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Getting Stingray sound

E

Eden66

May 19, 2008
51
0
Montreal,Canada
#1
I'm not very familiar with my tribute L2500 yet(almost brand new)
I'd like to know if It's possible to get close to the Stingray sound and if I can,how do I do it(parallel,series and active passive and p.u. select)
If not,what would be the closest?
Just by ear,without having a stingray in hand to compare,I think that :active,parallel,both p.ups was close,am I right?
Thanks in advance
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#2
You won't be able to get "that" sound, as the Stingray has a pickup that is located pretty much between the 2 pickups on an L2500 + the Stingray has active boost/cut bass and treble...I personally like to think of the L2000 as the group of sounds I'd always hoped to hear when I picked up a Stingray- you can get bright and fat, but without the processed and "polite" thing that the current MusicMan models have to my ears (which I attribute to fairly weak pickups being boosted by a fairly neutral preamp). The L2000 was Leo Fenders continued development on the old MusicMan Sabre bass, and I think it was a definite work of passion and ingenuity. Instead of focusing on the active preamp that really was the defining aspect of MusicMan, he focused instead on designing a really strong and highly adjustable pickup that could be tonally manipulated to cover a wide variety of sounds. Essentially starting with a strong signal rather than putting all the design into a preamp or "effect", which is how I think of a preamp in alot of ways.

Basically I'm just ranting here, but my point is that I think you'd be better off appreciating a G&L for being a G&L (which came about through a long line of Fenders trial and error and ingenuity!) rather than a facsimile of tones from other basses...That said, I think you pretty much nailed it about as close as you'll get- Stingray humbuckers are wired in *parallel*, with an always *active* preamp, and both pickups together will be the closest approximation to one that is centrally located...

Karl
 
#3
You can get close with the 2000, and you're on the right track.

The current issue 1500, and older Climax have the pickup in the right spot, which helps.
 
#4
Thanks guys.
Sunbeast.I totally agree with you,what I think is that the bass feels like a M.M. but I don't get the single signature sound of the stingray only,I can go from stingray to P bass to Jazz bass,all those tones and more flexible than those basses by themselves.
I'm not trying to make my L2500 sound definitely like a M.M.,I was just trying to handle all the possibilities that I have with this truly wonderful instrument.

And thanks for your prompt response
 
#6
Hi Whacker,yes I bought my case after market,those are the ones that comes with the L2500 American made.I got it for 50$ where I bought my bass.I had the deal because they made me wait for 12 weeks to get my bass,long story short,they forgot to order it,after two months I gave them a buzz and then they finally ordered the bass.It was 12 endless weeks,I suffered all that time....so that's the reason why I got the damn nice solid case(g&l U.S.)
I think you can get one for 159 or 169$ on Musicianfriend website.

Thanks for the comments for the bass,show me yours if you can,I love s.b. maple
 
#9
Well, to duplicate that sound, you'll need to spring for a 'ray. i view it similar to a RIC in that it has a signature sound that really is different from most everything else...

But, don't dispair -- you can get close by scooping out some of the mids and boosting the lows & treble. The settings required to do that on your rig will depend on the variables in your equation: the bass & its settings, also includes the strings, amp, and anything else involved.

On my '81 L-2000e, I can get a funky Singray grind with both pickups/active/bass boost & the treble/bass at about 60-80%, depending on your other equipment. I think the mahogany body on mine helps with the lows, as do the TI Flats.

On my '07 L-2000 BABP Limited Edition, I've got TI SuperAlloys and can get a nice 'Ray-like sound as well by massaging the tone, etc.

I was playing my Korean Trib L-2500 at band practice this week and was playing around with the sound a bit. it can get into stingray territory as well. It has the stock SIT rounds on it.

There is something to the MM pickup placement though -- I picked up an OLP Stingray copy awhile back as a $100 beater bass. It looks and feels like a cheap Stingray, and the pickups are pretty much in exactly the MM sweet spot.

But, the pickups and electronics are very different from a genuine MM; the pickup is passive with separate volume controls for each of the 2 coils and one tone control. With the right strings, you can get an amazingly good sound -- again, kinda 'ray like, but not quite.

hth.
 
#10
Okay, this is a little orthogonal, but my favourite Ray-o-like is my Ibanez Custom Shop ATK. As Rays go, I prefer it to my real one (which I am sure could be improved by a visit to a proper luthier for a better setup than I can manage). My L2K tribs make some nice noises and are beautifully ergonomic, but they have a smaller and different voice, I feel. The fundamental just doesn't fall in the same place.

Or else that's just how I'm hearing things at the moment.
 
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