EBMM StingRay Special Club

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Oh yeah....

Interesting, I think the HH looks even better with the tort than the single does.

Of course you do!! I agree. Something about that color combo is very complementary to the 5 body shape. And just like what was pointed out earlier , this finish looks better with the natural roasted maple headstock.

 

[graphics1988]

Love the classy tort look on the grey sparkle on the 4H!!

 

[tremor100]

I think you may be confusing charcoal sparkle and smoked chrome. Smoked chrome has the black border around it. Charcoal sparkle never has.

Gotcha thanks, i am confusing them, i noticed it with my frost green pearl as well so thought it was the same effect. THe earlier ones are dark green to a burst into lighter green pearl, the one i have an all the ones ive seen for the past 6 months have a black border.

 

[dave64o]

All this talk about Specials in the last few days made my decision for which bass to take to tonight's weekly basement jam session an easy one - my Special 5HH!

We played through an acoustic-ish song book first and it worked well, then we switched to one of the host's more rock-focused song books and it worked equally well. No surprise I used Position 4 the majority of the time but I also used Position 3 quite a bit, too. That was my least favorite position of the five for a while but, lately, I've been using it (Pos 3) a lot more than I used to. I've never liked using a scooped tone before, but I'm liking Position 3 with a little mid-scoop and a little bass boost (both adjustments are very light). It gives a nice full, deep tone that's softer and more pillowy but still can be heard. The key, as is usually the case with the 3-band Stingrays, is to make minor adjustments rather than using more extreme settings. A little goes a long way with their EQ.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

All this talk about Specials in the last few days made my decision for which bass to take to tonight's weekly basement jam session an easy one - my Special 5HH!

We played through an acoustic-ish song book first and it worked well, then we switched to one of the host's more rock-focused song books and it worked equally well. No surprise I used Position 4 the majority of the time but I also used Position 3 quite a bit, too. That was my least favorite position of the five for a while but, lately, I've been using it (Pos 3) a lot more than I used to. I've never liked using a scooped tone before, but I'm liking Position 3 with a little mid-scoop and a little bass boost (both adjustments are very light). It gives a nice full, deep tone that's softer and more pillowy but still can be heard. The key, as is usually the case with the 3-band Stingrays, is to make minor adjustments rather than using more extreme settings. A little goes a long way with their EQ.

There are so many great sounds in the switching and eq options.
Some people like to flip the switch but don’t turn the knobs. Then decide they don’t like that switch option. Hand placement and technique also makes a world of difference.

 

[Todd Hamby]

There are so many great sounds in the switching and eq options.
Some people like to flip the switch but don’t turn the knobs. Then decide they don’t like that switch option. Hand placement and technique also makes a world of difference.

Testimony!

 

[dave64o]

There are so many great sounds in the switching and eq options.
Some people like to flip the switch but don’t turn the knobs. Then decide they don’t like that switch option. Hand placement and technique also makes a world of difference.

Yep!

I'm sure at this point I've tried just about every switch/EQ combination multiple times. But, with so many options, it's easy to forget a combination that you've used/tried before, probably many times. Then, when you stumble across it again and use it in the right song, it sounds fresh and new and you have a kind of "Aha!" moment about how you could use it.

I feel like I do that a lot with Positions 1, 2, 3, and 5 and that's probably what makes my preference for them change over time. Doesn't seem to affect how I like and use Position 4, though. It's no secfret that that one just works for me.

 

[Wicked G]

All this talk about Specials in the last few days made my decision for which bass to take to tonight's weekly basement jam session an easy one - my Special 5HH!

We played through an acoustic-ish song book first and it worked well, then we switched to one of the host's more rock-focused song books and it worked equally well. No surprise I used Position 4 the majority of the time but I also used Position 3 quite a bit, too. That was my least favorite position of the five for a while but, lately, I've been using it (Pos 3) a lot more than I used to. I've never liked using a scooped tone before, but I'm liking Position 3 with a little mid-scoop and a little bass boost (both adjustments are very light). It gives a nice full, deep tone that's softer and more pillowy but still can be heard. The key, as is usually the case with the 3-band Stingrays, is to make minor adjustments rather than using more extreme settings. A little goes a long way with their EQ.

Lately I find myself using Position 4 a lot at home, but with the band I have been preferring Position 2. Then again I do like Jazz Basses and Position 2 gives me that with a slight difference that I am enjoying. I use to use Position 3 more when I got my first Special, but then gravitated more to Position 4 and now 2. I stay completely away from Position 5.

 

[jam.majors]

Lately I find myself using Position 4 a lot at home, but with the band I have been preferring Position 2. Then again I do like Jazz Basses and Position 2 gives me that with a slight difference that I am enjoying. I use to use Position 3 more when I got my first Special, but then gravitated more to Position 4 and now 2. I stay completely away from Position 5.

I roll similarly, but I absolutely love position 5 for certain things. If I'm playing on G and D string in the upper frets (10+), it just has a sweet, fat sustain that I love. I'm using the Slinky Flats, fwiw.

 

[DieTired]

Happy to join the club! What an absolutely incredible instrument. A personal dream come true.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Happy to join the club! What an absolutely incredible instrument. A personal dream come true.
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Nice !!!

 

[Bill Murray]

Happy to join the club! What an absolutely incredible instrument. A personal dream come true.
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welcome to the club! One of the best basses ever built.

 

[DieTired]

I know the string choice has likely been beat to death, but this is the forum of experts and opinions I respect. So far I’ve tried Cobalt Flats, DR Lo-rider nickel, and DR Lo-rider stainless steel. I’ve recently become a DR convert and find their strings to be really nice. I know a lot of stingray players also enjoy DR strings. Can anyone give some input regarding their favorites on a stingray? Keep in mind, our band tunes half a step down, so I like strings with a reasonable amount of tension and I tend to dig in pretty hard. I also like a tone with plenty of bass and low mid “rumble” or “growl.” I find both variations of the lo-riders work well for that, and may just stick with one them. But I’m always open to suggestions! My perfect strings would be full bodied with enough mids and highs to cut through a dense mix (two distorted guitarists and strong drummer) while maintaining that punchy lively tone we all know and love. Thanks everyone.

 

[CElton]

Both of mine are strung with Daddario NYXL. Great tone and tension for me.

 

[tb-player]

Hello EBMM Stingray Special Club. I will officially be joining your ranks on Friday when this beauty arrives from Sweetwater. I am beyond pumped!

I can only hope it will arrive with Tootsie Rolls and Smarties.

 

[bassboysam]

Hello EBMM Stingray Special Club. I will officially be joining your ranks on Friday when this beauty arrives from Sweetwater. I am beyond pumped!

I can only hope it will arrive with Tootsie Rolls and Smarties.

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I want that but with a maple fretboard.

 

[Jeff K]

With country-ish stuff, I like position 3. But for rock I usually gravitate to position 4. Sometimes 2, but usually 4. And of course for songs that just demand that classic StingRay sound, I'll use #1. Position 5 is usually my least-used.

 

[dave64o]

I know the string choice has likely been beat to death, but this is the forum of experts and opinions I respect. So far I’ve tried Cobalt Flats, DR Lo-rider nickel, and DR Lo-rider stainless steel. I’ve recently become a DR convert and find their strings to be really nice. I know a lot of stingray players also enjoy DR strings. Can anyone give some input regarding their favorites on a stingray? Keep in mind, our band tunes half a step down, so I like strings with a reasonable amount of tension and I tend to dig in pretty hard. I also like a tone with plenty of bass and low mid “rumble” or “growl.” I find both variations of the lo-riders work well for that, and may just stick with one them. But I’m always open to suggestions! My perfect strings would be full bodied with enough mids and highs to cut through a dense mix (two distorted guitarists and strong drummer) while maintaining that punchy lively tone we all know and love. Thanks everyone.

I love the warm low mids of DR nickel Lo Riders, as well as their relatively stiff feel. I simply don’t like a string that feels too floppy. The nickel Lo Riders are my favorite strings overall and, for my needs, work really well on a Stingray.

I currently have Elixir Nanowebs on both of my Stingrays. The tone is similar enough to the Lo Riders for me and the coating keeps their new string sound intact for a long time. They’re not quite as stiff feeling to me, but they’re not bad. The previous owner of my Special 5HH had them on that bass when I bought it (as well as on the Big Al I bought from him last fall) and I decided to try them on my ceramic 5HH. They’ve been working well on both - and the ones on my Special are two years old!

I’ve also tried Pressurewounds on my ceramic Stingray 5, a few times actually. I do like the sound and they lasted fairly long for me. Ut they’re about as supple a string as I’d use. I’d prefer stiffer, but I can deal with them.

The only flats I’ve used on my Stingrays are D’Addario Chromes, but I love them. In addition to a pretty stiff feel, they have enough brightness to hear notes clearly and enough flat wound thump to work great in my band’s playlist.

I don’t remember putting them on my Stingrays yet, but I also like Ken Smith Burners a lot as well. They have a warm low mid like the Lo Riders and have a stiffer feel I like. I have used them in a couple of Jazz basses as well as a couple of basses I no longer have. They don’t get a lot of discussion, but I like them.

 

[Geri O]

Hello EBMM Stingray Special Club. I will officially be joining your ranks on Friday when this beauty arrives from Sweetwater. I am beyond pumped!

I can only hope it will arrive with Tootsie Rolls and Smarties.

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Yes sir! Over-the-top gorgeous!

I have a perfectly fine, gorgeous, great-sounding Special in Frost Green.

But the new colors and options are blowing up my GAS like a helium balloon.

My Special is fine! Stay the course! My Special is fine!……

 

[tb-player]

Yes sir! Over-the-top gorgeous!

I have a perfectly fine, gorgeous, great-sounding Special in Frost Green.

But the new colors and options are blowing up my GAS like a helium balloon.

My Special is fine! Stay the course! My Special is fine!……

You have more self control than me. I pulled the trigger on this SR5 just after my Lull M5V arrived today. In my defense, it was Sweetwater’s last one and I got a bit of a deal.

I think I’m going to rehab.