EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Surely_Bassy]

@LowEndLobster Hey there! I’m trying to find your YouTube video where you talk about your “lobster tone” on StingRays, but I’m having no luck.

Is it bass boosted slightly above detente, mid and treble cut slightly below?

Thanks!

 

[LowEndLobster]

@LowEndLobster Hey there! I’m trying to find your YouTube video where you talk about your “lobster tone” on StingRays, but I’m having no luck.

Is it bass boosted slightly above detente, mid and treble cut slightly below?

Thanks!

That's it!

 

[Surely_Bassy]

That's it!

Well, look at me! Perhaps the student has become the master? Thanks, my friend!

 

[Pet Sounds]

Hi, gang. I fell in love with the Amethyst Sparkle StingRay Special when I first laid eyes on a picture of one, but resigned myself to never owning one when I saw the $2600 price tag. Well, I came across a used one in mint condition for much less $$$ and had to go for it. I took possession of it yesterday, and so far it's everything I hoped it'd be: It sounds and plays great, is very light and looks gorgeous. I've never done a NBD post, but I hope you'll indulge me in sharing my excitement on this one! (The pic below is just a stock photo, but you get the idea.) It joins a Burnt Apple Special with flats and a Cruz Teal Special with an ebony 'board in my stable. Yes, I have too many basses, but I couldn't resist this one.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Incidentally, I tried the @LowEndLobster method of adjusting the eq starting with the knobs fully down, and was very pleased with the results!

 

[Vanheusen77]

I just sold my Ray4 and bought a white Stingray Special. It is a spectacular bass. It sure sounds different from any other bass I own and I find that very inspiring! It’s expensive for a factory built bass but the build quality is absolutely outstanding and it feels more like a hand built instrument. Light as a feather and with a very punchy sound.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Hi, gang. I fell in love with the Amethyst Sparkle StingRay Special when I first laid eyes on a picture of one, but resigned myself to never owning one when I saw the $2600 price tag. Well, I came across a used one in mint condition for much less $$$ and had to go for it. I took possession of it yesterday, and so far it's everything I hoped it'd be: It sounds and plays great, is very light and looks gorgeous. I've never done a NBD post, but I hope you'll indulge me in sharing my excitement on this one! (The pic below is just a stock photo, but you get the idea.) It joins a Burnt Apple Special with flats and a Cruz Teal Special with an ebony 'board in my stable. Yes, I have too many basses, but I couldn't resist this one.

YES!!

 

[Surely_Bassy]

Hey, StingRay Special friends!

Most likely I'm just gate-keeping on myself and/or trying to find fault with an instrument I absolutely love, but I've gotten this notion stuck in my head the past few days that unless a bass is passive, it's not a "true" bass. So, I hope you'll indulge some craziness on my part when I ask the following: Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"?

Thanks for hearing me out, and Happy Friday, everyone!

 

[Surely_Bassy]

Hi, gang. I fell in love with the Amethyst Sparkle StingRay Special when I first laid eyes on a picture of one, but resigned myself to never owning one when I saw the $2600 price tag. Well, I came across a used one in mint condition for much less $$$ and had to go for it. I took possession of it yesterday, and so far it's everything I hoped it'd be: It sounds and plays great, is very light and looks gorgeous. I've never done a NBD post, but I hope you'll indulge me in sharing my excitement on this one! (The pic below is just a stock photo, but you get the idea.) It joins a Burnt Apple Special with flats and a Cruz Teal Special with an ebony 'board in my stable. Yes, I have too many basses, but I couldn't resist this one.

Congrats! Love that color so much.

 

[Stevorebob]

… Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"? …

No.

 

[Paradilum]

Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"?

I don't understand where this question comes from. Is using a 1960's P-Bass 'cheating' unless it's plugged directly into the sound board with no effects pedals? Why is having a pre-amp inside vs outside the bass guitar a line of delineation for you on cheating? How do you think upright bass players feel about any electric bass, passive _or_active?

A better question may be: Have any of you felt that having frets on a bass is "cheating"?
Is using an electronic tuner cheating, rather than breaking out tuning forks?

Being able to shape your tone on guitar rather than reaching back to the amp to adjust gain/eq does not impart better playing, IMHO. Not trying to railroad you, I am just confused about the perceived advantage an active bass has over a passive.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Hey, StingRay Special friends!

Most likely I'm just gate-keeping on myself and/or trying to find fault with an instrument I absolutely love, but I've gotten this notion stuck in my head the past few days that unless a bass is passive, it's not a "true" bass. So, I hope you'll indulge some craziness on my part when I ask the following: Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"?

Thanks for hearing me out, and Happy Friday, everyone!

Nope!! For me it is an advantage . Not cheating utilizing something that benefits me. Cheating involves putting others at a disadvantage and not being fair or honest. Nothing more fair and honest than great tone right at your fingertips .

 

[Surely_Bassy]

I don't understand where this question comes from. Is using a 1960's P-Bass 'cheating' unless it's plugged directly into the sound board with no effects pedals? Why is having a pre-amp inside vs outside the bass guitar a line of delineation for you on cheating? How do you think upright bass players feel about any electric bass, passive _or_active?

A better question may be: Have any of you felt that having frets on a bass is "cheating"?
Is using an electronic tuner cheating, rather than breaking out tuning forks?

Being able to shape your tone on guitar rather than reaching back to the amp to adjust gain/eq does not impart better playing, IMHO. Not trying to railroad you, I am just confused about the perceived advantage an active bass has over a passive.

Honestly, that’s what I was telling myself—specifically: Is using an amp cheating? Should I only play an upright? Etc.

I guess “cheating” is the wrong term. Maybe “less pure”?

I know I’m being ridiculous. I even looked up the first date of an active bass and was shocked by how early they appeared on the scene.

Anyway, thanks to those who responded and those who will respond! I needed some reassurance from my new pals, and you’ve all come through!

 

[Bill Murray]

Honestly, that’s what I was telling myself—specifically: Is using an amp cheating? Should I only play an upright? Etc.

I guess “cheating” is the wrong term. Maybe “less pure”?

I know I’m being ridiculous. I even looked up the first date of an active bass and was shocked by how early they appeared on the scene.

Anyway, thanks to those who responded and those who will respond! I needed some reassurance from my new pals, and you’ve all come through!

You can’t really cheat in music. I guess maybe if you say you played bass on something you didn’t or say you play bass but don’t, but that’s more so lying and stealing than cheating.

I love passive basses but sometimes you need/want an active one. It opens so many tonal possibilities and they really have an edge in live situations.

There’s nothing about them that could even be remotely considered as a way to cheat.

 

[Jim C]

Hey, StingRay Special friends!
Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"?

When you think about it, there will always be a preamp (active electronics) involved with an electric bass. It's either going to be built into your amp, in a pedal, built into your bass, or a combination of the 3.

 

[bdplaid]

You can’t really cheat in music.

Sure you can. Listen to the computer-generated pop music of today with the ever-present autotune.

 

[FirewalZ]

Hey, StingRay Special friends!

Most likely I'm just gate-keeping on myself and/or trying to find fault with an instrument I absolutely love, but I've gotten this notion stuck in my head the past few days that unless a bass is passive, it's not a "true" bass. So, I hope you'll indulge some craziness on my part when I ask the following: Have any of you ever felt that active electronics on a bass is "cheating"?

Thanks for hearing me out, and Happy Friday, everyone!

IMO: It either sounds good, plays great, well made or not...the bass is simply a tool to help you get the sound you hear in your head out. Active or not, is almost irrelevant from that perspective. Also "Cheating" by who or what standard or rule?, you either like the Stingrays or you don't.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Sure you can. Listen to the computer-generated pop music of today with the ever-present autotune.

That’s not music .

 

[Jim C]

That’s not music .

Agreed.
I remember back before Beat Detective and Autotune when an artist had to actually sing or play a part in time and in tune correctly, at least once...
And yes, before samplers I have taken a track or two, sent them to another machine, and then dropped them back to the multi track on the fly.

 

[Bill Murray]

Sure you can. Listen to the computer-generated pop music of today with the ever-present autotune.

I’m gonna play devils advocate here and say that I’ve heard plenty of people who can actually sing use auto-tune, but yea in general it’s lame. IMO using a computer to write music is just an entirely different skill set, some of the knowledge translates easily between worlds but just because you play an instrument doesn’t mean you could easily write something utilizing technology. I wouldn’t consider it cheating but I don’t think its fair to traditional working/functional musicians. On the flip side it’s nice that pretty much anyone can essentially control a band on an affordable laptop or phone.

I do loathe the disposable garbage you are referring to though, but that’s Capitalism