Ashtray on Stringray

[Fun Size Nick]

You are right that plucking near the neck produces a nice tone - many people play slap - also many people like the ability to vary their plucking intensity as well to vary tone. The thumb rest, as indeed the tug bar, are generally items applied to Fender basses in the mistaken belief that everyone plays the bass in the same style - there are lots of reasons why the thumb rest shouldn't be there but the main one is restricting playing style. Possibly a design fault, incorporated for the best of reasons. That said, if I had a vintage Fender I would want all the proper bits on it, whether they're ill conceived nonsense or not.

I'm not sure anyone has made it clear that it needs to be a bridge ashtray - why should it be - it is intended purely as an aesthetic addition which will limit plucking area and at the bridge, prevent access to the mute system on many Stingrays. There are also dual pick up Stingrays, but as this ash tray will serve no useful purpose why not put a neck pick up one a la Marcus Miller on a bass with no neck pick up - it would make an aesthetic difference, but as with a Fender, create little practical benefit. Before people start drilling their Stingrays (notwithstanding the mojo mentioned earlier) a photoshop mock up would be a better idea as it may look awful as well as the other disadvantages mentioned.

The Fender thumbrest (in the '70s position) doesn't get in the way of slap for me, any more than the lower strings themselves do when I'm slapping a higher string. I find it actually helps me make sure that I slap the E the same as the others without making a bigger arc with my thumb. I don't think it's installed in a mistaken belief that everyone plays the same way - on the contrary, it gives me an extra spot to put my thumb and I miss it when I play basses that don't have one.

As for functionality...well, not everything on our instruments is functional - do you play mostly fingerstyle, yet keep a pickguard on your bass? Bust some players developed styles that relied on the pickup cover being there - Marcus Miller has talked about using the cover as part of his slap technique, and James Jamerson famously rested his hand on the cover and plucked with one finger.

Actually, speaking of P-bass pickup covers, I wonder if one of those would fit over the Stingray pickup? It's probably a similar width.

 

[mikeswals]

Actually, speaking of P-bass pickup covers, I wonder if one of those would fit over the StingRay pickup? It's probably a similar width.

I have a spare P pickup cover in my junk drawer and I could snap a pic of it sitting on my preEB StingRay, it sould be fine there. But I know the EBMM Stingrays I've had had taller necks and bridges, so height may be more of a concern there.

 

[EricMordus]

What's the best ashtray for metal?

The one on Lemmys coffee table

 

[KevInDaBassment]

So I'm relatively new to playing bass. That being said, I've never really understood the need for trays anyway... What exactly do they even accomplish???

For some people it's the same as having a tortoiseshell pickguard over a plain white one, or having neon strings instead of regular types...it's for aesthetics and flair in many cases. I like them for two practical reasons and one unpractical reason:

1) Makes a great thumb rest when it's over a pickup
2) Excellent for holding foam mutes in place when over the bridge
Unpractical reason --> 3) it's sexy and you KNOW it...

 

[drTSTingray]

For some people it's the same as having a tortoiseshell pickguard over a plain white one, or having neon strings instead of regular types...it's for aesthetics and flair in many cases. I like them for two practical reasons and one unpractical reason:

1) Makes a great thumb rest when it's over a pickup
2) Excellent for holding foam mutes in place when over the bridge
Unpractical reason --> 3) it's sexy and you KNOW it...

Surely it's a bit 50s/60s Fender though?? Rather an anachronism on a Stingray - a bit like a digital watch on a Shakespearean actor!!!

On point 2), The Leo era solved the issue of string mutes on the Stingray with a very functional and neat system - Stingrays without them generally are models with the shorter bridge - the Classic Stingrays have them and they are great. The provision of a bell end (ashtray) will, of course, prevent access to the mutes.

I wonder if anyone's retro fitted a Fender with the superior Musicman mute system?

It will need a big ashtray - I reckon the back will be off the back of the body!! And if it is to cover the pick up as well it will be really long......

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Surely it's a bit 50s/60s Fender though?? Rather an anachronism on a Stingray - a bit like a digital watch on a Shakespearean actor!!!

On point 2), The Leo era solved the issue of string mutes on the Stingray with a very functional and neat system - Stingrays without them generally are models with the shorter bridge - the Classic Stingrays have them and they are great. The provision of a bell end (ashtray) will, of course, prevent access to the mutes.

I wonder if anyone's retro fitted a Fender with the superior Musicman mute system?

It will need a big ashtray - I reckon the back will be off the back of the body!! And if it is to cover the pick up as well it will be really long......

View attachment 509905

I probably should have clarified, I was referring to them in general. I do think it might be a stretch fitting one to a Stingray, but I don't even own one so I couldn't say I have much hand time with one. Foam system on the Stingray is good, in general I prefer the foam over the strings though, might just be psychological for me though

 

[GretschWretch]

Several things are getting muddled in this thread, and that in turn is creating some misapprehensions.

1) The Fender fingerrest/thumbrest/tugbar was by no means unique to Fender. Compare Epiphone, Gibson, Magnatone basses from the same era. But Fender originated the idea; and since the idea at the time was for an electric bass to sound as much as possible like a double bass, the tugbar was initially placed below the strings to facilitate thumb plucking. When in the seventies it became
clear fingerstyle playing was the norm, Fender moved the bar to above the strings. Some makers -- Gretsch, Guild, Supro -- put tugbars on both sides from the get-go.

2) The chrome-cover "ashtrays" were not unique to Fender either. Aesthetically they probably showed the influence of automobile styling from the 1950s, which favored a lot of chrome. Speaking of Fender more than the others here, the bridge cover, as has been mentioned, was to provide a mounting locus for the foam mute (early Jazz basses being an exception since they had under-string mutes). In addition to being visually appealing and complementing the bridge cover, the pickup cover was there to protect the speakers in the amp. The pickup in the first two-generations of P bass had a nasty habit of blowing speakers, and keeping the player's hand from striking directly above the pickup and softened the attack and protected the speaker.

Of course, as the decades passed, these original reasons became less and less applicable.

 

[mikeswals]

I wonder if anyone's retro fitted a Fender with the superior Musicman mute system?
View attachment 509905

Actually Doc, Leo invented the adjustable spring mute system on the 1966 Mustang bass when he was still doing design consultant. But you had to use a phillips head screwdriver to raise and lower them, other than that they're very much the same. He perfected it with the thumbscrews when it came time for the Ray.

 

[drTSTingray]

Actually Doc, Leo invented the adjustable spring mute system on the 1966 Mustang bass when he was still doing design consultant. But you had to use a Phillips head screw diver to raise and lower them, other than that they're very musch the same. He perfected it with the thumbscrews when it came time for the Ray.

I never knew that - great info there, thanks.

 

[mikeswals]

Here is a P laid next to the Ray for reference. Yes the pickup cover fits over a Ray pickup and totally hides it if thats where you'd want it. Otherwise in the P position it lines up exaclty along the front edge of the pickup.