Choosing my forever bass: Stingray vs Precision

[Kim Jong Funk]

Don't listen to a single opinion on this page except for this:

Sit down in a music store or whatever, spend some time playing both, and buy the one that you feel calls to you.

It's like asking whether you should date blondes or brunettes. You'll get reasons for both from everyone here, but it's ultimately your choice. I own one of the basses you've talked about, but I won't tell you which one, because it's the bass that works best for ME.

You'll notice that most people here have a dog in the fight, and often times will tell you which of the two they have and then justify their reasoning, which is THEIR reasoning. It's your choice, pick the one YOU want to spend your time with, and do that by running both of them through the motions.

 

[Guinness20]

Different strokes. A Ray can't sound like a Precision, either.

You're right, but youd be surprised how much a neck pickup on s stingray sounds like a p bass. Obviously not the same thing though.

 

[neo 7]

Seriously though, Fender needs to step up their game. I played a few more MIA P-Basses recently, and they can't compare to the quality of a Musicman. Even my best MIJ basses feel cheap after playing the Stingray

 

[fretno]

Today ... is a Stingray day .

 

[Toolmybass]

Seriously though, Fender needs to step up their game.

They did!...I have owned a few of both. I still own a MM and a P
This bass fits perfectly between the two. Im surprised it hasnt been mentioned yet.

 

[Joe Nerve]

An HS Stingray can do anything a P bass can, plus a whole a lot more. A P bass will never sound like a Stingray. A P bass is a no brainer, and will fit with anything. A Stingray (HS) takes a little more work, but can sound like anything.

 

[Joe Nerve]

They did!...I have owned a few of both. I still own a MM and a P
This bass fits perfectly between the two. Im surprised it hasnt been mentioned yet.

I owned one of them, and it sounded absolutely nothing like a Musicman. That bass in fact was biggest POS I ever owned, and it took me more than 10 years to get over that experience and my hatred for Fender due to it. Bridge pickup was thin and lifeless, the rest of the bass had a ton of issues with it.

To not drag this into Fender hating territory, I am now the happy owner of a Jazz, a Precision, and a Jaguar (as well as a Stingray, Bongo, Sterling, and Big Al ), and I love my current Fenders very much. Not that P though. And while I'm certain I just stumbled across a lemon, that bass will still never even come close to a MM sound.

 

[Toolmybass]

I owned one of them, and it sounded absolutely nothing like a Musicman. That bass in fact was biggest POS I ever owned, and it took me more than 10 years to get over that experience and my hatred for Fender due to it. Bridge pickup was thin and lifeless, the rest of the bass had a ton of issues with it.

To not drag this into Fender hating territory, I am now the happy owner of a Jazz, a Precision, and a Jaguar (as well as a Stingray, Bongo, Sterling, and Big Al ), and I love my current Fenders very much. Not that P though. And while I'm certain I just stumbled across a lemon, that bass will still never even come close to a MM sound.

You just may have ended up with a lemon as you said. I assure you mine sounds just as i described it "right between the two"
I have also recorded with it.....with and engineer that has worked alot with P and MM over the years....and i got a "wow" out of him.
YMMV

 

[neo 7]

An HS Stingray can do anything a P bass can, plus a whole a lot more. A P bass will never sound like a Stingray. A P bass is a no brainer, and will fit with anything. A Stingray (HS) takes a little more work, but can sound like anything.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Stingray. The necks feels so good and the tone is unbelievable. It's just so much easier to get lost in the groove with a P-Bass. Of course JMHO, YMMV, etc

 

[neo 7]

By the way, here's the bass I'm playing most of the time now. It's the same P-Bass that I showed earlier in this thread with some mods. The neck is from a Classic 50's Precision, and it's got a Badass bridge, and DiMarzio Model P's. CTS pots and Switch craft Jack too. This has become one of the best Fenders I have owned, rivaling my Mustang. A pretty cool bass, but still feels cheap after playing the Music Man.

 

[JimmyM]

You're right, but youd be surprised how much a neck pickup on s stingray sounds like a p bass. Obviously not the same thing though.

That's probably true. But honestly, though, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that Stingrays have a 2-pickup option now.

 

[Luckydog]

That's probably true. But honestly, though, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that Stingrays have a 2-pickup option now.

Gotta agree. To me, the prototypical stingray is natural with a white or black round pickguard, and one pickup down near the bridge.

 

[neo 7]

 

[R&B]

View attachment 791845

Love it. The black guard and bass-side thumbrest give it a nice '70s vibe.

 

[neo 7]

Love it. The black guard and bass-side thumbrest give it a nice '70s vibe.

Thanks. I've had this bass a week now. Still in the honeymoon stage, and I don't wanna call it a forever bass just yet, but it has potential.

This bass doesn't feel cheap after playing the Stingray. It feels solid, yet unrefined. A diamond in the rough. And therefore not worthy of the uber carefulness I gave the stingray.

This whole experience had changed my approach on tone. Pre-Stingray I was all thumpy P-Bass, now I'm all aggressive P-Bass.

 

[Tommy33]

I have both p bass which is a lakland is my go to bass for most gigs music man is a close second

 

[distortion81]

if you play a balance of slap and finger/pick style, go for stingray. If you play finger/pick most of time, but slap 5% of your time, the P is the one.

An ideal scenario will be 2 bass, Precision and a Jazz bass.

 

[Planespotter]

I have a couple of Ps and a Stingray. If I could only have one it'd be my maple board P, but I do love my Stingray too.

 

[Norwegian Bass]

P

 

[steveinohio]

Stingray. Far and away.