EBMM StingRay Special Club

[drTSTingray]

Well that’s it... my Special is now my only bass (I couldn’t count my Steinberger Spirit as it’s for work related hotel use only, at home it doesn’t ever get played...never!).

So, no P bass, no more J’s, no more Old Smoothie.... just a stunning HH Special. Life issues have forced this, but how can I justify another bass in the future when these HH’s can do so much?

Point is - in 27 years of playing I’ve never owned a single bass that I’d be satisfied to have as my sole Bass, until now

You sold the Smoothie then

 

[mouthmw]

What position sounds best with a pick?

To me, the first position sounds the best. I liked 2 as well.

 

[raphaeld]

What position sounds best with a pick?

Fantastic as usual!!
as we say here, Pagaz Ah'i ("Bombastic, Bro')!!

 

[bumble yeti]

Point is - in 27 years of playing I’ve never owned a single bass that I’d be satisfied to have as my sole Bass, until now

In other words, you found your soul bass.

 

[Chiliwailer]

You sold the Smoothie then

I did indeed
It sold on BC yesterday, my wife really needs the money so it had to be done.
Hey ho, I still have an absolutely killer Special and I'm secretly getting off on only have one killer bass

 

[Chiliwailer]

In other words, you found your soul bass.

Yeah, i think you may be right
I always thought my soul bass was a pre '66 P Bass as I've had quite a few - but the Special HH is the only one that does it all and doesn't leave me feeling like there is something missing

 

[KaseOfBass]

What position sounds best with a pick?

I liked position 1 the best, followed by 2, 4, 5, and 3.

For me, I want to love position 3 so much, it sounds so good alone - deep, rich, thick - but without EQ (or with EQ the same as other positions), it can disappear. Live, I normally add quite a bit of mids to position 3 to pull it back out of super scooped land. I think the video demonstrated that and what I've ran into playing the 5HH (I only listened on iPhone ear buds).

For the other positions, I think the 5HH does a great job of getting close to other types of bass tones like P and J. I've always thought that position 5 got close to a P tone (others seem to like position 4 for that) and thought your video demonstrated how well that tone can fit.

For position 2, I think you're in jazz territory, but I like what an actual J bass does so much better than position 2. I've been playing my Lakland DJ5 jazz a lot more while demoing the 5HH and it got me to remember how much I really like a good jazz bass tone (so much so that I think the DJ5 is getting thrown back into the gig rotation rather than taking two SR5s like I normally do).

Your bass sounds and looks great though and ultimately, it comes down to whatever you like and gets the job done for you. Great vid, thanks for sharing!

 

[pertyman]

I liked position 1 the best, followed by 2, 4, 5, and 3.

For me, I want to love position 3 so much, it sounds so good alone - deep, rich, thick - but without EQ (or with EQ the same as other positions), it can disappear. Live, I normally add quite a bit of mids to position 3 to pull it back out of super scooped land. I think the video demonstrated that and what I've ran into playing the 5HH (I only listened on iPhone ear buds).

For the other positions, I think the 5HH does a great job of getting close to other types of bass tones like P and J. I've always thought that position 5 got close to a P tone (others seem to like position 4 for that) and thought your video demonstrated how well that tone can fit.

For position 2, I think you're in jazz territory, but I like what an actual J bass does so much better than position 2. I've been playing my Lakland DJ5 jazz a lot more while demoing the 5HH and it got me to remember how much I really like a good jazz bass tone (so much so that I think the DJ5 is getting thrown back into the gig rotation rather than taking two SR5s like I normally do).

Your bass sounds and looks great though and ultimately, it comes down to whatever you like and gets the job done for you. Great vid, thanks for sharing!

Thanks.
By the way, I like position 4 best, then 1,3,5,2 by this order..

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

What position sounds best with a pick?

Great playing. This bass sounds great for that style of playing /music.
1, 2, & 5 were the standouts.

 

[Rlbragg15]

What position sounds best with a pick?

I like 4 the best, as it's (to my ears) closest to the sound of the bass in the track. I think I like 1 best after that because it fits in on the lower register, but gives you a little bite on top. Not a huge fan of 2, 3, or 5 in this context. Regardless, excellent playing and always enjoy your videos.

Luke

 

[Treeman]

Needed to stop by and write a quick love-note for my SRS 4H.

Played my first gig with the 'Ray in a while on Friday. Sort of a funky blues trio format at a dive bar. Decided at the last minute to swap over to EB Group II flats, and brought along a piece of foam to tuck in by the bridge for some of the more motown stuff we were doing. Man. I love that bass. Previously fallen accursed to constant knob-tweaking, I found that I did not need to touch a single knob all night. My usual Treb and Mid at detente and bass just a bump higher, anything I needed I could get by adjusting my right hand. That thing is so responsive. Right over the pickup for funkier, snappy lines, and right near the neck for the thumpy fatness.

Group IIs were solid, too. Such perfect tension. They're plenty brighter than the old La Bellas on my P-Bass, so the foam came in handy. Was able to get that McCartney Hofner fast-decay for Come Together that way.

Other stars of the night were of course the 'Ray's light weight and that fine, fine roasted maple neck.

Carry on!

 

[Bassic Needs]

Maybe I missed it in all of the pages of this thread but are BFR versions only available to US customers? Or have to be purchased from a US store? I think a BFR Stingray Special would be great to have but I live in Canada.

 

[Fro68]

There’s a BFR Stingray Special that wouldn’t mind a trip to Canada

 

[Chiliwailer]

Maybe I missed it in all of the pages of this thread but are BFR versions only available to US customers? Or have to be purchased from a US store? I think a BFR Stingray Special would be great to have but I live in Canada.

Speak to your local, or a Canadian, MM dealer about ordering one in for you

 

[Bassic Needs]

Speak to your local, or a Canadian, MM dealer about ordering one in for you

I'm going to do that today.

Hopefully it can be done. If not, the available colors for the Specials are still pretty nice.

 

[libanass]

Just saw the BFR StingRay, luckily, it's a rosewood fretboard (which is tonally awesome too), but if it was black ebony, I would be drooling all over one

 

[Kevin Wolfe]

View attachment 3466972 Argh! I dropped my SRS4H at a Fourth of July gig. I set it on the back of a chair to sell a CD and then it promptly slid off and landed on my pedalboard. Doesn’t really affect the playability but I confess I’m annoyed. The fretboard had a ding in it too but I was able to swell it out with a wet rag and a hot iron. Didn’t work as well on the edge of the neck though. Being human can suck sometimes.

Since it’s an oil based finish, that dent can be steamed out like one would steam a gun stock.
Just lay a damp towel on it and iron it with a clothes iron. Just a little at a time.
You should be able to find info on YouTube if you search “raising a dent”.

No charge.

 

[basschips]

Since it’s an oil based finish, that dent can be steamed out like one would steam a gun stock.
Just lay a damp towel on it and iron it with a clothes iron. Just a little at a time.
You should be able to find info on YouTube if you search “raising a dent”.

No charge.

Yes, I did try that technique several times but maybe I should try some more. I've played three gigs since the incident and honestly I cannot feel it at all while I'm playing... thankfully! Being it's on the underside of the fretboard, unless you know, you can't see it. But, if I get inspired I may work on it some more. Thanks for the tip with no charge.

 

[Kevin Wolfe]

Yes, I did try that technique several times but maybe I should try some more. I've played three gigs since the incident and honestly I cannot feel it at all while I'm playing... thankfully! Being it's on the underside of the fretboard, unless you know, you can't see it. But, if I get inspired I may work on it some more. Thanks for the tip with no charge.

You know, now that you mentioned it, being “fire roasted” may hinder the dent raising technique.
I feel for ya” though. Many years ago I had a Ric 4001 laying in an open case and someone knocked over a cymbal stand and it hit the edge of the fretboard, right on the binding. I almost cried.

 

[libanass]

I only dropped one bass once, and it was my most expensive one

It sucks, I still can't get over the pain, even though the bass is no longer with me