EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Richard I]

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

DR Lo Riders 45-130, and I love them. Previously tried stock Slinkies (45-130) and nickel Lo Riders, but the steel Lo Riders are the way to go for me.
I also managed to get a proper setup, and I'm REALLY enjoying that bass. Balanced volume through all strings, plenty of growl + thunderous Low B. The EQ does the rest, with VERY slight turnings it can change the tone as desired.

Have you noticed that, at the moment, the Specials got back to "ash" bodies on the EBMM website? No more "selected hardwoods". I'm a bit bugged, although my bass sounds great I can't really accept the basswood (or what it is) body

 

[walking_line]

Just a couple of more gratuitous photos of the burnt ends. One naked, the other in black. Going with the black pg. My wife said it looks like a “mysterious rock ‘n’ roll bass”. I’ll take it.

Also picked up some TI flats to try on it. Not sure if I’ll be down with low tension light gauge strings, but what the hell, I’ll give ‘em a try.

 

[FirewalZ]

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

I had settled on Fatbeams for the last handful or so of sets, switching from Sunbeams. However, on a whim I put on a set of Pure Blues, time will tell if I stick with these or back to FB’s.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Just a couple of more gratuitous photos of the burnt ends. One naked, the other in black. Going with the black pg. My wife said it looks like a “mysterious rock ‘n’ roll bass”. I’ll take it.

Also picked up some TI flats to try on it. Not sure if I’ll be down with low tension light gauge strings, but what the hell, I’ll give ‘em a try.

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Think I actually like it better with the pickguard

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I had settled on Fatbeams for the last handful or so of sets, switching from Sunbeams. However, on a whim I put on a set of Pure Blues, time will tell if I stick with these or back to FB’s.

How do the Fat Beams compare to the Pure Blues. Tension similar?

I have tried Sun Beams, Hi Beams, and Pure Blues on mine and generally prefer the Pure Blues. Hi Beams were also great. I didn't like the Sun Beams after the first week.

 

[FirewalZ]

How do the Fat Beams compare to the Pure Blues. Tension similar?

I ha

How do the Fat Beams compare to the Pure Blues. Tension similar?

I have tried Sun Beams, Hi Beams, and Pure Blues on mine and generally prefer the Pure Blues. Hi Beams were also great. I didn't like the Sun Beams after the first week.

To me, FB’s are nearly identical to SB’s in tension and stiffness. The PB’s are a bit higher in tension, I needed to tweak the neck a bit.

 

[walking_line]

Think I actually like it better with the pickguard

Totally agree.

 

[Mike Vee]

Just a couple of more gratuitous photos of the burnt ends. One naked, the other in black. Going with the black pg. My wife said it looks like a “mysterious rock ‘n’ roll bass”. I’ll take it.

Also picked up some TI flats to try on it. Not sure if I’ll be down with low tension light gauge strings, but what the hell, I’ll give ‘em a try.

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The black pickguard looks so good, as I suspected.

I run TIs on my Stingray. They are perfect for it, in my opinion. It may take a little more to get it setup just right, but it's worth it. They are definitely not the most forgiving string to setup, if you like low action, but it can be achieved with a slightly lighter touch and the prefect relief settings. Try the low and highs bumped just past the notch, where it barely moves, and reduce the mids in the same manner. Perfection IMO.

 

[walking_line]

The black pickguard looks so good, as I suspected.

I run TIs on my Stingray. They are perfect for it, in my opinion. It may take a little more to get it setup just right, but it's worth it. They are definitely not the most forgiving string to setup, if you like low action, but it can be achieved with a slightly lighter touch and the prefect relief settings. Try the low and highs bumped just past the notch, where it barely moves, and reduce the mids in the same manner. Perfection IMO.

Yeah, I’ll likely get those on in the next week or two and play with the setup.

I’m usually a mid-bump rather than a scooped sound kind of guy, but I understand those flats have a pretty distinct character, so I’ll most definitely give that a try.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Just a couple of more gratuitous photos of the burnt ends. One naked, the other in black. Going with the black pg. My wife said it looks like a “mysterious rock ‘n’ roll bass”. I’ll take it.

Also picked up some TI flats to try on it. Not sure if I’ll be down with low tension light gauge strings, but what the hell, I’ll give ‘em a try.

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Beach Blanket Bongo!






...oh wait, it's a StingRay.




I'm actually quite digging the Cliff Williams-ness of the naked version.

 

[dave64o]

Just a couple of more gratuitous photos of the burnt ends. One naked, the other in black. Going with the black pg. My wife said it looks like a “mysterious rock ‘n’ roll bass”. I’ll take it.

Also picked up some TI flats to try on it. Not sure if I’ll be down with low tension light gauge strings, but what the hell, I’ll give ‘em a try.

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View attachment 5016481

Actually, I kind of like the naked look, though I suspect I’d like it even more with a maple fingerboard. But, with the darker rosewood fingerboard, the black pickguard blends very well. Between those two choices, I’d go with the pickguard.

Although, if it were me, I’d probably go with tort. My Special is a Vintage Tobacco Burst, which is similar to the Burnt Ends, and it wears tort. Not everyone’s cup of tea, for sure, but I love that classic look.

 

[walking_line]

Although, if it were me, I’d probably go with tort. My Special is a Vintage Tobacco Burst, which is similar to the Burnt Ends, and it wears tort. Not everyone’s cup of tea, for sure, but I love that classic look.

I do like the stock tort, but just not as much as the black. I think if the tort had a little less yellow in it, I’d probably like it a bit more. But hey, I’ll probably put it back on at some point just to change it up. Choices!

 

[Mike Vee]

Yeah, I’ll likely get those on in the next week or two and play with the setup.

I’m usually a mid-bump rather than a scooped sound kind of guy, but I understand those flats have a pretty distinct character, so I’ll most definitely give that a try.

TIs have a pretty big mid bump by default, as well as a tapered low end, (and so does the Stingray) which is the reason I usually lower the mids a bit, but like i said just like 5%. Most of my EQ adjustments are very small on the Ray. I am def not a scooped guy either. I like a more old-school tone. TIs make the Ray very versatile. You can definitely get a very sizzly sound with them too.

 

[Mike Vee]

I do like the stock tort, but just not as much as the black. I think if the tort had a little less yellow in it, I’d probably like it a bit more. But hey, I’ll probably put it back on at some point just to change it it up. Choices!

You really have me wanting a burnt ends now, the black changes it to this sort of enhanced Classic look but it's understated and classy. It's a kind of sunburst but not exactly. It looks so good!!! I love how there's all these brown tones from the finish, the rosewood, and the roasted headstock. It wouldn't pop like that if it wasn't roasted or it wasn't rosewood. The tortoise was too busy and detracting from the finish itself, which is now the main event. Perfection. (I wonder how it would look with a white guard? That's the other classic Stingray guard color, and they made a lot of sunburst with white guards.)

I also really like this combo on the Special.

 

[walking_line]

You really have me wanting a burnt ends now, the black changes it to this sort of enhanced Classic look but it's understated and classy. It's a kind of sunburst but not exactly. It looks so good!!! I love how there's all these brown tones from the finish, the rosewood, and the roasted headstock. It wouldn't pop like that if it wasn't roasted or it wasn't rosewood. The tortoise was too busy and detracting from the finish itself, which is now the main event. Perfection. (I wonder how it would look with a white guard? That's the other classic Stingray guard color, and they made a lot of sunburst with white guards.)

I also really like this combo on the Special. Very rare:

Agreed. Yep, I think the black gives it a bit of that classic look mojo.

That natural + rosewood + black pg is so sweet. I thought about waiting for the new colours to see if they brought something like that back, but still very happy I decided to go with this one.

 

[walking_line]

TIs have a pretty big mid bump by default, as well as a tapered low end, (and so does the Stingray) which is the reason I usually lower the mids a bit, but like i said just like 5%. Most of my EQ adjustments are very small on the Ray. I am def not a scooped guy either. I like a more old-school tone. TIs make the Ray very versatile. You can definitely get a very sizzly sound with them too.

I think my onboard eq adjustments have been pretty drastic so far due to the steel strings on there. They’re so damn bright. Basically rolling the treble all the way off, bumping the mids quite high and a slight bass boost. I probably should’ve just put new strings on right off the bat before I invested the time setting it up. Now I just want to play it instead of futzing with the truss rod, etc.

 

[Mike Vee]

I think my onboard eq adjustments have been pretty drastic so far due to the steel strings on there. They’re so damn bright. Basically rolling the treble all the way off, bumping the mids quite high and a slight bass boost. I probably should’ve just put new strings on right off the bat before I invested the time setting it up. Now I just want to play it instead of futzing with the truss rod, etc.

Yea, I already had flats waiting for mine. I don't do rounds. I couldn't even play mine out the case when it had rounds on it. The EQ signature of rounds is very undesirable to me.TIs are perfect, IMO.

Another string I really liked on the ray, but were too stiff for me even in the lightest gauge, were GHS Brite flats.

I personally tried and did not like:
GHS Pressurewounds
GHS Precision flats
LaBella LTF
EBMM cobalt flats
EBMM group flats

 

[Richard I]

You really have me wanting a burnt ends now, the black changes it to this sort of enhanced Classic look but it's understated and classy. It's a kind of sunburst but not exactly. It looks so good!!! I love how there's all these brown tones from the finish, the rosewood, and the roasted headstock. It wouldn't pop like that if it wasn't roasted or it wasn't rosewood. The tortoise was too busy and detracting from the finish itself, which is now the main event. Perfection. (I wonder how it would look with a white guard? That's the other classic Stingray guard color, and they made a lot of sunburst with white guards.)

I also really like this combo on the Special.

I like the natural/rosewood/black pg combo almost on every bass!

 

[Mike Vee]

I like the natural/rosewood/black pg combo almost on every bass!

looks great on 70s Precision

 

[dave64o]

You really have me wanting a burnt ends now, the black changes it to this sort of enhanced Classic look but it's understated and classy. It's a kind of sunburst but not exactly. It looks so good!!! I love how there's all these brown tones from the finish, the rosewood, and the roasted headstock. It wouldn't pop like that if it wasn't roasted or it wasn't rosewood. The tortoise was too busy and detracting from the finish itself, which is now the main event. Perfection. (I wonder how it would look with a white guard? That's the other classic Stingray guard color, and they made a lot of sunburst with white guards.)

I also really like this combo on the Special.

I might be able to give you an idea of what a Burnt Ends (such a delicious name for that finish! ) might look like with a white pickguard.

I'm actually the third owner of my Vintage Tobacco Burst, and it originally came with a white pickguard. The second owner, who sold it to me, bought the tort pickguard that's on it now as well as an unused parchment pickguard that neither he nor I installed (yet? I might try it just for something different).

Here's a picture of my bass from the original owner's for sale ad, with the original white. The finish isn't exactly the same, but maybe it helps you visualize how the Burnt Ends might look.

I think the white pickguard looks better with the maple than it might with a rosewood fretboard. This is roasted, so it's a darker maple color, but it's still not as dark as rosewood. I think black might be the better choice with rosewood.

Highly subjective, though. So take my opinions for what they're worth.