Classic Stingray or Warwick For Funk?

[Madwatch]

I like both , but If it were me and I played more slap / pop , I would go with the Stingray.

 

[RCCollins]

A Stingray has a distinctive sound that is really hard for another bass to duplicate. I think warwicks are more flexible though.

 

[Duplo42]

Stuart Zender played Warwick on first two Jamiroquai albums, right? That is one of my favorite bass playing and bass sounding music evar.

 

[air_leech]

Stuart Zender played Warwick on first two Jamiroquai albums, right? That is one of my favorite bass playing and bass sounding music evar.

Stuart used a plethora of basses in the studio during his time with Jamiroquai.

there's a vid of a live performance in Japan (I think) where he plays space cowboy on a black P-Bass and still sounds very much like himself.
same goes for his live playing with Mark Ronson, also sporting a PBass.

 

[BASSATTACK]

In the end, 80% of your tone is in your fingers. That said, that other 20% can be achieved with a good bass. I think either of those choices would be great for what you're trying to accomplish!

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Two different sounds... compare them

Listen some early RHCP, some early Chic and some "brothers johnson"

After that, listen some 311 and some later fishbone...

Early RHCP, flea used a Spector 4-string in the studio. Listen to "Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky" on Mother's Milk...no way in a thousand years can a Stingray sound like that!!
He may have used a Stingray 5 in some over tracking on Blood-Sugar, but used a Wal on all of the main tracks. I don't think he ever used a Stingray as a "main bass"

And I've found that that funk tone has a lot to do with how you play the bass. I can't get my Stingray to sound like Louis Johnson, either....

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

of the three basses the OP listed, I'd take the Stingray.

 

[Lesfunk]

Funk isn't so much a sound. It's a feeling.

 

[CapnSev]

Would you elaborate? Are you talking neck profile, balance, body shape, something else? I'm considering a Corvette Standard 6, among other basses (I've also thought about a Corvette fretless 4), and ergonomics are important to me. I've never played a 'wick, but pickings for 6-strings are slim around here (not intending a derail, here).

FWIW, I'm primarily a Fender (4-string) player, but the few times I've gotten my hands on a Stingray, they've just seemed to slap themselves.

All of the above. The corvette likes to hang parallel to the floor, and the Streamer tends to neck dive some. On top of that the shape of both of them tends to project the neck outward from your body, so I feel like I'm stretching to China with my left hand in first position. They tend to run really heavy too. A Corvette 6 string is a boat anchor.

Ironically, the neck profile doesn't phase me one bit.

 

[jackduran]

Stuart Zender played Warwick on first two Jamiroquai albums, right? That is one of my favorite bass playing and bass sounding music evar.

I read somewhere that most of Jamiroquai's first album is a Stingray. In fact I think Zender said it himself.

 

[Jon Moody]

I had a mid-70s Stingray and just couldn't get into that sound, no matter what I ran it through.

So for me, I'd go the Corvette route. From experience, it seems to be the more versatile of the three. But, like all of them, they're all love 'em or hate 'em.

 

[vin*tone]

Streamer Jazzman is all you need!

 

[vin*tone]

I read somewhere that most of Jamiroquai's first album is a Stingray. In fact I think Zender said it himself.

Really??

He owned a Stingray befrore his Streamer...

I left home properly when I was seventeen. Before I left, my beautiful darling mother gave me two thousand pounds that she had saved. I guess this was to give me a head start with things in life. We were a lower middle class family and 2k was a lot of money at the time. Needless to say, I have never had the best business acumen. Instead of saving the money or investing it in some way, I ran straight out and blew the lot on a Warwick Streamer. I had been playing a Musicman Stingray and the Streamer was the next level, the Rolls Royce of basses so to say. I loved the look and feel. I honestly think it made me a better player and was an integral part in me getting the gig with Jay and Toby. The deal with Sony was not yet on the table and the beautiful sound of my bass on the demo of Too Young To Die defiantly helped secure the signing of Jamiroquai. Lincoln Alias , the A&R man for Sony said, and this was the first thing he said when listening to the song: "Wow, I really like the bass".
I guess to me, Warwick have always been the Rolls Royce of basses..... etc...

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I'd be very surprised if he turned around and recorded with a Ray.

 

[CapnSev]

I read somewhere that most of Jamiroquai's first album is a Stingray. In fact I think Zender said it himself.

I'm not too sure about that one. Those songs sound an awful lot like a 2 pickup bass, either a jazz or pj setup. In fact, I hear zero stingray in any of those tunes. I don't think I've ever seen him with a Stingray (which is too bad really).

 

[jackduran]

Really??

He owned a Stingray befrore his Streamer...


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I'd be very surprised if he turned around and recorded with a Ray.

Interesting. I might be wrong then, I just remember reading somewhere that he'd used a Stingray. Saying that, I've only ever seen him recently with his Precision Bass. I'm not sure what he uses for Ronson's new material though, which I guess requires less of a 'vintage'/soul vibe.

 

[Thombo30]

I've owned a Thumb 4 NT and a Streamer Stage I 4 NT. They were both great and the Streamer gives you that growling Stuart Zender sound.

I currently own a Stingray Classic 4 and 5 and love them both.

I find Stingrays a little more comfortable, especially if you're used to playing a Fender style instrument. I prefer the look of the Stingray (especially the Classic colors) and they're typically cheaper and their re-sale value is pretty good should you sell it.

So many of my bass playing heroes have been Stingray players (Nathan Watts on "Do I Do", most of Bernie Edward's work as well as Louis Johnson's) that I'd vote for the Stringray. If you do get one, I'd recommend getting a first class set-up done on it, as I've found the factory set-up OK but not great. For slapping I've found the 4 string a little easier as the string spacing is wider.

Having said that, Warwick make great basses and they really cut through well.

 

[Imyrhuckleberry]

Thanks for all the responses and help. I ended up buying a Stingray Classic 4 in mint green. It will be coming Monday December 20th and I'll post pics in the stingray club thread.

 

[dudelove]

For the brand and look I'll take mm, but if i have choose for tone and sound for funk Ill take Warwick streamer, it fell better than corvette, and u held it better. If I'll like to make between mm and Warwick I'll take g&l l2000/2500 for humbucking and jazz sound, but that u can get on warwick too, or try sandberg

 

[BASSATTACK]

I love the mint green rays. Always like the classic look with an aggressive sound

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maple or rosewood?

 

[Bernin]

Rosewood would be a nice light-dark contrast! I don't personally care for the artificial tinted necks on the classics