Educate me about Dimension/Stingray basses.

[Dr. Cheese]

I just got a classic stingray. I own 2 P Basses and a 5 string Jazz. The Stingray sits in between those two in a way, it just matters how you play it. The treble knob is sensitive when you boost it past the middle, so if you keep it a little lower the bass will be very midrange forward. If you boost the treble it can get very bright and scoops the mids more.

The only way I can describe the classic ray is that it is a modern classic. It has the ability to sound more old school and midrange focused like old Sister Sledge records with the preamp more neutral, or like a modern fusion style bass with the preamp boosted a bit. It is quite responsive, which adds to the modern traits.

The best thing to ask yourself is if you like the defined sound of a bridge pickup. If the answer is yes, you will probably like a stringray. I should note that I tried all versions - regular, classic 4 and SR5 and the classic 4 to me was much different, in a good way.

Great post, the Stingray is a very versatile bass if you accept its basic parameters. I put a Dimension 5 on layaway for my birthday. It does not have Stingray highs, but it fills the same general frequency. I also a Squier Dimension 5, and it was a great bass too.

I posted a few clips. The first is a Mexican Dimension 5. Second is a Squier Dimension 5. Third is me playing Bernard Edwards style on a Stingeay classic. Fourth is me doing a slow version The Brothers Johnson Mista Cool.

 

[Herrick]

Feel Free to look for other examples for yourself - you can then post one and show everyone a really great demo - actually, what the Stringray video does is actually demonstrate the sound characteristics of that bass very accurately. Since you asked the question What tonal characteristics do Fender dimension basses and Stingray basses offer?, these clips answer that question. There is finger style in that video... perhaps you missed it. Watch again. In addition to that chords he is playing Low E and Low A.

I watched it twice and other than him slapping and the nice-sounding stuff he was played in the higher register, I didn't see any standard style finger playing. Since he was using his fingers for those play styles, I guess they could technically be classified as finger style.

Anyway, I don't think the OP was criticizing you as a person for posting that demo or demanding that you post one the OP would find more appealing.

 

[Mastermold]

I just got a classic stingray. I own 2 P Basses and a 5 string Jazz. The Stingray sits in between those two in a way, it just matters how you play it. The treble knob is sensitive when you boost it past the middle, so if you keep it a little lower the bass will be very midrange forward. If you boost the treble it can get very bright and scoops the mids more.

The only way I can describe the classic ray is that it is a modern classic. It has the ability to sound more old school and midrange focused like old Sister Sledge records with the preamp more neutral, or like a modern fusion style bass with the preamp boosted a bit. It is quite responsive, which adds to the modern traits.

The best thing to ask yourself is if you like the defined sound of a bridge pickup. If the answer is yes, you will probably like a stringray. I should note that I tried all versions - regular, classic 4 and SR5 and the classic 4 to me was much different, in a good way.

+1
Yeah try them out and see what works for your taste. I own a SR5 that I really like and borrowed a friend's Classic 4 expecting to buy it off him but never bonded with it the way I did the SR5.

 

[Felken]

There is finger style in that video... perhaps you missed it. Watch again. In addition to that chords he is playing Low E and Low A.

I've seen that particular fingerstyle. But he's playing chords and high notes.

 

[kkaarrll]

I am torn also

 

[Badwater]

Design has a lot to do with Leo's evolution of bass. And that also contributes to tonal stuff. You all know the history of the electric bass and Leo Fender. From the traditional Precision evolved the Jazz, and later the MusicMan stingray. And finally the G&L. Nevertheless, the Stingray gets it's signature sound from the design and materials of the large pickup and preamp design, and most of all the position of that humbucker which is much further from the bridge. The dimension guitar would be more like Leo's last flagship design the G&L L2000. That's where you'll find the sound and tone, and feel of a dimension. As for carrots, Leo did not invent the carrot.