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EBMM StingRay Special Club

#12,743
LLendrum said:
After reading 12000+ posts I'm ready to officially join the club.

After a series of motor vehicle accidents I've had to downsize everything weight wise to make it manageable.

I've always hated Stingrays for their weight and ergonomics, despite loving their tone having grown up with RHCP and RATM in particular.

I've been a Fender player exclusively for 10+ years now having a 60P, a CS 64J and more recently a JMJ 66 Mustang to use while my shoulder and neck healed. I also had a Fender Ultra Jazz which post injury proved too heavy for me and needed replacing.

I was looking for a super light bass to be my new main rig. The JMJ Mustang covers my P bass but I needed something cover my J bass for party sets... something with some zing.

I tried a lot of Sadowskys and Fenders and so on and didn't get on with anything. I had my guitar store pals on the hunt for something light and one day my friend says to me "I have something for you that is the lightest Stingray I've ever seen".

The idea that at almost 40 I'm coming full circle on the bass tone that inspired me in high school and getting a non-traditional ostentatious bass with a partially natural finish reminiscent of my first serious bass (A natural swamp ash BB75 Carvin) is a fairly fun one to me. I'd written off every owning a Stingray because of the weight and the aggressiveness where these days I need light and versatile.

Odd as it is and as many have said in this thread, the tone is still Stingray but undeniably closer to a Fender sound which makes it capable of those classic tones I need for typical professional gigs.

This bass plays great and I've currently got it strung up with TI Jazz Rounds. I did put 10+ year TI Flats on it to try as well and kinda hated it solo but at a Latin rehearsal is was pretty happening in the mix. I'm digging the JRs a lot but some light pressurewounds might be next.

The tone and technique took a lot of getting used to. It's a very different thing to my Fenders. This bass feels more alive and responsive to technique changes and EQ adjustments than any of my Fenders. Very small adjustments lead to big sonic changes. That's something that is a real positive for me as I like to play expressively.

Anyway, in short I'm very happy with it. I'm still learning the finer points of solo vs band mix and when to use the onboard EQ since I've always been a passive player even when I owned active 5s.

My only real complaints are the battery box and the eye-watering Australian price of $5500aud. There are some around for $5k new but not as light as this one. Insurance will ultimately be paying for it once it settles.

So there it is...

Gone is my >4.25kg Fender Ultra Jazz.
Hello to my 3.45kg Stingray Special 4H (Burnt Ends)
That's 7.6lbs in freedom units. Maybe one of the lightest.
Click to expand...
Congrats! I love the burnt ends!
 
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#12,745
IMG_20240523_004253338.jpg
IMG_20240523_005111829.jpg
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
The latest Vault offering !!!
I should thank you for posting this.
If not for you I probably wouldn't have known about it.
It's an amazing bass. It's flawless and I'm pretty stoked about it.
So THANK YOU!!

DAN

View attachment 5443279
Click to expand...

IMG_20240523_004156048.jpg
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Last edited:
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#12,748
LLendrum said:
After reading 12000+ posts I'm ready to officially join the club.

After a series of motor vehicle accidents I've had to downsize everything weight wise to make it manageable.

I've always hated Stingrays for their weight and ergonomics, despite loving their tone having grown up with RHCP and RATM in particular.

I've been a Fender player exclusively for 10+ years now having a 60P, a CS 64J and more recently a JMJ 66 Mustang to use while my shoulder and neck healed. I also had a Fender Ultra Jazz which post injury proved too heavy for me and needed replacing.

I was looking for a super light bass to be my new main rig. The JMJ Mustang covers my P bass but I needed something cover my J bass for party sets... something with some zing.

I tried a lot of Sadowskys and Fenders and so on and didn't get on with anything. I had my guitar store pals on the hunt for something light and one day my friend says to me "I have something for you that is the lightest Stingray I've ever seen".

The idea that at almost 40 I'm coming full circle on the bass tone that inspired me in high school and getting a non-traditional ostentatious bass with a partially natural finish reminiscent of my first serious bass (A natural swamp ash BB75 Carvin) is a fairly fun one to me. I'd written off every owning a Stingray because of the weight and the aggressiveness where these days I need light and versatile.

Odd as it is and as many have said in this thread, the tone is still Stingray but undeniably closer to a Fender sound which makes it capable of those classic tones I need for typical professional gigs.

This bass plays great and I've currently got it strung up with TI Jazz Rounds. I did put 10+ year TI Flats on it to try as well and kinda hated it solo but at a Latin rehearsal is was pretty happening in the mix. I'm digging the JRs a lot but some light pressurewounds might be next.

The tone and technique took a lot of getting used to. It's a very different thing to my Fenders. This bass feels more alive and responsive to technique changes and EQ adjustments than any of my Fenders. Very small adjustments lead to big sonic changes. That's something that is a real positive for me as I like to play expressively.

Anyway, in short I'm very happy with it. I'm still learning the finer points of solo vs band mix and when to use the onboard EQ since I've always been a passive player even when I owned active 5s.

My only real complaints are the battery box and the eye-watering Australian price of $5500aud. There are some around for $5k new but not as light as this one. Insurance will ultimately be paying for it once it settles.

So there it is...

Gone is my >4.25kg Fender Ultra Jazz.
Hello to my 3.45kg Stingray Special 4H (Burnt Ends)
That's 7.6lbs in freedom units. Maybe one of the lightest.
Click to expand...

PhinDog said:
Congrats! I love the burnt ends!
Click to expand...
I second PhinDog…

Congrats! I love the Burnt Ends!
 
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Reactions: CoolMcCoolDude, LLendrum and PhinDog
#12,750
LLendrum said:
After reading 12000+ posts I'm ready to officially join the club.

After a series of motor vehicle accidents I've had to downsize everything weight wise to make it manageable.

I've always hated Stingrays for their weight and ergonomics, despite loving their tone having grown up with RHCP and RATM in particular.

I've been a Fender player exclusively for 10+ years now having a 60P, a CS 64J and more recently a JMJ 66 Mustang to use while my shoulder and neck healed. I also had a Fender Ultra Jazz which post injury proved too heavy for me and needed replacing.

I was looking for a super light bass to be my new main rig. The JMJ Mustang covers my P bass but I needed something cover my J bass for party sets... something with some zing.

I tried a lot of Sadowskys and Fenders and so on and didn't get on with anything. I had my guitar store pals on the hunt for something light and one day my friend says to me "I have something for you that is the lightest Stingray I've ever seen".

The idea that at almost 40 I'm coming full circle on the bass tone that inspired me in high school and getting a non-traditional ostentatious bass with a partially natural finish reminiscent of my first serious bass (A natural swamp ash BB75 Carvin) is a fairly fun one to me. I'd written off every owning a Stingray because of the weight and the aggressiveness where these days I need light and versatile.

Odd as it is and as many have said in this thread, the tone is still Stingray but undeniably closer to a Fender sound which makes it capable of those classic tones I need for typical professional gigs.

This bass plays great and I've currently got it strung up with TI Jazz Rounds. I did put 10+ year TI Flats on it to try as well and kinda hated it solo but at a Latin rehearsal is was pretty happening in the mix. I'm digging the JRs a lot but some light pressurewounds might be next.

The tone and technique took a lot of getting used to. It's a very different thing to my Fenders. This bass feels more alive and responsive to technique changes and EQ adjustments than any of my Fenders. Very small adjustments lead to big sonic changes. That's something that is a real positive for me as I like to play expressively.

Anyway, in short I'm very happy with it. I'm still learning the finer points of solo vs band mix and when to use the onboard EQ since I've always been a passive player even when I owned active 5s.

My only real complaints are the battery box and the eye-watering Australian price of $5500aud. There are some around for $5k new but not as light as this one. Insurance will ultimately be paying for it once it settles.

So there it is...

Gone is my >4.25kg Fender Ultra Jazz.
Hello to my 3.45kg Stingray Special 4H (Burnt Ends)
That's 7.6lbs in freedom units. Maybe one of the lightest.
Click to expand...
Nice! I’ve got the same one at pretty much the same weight. You’re going to love it.
 
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Reactions: LLendrum
#12,752
LLendrum said:
After reading 12000+ posts I'm ready to officially join the club.

After a series of motor vehicle accidents I've had to downsize everything weight wise to make it manageable.

I've always hated Stingrays for their weight and ergonomics, despite loving their tone having grown up with RHCP and RATM in particular.

I've been a Fender player exclusively for 10+ years now having a 60P, a CS 64J and more recently a JMJ 66 Mustang to use while my shoulder and neck healed. I also had a Fender Ultra Jazz which post injury proved too heavy for me and needed replacing.

I was looking for a super light bass to be my new main rig. The JMJ Mustang covers my P bass but I needed something cover my J bass for party sets... something with some zing.

I tried a lot of Sadowskys and Fenders and so on and didn't get on with anything. I had my guitar store pals on the hunt for something light and one day my friend says to me "I have something for you that is the lightest Stingray I've ever seen".

The idea that at almost 40 I'm coming full circle on the bass tone that inspired me in high school and getting a non-traditional ostentatious bass with a partially natural finish reminiscent of my first serious bass (A natural swamp ash BB75 Carvin) is a fairly fun one to me. I'd written off every owning a Stingray because of the weight and the aggressiveness where these days I need light and versatile.

Odd as it is and as many have said in this thread, the tone is still Stingray but undeniably closer to a Fender sound which makes it capable of those classic tones I need for typical professional gigs.

This bass plays great and I've currently got it strung up with TI Jazz Rounds. I did put 10+ year TI Flats on it to try as well and kinda hated it solo but at a Latin rehearsal is was pretty happening in the mix. I'm digging the JRs a lot but some light pressurewounds might be next.

The tone and technique took a lot of getting used to. It's a very different thing to my Fenders. This bass feels more alive and responsive to technique changes and EQ adjustments than any of my Fenders. Very small adjustments lead to big sonic changes. That's something that is a real positive for me as I like to play expressively.

Anyway, in short I'm very happy with it. I'm still learning the finer points of solo vs band mix and when to use the onboard EQ since I've always been a passive player even when I owned active 5s.

My only real complaints are the battery box and the eye-watering Australian price of $5500aud. There are some around for $5k new but not as light as this one. Insurance will ultimately be paying for it once it settles.

So there it is...

Gone is my >4.25kg Fender Ultra Jazz.
Hello to my 3.45kg Stingray Special 4H (Burnt Ends)
That's 7.6lbs in freedom units. Maybe one of the lightest.
Click to expand...
I love my 4HH burnt ends never weighted it though congratulations and enjoy to it's fullest.
 
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#12,755
Pretty happy with the single H, to be honest.

I do love a neck pickup but moreso I love a simple bass.

I did have the affordable Joe Dart on preorder but a 2nd Subway 15 turned up so I cancelled it.

Back on the 4H I really dig the simplicity that drives me looking for tone in technique and hand position rather than pickup selection.

No hate to the HH gang it's just I prefer a less is more approach and even with my Jazz I rarely play it with anything other than both pickups wide open and just play with tone as needed. I do like backing off the bridge pickup very slightly but mostly it's everything wide open.

The special seems like the preamp is very sensitive. The tiniest nudge can make a profound change to the sound. I'm shocked that some people "dime" any EQ knob.

It does seem very mid forward in a way I don't love solo at home but kicks ass in the mix.

Has anyone found any more targeted EQ settings they love?

I've found a notch cut at 4k takes some brittleness out to top end that gives me more headroom to push the high shelf.

A 500hz or 800hz boost seems somewhat useful.

I run a HPF cut somewhere in the 60-80hz range and a LPF around 15k which may end up coming down to more like 8k.

There's a cut somewhere in the low mids I think will take some mud out around 200hz but I haven't tracked it down yet.
 
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#12,759
Bass7755 said:
View attachment 5457194 View attachment 5457191

View attachment 5457190 View attachment 5457192 View attachment 5457193
Click to expand...
Wow!

Love the burst, love a 5-string Stingray that DOESN'T have that monstrosity of a pickguard (one of my few gripes about SR5's), love that top, love the black hardware with that particular burst and the dark rosewood fretboard (or is it actually ebony?! :woot:), love the HH conguration, ...

Honestly, I think the only thing that I *don't* love about it is that it isn't mine! :D

Congrats!
 
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