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EBMM StingRay Special Club

#2,381
Ebony is the classic (or classical, if you prefer): Hard, greasy, clacky and bright.
Rosewood is the guitar wood: Warm and even. For bass, I feel it can suck out too much tone for me.
Maple is glassy: Transfers what it senses to the body wood.
Pau Ferro has some of the greasy clack of ebony with a bit of warmth. It also has 'growl,' retaining low-mid definition.
FWIW, three out of four of my basses are maple and the forth is ebony.
Hey, one man's opinion. YMMV. That's why they make 'em all. :)
 
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#2,383
bumble yeti said:
Ebony is the classic (or classical, if you prefer): Hard, greasy, clacky and bright.
Rosewood is the guitar wood: Warm and even. For bass, I feel it can suck out too much tone for me.
Maple is glassy: Transfers what it senses to the body wood.
Pau Ferro has some of the greasy clack of ebony with a bit of warmth. It also has 'growl,' retaining low-mid definition.
FWIW, three out of four of my basses are maple and the forth is ebony.
Hey, one man's opinion. YMMV. That's why they make 'em all. :)
Click to expand...
Funny that this was posted, I have been thinking about buying another Stingray Special tonight online, but a fiver.
I just can't make up my mind if I want a maple board or a rosewood board.
My four string I have now is an ebony board.

-ScottM
 
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#2,384
HD007 said:
So did you play it? Or pick it up? Do tell! I’m curious what the painted necks on these feel like. Etc
Click to expand...
I played it a bit the painted neck is a bit sticky and not as nice as the regular roasted finish at least to me. They also had a nice non-special 5HH with a satin white finish, matching headstock and ebony fretboard.
I played the new ibanez SR with the 18mm spacing and Aguilar soapbars and it's really nice too.
 
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#2,385
BassGuyFL said:
I played it a bit the painted neck is a bit sticky and not as nice as the regular roasted finish at least to me. They also had a nice non-special 5HH with a satin white finish, matching headstock and ebony fretboard.
I played the new ibanez SR with the 18mm spacing and Aguilar soapbars and it's really nice too.
Click to expand...
I kinda suspected that about the neck on the Dargie Special . That was one reason my USA SUB didn’t stay with me too long.
 
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#2,387
Mines going back to the shop. Terrible buzzing up and down the low E no matter how I set it up. I have it higher and more bowed than I would ever consider, and it’s still noisy as hall, same as when I had it set up almost straight and low, and everything in between.
 
#2,388
keto said:
Mines going back to the shop. Terrible buzzing up and down the low E no matter how I set it up. I have it higher and more bowed than I would ever consider, and it’s still noisy as hall, same as when I had it set up almost straight and low, and everything in between.
Click to expand...
Man, that sucks. So sorry to hear that you have been having so much trouble with it.
Have you thought to reach out to Ernie Ball about it? This will be the second time in the shop right?

-ScottM
 
#2,390
keto said:
Mines going back to the shop. Terrible buzzing up and down the low E no matter how I set it up. I have it higher and more bowed than I would ever consider, and it’s still noisy as hall, same as when I had it set up almost straight and low, and everything in between.
Click to expand...
Also, I hope you have better service than I did, the store I got mine from refused to accept there was a fault. And charged me a restocking fee to get a replacement. I saw the one I returned back on display when I picked up the new one. I feel sorry for whoever buys that one.
 
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#2,391
I played a gig yesterday afternoon at a Blues Festival and had originally intended to take my Classic Stingray or Old Smoothie - it's the closest I get to a Fender J or P.

I didn't - I changed my mind and took my SR5HH Special - sporting it's new black pg. And it did not fail to impress - through my Markbass rig it produced very supportive bass sound but remained very focussed. It was particularly impressive on a James Brown feel Louie Jordan instrumental featuring the sax player. So much so I had quite a few people come and speak to me afterwards about it - not only does it look fantastic it sounds it as well.

At the end of the encore we played two or three verses of Good Times, the singer doing the Sugar Hill Gang lyrics - but the bass sound was totally authentic to the original - it helps that the guitarist can do the exact Nile Rodgers part as well.

Great fun and I'm glad I risked the SR5HHS!!

The fretboard is ebony - can be very aggressive with slap but also very mellow and warm if you want.
 
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#2,392
drTSTingray said:
I played a gig yesterday afternoon at a Blues Festival and had originally intended to take my Classic Stingray or Old Smoothie - it's the closest I get to a Fender J or P.

I didn't - I changed my mind and took my SR5HH Special - sporting it's new black pg. And it did not fail to impress - through my Markbass rig it produced very supportive bass sound but remained very focussed. It was particularly impressive on a James Brown feel Ronnie Jordan instrumental featuring the sax player. So much so I had quite a few people come and speak to me afterwards about it - not only does it look fantastic it sounds it as well.

At the end of the encore we played two or three verses of Good Times, the singer doing the Sugar Hill Gang lyrics - but the bass sound was totally authentic to the original - it helps that the guitarist can do the exact Nile Rodgers part as well.

Great fun and I'm glad I risked the SR5HHS!!

The fretboard is ebony - can be very aggressive with slap but also very mellow and warm if you want.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you made the right choice and a Good Time was had by all. ;)
That bass with the black pgdrool.
Remind me again, what strings are you using ?
 
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#2,393
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
Sounds like you made the right choice and a Good Time was had by all. ;)
That bass with the black pgdrool.
Remind me again, what strings are you using ?
Click to expand...

Haha - definitely a good time!! The band was really on it as well. It does look excellent in that combination - I'll keep an eye on the Internet as there was a pro photographer so there may be some pictures posted!

Both Specials still have the strings they came with - which are EB slinky. On my other SR5 I have 125-40 EB Slinkies and that sounds great (it's a ceramic pick up version) - a bit more modern 80s sounding.

All of my Musicman basses have EB strings except the Classic Ray (with TI Jazz flats). I've tried loads of types and have basically returned to the originals.

The original pre EB basses shipped with GHS strings (flats till early 78) - if you really want to get to Bernard Edwards authentic - however you have to play exactly like him as well!!
 
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#2,395
drTSTingray said:
Haha - definitely a good time!! The band was really on it as well. It does look excellent in that combination - I'll keep an eye on the Internet as there was a pro photographer so there may be some pictures posted!

Both Specials still have the strings they came with - which are EB slinky. On my other SR5 I have 125-40 EB Slinkies and that sounds great (it's a ceramic pick up version) - a bit more modern 80s sounding.

All of my Musicman basses have EB strings except the Classic Ray (with TI Jazz flats). I've tried loads of types and have basically returned to the originals.

The original pre EB basses shipped with GHS strings (flats till early 78) - if you really want to get to Bernard Edwards authentic - however you have to play exactly like him as well!!
Click to expand...
One last inquiry . Do you remember what gear you were in on that James Brown type tune? Where you in Pbass or J bass territory?
 
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#2,397
drTSTingray said:
I played a gig yesterday afternoon at a Blues Festival and had originally intended to take my Classic Stingray or Old Smoothie - it's the closest I get to a Fender J or P.

I didn't - I changed my mind and took my SR5HH Special - sporting it's new black pg. And it did not fail to impress - through my Markbass rig it produced very supportive bass sound but remained very focussed. It was particularly impressive on a James Brown feel Ronnie Jordan instrumental featuring the sax player. So much so I had quite a few people come and speak to me afterwards about it - not only does it look fantastic it sounds it as well.

At the end of the encore we played two or three verses of Good Times, the singer doing the Sugar Hill Gang lyrics - but the bass sound was totally authentic to the original - it helps that the guitarist can do the exact Nile Rodgers part as well.

Great fun and I'm glad I risked the SR5HHS!!

The fretboard is ebony - can be very aggressive with slap but also very mellow and warm if you want.
Click to expand...

I use Markbass with my Special too. I have the CMD 121P and NY121. What are you using?
 
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#2,398
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