Warwick vs MM Stingray

[Means2nEnd]

SO you bought one of the new Korean Pro Corvettes? It says you can buy with active or passive pickups which did you get? The active have gold "MEC" logos. If so it matters greatly on choosing an aftermarket preamp. If it’s active an EMG BQC control works well with the MEC pickups I have found. I love control over the mids to me this is where the biggest differences are in controlling how it will sit in the mix. I would also highly recommend the Audere 4 band 4 knob config. Audere is by far the best highest quality preamp for the money can buy. You go on line and configure it exactly how you want. Two volumes for each pickup and a stacked bass/treble and stacked high mid/ low mid it will blow you away.

I just sold my family reserve SR5 a few months ago. The G string always sounded week and was way too close to the edge of the neck. I have had 3 SR5s from different years and they were all like this for me. I would have loved to try a HH but I’m lefty and only a single bucker is available for us lefties. One thing about the SR5 single H although I did like the overall tone and slightly wider string spacing than any Warwick 5 (except a Streamer Stage 1) but I read an article in BP with Justin Chancellor of Tool. He loved his Stingray but switched to Wal because he said it wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t know what he meant at the time but after playing them for a few years off and on I found that in fast passages things got mushy. Notes were not as crisp and articulate as I like them to be. I use steel strings and change them often so it’s wasn’t the strings or my amplification I have insane amp cab combos. Any of my Warwicks are fast clean and crisp biting attack full of tone of the instrument itself. I found my SR5 to sound OK but most of the tone is strings and preamp. I am also a huge Spector fan. After Warwick I’m right there with Spector basses but they are equipped with EMG DC40s or the new spiltable TWs and EMG preamps and again they sound great and huge but most of the tone is electronics. I like the balance in my Warwicks of the woods coming through as well as fast articulate attack of the electronics. I think you should eventually own both variety is the spice of life….That’s why I own a bunch of Warwicks.

[El Slap]

A little late, but the only bass I've owned/used for the past 6 years has been a German Warwick Corvette Standard. It was my first high-quality bass, and I've played everything with it, including rock, jazz, metal, funk/slap (LOTS of slap :]), reggae, grunge, etc., and it has always had great sound in every context.

I've found that the tone going through 10s can be a bit tinny, so I usually leave it between 10-25%, depending on what I'm playing. Likewise, I use mostly the neck pickup (finger style) because it accesses the wide range of sounds the bass is capable of, as well as makes a fine thumb rest; but I'll roll in some more bridge to smooth things out when necessary.

I HAVE noticed that some stage setups can make it difficult to dial in good tone, but I've found that rolling back the bass and scooping less mids fixes any boominess and rolling back the tone knob fixes any harshness.

I would love to own a Ray, especially a Classic 5 (not that I can afford one); but my Warwick has been my faithful companion through 4 girlfriends, 5 bands, countless hours of jams and practice, and hundreds of shows. Could you ask for more? (disclaimer: currently looking for a good/affordable 5)

[matdras]

I purchased the active Pro Series (Korean) Corvette w/ a bubinga body. I have heard lots of great things about the Audere preamps. The knob configuration you mentioned sounds very appealing to me. I will have to see what else they can offer on their website. For the moment my Genz Benz's parametric eq will have to suffice, but a preamp upgrade will definitely be coming in the near future. First I'm gonna give the Empress compressor a try...but thats a completely different ballpark...oh what a black hole GAS is...

[matdras]

Oh yea, and I'm definitely slaphappy! Sleeping before a long day of work is overrated anyway. It's Friday after all!

[chuck norriss]

Check it out. Wish it was mine.

[matdras]

Wow that is a sexy neck. Custom shop?

[chuck norriss]

I don't know don't think so it was just hanging in the store.
Best one I've ever groped.

Looks like a Classic. Apparently being released w flamed necks or nice wood, in this case birdseye maple. Good news for them bad news for gas

[JLY]

I have had both and I love the way both sound...but my German made 5 string Corvette weighed alot more than my SR5 and the neck of the Corvette was way too thick for me...So I am sticking with the SR5...it works for me!! Both are great basses and put out some great sound-go with what plays best and feels the best for you......

[musicmanmike]

yeah well I have a streamer double buck german made beast,I love the tone, and feel of it....and 2 M/M stingrays I will never part with...thanks for the insight BTW , agree with the coments ...I Would love a thumb, and very , very hard to find used at reasonable $$$

Bass Rules !

[Epitaph04]

Originally Posted by Epitaph04

Doesn't mean someone can't ask for advice on what to buy.


For what it's worth, I sold a German Corvette and just got an MM Ray5. So far, I'm liking the Ray MUCH more. More growl and "tone" in general. I found the Corvette to be too dark regardless of what I did.

...and for the record I ended up selling the ray.

[musicmanmike]

Originally Posted by musicmanmike

yeah well I have a streamer double buck german made beast,I love the tone, and feel of it....and 2 M/M stingrays I will never part with...thanks for the insight BTW , agree with the coments ...I Would love a thumb, and very , very hard to find used at reasonable $$$

Bass Rules !

Amps and speaker config. makes a huge difference BTW
I always use 10's, for electric, and 15's for acoustic bass

[tylerwylie]

If Warwicks have growl, Stingrays have tons of balls and bite. Ideally the answer would be both. If I had to choose, I'd go for a Stingray or Sterling.

[musicmanmike]

yeah well I have a streamer double buck german made beast,I love the tone, and feel of it....and 2 M/M stingrays I will never part with...thanks for the insight BTW , agree with the coments ...I Would love a thumb, and very , very hard to find used at reasonable $$$

Bass Rules !

[Blankandson]

Don't know what music you'll be playing, but in Branson these days you see a lot of MMs as the main bass. At least 3 shows have Warwicks on stage, but they are rarely used other than one or two songs. The MMs are used 100% of the show. Ten years ago it would have been a J-bass being used. But Branson crowds don't expect growl (probably wouldn't know it if they heard it.)
Personally I have a 1994 Fortress 5-string that I love. But as mentioned above, the string spacing might be tighter than you would get with their 4-string. And mine do growl!

[bigjames]

I had a MusicMan Stringray 4 and it worked well for me, but what I couldnt get used to was the pick up placement. I sold it and later gave into my long time jonesing for a Warwick. I bought a German-made Warwick Corvette Std 5 (bubinga with wenge neck) and I loved it. Two J style MECs, great tone, tons of growl, cut through the mix like nothing i had played before...BUT, now that I have bought a couple of other basses (Fender Jazz and an Fbass AC6) the neck on the Warwick feels completely foreign to my hand. I am VERY tempted to try a musicman again and see if my developing playing style can work with the pickup.

[4StringsEnough]

Originally Posted by dukeisdog

If you're looking for a nice 4 string bass, look into a Spector Euro 4LX, you can find them in a P/J config or hum buckers, they're very growly basses.

This.