Dang it....Lobster gave me gas!!!

[Mike Vee]

I feel the same way. Stingrays sound great in a lot of hands! I love John Deacon, Tim Commerford, Flea, Tony Levin, and lots of other players who employ the Stingray.

Every time I play one it just sounds all wrong to me. It's just not my sound. Doesn't stop me from appreciating the players who use one well, I just won't ever be one in all likelihood.

I have a 2006 Stingray. I was all Fender before and at first found the Stingray quite odd. It's very sensitive to the strings used and don't be afraid to pull down that mid! (which is why I prefer the 3 band by a mile). I heard that Tony Levin turns the mid way down and boosts the bass a lot. Also, just don't turn the treble up a lot. Once you get 20% past the detent it get's zingy. The stingray loves to do that typical SR tone, but it can definitely be coerced to many different tones, one of them being more dark and barky with flats. I use TI flats and to about +5% treble, -5% mid, +10% bass. I also have my SVT configured with a particular EQ curve, but it just sounds heavenly.

I can never not reduce the mids on a Ray, just a TAD, otherwise it's a little boxy sounding, at least with TIs.

 

[GPascutti]

how can he live alll the time with that lobster hands......?
and how he does that magic... and then disappear!

 

[dave64o]

It's not his magic that makes his lobster claw disappear. It's the viewer's!

All you have to do is ... hit that Like button and his hand will turn back to normal!

 

[Mike Vee]

It's not his magic that makes his lobster claw disappear. It's the viewer's!

All you have to do is ... hit that Like button and his hand will turn back to normal!

Yes, it's actually a curse.

 

[fretlessman71]

The preamp was available at the time. I actually still have an extra in my stash. I chose it because it's a replica of the original EB circuit, thought it would be fitting.

In regards to your OLP, you could probably do the same if your bass has a battery box for the preamp. I don't see why not. Happy modding!

I'm still confused... is the preamp on a stock Old Smoothie the same as on other EB basses? Or is it specially voiced for the Old Smoothie?

 

[LowEndLobster]

I'm still confused... is the preamp on a stock Old Smoothie the same as on other EB basses? Or is it specially voiced for the Old Smoothie?

The smoothie preamp is the smoothie preamp. I think a replica of the OG EB circuit is probably the next best thing for someone putting something together like this though, hence why I used the Mojotone (when it was still available).

 

[nivagues]

I'm still confused... is the preamp on a stock Old Smoothie the same as on other EB basses? Or is it specially voiced for the Old Smoothie?

The 40th Anniversary Smoothie has a rebuilt preamp with 1976 voicing. It's not the same as the EB 2EQ Basses. The original 1976 preamp circuit was revised 3 times from 1977 to the end of 1978 at which point the last 1978 revision applied to all new Pre-EB Sting Rays. All EB 9 volt 2EQ preamps are also based on the same1978 circuit to current date

Additionally, although the 40th Anni has a pickup with strings positioned between the pole pieces, the pickup is essentially same as all other Pre-EB pickup used during the period 1976 to mid 1977 with one inch long pole pieces. Thereafter, the pole pieces were shortened to 5/8th inch and the coils rewound to a higher impedance than the former.

 

[LowEndLobster]

The 40th Anniversary Smoothie has a rebuilt preamp with 1976 voicing. It's not the same as the EB 2EQ Basses. The original 1976 preamp circuit was revised 3 times from 1977 to the end of 1978 at which point the last 1978 revision applied to all new Pre-EB Sting Rays. All EB 9 volt 2EQ preamps are also based on the same1978 circuit to current date

Additionally, although the 40th Anni has a pickup with strings positioned between the pole pieces, the pickup is essentially same as all other Pre-EB pickup used during the period 1976 to mid 1977 with one inch long pole pieces. Thereafter, the pole pieces were shortened to 5/8th inch and the coils rewound to a higher impedance than the former.

Great info!

 

[fretlessman71]

I'm gonna do it. I have custom passive electronics in my OLP, and they'll do for now. Found a very reasonably priced AG5M in the blassified ads here, so stay tuned...

 

[fretlessman71]

It makes me wonder how well the trick would work on a 5 string MM (or a copy), and using a SIX-string pickup...

 

[Isaac_James]

It makes me wonder how well the trick would work on a 5 string MM (or a copy), and using a SIX-string pickup...

Call it the Venti Smoothie, I guess?

 

[fretlessman71]

Call it the Venti Smoothie, I guess?

I thought "Venti" was twenty... I was thinking "Bold" Smoothie (B for 'bold' and for B-string)...?

 

[Marc DLarosa]

I thought "Venti" was twenty... I was thinking "Bold" Smoothie (B for 'bold' and for B-string)...?

Smooth Booty?

 

[Isaac_James]

I thought "Venti" was twenty... I was thinking "Bold" Smoothie (B for 'bold' and for B-string)...?

It does, but at Starbucks it's also their word for their largest cup size, so it's just an extra large smoothie.

 

[fretlessman71]

Smooth Booty?

Not bad, but a little too "manly man" for me.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Not bad, but a little too "manly man" for me.

Be careful. But, yeah... I suppose.