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EBMM StingRay Special Club

#16,361
FightMilk said:
Any idea what the rattle is? Truss rod vibrating? Or is it more like a high fret? My stingray was plek’d, still needed a shim, took forever for the neck to settle, and had lots of electronic issues under warranty that took a long time to fix. I guess if you’re willing to keep chasing down problems you’ll maybe end up with a great bass! I love mine now, but it was a dog when I got it.
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Ah!
I think it could be something about the frets, even tho it’s more noticeable on E-A-D strings. E and D are impossible to play in that area, they rattle real badly.
Everything else is tied up properly.

Swamp ash body, as opposed to the poplar of the 5H (but that’s just an extra info, it doesn’t matter)
 
#16,364
RobertAuCoin said:
The massive pickguard on the 5-string stingrays looks dumb.

Personal opinion only. But I’m right.
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There is always this choice; :)

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#16,367
RobertAuCoin said:
The massive pickguard on the 5-string stingrays looks dumb.

Personal opinion only. But I’m right.
Click to expand...

I'd once been in line with you. Lately, I'm way more fond of the 5's pickguard rather than the oval one of the fours. In fact, I'd like to have a 4-string Stingray with a "5 outfit" (large pickguard, 3 way switch, contoured body)
 
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#16,368
Richard I said:
I'd once been in line with you. Lately, I'm way more fond of the 5's pickguard rather than the oval one of the fours. In fact, I'd like to have a 4-string Stingray with a "5 outfit" (large pickguard, 3 way switch, contoured body)
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I'd love a 4 string with the 3 way switch. Some might say just buy a USA Sterling but the body and neck are too small for me
 
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#16,371
Richard I said:
No rattling on open strings, the nut is properly done.
I obviously tried EVERYTHING: neck relief/straightness (lboth oosing and tightening), pickups height (from "optimal" balance, in order to achieve proper tones in all 5 position, to neck pu almost drown in the body in order to avoid magnetic pull), strings set and gauge (stock Ernie Ball 45-100 and Rotosound RS66LD, the ones I usually play on modern Stingrays).
Only disappears with crazy high action (4mm on the E string) and light touch. It's not the kind of rattling that appear when playing with heavy touch (which is normal).

The bass is impossible to be played with my usual setup (3mm bass side / 2,5mm G side - that's what I'm able to use on my 5H Special). I'm hating the thing.
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I've had at least 2 and maybe 3 StingRay Specials, and my first Retro 70s, that had impossible to cure string buzz. It had to be very uneven frets, because I know everything else VERY well (nut slots, relief, action, pickup height, shimming, etc.) It was so far out of whack compared to any Fender I've ever owned. They all went back. Luckily, I now have a FLAWLESS Retro 70s that I could setup w almost flat relief and super low with no buzz. EBMM is not immune from neck geometry problems. In my experience, they are worse than Fender with high/uneven frets.
 
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#16,372
MIJ Fender Guy said:
I've had at least 2 and maybe 3 StingRay Specials, and my first Retro 70s, that had impossible to cure string buzz. It had to be very uneven frets, because I know everything else VERY well (nut slots, relief, action, pickup height, shimming, etc.) It was so far out of whack compared to any Fender I've ever owned. They all went back. Luckily, I now have a FLAWLESS Retro 70s that I could setup w almost flat relief and super low with no buzz. EBMM is not immune from neck geometry problems. In my experience, they are worse than Fender with high/uneven frets.
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Interesting experiences. I have also owned 4 specials and all were basically perfect. I can’t say the same for Fender..
 
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#16,374
FightMilk said:
Any idea what the rattle is? Truss rod vibrating? Or is it more like a high fret? My stingray was plek’d, still needed a shim, took forever for the neck to settle, and had lots of electronic issues under warranty that took a long time to fix. I guess if you’re willing to keep chasing down problems you’ll maybe end up with a great bass! I love mine now, but it was a dog when I got it.
Click to expand...
Truss rod rattle is the likely culprit if the frets are leveled.
 
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#16,375
brushfirewolf said:
Interesting experiences. I have also owned 4 specials and all were basically perfect. I can’t say the same for Fender..
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Yeah same. Definitely seen some not perfect EBMM basses but played a lot more American fenders with bad QC in comparison

Most seen EBMM with a high fret here or there, or occasional electronics issue
 
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#16,380
pwilson said:
I'm a very recent convert to the Stingray Special. I briefly owned a regular Stingray a couple of years ago but didn't reallt gel with it. I find the Special to be much more usable in terms of sounds and playability. I liked my first one, Dropped Copper with maple fingerboard, so much that I got a second, Candyman with an ebony board.

View attachment 7519531

Both of them are strung with flats - GHS Precisions on the copper one, EB Cobalts on the red.
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Imho a white pickguard on the candyman looks better than the tort. Agree?

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