EBMM StingRay Special Club

[libanass]

The Charcoal Sparkle for sure. However I like the roasted necks with the maple board, they really show off the roasting more. I also would have preferred the chrome hardware vs the black on both of mine.

Then I guess you'll end up with a 3rd Natural one before you sell it back?

I too like the natural, but the roasted neck is nearly brown, I was not sure how it would look with an ash body in natural finish, but of course, there are other options than natural

As for the black hardware, I like them on the Sparkle, and the other ones with ebony fretboards too, they give them a real modern look

 

[drTSTingray]

If you go for the HH variant you get the choice of either or both humbuckers but also completely noiseless single coil variants.

I'd recommend the aqua sparkle - still loving mine!!

 

[libanass]

Usually single coils get quiet enough when worked in parallel, and EMGs are extremely quiet even in singles, with the tone rolled down to 0 on a Mike Pope preamp, they can still sound amazing

Also not sure that HH can obtain a 100% StingRay H defined tone with the bridge HB pickup alone selected.. Maybe that requires completely removing the neck pickup, or so I've heard. But yes, it is a more versatile instrument than an H.
I actually prefer the HH tone with both HB running in parallel without splitting the coils. Sounds a bit like a Sabre on steroids. But not a fan of the Split H+H, does not really compete with a JB tone.. Maybe has to do with the fact that the bridge pickup is too far from the bridge, and the neck one is too close to the neck..

Only time will tell, if I will buy one again, it will be a sparkle, probably an Aqua like yours, or again a Charcoal.. Depends on what I find

 

[KaseOfBass]

Do you guys actually keep ANY basses long term?
Like I have 6 basses. One I've had for 15 years, one for 11 years, two for 7 years.
Now I've bought and sold alot of others but some just hit the spot and the special is right up there!

I haven't really kept much over the years. My Lakland DJ5 is currently the reigning champion as far as time kept and I've had it right at six years. I tend to only keep stuff I routinely gig and could really be one of those folks that is content with just one bass. In addition to the Special 5H, I have the '88 SR5 that I'd like to keep even if it's not getting played since it's that was the first year of the SR5. I'd really like to keep the 30th Anniversary SR5 because of it being a limited model and I haven't seen any of those as light as the one I have at ~8.75 lbs. That leaves the Special 5H. It's a great bass, love the aqua sparkle, the weight (~8.5 lbs), but the weak/dead spot at the 7th fret on the G string bugs me and, to me, I could always just get another one down the road if I wanted.

Really, I think I tend to go "Seinfeld" on my basses the way he picked apart his romantic interests on the show. I'll find one little thing I don't like and it'll bug me until I just end up selling. I know, I know...

 

[drTSTingray]

Usually single coils get quiet enough when worked in parallel, and EMGs are extremely quiet even in singles, with the tone rolled down to 0 on a Mike Pope preamp, they can still sound amazing

Also not sure that HH can obtain a 100% StingRay H defined tone with the bridge HB pickup alone selected.. Maybe that requires completely removing the neck pickup, or so I've heard. But yes, it is a more versatile instrument than an H.
I actually prefer the HH tone with both HB running in parallel without splitting the coils. Sounds a bit like a Sabre on steroids. But not a fan of the Split H+H, does not really compete with a JB tone.. Maybe has to do with the fact that the bridge pickup is too far from the bridge, and the neck one is too close to the neck..

Only time will tell, if I will buy one again, it will be a sparkle, probably an Aqua like yours, or again a Charcoal.. Depends on what I find

Yeah there are good single coil arrangements about.

One misnomer here is regarding the bridge H on an HH Stingray - it performs, when selected alone, as per an H Stingray. The only real difference is the neck H making the plucking area of a HH slightly less accessible than an H.

I too like both humbuckers together - a great sound and especially the slap sound - I use the outer single coils setting sometimes when I want to change into more of a tone towards the Marcus Miller area. It works pretty well for that sort of thing and avoids having to change basses. I also use the inner settings sometimes and also the bridge H soloed (good on reggae as it stays defined but can be very bassy also).

 

[Stevorebob]

I find the H rings a little more and the HH in comparison sounds ever so slightly compressed. I’ve heard some say the additional magnetic pull of the second pickup affects the string movement. Perhaps. In the mix, however, this difference is lost.

 

[mojomike001]

I find the H rings a little more and the HH in comparison sounds ever so slightly compressed. I’ve heard some say the additional magnetic pull of the second pickup affects the string movement. Perhaps. In the mix, however, this difference is lost.

Keep in mind with the Specials, set those pickups, especially the neck pickup, lower than most other basses. Those big neo poles are very strong and generate much more pull on the strings than conventional magnets. They are also quite hot as far as output, so setting them lower works out well.

 

[libanass]

Keep in mind with the Specials, set those pickups, especially the neck pickup, lower than most other basses. Those big neo poles are very strong and generate much more pull on the strings than conventional magnets. They are also quite hot as far as output, so setting them lower works out well.

Ah, that's not what I did, while I only had a bridge pickup

I'm usually more comfortable with the pickup closer to my fingers, creates a good rest, so I keep them rather close on all my basses, and on the StingRay Special, I made it higher as well from when it arrived out of the box

 

[Turbo Sparky]

Hello TBrs.
Hope someone can assist with my predicament:
Buzzing issue with SRS4HH when fretting notes from 12th fret on up, all 4 strings, especially knarley A and D.

Have a '04 Sr4H, and a '14 Sr4HH, without issues whether pick or fingers. Both necks slight-like snails hair-above flat, string height at 12th at 0.060 (StuMac measuring card) all the way across. Basically slammed low action. Sweet. Finger/pick; zero issue(s).

SRS has been set-up as close to identical as possible except to NOT have knarley buzz from 12th fret on up, mostly when picking, action must be at 0.08 (Stu Mac card).
For buzz free finger playing action must be 0.07 or higher.
Going from 0.06 to 0.08 seems, to me, WAY high and IMO should be lower.
SRS has been a closet queen for past 4 months, and decided to start playing her more. Never noticed buzzing before, and when adjusted/set-up again buzz came to light big time.
When buzz came to light, I took her all the way back to zero so to speak; neck set straight/flat, detuned, saddles brought all the way down, etc., and started fresh. Pick-ups are free and clear, and not involved.
All instruments in same room/climate, etc. Properly maintained, loved, groomed etc.
(Yes, I have reviewed my playing technique etc., but buzz occurs even when tuning/intonating)
She is in tune and intonated properly and has zero issues from 1st to 11th, but starts clanking/buzzing/rasping from 12th on up when lower than 0.08
When she was set at 0.60, buzz/knarley rasping began at about 4th fret on A and D strings primarily, and at/about 6/7 on G, I forget on the E.

Any thoughts?
Thanks.

All 3 instruments use GHS Bass Boomers, .45-.105.

 

[libanass]

I had more significant fret buzz above the 12th fret on mine as well, but after a slight neck adjustment, I could keep the action slightly higher from the saddles, and the buzz became constant on the whole neck, depending on how hard you attack
I do not have anything to measure, yet, but I did manage a decent low action on my Special, more than low enough to most

Anyway, if a truss/saddles adjustment does not fix your issues, maybe you can check the fret levels, or even requires a PLEK (if you do that, be careful how it's done, you don't want to end up with flat fret surface that would cause intonation problems and even more buzzing)

 

[pertyman]

Fret buzz!
Well, I took mine to a specialist and he found that these basses have a manufacturing problem. The neck is simply crooked!
If you turn the trusrod it creates a bump in the 4th-5th fret, not in the middle of the neck as it should. Furthermore, from the 12th fret, all the frets are not even and some stand out more than others.
What he did was shaving the frets on my neck to make it more even.
The action now is still not as low as I would like it to be, but reasonable.
This suckes!!!
But, still I like this bass a lot. I hope the "high" action will not break me...

 

[libanass]

Fret buzz!
Well, I took mine to a specialist and he found that these basses have a manufacturing problem. The neck is simply crooked!
If you turn the trusrod it creates a bump in the 4th-5th fret, not in the middle of the neck as it should. Furthermore, from the 12th fret, al the frets are not even and some stand out more than others.
What he did was shaving the frets on my neck to make it more even.
The action now is still not as low as I would like it to be, but reasonable.
This suckes!!!
But, still I like this bass a lot. I hope the "high" action will not break me...

Darn
I may have had an exceptional one then, and starting to feel bad about selling it..

Mine started to compete with my high-end basses in term of low action and playability, I really enjoyed playing it, but the E string somehow bothered me a little with a rather disturbing fret buzz noise on the first frets (what happens when you straighten the neck as much as possible) that reminded me a bit of my 1979 Sabre, which was my main bass for a few years, and my likings towards it gradually decreased towards the years until I started hating it, since I started playing more and different styles of music, the fret buzz and the action could simply no longer cut it

 

[Kilgore777]

Do you guys actually keep ANY basses long term?
Like I have 6 basses. One I've had for 15 years, one for 11 years, two for 7 years.
Now I've bought and sold alot of others but some just hit the spot and the special is right up there!

I had one for over 30 years....

 

[Kilgore777]

Fret buzz!
Well, I took mine to a specialist and he found that these basses have a manufacturing problem. The neck is simply crooked!
If you turn the trusrod it creates a bump in the 4th-5th fret, not in the middle of the neck as it should. Furthermore, from the 12th fret, al the frets are not even and some stand out more than others.
What he did was shaving the frets on my neck to make it more even.
The action now is still not as low as I would like it to be, but reasonable.
This suckes!!!
But, still I like this bass a lot. I hope the "high" action will not break me...

Ugh! I had problems with my neck as well and had to have it shaved (the cost made me not so happy). I too had the action raised to get rid of the fret buzz and it is higher than I would like.

I still love the bass (everything but the neck issues), but I am hoping the neck doesn't continue to be problematic..... I would be truly bummed....

 

[TrentB]

For Sale - Music Man Stingray Special 4H

Thought I would put this here. I’m selling my Black/roasted maple Special 4H, just under 8lbs.

 

[libanass]

I had one for over 30 years....

That makes me as old as the time that bass has been with you

 

[Bevan777]

Fret buzz!
Well, I took mine to a specialist and he found that these basses have a manufacturing problem. The neck is simply crooked!
If you turn the trusrod it creates a bump in the 4th-5th fret, not in the middle of the neck as it should. Furthermore, from the 12th fret, all the frets are not even and some stand out more than others.
What he did was shaving the frets on my neck to make it more even.
The action now is still not as low as I would like it to be, but reasonable.
This suckes!!!
But, still I like this bass a lot. I hope the "high" action will not break me...

I’m interested to hear more about this, I’ve had two specials and one suffered from this massively. Although the store wasn’t willing to admit it. The second one is a great bass but does have a little bit of buzz around that are on the E string, more so than my older stingrays.

 

[libanass]

Wood guys.. can't help a bit of imperfections, and when it's perfect, it can move and get messed up a few months later, that's just a true sad story
They need constant maintenance, more so in places with harsh climates

Especially when Ernie Ball uses only 1 piece maple necks, luckily they are now roasted, so probably a bit sturdier than before..
I did notice my 3 piece maple necks basses last a lot longer than 1 pieces, but even those move..

 

[mouthmw]

Sorry to hear about neck issues you guys have. I don't own a Special, but 2 of my Stingrays have action set at 12th fret - E string 1.5 mm to G string 1.00 mm. No buzzing, just perfect. My older rays also had that low action, so I don't think I'd be willing to compromise there. If neck ain't right, I'd use that warranty.

 

[Burwabit]

New tort guard landed today. Reminds me of my old Stingray Classic a little now. I still like the mint guard too, but it's fun to have options. Roasted neck makes this combo so much better. Which one do y'all like?

Before