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EBMM StingRay Special Club

I’m really enjoying utilizing both pickups on my 5HH. 2nd gear is so sweet with bell like highs in the upper register when playing chords . The sustain is amazing , even with Cobalt Flats.

I’ve heard so many people complain that Stingrays are good for one tone . Not so with these Special HH models. Between the preamp, Neo pickups, and the switching capabilities , there is really no tone that I’m after that I can’t achieve.
Honestly , my other basses aren’t getting played much. I try but they don’t stay in my hands long. I’m always wishing I was playing my Special so back in the cases they go.
I’m about to do a cross country move from California back to Florida after a month stopover in DC. Everything but the Special might be getting sold . Once I get to Florida I'm probably going to pick up another Special 5 and call it done.


The Caprice is great but I’ve always wished it was a 5 string.

Wow, so it’s goodbye to the Caprice? I wasn’t expecting that.
Edit - I just read your last line about it not being a fiver!
 
Wow, so it’s goodbye to the Caprice? I wasn’t expecting that.
Edit - I just read your last line about it not being a fiver!
It was needing that low B that led me to the Stingray5 Special in the first place. Several members of the Caprice Club recommenced I try one once the announcement was made that their would be no 5 string and that the Caprice and Cutlass were being discontinued .
Honestly my infatuation with the Stingray5 Special HH caught me off guard too. I was reluctantly to even try one because I’d never gotten along with prior model Stingrays before. But with the new preamp , body contour , and Neo pickups , this bass just works for me.
The Caprice is a great bass and has no flaws . I just need a 5 for what I do . I’m mostly playing modern urban gospel praise and worship music. Those key changes and low flat keys really need a 5 string.
 
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It was needed that low B that led me to the Stingray5 Special in the first place. Several members of the Caprice Club recommenced I try one once the announcement was made that their would be no 5 string and that the Caprice and Cutlass were being discontinued .
Honestly my infatuation with the Stingray5 Special HH caught me off guard too. I was reluctantly to even try one because I’d never gotten along with prior model Stingrays before. But with the new preamp , body contour , and Neo pickups , this bass just works for me.
The Caprice is a great bass and has no flaws . I just need a 5 for what I do . I’m mostly playing modern urban gospel praise and worship music. Those key changes and low flat keys really need a 5 string.


I’m starting to think I get better “vintage” “passive” tones/vibe out of the special than any other passive bass.
 
I’m starting to think I get better “vintage” “passive” tones/vibe out of the special than any other passive bass.
Exactly. There is more than one way to skin a cat. These Specials can copy cat pretty well. Versatility is sometimes a very good thing .
Looking at the specs it seems like the opposite would be true. More powerful Neo pickups , 18volt preamp, one would think it would sound even more active . But it doesn’t .
Great job EBMM!!:thumbsup:
No passive Caprice 5, no problem.
Stringray5 Special HH is here to save the day.:hyper:
 
Friday night we opened up for the band, Pablo Cruise (remember them?) some of you may not… LOL! We were playing the Asparagus Festival in Stockton, CA. at the San Joaquin County Fair Grounds. So when I got to the stage they showed me my backline which was the Ampeg SVT stack. in 41 years of playing I have never played one and I got to say it’s very impressive. For a moment, only a moment, I considered with the committee in my head about picking up one of these babies (NOT A BABY). Then I thought, back to reality, that my Markbass stuff is where I’m going to focus my attention. I love MB amps. For most gigs, which are clubs, I simply use my Mini CMD 121P with the extension cab the New York 121. I have also used this combination at some festivals and it was completely fine, of course running through the house for support. I also have a Little Mark III that I’ll throw under a cab of my choice when I want to have a bigger sound. Anyway, the Gallien Krueger on the left was Pablo Cruise’s bassist amp. I’m sure it sounded fine for him. I don’t know as we left right after our set. Oh and to stay on topic, I used my SRS4H. The bass just kills! I love it a little more every day. It’s funny, over time as I play it, it feels like it’s teaching me. One thing I’m learning is that the bass with one pickup/eq has a very wide array of tones. It’s me that has to figure out how to get to those tones. Have a great day. We’re playing Earth Day Festival today in Stockton. I’ll be using my SRS with my mini MB combo.View attachment 3386558 View attachment 3386560

I have the same exact MB setup as you and it's perfect. If you liked that Ampeg tone though, it's pretty easy to add a Sansamp BDDI or VTBDI pedal in between the SRS and the MB to get most of the way there.
 
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I have the same exact MB setup as you and it's perfect. If you liked that Ampeg tone though, it's pretty easy to add a Sansamp BDDI or VTBDI pedal in between the SRS and the MB to get most of the way there.
Yes, I forgot to mention my pedal board. I have on it the SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI. The first button is set for more of a Ampeg type tone (it sort of gets me there) 2nd. button is my "funk" button (scooped mids) and then the 3rd. is my overdrive sound (think late 60's early 70's). I'm pretty happy with it overall. I am curious to try the other pedals you mentioned though.
 
Major problem with my 4HH Special: I haven't dinged it yet!

Now, normally my brand new basses, especially black ones, get a major ding the first night I take it onstage. An Ibanez I had got slammed into a micstand so hard it gouged the fingerboard and kinked a string; I had yet to play one note on it in the band yet. My G&L Jazz took a shot to the headstock on firstnight, again, before playing a single note in anger. But the Special (yes, black and shiny), has nothing except a few scratches on the pickguard from slapping.

Having such experiences (including being hit with a full beer can, and also having a bass get electro-shocked so badly it literally welded a tuner to a mic) has made me fairly immune to getting dents and such on any of my basses. However, having none so far... I am wondering if the cosmic forces are building up for a beaut of a slam! I already lost all my equipment once in a club fire, so I wonder what they have cooked up for me...
 
Major problem with my 4HH Special: I haven't dinged it yet!

Now, normally my brand new basses, especially black ones, get a major ding the first night I take it onstage. An Ibanez I had got slammed into a micstand so hard it gouged the fingerboard and kinked a string; I had yet to play one note on it in the band yet. My G&L Jazz took a shot to the headstock on firstnight, again, before playing a single note in anger. But the Special (yes, black and shiny), has nothing except a few scratches on the pickguard from slapping.

Having such experiences (including being hit with a full beer can, and also having a bass get electro-shocked so badly it literally welded a tuner to a mic) has made me fairly immune to getting dents and such on any of my basses. However, having none so far... I am wondering if the cosmic forces are building up for a beaut of a slam! I already lost all my equipment once in a club fire, so I wonder what they have cooked up for me...
Hopefully nothing like this ....
Linkin Park bassist takes Road Worn to Whole New Level
 
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Glamour shot before I change the pickguard next week...

View attachment 3384672
Now with aged pearl pickguard... looks a bit more classy to me.

20190415_155158.jpg

20190415_155220.jpg 20190415_155212.jpg
 
It was needing that low B that led me to the Stingray5 Special in the first place. Several members of the Caprice Club recommenced I try one once the announcement was made that their would be no 5 string and that the Caprice and Cutlass were being discontinued .
Honestly my infatuation with the Stingray5 Special HH caught me off guard too. I was reluctantly to even try one because I’d never gotten along with prior model Stingrays before. But with the new preamp , body contour , and Neo pickups , this bass just works for me.
The Caprice is a great bass and has no flaws . I just need a 5 for what I do . I’m mostly playing modern urban gospel praise and worship music. Those key changes and low flat keys really need a 5 string.

I had no intention of buying any bass, but made the mistake of playing the Special (I usually avoid the bass sections in music stores). Then, I became obsessed and had to get one.....
 
Major problem with my 4HH Special: I haven't dinged it yet!

Now, normally my brand new basses, especially black ones, get a major ding the first night I take it onstage. An Ibanez I had got slammed into a micstand so hard it gouged the fingerboard and kinked a string; I had yet to play one note on it in the band yet. My G&L Jazz took a shot to the headstock on firstnight, again, before playing a single note in anger. But the Special (yes, black and shiny), has nothing except a few scratches on the pickguard from slapping.

Having such experiences (including being hit with a full beer can, and also having a bass get electro-shocked so badly it literally welded a tuner to a mic) has made me fairly immune to getting dents and such on any of my basses. However, having none so far... I am wondering if the cosmic forces are building up for a beaut of a slam! I already lost all my equipment once in a club fire, so I wonder what they have cooked up for me...

Holy moly man! One word for you..... Insurance!


Yikes! That is an abomination!
 
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