• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

anyone not like musicman basses?

Status
Not open for further replies.
#41
I own a Stingray (have owned it for about 2 years now) and at first I REALLY loved it... but now... I don't know. It's not the buttery smooth bass that I love to hear. Even with the EQ flat, it just doesn't sound smooth to me.... It's a very punchy bass.. which is AWESOME for some stuff, but not so much for others.

Don't get me wrong; awesome construction and feel, just not the tone I always want... thats all. :)
 
#42
i also ont like MM the fel and tone on the ones i played awful(as far as my taste in basses go) i also dont like warwicks i think they are to expensive for what you get the tone is nice but not nice enouph for the pricetags that ive seen on the ones ive played and the feel is not my style either.
 
#43
ooglay said:
I own a Stingray (have owned it for about 2 years now) and at first I REALLY loved it... but now... I don't know. It's not the buttery smooth bass that I love to hear. Even with the EQ flat, it just doesn't sound smooth to me.... It's a very punchy bass.. which is AWESOME for some stuff, but not so much for others.

Don't get me wrong; awesome construction and feel, just not the tone I always want... thats all. :)
Click to expand...

i like butter
 
#44
well very since I got a stingray I refuse to play anything else now, my jazz just sits on the wall looking pretty.

Each to their own though, I hate Ricks, I think they are fugly, hard to play and not my tone. not a big fan of waricks either although I nearly bought one the other day.
 
#47
Let me start by saying that I really like the sound of a stingray. By itself, its tonally very rich and essential.Philosophically, it's design and idea of a single pick up placement between a jazz bridge and P bass position seems to be just about 'right'. But everytime I have owned/played one, I have problems locking in with the kick drums. To my ears, its the frequency of its tone with that of the kick drum that does not seems to speak as 'one'. When I play my fender or alembic, its not a problem. I am really picky about how the kick lands with the 'ommm'...but I cannot seem to make it work with the MM's.So i have bought and sold 3 musicmans till date. Must be something to do with the way I am hearing/attacking the MM's...Cant figure it out yet...

I still like the sound of the musicman though. But I guess its not for me.

Tried the bongo last week. Now thats something else.... well, maybe...
 
#48
checkeverything said:
But everytime I have owned/played one, I have problems locking in with the kick drums. To my ears, its the frequency of its tone with that of the kick drum that does not seems to speak as 'one'. When I play my fender or alembic, its not a problem. I am really picky about how the kick lands with the 'ommm'...but I cannot seem to make it work with the MM's.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes: for real?
 
#49
Well, I do like my Bongo. It has been my only bass for the past 2-3 years, and in all that time I have not found anything I would swap it for.

However, I would consider a Warwick to go with it. You know, just to take care of the more woody sounds. Finances permitting.

I have tried a bunch of Fenders recently, just for the hell of it, but I haven't found "the one" and the ones I did try all seemed to have various things wrong with them (but that's a different topic). Living abroad, and with something like 6 months between shipments, waiting for that special "perfect" Jazz or P could easily take decades.
 
#52
I used to really lust for a Stingray...

... until I found out Flea used a Wal for the fat tone on Blood Sugar Sex Magick and only liked to use them live and in music videos. There are extremely few recordings that feature Stringrays that I like, the piercing high mids that seem to be part of the Stingray sound tend to rub me the wrong way. I prefer a woodier bass sound with more depth to it, I guess.

I still think they look cool, though, I guess. I'd like to try a HH one sometime and check if the neck pickup adds more depth but of course HHs aren't available for lefties. :rolleyes:

Also, they're ridiculously overpriced over here. They're expensive enough for European players to consider them boutique!
 
#53
My main fiver right now is a stealth HH Bongo. I brought a freakin Sadowsky to rehearsal the other day (a 4 string), and the drummer goes.."Where's that all black oval thing you had the last time, thats one of the best sounding basses you have ever brought".

I have a 4 string Sterling I had a love/hate relationshipo with, great neck, but didn't like the single pup position. But it turned out to be a great bass for a more aggressive sound than a Fender Jazz. The Bongo sound is much "higher tech" than a Sterling or Sting Ray's.

(The Drummer did end up liking the Sadowsky very much also)

Certain manufacturers have certain fundamental traits to their businesses, I used to crave Warwicks back in the late 80's, but now they wouldn't really serve what I do.
 
#55
improvpwnd said:
:rolleyes: for real?
Click to expand...

Yes, saw the thread and thought I would just register today and add my bit to it. Unfortunately its true for me. Like to also add that its probably that I can't seem to play along with that distinctive 'click' sound when you lift your fingers off while fretting a stingray.

Obviously, someone like Tony Levin sounds great with all that clickity fret sounds...He obvously is at 'one'!
 
#56
Tony Levin's main Barbie Flesh SR5 has an aftermarket pickup in it. I'm not sure which type though. Plus Uncle Tony's playing it! :bassist::D His was the tone that got me into Ray's in the first place.

I've owned several StingRay 4 & 5's both fretted & fretless. Ultimately I moved on, for many of the reasons stated in this thread. They are great instruments - just not for me.
 
#57
Just wasn't my thing. It felt more solid than my other bass at the time, which was a '92 Jazz Plus 5. That said, the tone didn't do it for me, so I let it go. Nice bass though, just not right for me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back