EBMM StingRay Special Club

[Gluvhand]

For those here that are not using flats do you like Slinkies? Or what's the string of choice these days. I tend to like DR Hi Beams on the Specials.

Slinkys and/or Dunlop Super Brights.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Slinkies are great on the Special but die way too fast.

I agree. I’ve only owned my Stingray Special since April and loved the feel and tone of the hybrid slinky’s that came on it. Now I’ve gone through one set of slinky’s per month on 1-3 hours playing per day. I want to try the slinky cobalt flats but they shot up in price the day before I was ready to buy.

I should back up a bit. I’m joining the club and got a new Stingray Special! I’ve been lurking this thread for years. I play bass in a 9-piece brass band whose color scheme (wardrobe AND instruments) is black and gold. A few years back I decided to buy a bass on looks alone and bought a $250 shoreline gold Squier contemporary active jazz bass. It played well enough so I modded the electronics with Nordstrand pickups/pre and then it sounded killer. Finally decided it was worth it to buy a great playing bass for this band so ordered this gold sparkle Stingray Special through their custom design experience. It has the narrower SLO Special neck, ebony fingerboard, and block inlays. I asked for every gold option available, which includes all hardware even the screws, pickup pole pieces, and strap buttons. It’s totally ridiculous but so is my band so it’s perfect for this application, plus the Stingray sounds awesome with just drum kit and a bunch of horns. It’s the best feeling neck I’ve ever played, and one of the most well-balanced basses on a strap I’ve felt. Just a dream to play!

Now for pics.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I agree. I’ve only owned my Stingray Special since April and loved the feel and tone of the hybrid slinky’s that came on it. Now I’ve gone through one set of slinky’s per month on 1-3 hours playing per day. I want to try the slinky cobalt flats but they shot up in price the day before I was ready to buy.

I should back up a bit. I’m joining the club and got a new Stingray Special! I’ve been lurking this thread for a long time. I play bass in a 9-piece brass band whose color scheme (wardrobe AND instruments) is black and gold. A few years back I decided to buy a bass on looks alone and bought a $250 shoreline gold Squier contemporary active jazz bass. It played well enough so I modded the electronics with Nordstrand pickups/pre and then it sounded killer. Finally decided it was worth it to buy a great playing bass for this band so ordered this gold sparkle Stingray Special through their custom design experience. It has the narrower SLO Special neck, ebony fingerboard, and block inlays. I asked for every gold option available, which includes all hardware even the screws, pickup pole pieces, and strap buttons. It’s totally ridiculous but so is my band so it’s perfect for this application, plus the Stingray sounds awesome with just drum kit and a bunch of horns. It’s the best feeling neck I’ve ever played, one of the best balanced on a strap. Just a dream to play!

Now for pics.
View attachment 7296618
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SPARKLES!!!!
First time I saw a gold sparkler like this, it was the bassist with Elton John . Im pretty sure he has a very similar 5 string .

 

[scubaduba]

I discovered something magical this evening. A Special HH in position 4 played through a Khan tube DI. That’s the bass tone in my head.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I discovered something magical this evening. A Special HH in position 4 played through a Khan tube DI. That’s the bass tone in my head.

Position 4 is my go to on my 5HH Moonbeam. I pretty much leave it there.

 

[Stevorebob]

For those here that are not using flats do you like Slinkies? Or what's the string of choice these days. I tend to like DR Hi Beams on the Specials.

DR Nickel Lo-Riders, EB Cobalt Rounds or RB Slinkys.

 

[aero58]

I just recently put a new set of GHS Bass Boomers (hex core) on one of my Rays and I am quite happy with them thus far.

The other Ray (new) still has the Slinkys it shipped with - they’re OK for now. But I am thinking of trying something else with this particular bass. Perhaps flats? Hmmmm.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I prefer super slinky rounds or TI jazz rounds. I stick with those 2 brands for both flats and rounds,

I only recently discovered TI Jazz rounds, and the few recordings I've heard sound incredible (I thought TI Jazz flats sounded great, but the rounds are just a whole other level of amazing).

However, I'm probably quite a long way off taking the plunge, as I'm still pretty hesitant to spend that amount on flats which would last me decades - so I'm clearly too cheap to pony up for rounds that would need replacing sooner (if I actually sat down and calculated the cost spread out over the lifetime of the strings - not least because I play with such a light touch that I can easily get 5 years of bright clean tone out of a set of Roto 66 stainless steel - and given that a dead set of TI rounds probably effectively turns into a set of TI flats, I would probably be held up as the ultimate Dickensian poster boy for cheapskate penny-pinching).

So far, I've yet to find a video / audio recording of TI Jazz rounds on a StingRay (come to think of it, I'm not sure I've found an example with Jazz flats either), but if you have any recordings of your StingRays with Jazz rounds, I'd love to hear them.

 

[Stranger Danger]

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

View attachment 7297442

Cute pup!! I like the tort with the pink.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

View attachment 7297442

I forgot to say…….. welcome back to the member that started this club!! I hope you stick around this time .

 

[Stranger Danger]

I forgot to say…….. welcome back to the member that started this club!! I hope you stick around this time .

Haha thanks! I always seem to find my way back

 

[LLendrum]

I only recently discovered TI Jazz rounds, and the few recordings I've heard sound incredible (I thought TI Jazz flats sounded great, but the rounds are just a whole other level of amazing).

However, I'm probably quite a long way off taking the plunge, as I'm still pretty hesitant to spend that amount on flats which would last me decades - so I'm clearly too cheap to pony up for rounds that would need replacing sooner (if I actually sat down and calculated the cost spread out over the lifetime of the strings - not least because I play with such a light touch that I can easily get 5 years of bright clean tone out of a set of Roto 66 stainless steel - and given that a dead set of TI rounds probably effectively turns into a set of TI flats, I would probably be held up as the ultimate Dickensian poster boy for cheapskate penny-pinching).

So far, I've yet to find a video / audio recording of TI Jazz rounds on a StingRay (come to think of it, I'm not sure I've found an example with Jazz flats either), but if you have any recordings of your StingRays with Jazz rounds, I'd love to hear them.

I can probably do this for you.

I had the TI rounds on it for a fair while then switched to the flats.

With the exception of LA Bella DTF-MUS on my JMJ mustang my basses only wear TI flats or rounds.

You can't go wrong with either in my view but with the string spacing and the thickness of my non-SLO neck I prefer the thicker flat gauges the rounds almost feel too insubstantial.

Its odd because I love the rounds on both my Ps and my J.

I think it's the fact that if you do dig in (which I did on one recording because I couldn't hear myself) it ends up being thin.



Going to the flats I absolutely love how it's like flats with a bit of sizzle but a lower raspier sizzle than rounds on a stingray. Its like a hot flat tone. I don't have a recording handy for that.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

For those here that are not using flats do you like Slinkies? Or what's the string of choice these days. I tend to like DR Hi Beams on the Specials.

Slinkies don’t work well with my body chemistry - they die within days for me. I’m a big fan of DR Pure Blues and, more recently, Elixer Nickles.

 

[Brandon Shea]

For any five string enjoyers, Amazon has the five string cobalt flat set on sale for $60 (old price) instead of $70. Search for Ernie Ball 2816.

 

[_Obra_]

I agree. I’ve only owned my Stingray Special since April and loved the feel and tone of the hybrid slinky’s that came on it. Now I’ve gone through one set of slinky’s per month on 1-3 hours playing per day. I want to try the slinky cobalt flats but they shot up in price the day before I was ready to buy.

I should back up a bit. I’m joining the club and got a new Stingray Special! I’ve been lurking this thread for years. I play bass in a 9-piece brass band whose color scheme (wardrobe AND instruments) is black and gold. A few years back I decided to buy a bass on looks alone and bought a $250 shoreline gold Squier contemporary active jazz bass. It played well enough so I modded the electronics with Nordstrand pickups/pre and then it sounded killer. Finally decided it was worth it to buy a great playing bass for this band so ordered this gold sparkle Stingray Special through their custom design experience. It has the narrower SLO Special neck, ebony fingerboard, and block inlays. I asked for every gold option available, which includes all hardware even the screws, pickup pole pieces, and strap buttons. It’s totally ridiculous but so is my band so it’s perfect for this application, plus the Stingray sounds awesome with just drum kit and a bunch of horns. It’s the best feeling neck I’ve ever played, and one of the most well-balanced basses on a strap I’ve felt. Just a dream to play!

Now for pics.
View attachment 7296618
View attachment 7296620View attachment 7296622View attachment 7296623View attachment 7296624

No gold frets?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I can probably do this for you.

I had the TI rounds on it for a fair while then switched to the flats.

With the exception of LA Bella DTF-MUS on my JMJ mustang my basses only wear TI flats or rounds.

You can't go wrong with either in my view but with the string spacing and the thickness of my non-SLO neck I prefer the thicker flat gauges the rounds almost feel too insubstantial.

Its odd because I love the rounds on both my Ps and my J.

I think it's the fact that if you do dig in (which I did on one recording because I couldn't hear myself) it ends up being thin.



Going to the flats I absolutely love how it's like flats with a bit of sizzle but a lower raspier sizzle than rounds on a stingray. Its like a hot flat tone. I don't have a recording handy for that.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I can probably do this for you.

I had the TI rounds on it for a fair while then switched to the flats.

With the exception of LA Bella DTF-MUS on my JMJ mustang my basses only wear TI flats or rounds.

You can't go wrong with either in my view but with the string spacing and the thickness of my non-SLO neck I prefer the thicker flat gauges the rounds almost feel too insubstantial.

Its odd because I love the rounds on both my Ps and my J.

I think it's the fact that if you do dig in (which I did on one recording because I couldn't hear myself) it ends up being thin.



Going to the flats I absolutely love how it's like flats with a bit of sizzle but a lower raspier sizzle than rounds on a stingray. Its like a hot flat tone. I don't have a recording handy for that.

Wow, excellent work!

Thanks for posting that.

The tone was actually quite different from what I'd anticipated, compared to having heard TI rounds on P-basses, but I really dig it - a lot closer to flats than I imagined, almost gave the 'Ray a more passive, woody tone; like it emphasises the sound of the fingerboard, whilst lessening the sound of the preamp.

I actually really liked the moments where you dig in, as it emphasises that spluttery thing that 'Rays do, that I love, but in a more refined, controlled way, compared to stainless steel Roto's with the preamp cranked ; did you have the treble dialled back a bit?

I'd love to hear a comparison to TI flats, but I'm a little concerned that this is going to be another case of me landing on a tone that I love, but that simply does not work in my own musical context - I seem to be doomed to finding myself in situations where I have to have treble cranked up, and distortion needs to be bright and bitey.

Thanks again.

 

[LLendrum]

Wow, excellent work!

Thanks for posting that.

The tone was actually quite different from what I'd anticipated, compared to having heard TI rounds on P-basses, but I really dig it - a lot closer to flats than I imagined, almost gave the 'Ray a more passive, woody tone; like it emphasises the sound of the fingerboard, whilst lessening the sound of the preamp.

I actually really liked the moments where you dig in, as it emphasises that spluttery thing that 'Rays do, that I love, but in a more refined, controlled way, compared to stainless steel Roto's with the preamp cranked ; did you have the treble dialled back a bit?

I'd love to hear a comparison to TI flats, but I'm a little concerned that this is going to be another case of me landing on a tone that I love, but that simply does not work in my own musical context - I seem to be doomed to finding myself in situations where I have to have treble cranked up, and distortion needs to be bright and bitey.

Thanks again.

I'll see if I can do some isolated recordings of both for you if I have time this weekend.

I generally run a mid heavy and slight treble cut sound with a tiny bit of bass boost.

The engineer did a lot of curation on this sound and I don't think YT compression did me any favours.

I generally go for woodier rather than zingier tones because thats my aesthetic.

These jazz rounds are played in quite a lot but even fresh I wouldn't say they're a particularly bright string which is what I like about them.

Its interesting to me because the rounds shine with passive fenders... My vintage P has singing harmonics with them. On the stingray I ran a treble cut to reduce fret and finger noise.

Conversely with the flats on I actually boost everything because the hi-gain actually brings out a sizzle on the flats I adore. Sounds quite unique as a bass tone and manages to sit in the mix.

Here's a rehearsal I recorded of my band with the stingray with flats...

 

[Wood and Wire]

I'll see if I can do some isolated recordings of both for you if I have time this weekend.

I generally run a mid heavy and slight treble cut sound with a tiny bit of bass boost.

The engineer did a lot of curation on this sound and I don't think YT compression did me any favours.

I generally go for woodier rather than zingier tones because thats my aesthetic.

These jazz rounds are played in quite a lot but even fresh I wouldn't say they're a particularly bright string which is what I like about them.

Its interesting to me because the rounds shine with passive fenders... My vintage P has singing harmonics with them. On the stingray I ran a treble cut to reduce fret and finger noise.

Conversely with the flats on I actually boost everything because the hi-gain actually brings out a sizzle on the flats I adore. Sounds quite unique as a bass tone and manages to sit in the mix.

Here's a rehearsal I recorded of my band with the stingray with flats...

That'd be great, but only if it's not an inconvenience.

Yes, given how I like to use my 2 band EQ, it seems like the flats may be more in line with my expectations on a StingRay - I agree, the TI rounds sound incredible on a passive P-bass, I'm just surprised how different they sounded on a 'Ray in that example; still great tone, just very different from what I anticipated based on a P-bass.

I'll definitely check out your rehearsal recording over the weekend (I just need to find my Google password ).