EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Hypercaffium]

Intonation is now done, but the process was longer than expected. I needed to move all the saddles, wow. I guess that's because flats have different tension and phisical characteristics in general.
Yesterday's setup hold up pretty good, neck relief is good, as well as action and pickup height. It's now ready and I'll be back as soon as I record some clips. I'm loving this odd combo to be honest.

 

[Wood and Wire]

"Everybody Dance" wasn't recorded with a 'Ray. It was a P-Bass. He didn't record with the 'Ray until the subsequent LP (C'est Chic) which was released in '78. The video shown was done after the single was recorded/released.

That would explain why I never liked the sound of a Sting Ray with flats

 

[Wood and Wire]

Bernard never changed the factory strings on his 'Ray.

So goes the legend. But listen to his tone on his final show :



That sounds like a fairly new set of strings to me (you can't attribute that air, and richness to the EQ seen on his Trace Elliot amp. If his stings were the originals, they'd be almost 20 years old - there's no harmonic distortion, like Jamerson had, to achieve richness & clarity in the mix).

 

[Hypercaffium]

I recorded 9 tracks, please let me know if you can't access the playlist. I couldn't find a way to share it, just single recordings. Click on the link and look for the playlist.
It's a StingRay Special strung with Fender 9050L flatwound strings (45-100).

Hypercaffium

 

[monkeyfinger]

I recorded 9 tracks, let me know if you can't access to tha playlist.
It's a StingRay Special strung with Fender 9050L flatwound strings (45-100).

Fantastic. It really shows that this bass is very good at showcasing the tone of the strings. This is something I noticed when I tried several sets of rounds on it. I was no longer fighting the bass to hear the characteristics of the strings. The Fender flats are not my thing, but I can clearly hear their sound. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[Hypercaffium]

Thanks.
Like I said, I'll keep them for a while to see if they work well for the kind of stuff I'm playing/recording.
I think that those 9050Ls sound great on this bass, plenty of versatility and smooth, punchy, fat tone. You can clearly hear that despite the flats and the EQ adjustments the bass tone is on the modern side, and that's not a bad thing.
What I'm trying to say is that it's not a P w/flats, for better or for worse.

 

[Pet Sounds]

So goes the legend. But listen to his tone on his final show :

I always find it haunting to watch this show, knowing that poor man had only hours left to live. He was desperately ill, but still gave a solid performance. So sad he didn't get treatment.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I always find it haunting to watch this show, knowing that poor man had only hours left to live. He was desperately ill, but still gave a solid performance. So sad he didn't get treatment.

Yeah, I just watched most of it the other day (the only version I can find is 70 mins long - I swear I've seen a longer version featuring Stevie Winwood, and a bunch of other songs, including Everybody Dance).

When watching it critically, you start to notice him struggling, and dragging in places, but it's still a remarkable performance.

I doubt I'd play that well, for that long, with a regular cold.

If I had flu, I'd be home in bed, and let a stand-in play the show.

He's literally dying on stage, and managing to soldier on, whilst fighting pneumonia.

I assume that the reasons I can only find a 70 minute version of the concert, is possibly due to copyright agreements with some of the guest artists, but probably due to Bernard's health issues, where he stopped playing, blacked out, and when he required assistance, have meant that portions of the concert have been edited out.

But I think most people would never be aware of how close to death he was (he certainly wasn't), and it remains an incredible, albeit heartbreaking performance.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I assume that the reasons I can only find a 70 minute version of the concert, is possibly due to copyright agreements with some of the guest artists, but probably due to Bernard's health issues, where he stopped playing, blacked out, and when he required assistance, have meant that portions of the concert have been edited out.

Gosh, I didn't know he passed out on stage. Horrible.

 

[Iofflight]

I almost can't bring myself to watch it. I loved Bernard. He and Paul Denman are the reason I own a Ray.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Gosh, I didn't know he passed out on stage. Horrible.

I'm not sure if he fully passed out (I don't think he hit the deck, or I imagine the show would have been curtailed), but he apparently blacked out, and stopped playing.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I almost can't bring myself to watch it. I loved Bernard. He and Paul Denman are the reason I own a Ray.

It's a great show - so good you'll probably forget there's anything wrong, for most of the performance. Well worth watching.

But yes, for those in the know, it's particularly heartbreaking when he apologises for being under the weather.

 

[OnePunchMan]

I hardly see this colour but I think it looks awesome!

I bought a banana!

 

[Pet Sounds]

I hardly see this colour but I think it looks awesome!

I bought a banana!

View attachment 3769899

Is that a StingRay in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?☺

 

[LionOnBass]

Is it necessary to put oil on the roasted maple fretboards?

 

[maplenecked]

No, I actually just threw all my little packets of “fretboard conditioner” away since all the basses I own now are roasted maple on roasted maple. Some people may say they like to oil them up but I like them dry n’ roasted as they are

 

[Drewwatson85]

 

[Taustin Powers]

View attachment 3779757

Is that one of the new colors?

Looks great!

 

[Drewwatson85]

Is that one of the new colors?

Looks great!

No it’s chopper blue. With a black pick guard

 

[Hypercaffium]

God, you're killing me with that picture. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?!