Fender p bass or Ernie ball stingray

[twc1313]

To me, it is easier to find a more budget friendly PBass that will sound as good as a high end P (see: Yamaha BB series, Peavey, Squier VM and Classic Vibe, and others)

The SUBs are great basses too, but an EBMM Stingray is harder to replicate in terms of tone and overall quality.

 

[fffreddy]

Dude...you've got to find a way to keep both. Turn over every stone. Sell your car...or your bicycle if you have to.

I have an SR5 and an MIJ P. They are both awesome in their own way. Don't try to make the P sound like an SR. Different animals. Switch out that PUP right now.

Ok, if you absolutely MUST sell one, I think you answered your own question: keep the SR. I found that I really didn't appreciate the SR in a band mix until I joined a funk band a couple years back. Authority for miles.

But seriously...you've got to find a way to keep both.

 

[dwm74]

Keep the stingray and get a cheap p. You can get a great sounding p for $250, you can't get a great sounding stingray for $250.

Easy decision.

^That echoes my thoughts exactly.

I love Pbasses but took a chance and bought a Ray, but ended up selling it a few months later. Never could get used to the twangy trebly tone, even after stringing it with flats (Chromes).

But it's true what corndog said...good Pbasses are not that hard to come by nor too expensive. If the Ray is making you happy, keep it and find a smoking deal on a P. They're out there, for sure.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I'd be tempted to keep the Ray because you can always pick up something that cops the precision vibe and sound for $2-250 if you're patient. An iconic active bass?, not so much. If you bought the Fender new you will probably be taking a good haircut when you sell though.

 

[Jay2U]

I'd keep the Fender. Any P-Bass can cut through the mix, let alone one with Quarter Pounds.

 

[obimark]

What's up everyone! Im new to this site and I wanted to know everyone's opinion. I own 2 bass guitars and I can't justify having both at the moment so I have to choose which to keep. I currently own a American pro fender p bass and a Ernie ball musicman stingray 4. Here's what I've come up with: Fender is a fender it has the traditional bass sound and you can't go wrong. Ernie ball has that signature sound you either love or hate. I personally feel the stingray stands out more and cuts through in a band better. I've had many compliments on my stingray played through a Ampeg svt CL with 8x10. I'm stuck between loving the way the fender looks and feels vs the stingray sound. Also in the fender I have the Seymour Duncan quarter pounder installed. I just feel like the fender doesn't have as much balls as the Ernie ball. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions . Here's both my guitars!

Keep em both. YOu will regret whichever one you sell. And you don't have to justify two basses. (10 maybe).

 

[mantaraya]

IMHO just wait a little, try to play them eyes closed. Forget about looks and esthetics. Forget about build contruction. And find the one that talks to you better. Sometimes that talks to you is about how it feels in your hands. Sometimes is about sound. My personal experience is that altought Fenders have a lessen point in terms of quality, construction it just sits better in terms of sound/playablity. But maybe yours is opposite. I struggled with an EBMM Stingray for 5 years because i want something of it that it didnt deliver. And i wasted years with that bass because it was a EBMM Stingray so i said "something is wrong with me for not loving it" and i tried, tried, tried but never could.
Basses are like women, some like Pamela Anderson type, some like Helen Hunt type. Just ask yourself: what do you really like? Maybe you will find yourself loving the bass like a woman, doesnt have too much in front or back, but has that something special you find it love worthing...
P.S Well maybe not entirely like woman, you can have 5 basses but 5 woman hummmm yo get the point.
Maybe later you can have a couple of basses for a specific type of sound for specific songs..

 

[Remoman]

If you're gigging regularly, that's your justification for keeping both! Ok, maybe not a must, but you really should have a backup if your main ax has any kind of issue. Otherwise, sounds like the EBMM gets you the best sound for what you're doing right now. That's your keeper.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

The best option is to find a way to keep both.

The next best option for me would be to keep the Stingray and buy a used Squier Matt Freeman that is basically a Classic Vibe 70's bass that looks just like your Pbass. Great basses that sound, construction, playability , and feel far out weight the price tag.
They are hard to come by used but check Reverb, Guitar Center Used , Craigslist, MusicGoRound daily and post a want to buy ad here. You should find one .

Or as other option is keep the Stingray and buy a used USA Peavy Fury. If you like a Jazz style neck and great P bass tone, you might like this bass. But the Freeman will get you that same Fender Vibe and feel of a true Precision bass neck and tone.



There is one on Reverb right now. FYI they don't last long and people seem to hold on to them. Im not the seller . Just offering assistance.


Like you, I adore the Pbass tone. I feel it is something that everyone should have in their arsenal. My limit is 2 basses. Instead of going with an American P, I chose a Squier Classic Vibe because well lets face it, it really doesn't require a lot of money or to be USA made to get great vintage Pbass tones, build, and playability . Am I saying my CV Precision is as good as a USA made Fender ? Nope. But I am saying it gets me close enough to where I'm not unhappy or feeling like Im missing something .

When it came obtaining more modern tones that a Bass cant deliver, thats when I found it necessary to spend the money and by USA. So I went with Ernie Ball MusicMan Caprice.

Those 2 basses do everything that I need them to do. If you feel the need and your budget increases later on, go buy another USA Precision . They aren't that hard to come by. It would be harder to replace that Stingray .

 

[beaglesandbass]

You get a call while you're at work to learn a fire in your home has destroyed all possessions with the exception of one bass. Without thinking about it, which bass instantly popped into your head as the one you hoped survived?

That's the one you keep. End of discussion.

 

[SteveCS]

You're obviously new to this site, as you don't seem to know that everyone here is going to suggest you to take the P bass.

Welcome to the club

90 posts in and it hasn't happened - yet. For sure the 'P-is-all' brigade will be along soon, but by then those of us that know better will be long gone. The way things are going I suspect OP's P will be long gone also.

 

[edencab]

everybody (+/-) has a P bass....the EB is more unique and killer powerful....if you will be jamming or playing in your band live, keep the EB.i...f you want to do studio work, I hear you better have a P or you'll get funny looks or no work

.I'd keep the EB

 

[Herrick]

As far as feel I think the fretboard has a slight stickiness to it that the stingray does t. The stingray feels very dull like sanded down which isn't a bad thing but just like the fender neck barely better.

If the Fender feels only a little better and you love the sound of the Stingray then keep the Stingray. But if it's at all possible, keep both.

As far as myself I think prefer the stingray sound a little better. I know I can't go wrong with either I'm just wondering a lot of people play the p bass over the stingray and it doesn't matter to me but what I wanna know is why? What am I missing? So far in this post that I made people seem to like the stingray more but out there in the big world it's always fender p bass and nothing else.

I don't play in bands so my opinion doesn't count for much but I just love the simplicity & sound of a P Bass. Stingrays sound great too though.

 

[noeinstein]

Two fingers- I'm not too worried what the majority would rather play because I know each instrument is very different. Yea I find myself always going back to the stingray. With the fender I was doing way too much research on how to make it sound more like the stingray. I guess that should be a sign right?

There you go. "Can't justify keeping" is different from "have to sell," though. If you don't have to sell, I'd consider hanging on to both until your choice becomes more clear.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I think the Fender is more universal and the Stingray is more hit or miss in what it works for.

 

[mouthmw]

As far as myself I think prefer the stingray sound a little better. I know I can't go wrong with either I'm just wondering a lot of people play the p bass over the stingray and it doesn't matter to me but what I wanna know is why? What am I missing? So far in this post that I made people seem to like the stingray more but out there in the big world it's always fender p bass and nothing else.

Preference really. I myself prefer the passive, less aggressive tone. Fits the music I play better. P with flats and Jazz with rounds for my vintage rock/Led Zep Tribute band, RHCP tribute (ray was great here too but I prefer a jazz) and studio recording/live for my originals band. I recorded some original songs with my SUB and it was great really, but I find jazz works better for me. Oh and, P and J definitely sound fuller to me across the fretboard (D and especially G string).

 

[Session1969]

Keep the Precision because it has more booty, if needed, imo.

 

[kinopah]

Another thing to consider is the company. Both those basses were (more or less) developed by Leo Fender. But Fender and EBMM are very different companies with their own distinct vibe, attitude, and history, and have different places within the bass world.

I wouldn't suggest that should be the FIRST factor in helping you decide, but if nothing else is working maybe its a factor. For one, I really like the people associated with EBMM, from the family to the tribe of fans who love the instruments. I wouldn't play the instruments on that alone, but it's def a company I LIKE supporting.

 

[drewphishesp]

Ill trade you my mim P for your p and ill add some cash, that way you can have a p on hand and i can have the american P I have always dreamed of...

 

[Jeff K]

You get a call while you're at work to learn a fire in your home has destroyed all possessions with the exception of one bass. Without thinking about it, which bass instantly popped into your head as the one you hoped survived?

That's the one you keep. End of discussion.

Ha ha! I've used a different example, but yours has more of an impact, for sure! Mine was always to flip a coin up into the air to determine which one stays. While the coin is flipping through the air, which way are you HOPING it lands??!!