Stingray for smooth fingerstyle

slopeshoulder · #1 04-21-2011, 09:45 PM

It seems that everybody I know around here speaks in terms of rock, metal, agressive slap, rock-funk, etc when I mention a Stingray. And yeah, I get it.

But I was playing one recently, fingerstyle, sort of jazzy, with the highs rolled back a bit, and I fell in love. Sure the punch was there, but it was a contained punch. Great for latin, brazilian, some cocktail funk, or Sade or Seal lifetime achievement tribute roast clone band, etc.

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but who else likes a Stingray for smooth warm fingerstyle with some punch?

Talkin' single H btw.

40Hz · #2 04-21-2011, 09:47 PM

Tony Levin for one!

yellofury · #3 04-21-2011, 09:48 PM

I have a SUB currently and if you roll more bass than treble you can get some awesome smooth tones out of this bass

The whole too clanky tone is a myth
You can get all sorts of sounds from a single H Stingray

Antipodean · #4 04-21-2011, 10:09 PM

Yeah. It seems that almost every YouTube video of a Stingray has that annoying clang, and I used to always find that when I tested them out. But then I'd hear Tony Levin, or Ed Freidland (The Bass Whisperer), and they can get amazing tones.
Then one day in a music store I tried one out to compare to another bass, and I rolled back the treble, slight boost to the bass and mids, tweaker the amp, and had "the sound in my head". Now I just need a job so I can buy a 5 string EBMM....

stflbn · #5 04-21-2011, 10:13 PM

:: a sarcastic thanks to Flea for turning the masses onto 'clank' ::

I also like musicman basses for their clarity, but fullness and smooth tones.

Dr. Cheese · #6 04-21-2011, 10:30 PM

My favorite bassist of all time and avatar, Bernard Edwards of Chic, had a wonderful career playing smooth finger and simulated pick style (chucking) on a Stingray. No one has done it better, IMO.

Bread Knife · #7 04-21-2011, 10:33 PM

Mine does smooth fingerstyle just fine, but I love the clanky rock sounds! Ha! Great basses.

Kenova · #8 04-22-2011, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

My favorite bassist of all time and avatar, Bernard Edwards of Chic, had a wonderful career playing smooth finger and simulated pick style (chucking) on a Stingray. No one has done it better, IMO.

+1

ModuMan · #9 04-22-2011, 02:12 AM

It's clearly the choice for the Sade sound!

I love my SR5 for its growly, aggressive sound but my Classic SR4 is all about the smooth.

brocco · #10 04-22-2011, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antipodean

Yeah. It seems that almost every YouTube video of a Stingray has that annoying clang, and I used to always find that when I tested them out. But then I'd hear Tony Levin, or Ed Freidland (The Bass Whisperer), and they can get amazing tones.
Then one day in a music store I tried one out to compare to another bass, and I rolled back the treble, slight boost to the bass and mids, tweaker the amp, and had "the sound in my head". Now I just need a job so I can buy a 5 string EBMM....

+1........ Stingray...never leave home with out one

khui · #11 04-22-2011, 03:47 AM

This thread proves that the stingray is not the "one trick pony" it has been pigeon-holed to be. Ed Friedland also disspells the myth that the stingray has only one sound in one of his reviews. The stingray is as versatile as any other bass!

K.

Orpheus55 · #12 04-22-2011, 06:51 AM

I agree that the Ray can be a very smooth player. I play finger-style in a Motown-dominated blues-horn band, and the Stage III flats I use against the maple board give it a perfect presence in the mix. I set controls at flat and ever so slightly back off the treble and raise the bass just tad. My Stingray is lighter than my Jazz and Sting, and really has never had the "clank" or the weak G problem. As for the latter, the pup is tilted slightly toward the G, which evens everything out.

bovinehost · #13 04-22-2011, 09:17 AM

I've been on this bandwagon for a long, long time. If all I could get from my EBMMs was the tone I so often hear on the thwackity thwack youtube bedroom performer videos, I'd be playing something else.

Of course, I'm one of those crazy people who prefer flats. I get that Stingrays (and Bongos and Sterlings, etc) can and will do the aggressive sizzle and clank all day long, but it sure isn't what I want to do.

stflbn · #14 04-22-2011, 09:22 AM

Same... I just keep migrating back to my old beat up and heavily modded before it got to me Musicman bass. Just what I keep picking up and hearing tonally, and that ain't for clickity clank.

Enough so, that just this morning i've been calling around regarding a 25th Anniversary 5-string HSS or Reflex 5 HSS as a versatile tone alternative to my existing beat up MM.

Alex E · #15 04-22-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellofury

I have a SUB currently and if you roll more bass than treble you can get some awesome smooth tones out of this bass

The whole too clanky tone is a myth
You can get all sorts of sounds from a single H Stingray

It probably is a myth. The Stingray is far too famous for it to be true.

I'll tell you though, the Stingrays I have played felt far too powerful and trebly for my liking. However, I've always played on cramped stages and standing right by the amp. That's the reason they are not an appeal to me.

Bass waves take a number of feet to develop, so what sounded trebly and clanky to me might have sounded smooth by the time it hit the audience.

Bread Knife · #16 04-22-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex E

Bass waves take a number of feet to develop, so what sounded trebly and clanky to me might have sounded smooth by the time it hit the audience.

Your ear senses pressure changes in a very specific spot (at the ear, in fact) and does not somehow "read" the full wavelength of a note. You could hear a pure 40hz tone with your ear an inch from the speaker if you wanted. No problem.

AMp'D.2play · #17 04-22-2011, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khui

This thread proves that the stingray is not the "one trick pony" it has been pigeon-holed to be.

Not that I was having trader's remorse, but the timing of this thread is perfect considering that just yesterday I committed to trading my Lakland 44-02 for a Stingray SLO Special HH.

I made the switch primarily for comfort ... the 44-02 neck was among the best I've tried -- the SLO feels even better! ... but I was a bit concerned about what I'd be giving up in the way of versatility.

yellofury · #18 04-22-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMp'D.2play

Not that I was having trader's remorse, but the timing of this thread is perfect considering that just yesterday I committed to trading my Lakland 44-02 for a Stingray SLO Special HH.

I made the switch primarily for comfort ... the 44-02 neck was among the best I've tried -- the SLO feels even better! ... but I was a bit concerned about what I'd be giving up in the way of versatility.

considering you are getting an HH I dont think you have anything to worry about
theres a ton of tone in those basses

tdizzle · #19 04-22-2011, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

My favorite bassist of all time and avatar, Bernard Edwards of Chic, had a wonderful career playing smooth finger and simulated pick style (chucking) on a Stingray. No one has done it better, IMO.

I second this. As far as I am concerned, Bernard Edwards is the king of the Stingray.

terrelli721 · #20 04-24-2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdizzle

I second this. As far as I am concerned, Bernard Edwards is the king of the Stingray.

I second that 1000. Most people talk about how over the top a stingray is, but I believe it's one of the most versatile, smooth playing basses period. Spoken like a true idiot that sold his for next to nothing, Oh well!!!