I took a copy to my file it is a beauti Bass
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
EBMM StingRay Special Club
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
Has anyone else had the same problem with their Special 5, where they want the strings a touch lower, but the saddles won't adjust any further down? It seems like those grub screws won't come out of the top of the saddles, like the earlier saddles...
I guess a shim is always an option....?
EG
I guess a shim is always an option....?
EG
Nice set of basses. The colors compliment one another. The ebony Aqua sparkle 5 HH I had was very piano like and sounded more scooped due to the ash body compared to my current amethyst sparkle 5H . I suspect it is alder ( which is my favorite ). Has more presence in the mids . Paired with flats and the rosewood fingerboard , works better for my style of play.
If you like that extra clarity and piano like sustain , I wouldn’t swap necks. It probably helps with the neck pickup to keep things from getting too muddy.If you’re happy, why mess with perfection.
You're probably right, I'll likely leave things alone. I never thought much about the ebony fret boards extra clarity helping out keeping things from getting too muddy on the neck pickup until you brought it up. I generally only use the bridge pickup in true stingray mode 98% of the time just because it really cuts through and the other positions although fun to play around with do sound a bit muddy to me and I always have to readjust the EQ when swithing out of switch position 1 to get some of the mud out. I hear people saying all the time that switch position 4 or 5 has a good representation of a P bass. To me they sound nothing like my P bass, not even close! In my personal opinion I think the sound may have been improved had the neck pickup been moved an inch to an inch and a half closer to the bridge pickup.
Yea, I had the same issue on my Stingray Classic. It wasn't a problem on the solid barrels but for some reason they went back to the old hollow type for the Specials. I guess it was for weight reduction but that's a very poor tradeoff in my opinion.
Same...love my Special, but if they ever make solid replacement saddles, id swap them out.
I don't think my Stingray has any dead note but I don't know how I dead note sound like. We can use text explanation but it would be easier to have a sound example: here's a normal note BOOOM, here's a dead note bleeeergh.
How about:I don't think my Stingray has any dead note but I don't know how I dead note sound like. We can use text explanation but it would be easier to have a sound example: here's a normal note BOOOM, here's a dead note bleeeergh.
Normal note - BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Dead note - Bom.
Hey all. Wanted to share my NBD! Here’s my EBMM BFR StingRay Kingpin! Matte black body, neck, and headstock, bird’s eye maple fretboard, and mix/matched matte black and gold hardware. Limited to 106 pieces worldwide.
I had that problem and Ernie Ball sent me a pack of 3 shims. It was easy to do and the problem is solved. I don’t notice any difference in tone or sustain.
I ordered a Status neck with 22nd fret back in around 2015 for my 2014 StingRay 4H (pre-special). I had a couple of Modulus basses at the time and was used to no movement in the neck, as well as dug the piano-like tone. While I expected some movement in the SR neck (maple/rosewood), my particular SR neck was like a wet noodle and would not keep relief (vastly different than the SR Special 4H I currently own). The Status neck was very well made and installed neatly (drilling the peg heads/neck bolts was different, but clean). The necks at the time were all squared off, 6-bolt and I have not seen any made for the new SR Special neck design (contoured, 5-bolt).
I did not keep the bass long after the Status neck was installed. While my tastes changed (I bought a '63 AVRI precision with flats), that's not the only reason. I felt the Status neck actually inhibited the natural tonal qualities of the SR. For example, the pre-special SR could get quite bright or even brittle depending on EQ. I found that the Status neck enhanced brittleness, something that the maple neck/fingerboard (rosewood or maple) would somewhat dampen (there were other differences based on EQ, playing style, etc, but I won't go into all that, as it's subjective). Also, while very similar, the neck profiles were in fact different and the frets were lower and wider - it made a difference for me.
My comments are going to come across as negative, but that is not the purpose. The Status neck was very well built and communication with the company was outstanding. Shipping from the UK to Atlanta was a breeze. Others probably have a different experience than I did - I mean EB and Status did partner for a limited edition after all. Ultimately and in my opinion, the Status necks don't match up with the quality of Modulus (at least the 2010 vintage) and did not enhance the tonal qualities of the SR. Had my particular SR neck not been so prone to movement, I wouldn't have changed it.
All that being said, I would not advocate for changing out the neck on a SR special, even if Status made a direct replacement (which again, I don't think they do). The revised EQ curve along with improved neck construction yields a very good and improved, if I may add, SR tone. Obviously, if you are trying to mimic other tones, your experience may vary.
LB
I spent some time with one of my older Kramer passive basses tonight and had a good amount of fun playing it. It has a very bright maple neck and a p/j PU configuration.
I then switched to the SRS5 and man what a difference! I really like the ebony finger board on the ray. What everyone says about piano like clarity is right! It makes the bright maple of my other bass seem dull and muddy.
EBMM fan boy here! It’s my first stingray and it’s quickly becoming my #1!
I then switched to the SRS5 and man what a difference! I really like the ebony finger board on the ray. What everyone says about piano like clarity is right! It makes the bright maple of my other bass seem dull and muddy.
EBMM fan boy here! It’s my first stingray and it’s quickly becoming my #1!
Thank you SO MUCH, that’s exactly the kind of feedback I was seeking for. I was in the process of buying the last MM5 Status neck available and I’ve stopped the process.
Indeed as my main player is now a “vintage” Modulus I was probably hoping to get something similar albeit the 34 scale and on the way a nice custom instrument. But you are probably right that it will be a lot of trouble (and money) for probably diminished return as, currently, I see no issue with the Stingray Special 5 I own.
I also have a Status Streamline and really like the feel of the neck (different profile though, very flat), it’s a bit of an oddball and I have it more as a back up in case of backpain coming back but I should use it more I guess…specially mine is custom with a humbucker in the stingray sweet spot
Well, that's beautiful!
The pics with a Ray in the case reminded me that I would love that EBMM makes hard cases for StingRay little bit shorter.
I always have a feeling to carry an extra weight because of that longer case space over the headstock.
Last edited:
When I got my new/used Special, I initially couldn't get the action or playability set to my typical specs, and was a bit disappointed. However, I cant say enough how much it improved by having my frets leveled and neck adjusted by a master Luthier. Plays great and i can get the action real low, and he didnt need a shim. Even higher quality production bass's like EB can have frets lift, be uneven and such.
Last edited:
