That’s an interesting idea, no clue how valid it is, but I’ve been using P basses for years with metal knobs and had zero issues, and the pots have a metal shaft that goes up inside the knob anyway.
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EBMM StingRay Special Club
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
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I've seen all of these before, but never back to back. To my ear, each of these videos gives me a different impression of the two basses being compared. In the top one, the differences are very clear, and I much prefer the Special. In Lobster's video, I find the differences more subtle. In the bottom one, I almost prefer the 1989. Not sure if this is due to the player or changes in the pickups and preamp between 1989 and 2007, or some other factor(s).
I have a single H and a HH. They basically sound the same when in the rear pickup configuration. The other configurations add so much more options. I actually prefer my HH to single H. Some people say the second pickup gets in the way of slapping. I don’t slap so I don’t care. My recommendation is get one.
I highly recommend you get your hands on one to try out and see if you like it. If you can rent one that would be ideal. The placement of the neck pickup makes it a bit awkward to slap and pluck so depending on your style of playing, it may not be for you. Obviously you can get used to everything but I wish there was 1/4 to 1/2" more room between the neck and the pickup. For a while I dropped the neck pickup down as far as I could but that didn't completely solve the issue and created other issues with output. Just my 2 cents. In the end I decided to love the one I'm with.
This is just one man's opinion, but I have a 4HH (pre-Special BFR), and I personally don't find the extra tones from the neck pickup to be all that useable. I might think differently about an HH Special. Ymmv.
I have two HH's, one Special and one ceramic (a 2007). Personally, I like having the tonal variety of the HH model and I will all use all five pickup configurations on a typical 4 set gig.
I know there's a wide range of opinions in this thread and other Stingray threads about which of those five are really usable and which ones people like best. I think they're all usable and my overall favorite has always been position #4 (going from all bridge to all neck), which is the inner coils. I do use the rest of the combinations depending in the song, but I also find my preferences are kind of fluid and may change over time. Lately I've been using Position #1, bridge pickup, and Position #3, both pickups, more often. Earlier this year I was really enjoying Position #5, neck pickup. I haven’t noticed any recent change in how often I use Position #2, outer coils. But Position #4 remains my favorite on both Stingrays and I'd be perfectly happy using that one for an entire gig. I just enjoy having and using the variety.
One other thing to note, some say that the neck pickup, especially on an HH model (as opposed to the discontinued HS model), can get on the way when slapping. Others say no. I'm not a slapper, so that's an N/A for me.
I am *trying* to learn slap and can confirm - the neck PU is tricky to work with.
I've said it many times, I'm an HH guy. It gives me the added beef that I find missing on single Rays as well as eliminating the weak D and G strings I have experienced before. Also there are times when the nasally, aggressive tone of a single Ray can annoy me on stage.
I recently purchased a single H Ray34 again and it immediately reminded me why I love them, and also why I can get so annoyed with them at the same time. So yeah, HH for me.
I recently purchased a single H Ray34 again and it immediately reminded me why I love them, and also why I can get so annoyed with them at the same time. So yeah, HH for me.
Thank guys (and who didn't get any quote, too)!
I cannot try a 'Ray Special HH first, because they aren't all that available in stores.
In the IInd hand market, there's only one, maybe two Special in that configuration.
I don't really slap on the 5 string, because I use it for genres where you may have only few popped notes (otherwise, I use my Fenders, or the 'Ray Classic IV), so that's a smaller issue.
My main concern is: does the bridge pu alone sound like a regular H model's bridge pu?
Yes, the bridge pu on a H is in the same spot as on a HH so it should sound the same. Any difference in sound between the 2 configurations would likely be due to a different variable.
Bridge pickup sounded the same to me as I tried a Special 5HH first before going with 5H. But you lose out on the 3 way switch for the bridge pickup which was the dealbreaker for me. I found the series setting on the 5H more useful for me than the additional pickup on the HH. But I may buy a HH at some point myself as there are some great tones there for sure.
Yeah that's a good point. My HH Ray is a 4 string so I usually would compare it to my 4H Ray. I do have a 5H as well and that 3-way switch really makes the 5 string Ray it's own thing. It's too bad they don't offer that on the 4H.
You won’t get the series or filtered settings but the parallel switching option should sound the same.
You already have a 5H , so the 5 HH should be a nice addition.
I wonder if they don't do the 3-way switch on the 4H Stingray to make the Sterling model more if its own thing. Granted the Sterling has a different type of magnet in the pickup, I'd say the Stingray 5 is kind of like in between being a Stingray and a Sterling.
Never played a Sterling. I always thought they sounded more aggressive , like ceramic 3 band pre Special Era StingRays.
New Stingray Special colours. Look very 80s to me (strong Miami Vice vibes, see below ;-).
really? looks like import Sterling by MM stuff...
Are these the only new colors this year, or just the Easter collection? 
