EBMM StingRay Special Club

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Gig Demo REPORT! I just got back from my band gig/demo with the Cruz Teal 5H Stingray Special.
A few comments first.

(Short version: Wow!!)

Longer version:

1. The Cruz Teal color is growing on me. It is bright and a bold. (in terms of visual aesthetic) I think it would look better with a black pick guard to match the black hardware. A friend and band patron said it reminded her of an old T-Bird. (that was kinda cool)

2. THIS specific 5H Special weighs, .... only 8.3lbs!!!!! My shop weighed it for me. This is another reason I wanted to demo "this one". It is super comfy and I've done a ton of business at this shop. (Hence the opportunity to do the Out-of-store demo)

3. The band plays a variety of material ranging from Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Police, U2, Incubus, Shawn Mendez, Kings of Leon, Ed Sheehan, Prince, funk, reggae and classic rock.

4. The neck profile most definitely works GREAT for me. It has the tightest string spacing and narrowest Nut width than what I am used to. The comfort of the satin neck finish is unparalleled. I love the slab Ebony Fingerboard. Feels great and looks rich. The neck needs to be adjusted slightly, but it still plays like butter. I was able to play with more finesse than usual. Nuances from my left hand fretting and bending were translated to the amp nicely. Very responsive! Great feeling neck.

5. The light weight cannot be dismissed. No Neck dive. Just super comfy on a strap. I love the slim body and the sculpting. it hangs on a strap in an ideal position for me.

5. The tone controls are super intuitive and easy to dial what I wanted up or down. Growl? Get outta town! Wow. While its not a Jazz bass, it has tons of what I call "Jaco-burpy-growl". It really CUTS in the mix and has a nice rich punchy presentation without being overly boomy.

6. I wound up playing the selector switch in the most forward position most of the gig (the switch pointed toward the neck) I tried a bit in the middle (2) position? That worked nice too, but we were louder than usual tonight and the (3) position was punchier.

7. My band mates loved it and said I was playing as if I was 'inspired!'

8. I had an Amp challenge that was my fault. I was using a mismatched bass rig. I picked up a Fender Rumble 500 (2x10) combo this week for small quiet gigs with a grab n go 2x10 combo would be cool. I stacked it on top of a Baer ML112 12" Cab. I normally stack a MarkBass CMD121p Combo (LMIII head) but I wanted to try pairing a 2x10 combo on top of the Baer ML112 to get the quickness and punch of 2x10's. Well, it just can't hold up to the punch this bass, Preamp and B String put out. It was OK and tolerable. But I was not happy with the bass rig. But it was the ideal venue to try that rig, so I went for it. (Not knowing I would also be demo'ing this SR 5H Special.

8a. I have a GK MB Fusion 800 and Bergantino CN212. I'll try that rig at a show on Sunday (St. Patty's day)
8b. My Markbass LMIII (CMD121p combo/Baer ML112) mix/match rig actually is very solid and punchy. So I will make sure to test the SR 5H special with those.

Caveats aside; I LOVED the SR 5H Special. LOVED IT!!! I have two more gigs this weekend and I'm sure my local shop will be OK with me using it for the weekend.

The likelihood of me buying THIS bass (8.3 lb 5 string classic monster)???? = VERY PROBABLE!!

I played my Nordy VJ5 on one song near the end of the show and it sounds great. It is a KILLER bass. But it sounded like a jazz and after playing the SR 5H Special all night, my Nordy sounded a little 'scooped'. (Alder/RW/Big Singles) Go figure. It is NOT a scooped sounding bass. That just speaks to how well the SR 5H Cuts in the mix ...with growl and tone.

Nice gig report. I didn’t like my Special paired with my Fender Rumble. It really came to life with my GK Neo . I also enjoy playing them in GC through Markbass rig. Those will be better matches for how these basses are voiced.

Sounds like you might have found your next bass purchase. If so, yes a black pick guard would be a great change to make . I suggested it to @drTSTingray and sent mine to him.
The Cruz teal is a beautiful finish . It pops but it isn’t too gaudy.

 

[GRoberts]

Nice gig report. I didn’t like my Special paired with my Fender Rumble. It really came to life with my GK Neo . I also enjoy playing them in GC through Markbass rig. Those will be better matches for how these basses are voiced.

Sounds like you might have found your next bass purchase. If so, yes a black pick guard would be a great change to make . I suggested it to @drTSTingray and sent mine to him.
The Cruz teal is a beautiful finish . It pops but it isn’t too gaudy.

The Fender Rumble 500 (2x10) was a guitar center purchase I made last week as an experiment. It's ok within a certain volume threshold but does not handle the low B string and it doesn't hold up when I needed more punch with a bit of boost on the SR 5H Bass EQ. So the Amp experiment is over. Doesn't work for my needs.

This SR 5H Special is just too good to let go. Period. 8.3 lbs? That is crazy comfy! It plays like butter and sounds classic and works great in the band. I think it might be the gateway drug to an Ash/Maple SR5 HH. Then I'll truly have it all. (Although I fully believe this could be the 'one' that gets the nod for every gig.) I do not normally bring two basses. I like to dial-in and play one bass all night. Forget about the gear and focus on the music.

 

[CElton]

The Fender Rumble 500 (2x10) was a guitar center purchase I made last week as an experiment. It's ok within a certain volume threshold but does not handle the low B string and it doesn't hold up when I needed more punch with a bit of boost on the SR 5H Bass EQ. So the Amp experiment is over. Doesn't work for my needs.

This SR 5H Special is just too good to let go. Period. 8.3 lbs? That is crazy comfy! It plays like butter and sounds classic and works great in the band. I think it might be the gateway drug to an Ash/Maple SR5 HH. Then I'll truly have it all. (Although I fully believe this could be the 'one' that gets the nod for every gig.) I do not normally bring two basses. I like to dial-in and play one bass all night. Forget about the gear and focus on the music.

I picked up a Rumble 500 Combo for the exact same reason you did. Gigged it once and couldn’t flip it fast enough. My Baer 112 paired with the GK MBF800 or Mesa D800+ sounds so much better and punchier that it’s worth any hassle the combo was solving.

I usually start my SR5H in parallel, but if/when the proliferation of guitar noise starts, I flip to series to take back charge of the groove.

 

[bdplaid]

picked up a Rumble 500 Combo for the exact same reason you did. Gigged it once and couldn’t flip it fast enough

I had exactly the opposite experience. Loved mine, and playing 5-string through it. It was punchy and a lot louder than the wattage would indicate. I only sold it because I stopped using a combo. I still think it's one of the best combos out there.

 

[detracti]

I got, a Fender 100 combo to replace my dead Ampeg B-50R for living room practice. Couldn't be happier with it for that purpose.

But I can assure you, if I ever find my way onto a stage again, its Mesa all the way, and I know it'll deliver.

 

[bdplaid]

I ever find my way onto a stage again, its Mesa all the way,

That was the direction I went. The Subway line is exceptional. Two Subway 15s or their new 215 driven by any of the Subway heads or a Quilter BB800 is unreal!

 

[TrentB]

That was the direction I went. The Subway line is exceptional. Two Subway 15s or their new 215 driven by any of the Subway heads or a Quilter BB800 is unreal!

Yes, my SRS 4H is glorious through my new Mesa 2x15!

 

[Killens84]

I’m working on trying different strings on my 5H Special, to find the perfect pairing. I started with GHS Bass Boomers, which paired pretty well. Then I tried DR Hi-Beams and D’Addario XL, neither of which I liked on the bass. I have a set of GHS Nickel Balanced coming that I’ll try next. I’ll probably try Dunlop Super Brights and DR Nickel Lo-Riders in the near future as well.

Update: The GHS Nickel Balanced strings are a home run with the Stingray Special. I put on the 5M-NB set, and it’s like they were made for this bass. I very well may end my search for the ideal strings for my SR5 Special, because I believe I’ve found them. Everything about them compliments the inherent tone qualities of this bass.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Update: The GHS Nickel Balanced strings are a home run with the Stingray Special. I put on the 5M-NB set, and it’s like they were made for this bass. I very well may end my search for the ideal strings for my SR5 Special, because I believe I’ve found them. Everything about them compliments the inherent tone qualities of this bass.

I’m on Boomers now and I’m really digging them. How would you compare the balanced nickels to the bass boomers?

 

[Killens84]

I’m on Boomers now and I’m really digging them. How would you compare the balanced nickels to the bass boomers?

The balanced nickels are warmer and darker sounding, with a little softer output.

 

[Taustin Powers]

You guys are the worst influence...

Trigger pulled! 4H Aqua Sparkle. As far as I can tell, the only Aqua Sparkle available in Germany right now!

Guess I never reported back on that. Received the bass in early January. Love the look, feel and sound of it.

It also made me realize that all my basses so far have two pickups, and that my right hand is heavily reliant on having the neck pick up to rest my thumb! I tried to adjust my playing, but in the end, I ordered this Zero-Mod thumbrest. Could not be happier with it, it's super comfy to play now, and installing it took a whopping two minutes.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Guess I never reported back on that. Received the bass in early January. Love the look, feel and sound of it.

It also made me realize that all my basses so far have two pickups, and that my right hand is heavily reliant on having the neck pick up to rest my thumb! I tried to adjust my playing, but in the end, I ordered this Zero-Mod thumbrest. Could not be happier with it, it's super comfy to play now, and installing it took a whopping two minutes.

Thank you for not drilling holes in your bass!

 

[Stranger Danger]

The balanced nickels are warmer and darker sounding, with a little softer output.

That probably wouldn't work for me. Thank you though! That saves me some money.

 

[GRoberts]

Report: Three gigs in with the Stingray 5H Special (Cruz Teal/Ebony FB).

This weekend afforded me with three opportunities to demo the StingRay 5H Special.

1. My first show was a super fun 4 piece band gig at a familiar venue with great acoustics. (We do Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendez, Prince, and more) I was, however, experimenting with an amp that was inadequate for my needs (Fender Rumble 500 2x10). I paired it with a Baer ML112, but the 2x10's did not support the punch the B string and EQ that the SR 5H is capable of. I still knew the difference. The bass plays effortlessly and notes sustain and vibrate with incredible growl and resonance. (Note: I returned the amp. Nuff of that)

2. Duo Gig in an intimate restaurant / bar setting. I used a Markbass CMD121p combo which is more than enough amp for these gigs with an acoustic guitar/singer. A bass player attended and said he was enjoying the SR 5H. He said it can achieve an almost 'fretless' sound. I get it. Again, the bass plays so nicely. I really enjoyed it. But since I am getting familiar with Stingrays in general, I was experimenting with the 3 switch positions. I gravitated toward the series position. (Switch forward toward the neck) But the EQ is so powerful, I need to try the parallel position (All the way back toward the bridge) and then use the EQ to shape the sound. I LOVE the EQ. It is very effective and well voice. All ranges are musical.

3. We did a BIG St. Paddy's Day show with FOH support and a massive stage. I brought my best bass rig and it never fails to disappoint: GK MB Fusion 800 with Bergantino CN212. It handles the B String like Thor's Hammer! Articulate, punchy, clear. Amazing Rig and what a GREAT match for the SR 5H special. The FOH sound guy was waxing poetic about how the bass carves a great punchy sound with a midrange that cuts perfectly in the mix. On stage. I was thrilled and my bandmates LOVE the bass!! (Granted, it is Cruz Teal and it was St.Paddy's Day) LOL

Notes:
A.) A few times I accidentally popped the G string off the edge of the fingerboard. I had read about this and sure enough, it happened. That never happens on my Nordstrand Nordy, so I need to pay attention on this bass. Once that happened, I became more mindful of it and I was good the rest of the gig.

B.) The switch positions offer a much wider range of tonal palette than I imagined. I am very impressed at the multitude of sounds a single PU bass is capable of. I need to spend more time with the Parallel switch more and use more of the 3 band EQ to see how I can shape the tone. I simply found a useable sweet spot with the series position, so I stuck with that. The Middle switch position still warrants further exploration but it wasn't quite as rewarding with the EQ set flat, or relatively flat.

C. I am super impressed by the sustain of each note. I can feel all notes vibrating and sustaining through the fingerboard as if this is an old, well broken-in, super resonant 50-year old bass. I am also impressed at how much body, weight, and texture each note offers string-to-string up and down the fingerboard.

D: This bass weighs no more than 8.5lbs. My shop weighed it at 8.3lbs. It is amazing and very user-friendly.

E. No way this bass is going back!!! I am eternally grateful for my long-standing relationship with my local shop (30 years) who allowed me to demo it over a few shows.

 

[GRoberts]

Can anyone give me an idea of what sort of discount or best price I can get for the SR 5H Special?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Can anyone give me an idea of what sort of discount or best price I can get for the SR 5H Special?

To be honest , unless someone has caught one of those 15% GC coupons or bought used , I have not heard of many discounts . A lot of folks are buying over time with 0 interest .

 

[Stranger Danger]

Report: Three gigs in with the Stingray 5H Special (Cruz Teal/Ebony FB).

This weekend afforded me with three opportunities to demo the StingRay 5H Special.

1. My first show was very compelling and fun 4 piece band gig. (We do Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendez, Prince, and more) I was, however, experimenting with an amp that was inadequate for my needs (Fender Rumble 500 2x10). I paired it with a Baer ML112, but the 2x10's did not support the punch the B string and EQ that the SR 5H is capable of. I still knew the difference. The bass plays effortlessly and notes sustain and vibrate with incredible growl and resonance. (Note: I returned the amp. Nuff of that)

2. Duo Gig, intimate restaurant / bar venue. Used Markbass CMD121p combo which is more than enough amp for these gigs with an acoustic guitar/singer. A bass player attended and said he was enjoying the SR 5H. He said it can achieve an almost 'fretless' sound. I get it. Again, the bass plays so nicely. I really enjoyed it. But since I am getting familiar with Stingrays in general, I was experimenting with the 3 switch positions. I gravitated toward the series position. (Switch forward toward the neck) But the EQ is so powerful, I need to try the parallel position (All the way back toward the bridge) and then use the EQ to shape the sound. I LOVE the EQ. It is very effective and well voice. All ranges are musical.

3. BIG St. Paddy's Day show with FOH support and massive stage. I brought my best bass rig and it never fails to disappoint: GK MB Fusion 800 with Bergantino CN212. It handles the B String like Thor's Hammer! Articulate, punchy, clear. Amazing Rig and what a GREAT match for the SR 5H special. The FOH sound guy was waxing poetic about how the bass carves a great punchy sound with a midrange that cuts perfectly in the mix. On stage. I was thrilled and my bandmates LOVE the bass!! (Granted, it is Cruz Teal and it was St.Paddy's Day) LOL

Notes:
A.) did experience a few times where I popped the G string off the edge of the fingerboard. I had read about this and sure enough, it happened. Once that happened, however, I became more mindful of it and I was good the rest of the gig.

B.) The switch positions offer a much wider range of tonal palette than I imagined. I am very impressed at the multitude of sounds a single PU bass is capable of. I need to spend more time with the Parallel switch more and use more of the 3 band EQ to see how I can shape the tone. I simply found a useable sweet spot with the series position, so I stuck with that. The Middle switch position still warrants further exploration but it wasn't quite as rewarding with the EQ set flat, or relatively flat.

C. I am super impressed by the sustain of each note. I can feel all notes vibrating and sustaining through the fingerboard as if this is an old, well broken-in, super resonant 50-year old bass. I am also impressed at how much body, weight, and texture each note offers string-to-string up and down the fingerboard.

D: This bass weighs no more than 8.5lbs. My shop weighed it at 8.3lbs. It is amazing and very user-friendly.

E. No way this bass is going back!!! I am eternally grateful for my long-standing relationship with my local shop (30 years) who allowed me to demo it over a few shows.

I use the CMD 121p and the NY 121 cab with great results with my SRS

 

[Stranger Danger]

To be honest , unless someone has caught one of those 15% GC coupons or bought used , I have not heard of many discounts . A lot of folks are buying over time with 0 interest .

I got 10% off and 24 months zero interest from GC. I got the 10 just because I asked for it

 

[Corevalay]

Can anyone give me an idea of what sort of discount or best price I can get for the SR 5H Special?

I would just grab a used one. The pricing is usually pretty good and the basses are basically new.

 

[Bass7755]

Report: Three gigs in with the Stingray 5H Special (Cruz Teal/Ebony FB).

This weekend afforded me with three opportunities to demo the StingRay 5H Special.

1. My first show was very compelling and fun 4 piece band gig. (We do Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendez, Prince, and more) I was, however, experimenting with an amp that was inadequate for my needs (Fender Rumble 500 2x10). I paired it with a Baer ML112, but the 2x10's did not support the punch the B string and EQ that the SR 5H is capable of. I still knew the difference. The bass plays effortlessly and notes sustain and vibrate with incredible growl and resonance. (Note: I returned the amp. Nuff of that)

2. Duo Gig, intimate restaurant / bar venue. Used Markbass CMD121p combo which is more than enough amp for these gigs with an acoustic guitar/singer. A bass player attended and said he was enjoying the SR 5H. He said it can achieve an almost 'fretless' sound. I get it. Again, the bass plays so nicely. I really enjoyed it. But since I am getting familiar with Stingrays in general, I was experimenting with the 3 switch positions. I gravitated toward the series position. (Switch forward toward the neck) But the EQ is so powerful, I need to try the parallel position (All the way back toward the bridge) and then use the EQ to shape the sound. I LOVE the EQ. It is very effective and well voice. All ranges are musical.

3. BIG St. Paddy's Day show with FOH support and massive stage. I brought my best bass rig and it never fails to disappoint: GK MB Fusion 800 with Bergantino CN212. It handles the B String like Thor's Hammer! Articulate, punchy, clear. Amazing Rig and what a GREAT match for the SR 5H special. The FOH sound guy was waxing poetic about how the bass carves a great punchy sound with a midrange that cuts perfectly in the mix. On stage. I was thrilled and my bandmates LOVE the bass!! (Granted, it is Cruz Teal and it was St.Paddy's Day) LOL

Notes:
A.) did experience a few times where I popped the G string off the edge of the fingerboard. I had read about this and sure enough, it happened. Once that happened, however, I became more mindful of it and I was good the rest of the gig.

B.) The switch positions offer a much wider range of tonal palette than I imagined. I am very impressed at the multitude of sounds a single PU bass is capable of. I need to spend more time with the Parallel switch more and use more of the 3 band EQ to see how I can shape the tone. I simply found a useable sweet spot with the series position, so I stuck with that. The Middle switch position still warrants further exploration but it wasn't quite as rewarding with the EQ set flat, or relatively flat.

C. I am super impressed by the sustain of each note. I can feel all notes vibrating and sustaining through the fingerboard as if this is an old, well broken-in, super resonant 50-year old bass. I am also impressed at how much body, weight, and texture each note offers string-to-string up and down the fingerboard.

D: This bass weighs no more than 8.5lbs. My shop weighed it at 8.3lbs. It is amazing and very user-friendly.

E. No way this bass is going back!!! I am eternally grateful for my long-standing relationship with my local shop (30 years) who allowed me to demo it over a few shows.

Gary, you have always gave very good and indepth reviews. But it's been awhile. I 'm loving my SR5S also!! Hope you are well!
Dan