar or the same.

dougjwray · #18 07-08-2011, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbuster

As do I. The first SR5s, up until about '08, had ceramic magnets in it's pickups, as the Sterling does now. In 2008, when the Sterling 5 was introduced, Music Man switched over to Alnico magnets in the Stingray 5, because the Sterling had ceramics.

And, I think the preamps were very similar or the same.

Unless I'm mistaken, the electronics in the first 4-string Sterlings were identical to the electronics in the first 5-string Stingrays. (Same switching, coil configurations, 3-band EQ.) Completely different from the original, iconic, 4-string Stingrays.

fourstringdrums · #19 07-08-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob atherton

FWIW, I think if anyone is offended by someone saying that something 'sucks', then as they say here in the UK, they need to get out more.

It's not a matter of offending anyone, it's a matter of forum rules. I believe there was another post or at least a reply that was edited because they were trashing a particular bass in this manner (ie. "Such and such sucks" vs. "I don't like this, and here is why:"

chunkstyle · #20 07-08-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Unless I'm mistaken, the electronics in the first 4-string Sterlings were identical to the electronics in the first 5-string Stingrays. (Same switching, coil configurations, 3-band EQ.) Completely different from the original, iconic, 4-string Stingrays.

Yup. And that's why people say that the original SR5 was really a Sterling 5, regardless of when the first Sterling actually came out.