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EBMM StingRay Special Club
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
Brandon Shea
Commercial User
Nice basses! I love that they both have matching headstocks.
It's pert near impossible to photograph the sparkles. Oh, but they are there and there are many, sparkling and doing their sparkly thing. I was getting ready to pull the trigger on the gold sparkle/gold hardware offering but I am so glad these came out when they did. THE classic black/black/maple Stingray I've always wanted with the chrome hardware. Sweet. Short scale and passive, right up my alley.
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I believe you. I’ve seen that color in person and the sparkles are definitely there but so hard to capture. From 25’ away you can tell there is something different about the paint, 15’ away and it really starts to pop. It’s a finish that looks great under stage lighting.
My charcoal sparkle HH doesn’t suffer in photos as badly but is still way better in person.
Who says you can’t slap on a HH StingRay?!
I don't think the second H on my HH's are what's preventing me from slapping like that.
LOL!
It's a passive instrument. It does have a pop up volume knob boost and a pickup coil tap select and then a tone. Here is a pic.
Hi EBMM Stingray folks. I have a question I'm sure you heard before, but after so much searching on google and TB, I still don't have an answer...
To keep it short, I played a EBMM Stingray about a year ago and loved it. But for a hobby bassist who just plays solo at home, is it worth spending the money for a EB Stingray? Or is the Sterling Ray34 good enough for a non gigging musician?
To keep it short, I played a EBMM Stingray about a year ago and loved it. But for a hobby bassist who just plays solo at home, is it worth spending the money for a EB Stingray? Or is the Sterling Ray34 good enough for a non gigging musician?
Wanted to see how flat wounds sound on my EBMM Stingray Special 5H. So, I put a set of Ernie Ball 2810 5 String Flatwounds, and I'm digging this bass even more now. I put the vid below so I could hear a comparison difference. The 3:15 mark has the quick comparison to hear the change better.
Being a gigging musician for the very most part of my life, I don't have the proper perspective to answer that accurately. My inclination is to lean for a EBMM Stingray. There are plenty of used ones out there and I've had great luck buying used. My latest Stingray Special is a dream bass. Love it!
The practical answer is that the Ray34s are priced reasonable enough that you could buy one and play it it for a while. See if it does it for you. If not, those seems easy enough to sell.
If I were to buy a Ray43, I would buy it new and with a decent return policy (I think 7 to 14 days is "reasonable") as I see things concerning the quality control on them. Nothing major, but what does it have to be to turn into a negative buying experience.
Another angle is that if you have the money and can afford an EBMM, either used or a new Stingray Special, I don't think you'll regret it and there's no bar for the level of playing one must be doing to have and enjoy a quality instrument.
Good luck with your search!
I own both (Ray34 and SR Special). You have to try them out side by side. On paper the Ray34 is 90% as good as the Special at 30% of the price. That extra 10% is in the feel of the neck, tuners, balance and the way the bass resonates even when it’s not plugged in. Yeah the new preamp in the Special is cool and all that but to me the two guitars have the same sonic signature. But the difference in feel is there, and it’s not subtle.
Is that additional 10% worth the extra 70%? That’s personal. In my case I own both because I first bought the Special, loved it but couldn’t stand to subject it to the brutality of gigging or rehearsals in cramped spaces where I keep bumping into things. So I bought the Ray34 as a workhorse. It’s extremely good and I probably wouldn't have bought the Special if I already owned the 34. But now I can't part with either. If I pick up the Special after playing the Ray34 for a while it makes me think -- ooooh this is NICE, but HOW MUCH did I pay for this again?? But going back to the Ray34 after playing the Special makes me feel like the Ray34 is lifeless.
On gigging vs. non-gigging -- you'd be surprised. I haven't gigged with the Special yet but I doubt I would notice much of a difference vs. the Ray34. Adrenaline is pumped up to 11, palms are sweaty and there's all sorts of chaos. In that environment the difference between a Ray34 and a Special shrinks to zero. Funnily enough the EBMM's "specialness" only comes to light in a relaxed environment.
On QC/problems -- I believe the new Ray34 batches have resolved all the QC/tuner issues. Beware though -- a bunch of stores still probably carry units from old batches. Your best bet is to pick a color that was introduced recently. Still, the probability that you get a lemon is higher with the Ray34.
I don't buy this resale value argument -- if you buy brand new, a $800 Ray34 will probably sell for $400 later. A $2500 SRS will probably sell for $1700. So yeah as a percentage you retain more value in the SRS but on an absolute scale you definitely lose more dollars with the SRS. If you buy used you can have near-zero depreciation with both.
Yes for me. I owned a Ray25 and 24 and they led me to buy my first EBMM bass. I bought a Ray35 recently as a candidate for fret removal, but gave it to a local school instead of making a fretless. All of these SbMM basses were good instruments and I could make the same noises (more or less) on those that I can make on my EBMM fivers. However, feel and subtle differences in sound are what make the EBMM basses worth the extra cost to me. The necks on the five string basses feel effortless.
If you remember how the Stingray you played felt/sounded, go try a Ray 34 to see if it is close enough to the Stingray for you. Used is a good way to go. Three of my four EBMM basses were used and all are fantastic.
there is no comparison. The ebmm is leaps and bounds beyond the sbmm. It just boils down to how well you want to treat yourself. If you have the dough, treat yourself very well.
as others have said and I will add that the Sterling Ray34's are wired in Series. EBMM Stingrays are wired in Parallel. There is a sonic difference for sure.
Thanks for the answers everyone! I really appreciate it. It gave me the push to go to a local shop during my longish lunch break.
I tried a Sterling Ray 34, and then a EB Stingray Special. I like the EB more, it just felt more comfortable. I might look for a good deal on a used one though.
I tried a Sterling Ray 34, and then a EB Stingray Special. I like the EB more, it just felt more comfortable. I might look for a good deal on a used one though.
3 Questions for the 'ray congnoscenti.....
I have an incoming Stingray Special 4H that will be my 1st EBMM bass. For years I had no interest in the brand because I played only 5ers and was turned off by the weight and narrow string spacing. Last year, however, I went whole hog on BEAD 4 bangers and have been really into the tone of the solo'ed bridge pup on my Sadowsky Metroline MM/J.......... then fell in love with an 8lb 4H in Pacific Blueburst and will have it in about 10 days. I have been unable to find answers to the few questions I have, either on the EBMM site of through searching TB and am hoping for some guidance.
-what are the frequency centers of the 3-band preamp?
-is the pre boost only or boost/cut?
-can the bass be played without the pre/without a battery?
Thanks in advance for any answers.
I have an incoming Stingray Special 4H that will be my 1st EBMM bass. For years I had no interest in the brand because I played only 5ers and was turned off by the weight and narrow string spacing. Last year, however, I went whole hog on BEAD 4 bangers and have been really into the tone of the solo'ed bridge pup on my Sadowsky Metroline MM/J.......... then fell in love with an 8lb 4H in Pacific Blueburst and will have it in about 10 days. I have been unable to find answers to the few questions I have, either on the EBMM site of through searching TB and am hoping for some guidance.
-what are the frequency centers of the 3-band preamp?
-is the pre boost only or boost/cut?
-can the bass be played without the pre/without a battery?
Thanks in advance for any answers.
