EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Brandon Shea]

Whatever they’re doing with the EQ, the thing that really makes me appreciate my Special is how balanced the output is while using some of the extremes of the preamp. Roll off most of the treble and crank the bass? Sounds good! Keep it flat? That works too. Dime everything? Killer. It all works! I guess I haven’t tried cutting everything, so maybe that’s a way to dial in a suboptimal tone.

When I’ve tried most of that with other (cheaper) instruments, it doesn’t usually work out this well. I know how to dial in some good tones on my Sires, for example, but that’s because I know that I can’t turn up some of the knobs all the way and still get a workable tone.

 

[fishdude101101]

I'm not sure there's been any frequency curve posted on the Specials yet, but there have been a few about previous Stingrays, such as this post here:

Thread 'EQ curves of common bass preamps (Music Man, Seymour Duncan, Warwick) [56K warning]'

Thread 'EQ curves of common bass preamps (Music Man, Seymour Duncan, Warwick) [56K warning]'

Jul 29, 2014

[crossposted from seymourduncanforums]


Since I went through the trouble of measuring I can as well post it here.

This is all done with pink noise. I had separate runs with sweeping sine and sweeping square but as expected, these linear distortion units (aka equalizers) don't behave differently for that than for pink noise.

Note that the red line is always the reference pink noise, the original signal.

Preamps in use:

• Seymour Duncan's 3-band bass preamp
• Music Man's bongo 4-band
• Music Man's 3-band as found in a 2000 non-classic stingray
• Music Man's 2-band as found in...

• uOpt
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Pickups & Electronics [BG]

• 

Interestingly, if I'm reading it right, it seems to show the old 3 band Stingray, which is the one you like, having the treble covering a pretty wide range with a very slight peak between 4k and 5k. I would tend to suspect that the Special is maybe focused a little higher than that, but that there's something else causing it to present as more subdued unless really boosted. Maybe more mids or lows inherent in the preamp or coming from the neodymium pickups.

Yep or just flatter native voicing to the special preamp before we start boosting.

 

[fishdude101101]

+1 to this. I have a Pre Special 5H and a Special 5H. Love and gig both. I would describe the Special’s EQ as more musical if that makes sense. To be honest, both sound like me when I play them.

This is a good point, we always tend to end up in the same place tonally, within technical limits.

 

[fishdude101101]

So 5K is what you don’t like. Not 3-4K. Got it.

Some peoples’ harsh is other peoples’ aggressive and forward.

I’ll not be admonished for stating my preferences.

Figure it out already.

First of all, nobody is admonishing you for anything, but to be honest you kind of come across that way to others.

Oddly enough though, I've always though of Stingray's as smooth sounding basses, not aggressive, but I've spent a long time playing G&l MFD's.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I guess I haven’t tried cutting everything, so maybe that’s a way to dial in a suboptimal tone.


If you cut everything and add just a touch of Bass and mid increase gain on amp you get a Generic Passive P type tone read that by poster in EBMM forum and it is close for sure

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Nice demo !!

 

[dave64o]

That tone that she used on the bottom layer ... wow!

 

[Pet Sounds]

That tone that she used on the bottom layer ... wow!

Yeah, it's great but I'm finding it hard to hear the other layers over that big bottom end. Maybe it's the device I'm listening with.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I decided to restring my BFR Crescendo 5HH and retune E-C. I’m loving it!! Should have done it sooner. Chords sound sweet, and angelic. What a beautiful sound!!! The LaBella low tension flats did not make the cut for me. No worries, I’ve got the low B with flats and rounds covered .

I still have my BFR Moonbeam 5HH B-G with Slinky Rounds, and my Amethyst Sparkle 5H B-G with Cobalt Slinky flats.
Oh, and my BFR Fretless 5 is still B-G with TI Flats.

Seems like I keep coming back to EBMM Slinky rounds and cobalt flats and TI Jazz flats and rounds. I’m sticking with what works.

TI rounds on my Sandberg and slinky shorts on the StingRay Shorty Tim Cummerford active. I have shorty set of cobalt flats if the urge hits me.

This switch to the E-C tuning has saved me from buying a Bongo 6.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I decided to restring my BFR Crescendo 5HH and retune E-C. I’m loving it!! Should have done it sooner. Chords sound sweet, and angelic. What a beautiful sound!!! The LaBella low tension flats did not make the cut for me. No worries, I’ve got the low B with flats and rounds covered .

I still have my BFR Moonbeam 5HH B-G with Slinky Rounds, and my Amethyst Sparkle 5H B-G with Cobalt Slinky flats.
Oh, and my BFR Fretless 5 is still B-G with TI Flats.

Seems like I keep coming back to EBMM Slinky rounds and cobalt flats and TI Jazz flats and rounds. I’m sticking with what works.

TI rounds on my Sandberg and slinky shorts on the StingRay Shorty Tim Cummerford active. I have shorty set of cobalt flats if the urge hits me.

This switch to the E-C tuning has saved me from buying a Bongo 6.

If you're feeling adventurous you could do DGCFBb tuning, that's my favorite after BEADG. Best of both worlds, have the low notes and can still play nice chords

 

[CerealBassist]

Hi all,

New to talkbass, and have recently picked up playing again after a 15 year break.

I walked into my local bass shop to look at some 5 string spectors, which ended up not being my thing.
We started talking about stingrays and he handed me a 2018 5h which they had just gotten in. Was pretty blown away by how amazing it felt, and equally surprised by the price he quoted, ended up being $1200 usd less than a brand new model.

Haven’t committed to anything but haven’t stopped thinking about it, and am seriously considering going back and grabbing it when they open on Monday.

Just wanted to check if there’s anything to look out for with that specific model year? From what I understand it’s not too dissimilar to the current model, and uses the new hardware and electronics?

 

[Spacecoastbass]

That price sounds like a fair quote from what I’ve seen. If it’s a custom color…. Great! But most are stock colors if used. Don’t know any issues for any year of SR. For the price of a new Spector you could, if patient, get this H and probably a nice used HH.
Not a thing wrong with a(n) H it’s just the double Humbucker has more voices. Despite what doctors say, hearing voices isn’t a bad thing

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Hi all,

New to talkbass, and have recently picked up playing again after a 15 year break.

I walked into my local bass shop to look at some 5 string spectors, which ended up not being my thing.
We started talking about stingrays and he handed me a 2018 5h which they had just gotten in. Was pretty blown away by how amazing it felt, and equally surprised by the price he quoted, ended up being $1200 usd less than a brand new model.

Haven’t committed to anything but haven’t stopped thinking about it, and am seriously considering going back and grabbing it when they open on Monday.

Just wanted to check if there’s anything to look out for with that specific model year? From what I understand it’s not too dissimilar to the current model, and uses the new hardware and electronics?

If it is calling your name, go for it.

 

[CerealBassist]

That price sounds like a fair quote from what I’ve seen. If it’s a custom color…. Great! But most are stock colors if used. Don’t know any issues for any year of SR. For the price of a new Spector you could, if patient, get this H and probably a nice used HH.
Not a thing wrong with a(n) H it’s just the double Humbucker has more voices. Despite what doctors say, hearing voices isn’t a bad thing

Color was ivory white, which I guess is the biggest downside as it's pretty close to my Olympic white Fender J, but even that is such a non-issue.

When he handed it to me I had no clue it was a secondhand one, I figured he gave me a brand new as it looked immaculate. I loved how it played, but didn't to get carried away with a bass that was another 1 grand AUD over my originally planned budget.

Should have clarified I went to look at a Euro Spector, not a US custom shop one, second hand market doesnt' appear to be as big in Australia as it is in the US. That being said I did love that classic H.

If it is calling your name, go for it.

Yea, I think I'm heading down again on Monday..

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Color was ivory white, which I guess is the biggest downside as it's pretty close to my Olympic white Fender J, but even that is such a non-issue.

When he handed it to me I had no clue it was a secondhand one, I figured he gave me a brand new as it looked immaculate. I loved how it played, but didn't to get carried away with a bass that was another 1 grand AUD over my originally planned budget.

Should have clarified I went to look at a Euro Spector, not a US custom shop one, second hand market doesnt' appear to be as big in Australia as it is in the US. That being said I did love that classic H.


Yea, I think I'm heading down again on Monday..

That is a rare color. I’d be there when they first open up!!

You can change out pickguard if you get bored with it. Anything will match. White is classic and classy. It’s my favorite original StingRay finish.

 

[CerealBassist]

That is a rare color. I’d be there when they first open up!!

You can change out pickguard if you get bored with it. Anything will match. White is classic and classy. It’s my favorite original StingRay finish.

I had my eye set on the grape crush, or oxblood color, the former really is quite bold to the point that I don’t know if I’d risk it.

One thing I did notice is that the brand new model had a very smokey smell, I assume it’s from the roasted maple neck? It reminded me of roasted peanuts.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I had my eye set on the grape crush, or oxblood color, the former really is quite bold to the point that I don’t know if I’d risk it.

One thing I did notice is that the brand new model had a very smokey smell, I assume it’s from the roasted maple neck? It reminded me of roasted peanuts.

Risk it?!?! That’s most of the fun !
Play what YOU like and LIKE what you play . You not have seen my bass rack have you?

Had you mentioned grape crush in your original post, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation about white.
The only to g better than black or white or natural is PURPLE!!!

 

[Geri O]

The great thing about ALL Stingrays from ALL generations is their consistency across all of them. I can’t recall hearing of a bad batch of several basses with the same problems.

Make sure you are okay with the narrow string spacing. Yes, the G string is kinda close to the edge of the fingerboard. It’s easily gotten used to. It’s a design choice by MM, not a design flaw, as the detractors would have you believe.

 

[Brandon Shea]

I had my eye set on the grape crush, or oxblood color, the former really is quite bold to the point that I don’t know if I’d risk it.

One thing I did notice is that the brand new model had a very smokey smell, I assume it’s from the roasted maple neck? It reminded me of roasted peanuts.

Grape Crush looks incredible, and that might’ve been my choice if Purple Sunset wasn’t a thing. Really though, there are very few bad colors. Don’t hesitate if you find a used one that you like – you can always move it on for pretty much the same price unless you destroy it somehow. I tried a 2018 5H with a beautiful natural finish that I probably should’ve just picked up, but I knew I had my heart set on purple.

 

[humbuckaroo]

I had my eye set on the grape crush, or oxblood color, the former really is quite bold to the point that I don’t know if I’d risk it.

One thing I did notice is that the brand new model had a very smokey smell, I assume it’s from the roasted maple neck? It reminded me of roasted peanuts.

I just got a 4H a few weeks ago, the smokey smell is a thing for sure. It has dulled since then, but if you put your sniffer right up to the neck, it's still there.

That ivory white looks like it was a limited run color, some say GC exclusive, but it was also on Sweetwater. Looks like a fantastic bass for people who don't like EB's wilder flan- or LSD-inspired colors.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...hh-ivory-white-with-roasted-maple-fingerboard

For 1200 I would snatch that bass up, no hesitation.