• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

EBMM StingRay Special Club

NBD!

Well, okay, Saturday was NBD. But I am slow on the uptake, and don't yet have a pic... But will tonight! I picked up a new Droppped Copper 4HH - and I couldn't be happier thus far.

I traded in my old 2005 Stingray 4 (3-band), and my almost-never-played 2015 Stingray 5HS, both of which weighed over 10 pounds (the 2005 was close to 11 pounds!). Haven't yet weighed the new bass, but it's lighter than my current main player (Custom PJ 4 string) so I am guessing around 8.5-9 pounds. Awesome!

As far as the tone, I laid down a couple of tracks with it, and I am super impressed. As many have said, the tone controls seem way more "musically" useful for what I do but it's still got that snarly aggressive stingray thing going on if you want it.

I find the 2 pickup combinations (2,3,4) are especially incredible played aggressively with a pick. Position 3 is Wal-like with a pick - easy to get Tool-esque sounds - but also super smooth when you back off the treble. Used the same position for a grindy pick sound, and for a smooth jazz-y fingerstyle part... amazing!

More later - and pics, but super stoked so far. Haven't been this enthused about a new bass in some time!
 
NBD!

Well, okay, Saturday was NBD. But I am slow on the uptake, and don't yet have a pic... But will tonight! I picked up a new Droppped Copper 4HH - and I couldn't be happier thus far.

I traded in my old 2005 Stingray 4 (3-band), and my almost-never-played 2015 Stingray 5HS, both of which weighed over 10 pounds (the 2005 was close to 11 pounds!). Haven't yet weighed the new bass, but it's lighter than my current main player (Custom PJ 4 string) so I am guessing around 8.5-9 pounds. Awesome!

As far as the tone, I laid down a couple of tracks with it, and I am super impressed. As many have said, the tone controls seem way more "musically" useful for what I do but it's still got that snarly aggressive stingray thing going on if you want it.

I find the 2 pickup combinations (2,3,4) are especially incredible played aggressively with a pick. Position 3 is Wal-like with a pick - easy to get Tool-esque sounds - but also super smooth when you back off the treble. Used the same position for a grindy pick sound, and for a smooth jazz-y fingerstyle part... amazing!

More later - and pics, but super stoked so far. Haven't been this enthused about a new bass in some time!
Wait till you start playing around with strings. They’re chameleons. You can coax nearly any tone you’d want
 
Wait till you start playing around with strings. They’re chameleons. You can coax nearly any tone you’d want

Many have said this and I agree. Stingrays respond to strings much more than any other bass I've played. Sadly, I also think dead strings are much more apparent on the Stingray as well. Any Ray I've had becomes a whole new bass again with new strings.
 
Wait till you start playing around with strings. They’re chameleons. You can coax nearly any tone you’d want

Many have said this and I agree. Stingrays respond to strings much more than any other bass I've played.

Interesting!

I like the feel of the Slinkys on my Stingrays (typically not my style, as I prefer more flexible strings and usually go with round-core DRs) because they seem to respond really quickly, and I feel that suits the fast attack that I associate with Stingray tone. But I'll have to play around and see what other strings do!

And because nothing happened without pics, here's the worst photo ever taken, with the Special acclimating to it's new environment:

IMG_20190204_200638.jpg
 
Interesting!

I like the feel of the Slinkys on my Stingrays (typically not my style, as I prefer more flexible strings and usually go with round-core DRs) because they seem to respond really quickly, and I feel that suits the fast attack that I associate with Stingray tone. But I'll have to play around and see what other strings do!

And because nothing happened without pics, here's the worst photo ever taken, with the Special acclimating to it's new environment:

View attachment 3311438

Beautiful! Making friends with a nice amp and a shiny blue pal.
 
Are you in out for delivery status?

Good memory! I’m in running off to jazz combo status. It has arrived (but I’m taking 4 string tonight).

I only got to play 5 stringer a little. The bass sounds great of course. I’m somewhat intimidated by the extra real estate so have to put in more play time to see if I can hack it.

Thanks for checking in!
 
Good memory! I’m in running off to jazz combo status. It has arrived (but I’m taking 4 string tonight).

I only got to play 5 stringer a little. The bass sounds great of course. I’m somewhat intimidated by the extra real estate so have to put in more play time to see if I can hack it.

Thanks for checking in!

I actually played a 5 string tonight. There's one at the studio where I play. I never play 5ers. It wasn't too bad actually. A Yamaha 5 string passive jazz type. Very thin D shape neck. It's not the low notes I have problems with. It's feeling the high notes. I don't look at my hands when I play so it's weird to have to look down to see what's going on. I can't say I will ever be comfortable on a 5 but if you work at it, I am sure you will get there.
 
I actually played a 5 string tonight. There's one at the studio where I play. I never play 5ers. It wasn't too bad actually. A Yamaha 5 string passive jazz type. Very thin D shape neck. It's not the low notes I have problems with. It's feeling the high notes. I don't look at my hands when I play so it's weird to have to look down to see what's going on. I can't say I will ever be comfortable on a 5 but if you work at it, I am sure you will get there.
That’s the way I felt when I switched to the 5er. I’d had a lot of time on BEAD 4 stringers so was familiar with the tuning, more or less. But the 5 string made it feel like the G was the extra string. Alas I do feel at home on it now though!
 
That’s the way I felt when I switched to the 5er. I’d had a lot of time on BEAD 4 stringers so was familiar with the tuning, more or less. But the 5 string made it feel like the G was the extra string. Alas I do feel at home on it now though!
It definitely feels like the G is the extra string for me. It's weird. On 4 strings, I tend to play 90% on the A, D, and G. I only use the low notes occasionally for emphasis. On a 5 string I play a lot more low notes. It feels like I am playing a different instrument all together.
 
It definitely feels like the G is the extra string for me. It's weird. On 4 strings, I tend to play 90% on the A, D, and G. I only use the low notes occasionally for emphasis. On a 5 string I play a lot more low notes. It feels like I am playing a different instrument all together.
I hear ya’. Back when I played the BEAD basses I got into the habit of playing halfway up the neck a lot. That’s when I really learned the fretboard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HD007
I hear ya’. Back when I played the BEAD basses I got into the habit of playing halfway up the neck a lot. That’s when I really learned the fretboard.
Another funny thing is that I (previous to owning this Stingray) always used to play over the neck pickup on Fender basses. Now that I have played the Stingray exclusively since last July I looked down and noticed my right hand over the bridge pickup. I guess I am now a close to the bridge player. It's interesting how selling off all my other basses and only playing one has changed my style and what I like to hear. Stingrays make you play different than other basses that's for certain.