EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Benko]

I still have the stock strings on my 5H (so the Slinky) but they're starting to show a bit of aging (though only 3-4 gigs), they will be replace by a set of DR Hi-Beam which are my go-to (I'm a steel guy)

 

[walking_line]

I tried just about every flat/half round on my Stingray, and TIs are the only way to go for me. My Stingray Special came with TIs, and that's how I discovered how amazing they are on a Stingray.

Yeah, I've never tried Thomastik strings on an electric, but am intrigued (damn, they're expensive though). Play TI Bel Cantos and Spirocores on my uprights and very much like those. Might have to pick up a set of those flats and give them a try.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

No affiliation. Just admiring the beauty burst. Has to be one of the best looking ones I’ve ever seen. That pickguard is a perfect match . Wow!!

For Sale/Trade - Stunning Ernie Ball Stingray 5H Special

 

[dave64o]

WOW, indeed!

 

[PrimitiveMan]

No affiliation. Just admiring the beauty burst. Has to be one of the best looking ones I’ve ever seen. That pickguard is a perfect match . Wow!!

For Sale/Trade - Stunning Ernie Ball Stingray 5H Special

Holy moly that's beautiful

 

[Mike Vee]

Yeah, I've never tried Thomastik strings on an electric, but am intrigued (damn, they're expensive though). Play TI Bel Cantos and Spirocores on my uprights and very much like those. Might have to pick up a set of those flats and give them a try.

It's well worth the price.

 

[dave64o]

No affiliation. Just admiring the beauty burst. Has to be one of the best looking ones I’ve ever seen. That pickguard is a perfect match . Wow!!

For Sale/Trade - Stunning Ernie Ball Stingray 5H Special

I'm guessing that's a Burnt Ends? It looks a lot like my Vintage Tobacco Burst, but not quite. And I'm not sure the Burnt Ends is available with the roasted maple fingerboard, which is what came with the VTB finish.

Regardless, I think its beautiful. Tort on a lovely, vintagey burst finish will always make me drool.

 

[Mike Vee]

I'm guessing that's a Burnt Ends? It looks a lot like my Vintage Tobacco Burst, but not quite. And I'm not sure the Burnt Ends is available with the roasted maple fingerboard, which is what came with the VTB finish.

Regardless, I think its beautiful. Tort on a lovely, vintagey burst finish will always make me drool.

yes it is burnt ends

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I'm guessing that's a Burnt Ends? It looks a lot like my Vintage Tobacco Burst, but not quite. And I'm not sure the Burnt Ends is available with the roasted maple fingerboard, which is what came with the VTB finish.

Regardless, I think its beautiful. Tort on a lovely, vintagey burst finish will always make me drool.

I like the fact that it has rosewood fretboard. My rosewood /alder sounds so different from my maple/ash. Even with the same strings.

 

[walking_line]

That is a very sweet burnt ends. Early days, but yep, still my favourite finish.

 

[Mike Vee]

I like the fact that it has rosewood fretboard. My rosewood /alder sounds so different from my maple/ash. Even with the same strings.

There is a huge difference, I don't understand how people think there isn't. I have compared with the same model Precison bass (see my avatar) same year built, same strings, and maple is brighter - no doubt about it. Not only that, but I also later switched the necks between those 2, and the "new" maple bass retained the brightness.

I have never tried a rosewood Stingray. There is a super nice NOS 2017 one on Reverb that I would buy if I had extra cash. It's only 8.4 lbs: Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay 4 H Natural Rosewood | Reverb. The pics suck, but it's brand new so not much to worry about. It's been hanging out for years, I bet they would accept a nice reasonable offer. I'd want to pay around 1700 max for this.

 

[walking_line]

Really nice, and relatively lightweight. I'm partial to rosewood fingerboards myself: love a dark, punchy bass sound. Is that a pre-special, special--old style bridge, new style preamp? If I hadn't had just bought one, I'd probably have had a long hard look at that...

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I'd love to try a rosewood board special to compare to my ebony

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Slightly off topic but why are EBMM B strings so good? No other 34 scale basses I've tried have compared

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Slightly off topic but why are EBMM B strings so good? No other 34 scale basses I've tried have compared

Sterling says the secret to their B is the compensated nut.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I'd love to try a rosewood board special to compare to my ebony

Your bass was my first StingRay5 Special. Mine was HH. Ebony has more sustain and an immediate bloom to the note. Reminded me of those great 80’s Yamaha BB models.

Rosewood / alder paired with a well broken in set of flats is instant Bernard Edwards warmth. I love mine for playing Motown /. Soul R&B.

My Ash/maple is very bright in comparison. The difference warrants me owning both. They all make me play them differently .

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Your bass was my first StingRay5 Special. Mine was HH. Ebony has more sustain and an immediate bloom to the note. Reminded me of those great 80’s Yamaha BB models.

Rosewood / alder paired with a well broken in set of flats is instant Bernard Edwards warmth. I love mine for playing Motown /. Soul R&B.

My Ash/maple is very bright in comparison. The difference warrants me owning both. They all make me play them differently .

It is interesting as I just got my wonderful Bongo 5HH which also has an ebony board. I had a Bongo with a rosewood board years ago and it sounded very different. I really prefer the ebony.

I think I'd like a rosewood Special though one day

 

[Mike Vee]

Really nice, and relatively lightweight. I'm partial to rosewood fingerboards myself: love a dark, punchy bass sound. Is that a pre-special, special--old style bridge, new style preamp? If I hadn't had just bought one, I'd probably have had a long hard look at that...

It's not a Special. It's the last year of the "Standard." Pros and cons, but in this case a very strong pro of being very light... in Stingray Special territory - in fact, even lighter than some. Plus, that natural color is gorg.

I had a Special and now I have a Standard. Both are nice I will say the Special felt better. I didn't have it long enough to compare the sound. My Standard, luckily, is only 8.8 lbs.

 

[Nekomata]

Hey everyone What strings are you using on your stingray special? I currently have EB slinky’s.

I use GHS Pressurewounds. I like how they feel and that they seem to take out a little bit of the ‘sting’.

 

[walking_line]

It's not a Special. It's the last year of the "Standard." Pros and cons, but in this case a very strong pro of being very light... in Stingray Special territory - in fact, even lighter than some. Plus, that natural color is gorg.

I had a Special and now I have a Standard. Both are nice I will say the Special felt better. I didn't have it long enough to compare the sound. My Standard, luckily, is only 8.8 lbs.

Yeah, thought it was weird that it was a 2017 and the seller has it listed as a "Sting Ray Special" [sic] in the listing description. I figured maybe there was some kind of limited run of pre-Special Specials. This one, in fact, is only lower case special, and the description is wrong.