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Do the 5 string Stingrays have the G problem?

#2
I own 4 4 string Stingrays, 2 fives and a Bongo and have never experienced this "problem" that gets talked about on any of my basses. My G sting on all of these bases is well balanced and just as loud and prominent as the other strings.
 
#4
Crabby said:
I own 4 4 string Stingrays, 2 fives and a Bongo and have never experienced this "problem" that gets talked about on any of my basses. My G sting on all of these bases is well balanced and just as loud and prominent as the other strings.
Click to expand...

Given your experience with Stingrays, do you know of any Stingray-specific settings, techniques, etc. that affect the balance of volume between strings for better or worse?
 
#5
I've owned about six or seven Rays. Even before TB I noticed the low output of the g string and I thought it was a problem with all Rays. Then I got on TB and noticed that the opinion was split between whether or not they had any issues. I thought the people who said they had no issue were crazy until I bought my most recent Ray which didn't have an issue with its g. That said, I recently changed string brands and that Ray suddenly developed output issues with its g. I'm beginning to think that strings play a major role in this problem.
 
#9
My first hand experience on weak G strings on Stingrays is as follows:
1978 Pre Ernie Ball Stingray 4, single humbucker, 2 band preamp, round wound strings - no issues
2008 EB Stingray 5, single humbucker, 3 band preamp, round wound DR Black Beauty strings - no issues
2005ish EB SUB5, single humbucker, 2 band preamp, round wound DR Black Beauty strings - no issues
2010 Home built (Warmoth body/neck) P/MM Bartolini pickups, 2 band John East preamp, round wound Optima strings - no issues

Guess I'm just lucky.
 
#11
Yeah so buy one and if it has an issue, be like a lot of people on here and pretend it doesn't.

I had about 7 or 8 Stingrays, and a couple did have the low G, one REALLY badly.

The B00 series one I have a loan of currently certainly doesn't have a weak G.

Its has DR Hi-Beams on it.
 
#12
It isn't a 'weak' G, its classed as a frequency issue, and because I dont see it as an issue, I know its just part of how a Ray is, and has always been. You can raise the G side of the pup...problem solved (if you can hear a problem).

I've never heard the problem, but EBMM have said if you see it as a problem, get a Bongo....! :)
 
#20
JAUQO III-X said:
I have yet to encounter the infamous weak G string issue that has so followed this brand.
Click to expand...

+1, although it does make a bit of sense, and IMO is due to a bit of user error. Especially on the original 'boost only' two band Rays, if you dialed in the bass boost and treble boost a bit too much., you got that scoopy 'deep and clicky' classic Music Man funk tone from the late 70's/80's, and that tone profile differentially sucked the mid presence out of the G string.

You would end up with a boomy and clicky E and A string, and a G string with very little of anything left in it.

Easily fixed with 'correct' EQ (or putting the bass into Series mode).
 

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