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Flat sounding SR5?

JoshuaTSP

JoshuaTSP

Sep 26, 2008
3,734
41
#1
I recently picked up a SR5 that came with Seymour Duncan preamp and pickup.

I love the way the bass feels and plays, but the tone is just flat.:rollno:

It's got a set of DR Lo Riders on it.

Fairly sure I've tried the DRs on almost all of my basses, and haven't been impressed.

I thought SR5s were suppose to be bright and punchy?
 
#3
I'm no electronics expert, but my first guess would be the aftermarket pre\pup.

I'm assuming you bought the bass unheard\unplayed? Or else you might have noticed the flat tone before you bought it?

Do you have a fresh set of LoRiders on it? Stainless steel?
Maybe try a different brand\type?

Stock Stingrays can be bright and punchy, especially the 3EQ versions. Too some, even too much! ;)

Maybe that's why the original owner replaced the stock pre\pup with the SD? He might not have liked bright and punchy from the stock pre\pup.
 
#5
bovinehost said:
You've resolved the question.
Click to expand...

Well, I swapped the strings almost instantly......:o

rappa29 said:
I'm no electronics expert, but my first guess would be the aftermarket pre\pup.
I'm assuming you bought the bass unheard\unplayed? Or else you might have noticed the flat tone before you bought it?
Do you have a fresh set of LoRiders on it? Stainless steel?
Maybe try a different brand\type?
Stock Stingrays can be bright and punchy, especially the 3EQ versions. Too some, even too much! ;)
Maybe that's why the original owner replaced the stock pre\pup with the SD? He might not have liked bright and punchy from the stock pre\pup.
Click to expand...

Hmmm.....I can only go on hearsay since I've never played a stock Stingray...but I've heard the SD pickup and preamp are similar to the stock stuff?

I did. Blind trade. So no chance to try it before I buy it.

The bass feels resonant, and is loud unplugged.
...but the tone is distinctly muted.
Maybe I just like a brighter bass?

It was a nearly fresh set of Nickel Lo Riders....but like I said, they haven't sounded good on any of my basses so far.
Never this flat sounding?

zachbass02 said:
ya....my SR5 with the stock pre & pickup growls like nobodies business with a set of D'addario nickles on it.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking I'm going to pick up a set after work tonight.:o
 
#7
The bass growls, but it doesn't have the snarl to match (sticks with dog sound references)

Plus, I'd rather try a new set of strings before I start thinking about a pickup and preamp swap $$$$$$
 
#8
JoshuaTSP said:
The bass growls, but it doesn't have the snarl to match (sticks with dog sound references)

Plus, I'd rather try a new set of strings before I start thinking about a pickup and preamp swap $$$$$$
Click to expand...

Noticed you're going with nickels in the DR and DAd's.

You might try SS LoRiders or DAd's ProSteels. Nickels, generally, aren't as bright as SS.

FWIW, I've used LoRiders (nickel and SS), XL's (nickel) and currently have Super Slinky (nickel) on my SR4H and have never had a problem with flat\dull tone. I actually always roll off the highs a tad on the pre.

Bovinehost pretty much nailed it. It has to be the aftermarket pre\pups.

Just to make sure, you have a fresh battery in there right? :)

Are you sure it's an SD preamp? What are the controls? 2 band? 3 band? I didn't see an internal preamp on the SD website.

If you're able, go to your local music store and A\B your SR5 vs a stock EBMM SR5.
 
#10
rappa29 said:
Noticed you're going with nickels in the DR and DAd's.
You might try SS LoRiders or DAd's ProSteels. Nickels, generally, aren't as bright as SS.
FWIW, I've used LoRiders (nickel and SS), XL's (nickel) and currently have Super Slinky (nickel) on my SR4H and have never had a problem with flat\dull tone. I actually always roll off the highs a tad on the pre.
Click to expand...

Hmmm....nickels have worked on just about every other bass I have.

Must be just the set of DR Lo Riders......since I hated them on my Jazz V, meh on my L2500, and dead on the Stingray.

Bovinehost pretty much nailed it. It has to be the aftermarket pre\pups.
Just to make sure, you have a fresh battery in there right? :)
Are you sure it's an SD preamp? What are the controls? 2 band? 3 band? I didn't see an internal preamp on the SD website.
If you're able, go to your local music store and A\B your SR5 vs a stock EBMM SR5.
Click to expand...

I'll swap strings to see if that helps....adjust the pickup height too....just to be sure.

It's this 3 preamp with slap switch:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/cutting-edge-1/stc3m3_stc3m4_f/
I cracked the bass open and checked. :o

Not sure if the pickup is an Alnico or Ceramic? :confused:

Sadly (or happily :D), I'm no where near a Guitar Center.....bass gear around here is rare.

That said....my Millennium sounds a bit muted too.....but only on the upper highend.
The mids are much punchier then the Stringray. :eyebrow:
 
#12
ddnidd1 said:
If the after market pickup and preamp sound the same as the originals, why would they have been swapped out in the first place?
Click to expand...

sounds similar for what I've read, but like I said.....I can't really say.

I'd imagine they'd want them to sound similar, since most people would be buying them as either after market replacements for their stingrays or cheaper copies or for custom bass builds
 
#13
JoshuaTSP said:
Must be just the set of DR Lo Riders......since I hated them on my Jazz V, meh on my L2500, and dead on the Stingray.
Click to expand...

Funny you mention this, because I just put a fresh set of SS LoRiders on my Trib L-2500 and really like them! :)

I had DR Sunbeams (nickel) on them before, which I liked too, but for the original Alt Rock\Pop trio I'm in, the SS LoRiders really bring out the beast in the MFD pickups and work better for me in this genre. :bassist:
 
#15
I have an 2000 SR5 and I only use SS DR Lo Riders. I have tried HI-Beams and nickel D'addario's. The SS Lo-Riders just do it for me on this bass. I also sure them on my Sterling 4H and I get the same great sound.

As you know, this is all really subjective.

Perhaps its the combo of the ceramic magnets on each bass with the SS? Not sure, but to my ears its what i want to hear.

I think bovinehost nailed it with the aftermarket pickup. I had a EBMM SUB4 and swapped out the stock for an SD. After 2 days i put the stock EBMM back in it. It was a interesting experiment, but the stock really had the depth the SD didnt have.
 
#16
Well, I took off the DR LoRiders......made a huge difference!

I had a set of GHS Boomers and threw them on there. 100% difference.

Everyone raves about DR strings, but I can't see how anyone could like strings so bad?
Maybe I just got a bad set, but that seems really strange.

I have yet to hear a stock Stingray, so I cannot comment on how the tones compare.

Seems like the sweet spot was with the high backed off a hair, and the bass and mids bumped up?
 
#18
From the EBMM FAQ page:


Q: Could you tell me Music Man's StingRay factory settings for relief, string height, and pickup height?
A: First of all - almost all of the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the fretboard action, counter clockwise to lower it. The factory string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. Of course, tightening or loosening the trussrod affects the bow of the neck, which is how desired action is generally best achieved. The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup. On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.


Hope that helps.
 

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