Same here. Hopefully by the beginning of the new year I'll be the proud owner of a Harvest Orange or Smoked Chrome. The Snowy Night is stunning as well.
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EBMM StingRay Special Club
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
Got my recently purchased 2018 Special back from the Luthier and played my first gig with it last Saturday. It played great, action was perfect and not a buzz or rattle. I had pretty broken in set of Sunbeams on it and the tone was warmer than my 96 Stingray I normally would have played…yet still very clear and punchy. Listening to posted cell video from the audience, it sat in the mix better than my other Stingray, more like a P or J.
Next week, we’ll be on the bill with Jackyl
Next week, we’ll be on the bill with Jackyl
Oh, baby!
Mine arrived today, and it's in its requisite 24-hour climate-acclimation cocoon. I went to talkbass to get my mind off of the beauty in the other room, thank you very much! Oh, wait...
How do you guys set your EQ to emulate the classic 2 band tone on your specials? I've heard various strategies to get the mid scoop, from boosting treble and bass all the way and leaving mids at center, to just cutting the mids back all the way.
Just strung mine with some Sadowsky blue labels and looking to pretend I'm Bernard.
Just strung mine with some Sadowsky blue labels and looking to pretend I'm Bernard.
Most of the comments you can find are about trying to set the non-Special 3-band to sound like the 2-band.
That is harder for two reasons:
1) The non-Special 3-band has a HPF that the 2-band (and I think the Special) preamp does not have (Special either does not have one or it's tuned a lot lower than the one in the non-Special 3-band, and I don't notice it).
2) The non-Special 3-band has a capacitor right at its input that is connected in parallel with the pickup, and this produces a high-mid resonance that is part of the characteristic zing of the non-Special 3-band. Most of the complaints sometimes heard about the highs of the non-Special 3-band are probably caused by this capacitor (but it also gives that zingy personality).
So, the Special should be easier to adjust to sound more like the old 2-band.
But there remains this: The pickups in the Special, with the strong neo magnets and with the strings set far from the polepieces (according to EBMM), are cleaner than any of the old ones (and there is a good explanation for this if anyone needs it).
But I'm just a beginner with Stingrays. Good luck.
That is harder for two reasons:
1) The non-Special 3-band has a HPF that the 2-band (and I think the Special) preamp does not have (Special either does not have one or it's tuned a lot lower than the one in the non-Special 3-band, and I don't notice it).
2) The non-Special 3-band has a capacitor right at its input that is connected in parallel with the pickup, and this produces a high-mid resonance that is part of the characteristic zing of the non-Special 3-band. Most of the complaints sometimes heard about the highs of the non-Special 3-band are probably caused by this capacitor (but it also gives that zingy personality).
So, the Special should be easier to adjust to sound more like the old 2-band.
But there remains this: The pickups in the Special, with the strong neo magnets and with the strings set far from the polepieces (according to EBMM), are cleaner than any of the old ones (and there is a good explanation for this if anyone needs it).
But I'm just a beginner with Stingrays. Good luck.
Hey guys,
I just jumped in on a beautiful, Tectonic Blue Stingray Special 5. I will upload a pic after work tonight. I haven't yet because of my unimpressed initial impressions.
I bought this online with out playing it. I know, I know! I did buy it form GC so I have 45 days to figure it out. I had played a few in the store but went for the better used deal online. The ones I had demo'd were so sweet. Even tone and the ability to shape the tone from dark and smooth to aggressive and bright. I usually play 4s but the 5s were so nice sounding that I went for the extended range. But so far that's not what I received.
Here's the thing, the sound is terrible. It may be the strings which I'll change tonight or tomorrow. There was rubbing compound caked in the nut and on the body, so the strings maybe coated with them as well. Even acoustically it sounds bad. I have just started a set up last night with a slight truss rod adjustment. The last owner set a decent back bow in the neck and also adjusted the pickups with the bass side lower than the treb side, which is pretty frustrating in the sound department. I loved the even sounding tones on the ones I test drove. A lot might be the strings, they sound pretty solid/dead, like a solid thud and the darkest tone I have ever heard through my amp. I play a Mesa d800+ with a Mesa sub 15 and 12 stack. Last night set all flat (usually a brighter neutral sound) sounded dark dark dark, except for the G string that rang out in a harsh way. Could some gunked up strings cause the dead sound whether acoustic or amplified?
My luthier of choice is about 4 weeks out for a set up. So I'll try some new strings and my own set up, but thought I'd ask if anyone had a similar experience. I found some factory specs on the EBMM website but they are a little vague, with respect to neck relief. Anyone have a favorite relief measurement, done with feeler gauges? I'd like a starting point that I kind of like to have a measurement that works that I can go back to if the neck moves. I'm hoping this works cuz I'd hate to return this beauty!
Thanks!
Sorry for the long post, thanks in advance with any advice.
I just jumped in on a beautiful, Tectonic Blue Stingray Special 5. I will upload a pic after work tonight. I haven't yet because of my unimpressed initial impressions.
I bought this online with out playing it. I know, I know! I did buy it form GC so I have 45 days to figure it out. I had played a few in the store but went for the better used deal online. The ones I had demo'd were so sweet. Even tone and the ability to shape the tone from dark and smooth to aggressive and bright. I usually play 4s but the 5s were so nice sounding that I went for the extended range. But so far that's not what I received.
Here's the thing, the sound is terrible. It may be the strings which I'll change tonight or tomorrow. There was rubbing compound caked in the nut and on the body, so the strings maybe coated with them as well. Even acoustically it sounds bad. I have just started a set up last night with a slight truss rod adjustment. The last owner set a decent back bow in the neck and also adjusted the pickups with the bass side lower than the treb side, which is pretty frustrating in the sound department. I loved the even sounding tones on the ones I test drove. A lot might be the strings, they sound pretty solid/dead, like a solid thud and the darkest tone I have ever heard through my amp. I play a Mesa d800+ with a Mesa sub 15 and 12 stack. Last night set all flat (usually a brighter neutral sound) sounded dark dark dark, except for the G string that rang out in a harsh way. Could some gunked up strings cause the dead sound whether acoustic or amplified?
My luthier of choice is about 4 weeks out for a set up. So I'll try some new strings and my own set up, but thought I'd ask if anyone had a similar experience. I found some factory specs on the EBMM website but they are a little vague, with respect to neck relief. Anyone have a favorite relief measurement, done with feeler gauges? I'd like a starting point that I kind of like to have a measurement that works that I can go back to if the neck moves. I'm hoping this works cuz I'd hate to return this beauty!
Thanks!
Sorry for the long post, thanks in advance with any advice.
@PhinDog, sorry you're not liking your Special so far. Pre-Special StingRays sometimes had weak-sounding G strings and some players (me included) would raise the treble side of the pickup to allow for a more even response. I have not had this problem with my three Specials, but I've seen some comments that some Specials do have weak Gs, so that may be the reason for your bass's setup.
Thanks Pet Sounds,
I really just needed to vent. LOL Do you have any favorite set up measurements? I know its individual and all but a good starting point might help! OR favorite strings on the ray special? I know again individual tastes. Much appreciated.
I'm sure that some new strings and a set up will help it out. Hopefully after that my next post will be whoa how sweet. I just hope that's the case. "It's gonna be ok" is my mantra.
I'm probably the worst person to ask.about set up specs -- I just putz around until it feels good, lol, or have a luthier do it if it's really out of whack. As to strings, I got all of my Specials used but virtually new, so I think two of them have the original strings, while I have Cobalt flats on the other one.
Just want to commiserate that I took delivery today of a new (used Warwick) bass with the deadest strings I've ever heard. They were so bad that it sounded out of tune when I played it, even though it was very much in tune. Pickups were setup weird, too: bridge pup was 1/16" from the strings and the neck pup was 1/2" from the strings.
I did the obvious stuff: fresh battery, fresh strings, set pup height. MONSTER difference, even without finishing the setup.
Anyway, here's a link to the post about 'Ray pickup height adjustment:
EBMM StingRay Special Club
Neck is to taste.
I did the obvious stuff: fresh battery, fresh strings, set pup height. MONSTER difference, even without finishing the setup.
Anyway, here's a link to the post about 'Ray pickup height adjustment:
EBMM StingRay Special Club
Neck is to taste.
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I see a lot of the special club members here like the cobalt flats. Ever try the Cobalt rounds? I may just get the regular slinky just to try to get it back to factory and start from there.
I would start with strings you're familiar with, or at least conventional strings, so it's easier to tell if something really is off with the bass. Cobalts are cool, but maybe very different from what you're used to.
Thanks B in the B Y! I knew I couldn't be the only one! I'm glad it's getting better.
Great advice. The only rays i've played were in the shop with reg slinky strings from the factory. I'll start there. On my jazz basses I've always used D'Addario strings, but on the shop rays i've played, Slinky strings felt pretty nice. Not sure why I never tried them, always thought the packaging made them looked cheap. To judgy I am.
I've recently had a similar experience, bought my first Special, a 2018, here on the TB classified. It's a beauty, but i couldn't get the action anywhere near how i wanted or normally set. I can do my own basic set up's, but I take any new bass to my Luthier. So i set up an appointment, and he found a few frets lifted, some uneven spots and the nut needed some tweaking. Once i got it back, it was a night and day difference. So I would wait until you can get it in and checked out head to tail...
Ive usually play on Sunbeams, to tone down harshness of my older 3 band, and just followed suit with my Special. However its more tame in comparison, so im thinking to try a string with more zip. How are these in comparison to Sunbeams? I dont like strings that are higher tension or to stiff, which is why i like Sunbeams
Ive also though of trying ML nickel lo-riders or RC Boomers.
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Thanks, great advice. I'll get on the list for my guy.
Thank you, yeah the way it is currently I have a hard time keeping the treb even flat in the detent, I had to cut it back a bit. Defiantly not diming the onboard eq.
